TA: Former South Warrnambool footballer and now Brisbane Lions superstar Jonathon Brown is acknowledged as one of the strong men in the AFL but his old man Brian Brown would rank equally as high if he played. Appears the Emmanuel College teacher left his Koroit home in the early hours during the week for a workout with fitness guru Rodney 'Rude' Ryan. Story goes there was a group of middle-aged gentlemen working out in the gym. Some in the group were surprised to smell petrol when Browny entered the gym. After a while someone asked why the former Essendon and Fitzroy player reeked.
AT: I can feel a yarn coming on.
TA: Browny told the group he had a ride-on mower on the back of his ute when driving into Warrnambool. He thought the ride-on had its brake on so he was more than a little bit surprised when the mower disappeared off the back.
AT: Now, Tim, I can tell you he would need a hand to lift a mower back onto a ute tray. They are very heavy.
TA: No trouble for Browny. He just heaved the mower on all by himself, but finished with a bit of unwanted petrol on his paws.
AT: Browny is not the only Emmanuel teacher to make the headlines this week. I happened to read a Melbourne paper on Thursday which had a question on the puzzle page from L. McCluskey of Warrnambool. One would think the question was from Leigh McCluskey, the North Warrnambool Eagles Football Netball Club coach, who I hear is the daily quizmaster at the school.
TA: I hear that Leigh is an avid reader. What was the question McCluskey sent in?
AT: What is Mr Burns’ full name in the TV show The Simpsons?
TA: McCluskey should have phoned me. The answer is Quokka. I know Leigh didn’t send the quiz question in and he’s very keen to find out who did.
AT: There’s a little bit of footy gossip this week. Former Terang Mortlake player Danny Stone has been linked with a Warrnambool WDFNL club, the alleged Good Guy Jeremy Rae is the new president of Port Fairy and I hear that Nigel Kol just got the nod ahead of another experienced coach at South Warrnambool. Panmure playmaker Matt Schrama was also in for the Roosters job. Former joint coach Danny Finn is being courted by other Hampden league clubs, but is expected to stay at South, while North Warrnambool key position backman Tim Martin could be on the move.
TA: There was a funny sight outside the Koroit Bowling Club recently. I happened to spot former Port Fairy and Koroit publican Jim McIlroy bending over and his lovely wife Anne appeared to be wiping the back of his bowls pants. Jim had sat in chocolate in the car and his white pants needed a quick tidy up.
AT: The boys down at Warrnambool’s Boolbet have been kept busy during the Spring Carnival. Appears they were offering the top odds of $14 about the chances of So You Think winning the Cox Plate last week when the horse paid $9.50 on the TAB. This week the boys have on offer a $50 Boolbet betting account for the best gossip someone can come up with. It has to be loosely based on truth. Anyone interested can call Tim or I at The Standard.
TA: Latest news from Broome is the footballing nomad Neil Bourke has been reappointed Broome Saints coach. Former Hampden league goalkicking machine Tony Russell has also signed up to coach Cable Beach again.
AT: I was interested to see Christine, the former wife of Tony Santic — owner of threetime Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva — is getting on with life. Christine and top trainer Lee Freedman scored a win at Warrnambool last Sunday with Pheromone, a three-year-old bay gelding (Zabeel-Shovoff). I suppose you’ll be rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous at the races at Flemington. What’s your derby tip?
TA: I’ll be having a few dollars on Monaco Consul and a small investment on Secret Flyer in the 1200-metre sprint. What’s your fancy in the Melbourne Cup?
AT: My money will be on Viewed. Bart Cummings can do no wrong. I reckon it would be great if he can win the race for a 13th time. Viewed has run 3200 metres before but a lot of the horses haven’t run the distance.
TA: Anything else going on?
AT: Went to the doctor on Thursday with an infection in my eye . I told him I was going to lance the infection. He warned me I risked infection going into my brain.
TA: Sounds like a safe option for you — plenty of space up there. Until next week, hooroo.
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