JAYNE’S PAINTING

Among the backdrop of scenes at next Saturday nights sold out function at the MCG will be the painting of an Assumption v Trinity game on the iconic Main Oval. Renowned Wandong artist Jayne Henderson painted the football and cricket scenes which adorn the Daniher Pavilion. Hundreds of former footballers and cricketers, quite a number travelling long distances-from overseas and all Australian states but not only sport will be represented-there is a large number of former students from areas of law, medicine, agriculture, teaching, the arts and industry, horse racing and politics.

Featuring on the night will be Bill Brownless, Shane Crawford, Tony Armstrong, Victoria Cross winner Neville Clark, Tony Ottobre, Damien Drum, Brian Forrest, plus Neale Daniher with almost all his First XVIII and First XI team-mates from 1977-78. Legendary “greats” attending include Francis Bourke (Richmond) and Jim Gallagher (Footscray).

REMEMBERING

I received a letter the other day from a sixties student John Kennedy. The last time I saw him was in centenary year 1993. A few years after graduating he wrote this little poem:

I saw once again the face I knew

I saw Kilmore’s Valleys and dells

I listened with joy as I did when a boy

To the sound of the old Shandon bell.

On the ovals the sturdy youths battled

To the cry of ‘onward blues-on’

O’ how green were the fields then-

And the fields of them that are gone…

A simple nostalgic piece by a Riverina lad who became a renowned surgeon. He, like many students returning to their alma mater invaluably drove round the ovals, checked out the old change sheds, the then handball courts, they would look warmly on the Shandon bell and sometimes their faces would cloud for a few moments and eyes dim as they recalled the years of youth spent at ACK and of how the old bell regulated their lives. They would think back on the only times of real freedom they knew -times before the onset of adulthood, mature responsibilities and the never-ending hassles of the ‘big world outside’. The look briefly in upon their classrooms, dormitories and dining halls; gaze reverently at the Honour Rolls in the old foyer-and maybe kneel for a moment in prayer in the little Brothers’ Chapel. In their separate minds’ eyes as they patrolled once more the realms of boyhood they must have seen through the mist of time their classmates and teachers as they were when their world was young.

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100 YEARS

Saturday nights crowd will in reality be celebrating well over a century of football and cricket at Assumption. Some names in the pictures from a hundred years ago still resonate across the generations.

SCOTT WYND

Really good to catch up with Scott Wynd the other day. The former star Bulldog and 1992 Brownlow Medallist. Scott played 237 games for the club and was a great admirer of his first coach at the kennel, Mick Malthouse. Scott joined me in the ACK coaching “gig” in 2007 and after my exit he continued on at the helm to a premiership. That title run was dedicated to the very talented team member Zane Collier who was in the throws of a really tough cancer battle. The much-admired Kilmore teenager lost his fight a year later. Scott and his wife Jodie are very fine people. Their four daughters attended Assumption with distinction. Scott’s younger brother Paul played some games for the Kangaroos. Pauls young son is a promising cricketer in the Assumption First XI.

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AREA LEGEND

A stalwart of the Seymour and District Cricket Association, Cameron Armstrong, a Yea plumbing business owner-can be highly termed a bush cricket legend. A talented cricketer from a young age he led Assumption First XI to the 2003 title. For several years after college, he played with much success for Melbourne Cricket Club 2nd XI and top flight suburban cricket. Returning to his hometown he has had a very fine career for Yea and has churned out thousands of runs. He is currently captain-coach of Yea and is in charge of the SDCA’s Inter-Association XI. He and wife Lily have three fine young sons with one in particular, Archie (11) showing much promise. Cameron was also a very good footballer for ACK and his home club.