PENTRIDGE PANTHERS
A postcard arrived recently from an ACK student of the early eighties. I won’t name him for several reasons. He was in my English classes and also played a few games in the First XVIII. Only a few years after leaving college he was gaoled for robbery with violence. I recall he loved poetry and wrote some fine poems. In 1982 and 1989, at the invitation of legendary priest and Pentridge Chaplin Father John Brosnan, the ACK 1st XVIII ventured into the famous gaol to play against the resident team – the Pentridge Panthers. They played quite a few games each season, all at “home” for obvious reasons. For the student visits, names of players and officials had to be forwarded in advance and when the bus arrived at the gaol gates, guards and sniffer dogs came aboard. It was a bit of an eerie experience for the college lads. Father Brosnan had assured me there would be no “rough stuff” and on both visits that was the case. “Bros” who was highly respected by the prisoners insisted in both games that the teams lined up opposite each other while the captains each made a short speech. At the 1989 game when the teams faced each other. I looked across and thought “hell am I on the right side” because grinning hugely from the Panthers’ ranks were three faces from past ACK days who had fallen foul of the law. I got to talk to them briefly after the game and one, an almost angelic lad at college has kept in touch ever since. But sadly, the sender of the postcard, one of the ’89 trio, after release for some years re-offended and now is in Barwon Prison.
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I knew the families of all three lads, and they were fine people deeply saddened by the pathways taken by their sons.
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The games on both occasions were keenly contested. There was plenty of “blue” language from the Panthers, but they were true to Father Brosnan’s pledge – “no rough tactics”. In ’89 the prison teams had some very good players. Some had played in major Victorian leagues, a couple in the VFL and amateurs, and one was close to signing with Fitzroy, but the police signed him instead. Different times indeed- and would not be allowed to happen today.
FIGHT FOR THE ASHES
England and Yorkshire express bowler Fred Trueman terrorised batsmen from every country including Australia. In a test versus India in Manchester in the 50s he totally wrecked the tourists with a spell of searing pace. So frightening was Fred in that distant day that one Indian bat asked the umpire could the sightscreen be moved, “where to” said the official “halfway down the pitch between me and that lunatic with the ball”.
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This coming Ashes battle which opens in Perth in November will feature pace in spades-like Trueman’s “pace like fire” Australia’s Mitchell Starc will still impact the series, but the Pom’s attack will be headed by Mark Wood and Jofra Archer-currently the fasted pair of speedsters in the world. Both can crank up to nearly a hundred miles an hour at times.
This series will be a reverse of earlier times. England will bring maybe its youngest side ever to this country whilst Australia will be the “Dad’s Army”. It would be nice if young stars Sam Konsta and Victoria’s Campbell Kellaway were to be Australia’s openers-for the Ashes tests and the future. Some overdue youthful selections would be welcomed by young fans and would halt the drift of teenagers to other sports. In England and South Africa attacking young bats are great entertainers and they are drawing record numbers of youth to the game. Sadly, our ultra conservative coach and selectors seem to refer sticking with “oldies” or recycling former failed batsmen in their thirties plus. I doubt if the ageing Khawaja or fourth stump line “nicker” Labuschagne will worry the Pom’s attack.
VARIA
A visit last week from a college goal kicking legend Ray Power was a nice reminder of his great ability. He captained ACK First XVIII and XI in 1982 and dominated in both sports. He kicked 210 goals in ’82-an all-time Australian record. His magnificent kicking technique enabled him to kick truly (210-44) from anywhere up to sixty yards out. League clubs were queuing up to sign him but instead he chose family life and work rather than commit to the “big time”. He instead played for 20 years in major country leagues, kicking the “ton” in virtually every season. Ray could have easily joined the list of 84 Assumption boys of my time who played VFL/AFL such as Shane Crawford, Ben Dixon, David King, Bill Bownless, Jason Johnson, Tom Lonergan, Dion Prestia, Peter McCormack, Laurie Serafini and the like.
