TA: Port Fairy’s Star of the West Hotel publican Damien Gleeson decided to go to Killarney to celebrate his 47th birthday on Thursday.
AT: Where? The Killarney pub has been closed for years. What else is out there apart from Kevin Mugavin’s greyhound yards and a few houses? I’m sure Mugavin matriarch Val would have whipped up a sponge if required.
TA: I made a mistake there, I meant Killarney in Ireland. The one-eyed Collingwood fan has been to the British Open golf classic with 12 mates and played on 13 different golf courses in 16 days as part of a short break before heading back to the seaside village.
AT: Not a bad effort playing on 13 golf courses in 16 days. Any golfer would love that sort of holiday. I suppose his lovely wife Sue has been running the pub while he’s been away.
TA: Sue has been busy and apparently she’s celebrating her birthday today.
AT: Have to ask the obvious question. How old is Sue?
TA: Your mum has told you not to ask a woman her age. Let’s just say she’s celebrating the 22nd anniversary of her 22nd birthday. Talking of Ireland, it was a great effort by Warrnambool’s Sheena Watson. She’s been over in Ireland with the Melbourne Dance Company and performed Celtic dancing in front of 25,000 people at a big event.
AT: Talking of big events, racing enthusiast Paul Daffy will be the centre of attention at the Wannon Park dogs just before 6pm when the oddly named Daff The Dill has his first race start.
TA: How did that name come about?
AT: Daff formed a syndicate which includes a few father and son combinations, Bill and Symon Wilde, Shane Timms from Logans and Peter Delaney. Daff got hold of the first dog’s papers and it was named Balding Billy. This time around Bill got hold of the papers and the result is Daff The Dill. Daff’s not particularly happy because he claims that at least his name was factually based. Trainer Dustin Drew will be under plenty of pressure but the poor pup has a terrible load to carry with that name.
TA: Talking of the dogs, how has the change to Saturday nights worked out?
AT: On track things have been humming along nicely but it might take a while to bed down the off-course with the races broadcast on Sky Channel 2. Subscribers are now having to pay for that service and I think there will have to be incentives put in place for that to work well. Talking of changes now that Leigh McCluskey has announced he will stand down at the end of this year as coach of North Warrnambool Eagles, who will get the job?
TA: Plenty of speculation that the new coach might be a player from a rival club. I should clarify that point. Sources have told me a key player from another side will be interviewed for the job.
AT: Apparently Port Fairy’s Michael Steel was seen wandering around the road outside the controversial Etihad Stadium in Melbourne during the week. I wonder what he would be up to?
TA: Funny thing you should ask. Steely, the head of Bamstone in Port Fairy, and some of his workers have been laying slip-resistant pavers to the kerbs and tram stops outside the stadium. Steely was heard saying to some of the workers their next job might be to lie some of the slip-resistant pavers on the playing surface at Etihad.
AT: The only down side would be the hospitals would be full of blokes needing skin grafts but if they didn’t go to ground they would be all right. On to racing and I suppose a lot of locals have been making their way up to Darwin for the big cup carnival.
TA: Big list of locals have headed up north for a bit of sun. Symon Wilde and Matthew Williams are believed to be there. I hope Williams took some sunscreen. Our old mate Brian “Nut” McMahon has made another trek with his good mate Graeme “Grandpa” Welsh.
AT: With Grandpa up north, who is running the Timboon Hotel?
TA: I think you’ll find popular identity Trevor “Porridge” Kemp has come off the bench with the assistance of former school teacher Tommy Kerr.
AT: Talking of alcohol supply, I’m pleased to see that Bojangles will soon be able to deliver beer but the rumour is selection will be limited and Etihad Stadium-like prices may apply.
TA: Anything else going on?
AT: I had an interesting call from a passionate sports fanatic this week regarding the redevelopment of grounds and facilities. His idea was to develop another sporting hub and when you think about Warrnambool’s future needs it would have to be at Brierly. Might be easier to develop a new facility than to fund the refurbishment of Reid Oval. Hooroo.
*This is the last time T&T will run in The Standard. Andrew Thomson and Tim Auld’s column has been a regular fixture in the paper for more than three years, but the time has come for a change. Stay tuned for a fresher, revamped sports gossip column in the future.
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