PAPAL CONNECTION
In 1947 and ’49 the ACK 1st XVIII was captained by two young lads from northern Victoria. Tim and Maurice Dullard were apparently brilliant footballers and athletes and fine scholars. Sought by Melbourne clubs they instead trained to be priests. Tim became an Augustinian, Maurice a Jesuit. The new Pope, Leo XIV for a lengthy time was Provincial of the Augustine’s and made several trips to Australia to meet up with the order’s clergy in this country. A young relative of the fathers Dullard told me the now Pope was very impressed with Tim and Maurice and they likewise with the man who now leads the worlds 1.5 billion Catholics.
***
VARIA
Early sales for next summers Ashes tests are at record levels indicating huge crowds will flock to the tests. If the Boxing Day test at the MCG goes into day five the attendance could even eclipse the 373,000 who watched the India test last December.
***
Meanwhile the Indian Premier League has just concluded its 18th season with huge crowds and massive TV audiences. Aussie pace bowler Josh Hazelwood and Tasmania’s Tim David were in the winning XI—from Bangalore—its first title.
***
I met briefly with Ned Pannuzzo the other day. A Vietnam veteran and long-time Beveridge and Kalkallo fire brigade member, Ned also coached the third XVIII at ACK for over a decade. He became known for his dislike of umpires and one game at Camberwell he was giving the man with the whistle repeated serves. The umpire stopped play, came to the boundary line, thrust his whistle in Ned’s face saying “mate, have you had your breakfast? If not, you can swallow this”. A really good man, Ned, with a fine family.
***
Times sure change as do prices. This was the Footy Record a long time ago—costing a six pence. Todays record costs around a hundred times more and no longer is cigarette advertising legal.
***
I spoke the other day to Annette Eagle at the post office. She and husband Brian ran a successful newsagency in the main street for many years. Son Tim and daughter Sarah attended ACK. Both have made fine use of their lives. Sarah was a fine college captain at ACK, very popular with her peers.
***
Kilmore’s Goal Café has changed hands. It has been a popular venue for quite some time. For the past seven years it was run by Samantha (Sam) Brennan and her friend Heidi. Both were hard workers and ever smiling. Many of their regular customers will miss them and certainly wish them well in whatever lies ahead.
***
The AFL season is half over and the title favourite is Collingwood. But anything can happen in a long season and at this point also in the running are Brisbane, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and maybe Hawthorn. Injuries and form fluctuations will have a bearing on final results.
***
Geelong must be so happy they got Bailey Smith from the Bulldogs. He wanted to play in the midfield for the Dogs but didn’t get the chance as Luke Beveridge was well served in that department.
The former Xavier College student played in the centre for his school XVIII and in 2018 was best for Xavier in the annual clash with Assumption. A bit of a different character, he is one of the AFL’s top drawcards.
***
Peter Sullivan came to ACK from the Western Victorian farm fields in the fifties. A really fine man, Peter is currently enjoying watching grandson Finn O’Sullivan playing for North Melbourne. Peter and his wife Helen live in Camperdown and their close friends include Brian and Coral McCarthy. Brian is very ill. He played for Assumption and St Kilda.
***
The young lady pictured sent me this photo recently. In 2015 I stayed with her family in West Sussex. Sarah was a young schoolgirl with a great personality and sense of fun. Her family is one of a number I’ve kept in touch with. now a beautiful young lady, Sarah works in London with a jewellery firm. In April she married in Chelsea Old Church. Her life and times were featured in a UK magazine and the photo appeared with the story.
VALE JOHN COUSTLEY
John Coustley, a highly respected memory of a generational Darraweit family was farewelled by family and friends at St. Patricks Church a week ago. The name Coustley equated with great Darraweit names such as Stockdale and Cleve down the generations. A son David Coustley, detailed John’s life in a fine eulogy whilst brother Jim and other family and friends did the special readings. John was a good sportsman and played with his brothers and a friend Ned Pannuzzo for Wallan. His brother Jim was an esteemed primary school teacher for many years. Rev. Father Vinoth Santigo was celebrant for the requiem mass which offers timeless comfort to families of loved ones.
