AT A GLANCE
Peter Gaetz
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Born: Carlton, June 15, 1938.
Wife: Sandra.
Children: Zeta and Vicky.
Parents: William and Stella.
Siblings: Jackie, Pam and Stella.
Education: Cheltenham Primary School before leaving school when I was 14 years old.
Sporting Highlight: Being a passionate Melbourne fan who had the chance to watch on the television as the Demons broke a 57-year premiership drought.
UNDER THE AULD PUMP
Peter, let's go back to your early years. I note with interest you left school at 14 years old. Why did you finish school at that stage of your life?
I never liked school and I never liked living in Melbourne so I left to work on a farm at the age of 14 years.
I worked on a couple of dairy farms around Penshurst before being taught how to shear sheep when I was 18 years old.
Shearing sheep ended up taking me to different parts of Australia.
I ended up setting up my own shearing contracting business, which I only closed when I was 78 years old - that was five years ago.
Being a shearer would be a tough job. Is that a fair comment?
Yes, it's not easy. My body is pretty buggered now, especially my back.
It's been hard work, but I've enjoyed it.
I've been lucky to have met some wonderful people from all over Australia.
Peter, can you remember how much money you got paid when you started as a shearer?
I can remember what my pay packet was when I was 21, which was over 60 years ago.
I was paid $5 for shearing 100 sheep and 14 cents for crunching 100 sheep.
The pay rate for shearers now is $4.50 per sheep, l think.
As you can see the pay rates have definitely changed over those 60 years, but they are entitled to do - as I said, it's hard work.
When you were running your shearing contracting business, how many people did you have on your books?
It was in between 35 to 40 shearers, and they could have been working anywhere from Burra in South Australia to Broken Hill to Queensland.
It took a bit of keeping up with, but I enjoyed it until I retired five years ago.
How many years ago did you move to Warrnambool?
It was 35 years ago that Sandra and I moved to Warrnambool, but we had close contacts with the area for many years.
I lived in Penshurst for years and played in its 1959 premiership side against Macarthur.
We used to play in the old Port Fairy league.
Glenn James, who went on to be a successful VFL-AFL central umpire, was in charge for the 1959 grand final.
Glenn ruled with an iron fist - I'll never forget he told the players before the game any back chat and there would be a 15-metre penalty.
One of the Macarthur players gave a bit of back chat and Glenn gave him the 15-metre penalty.
There was no more back chat from either sides after that incident.
I was the runner-up in the Penshurst best and fairest in my last two years at the club.
Among some of players in the 1959 grand final side were members of the Lewis family, who are related to former Hawthorn and Melbourne star Jordan Lewis.
Well- known Warrnambool identity Geoff "Boofa" Lewis was a mascot for our 1959 premiership side.
Did you play footy after playing at Penshurst?
Yes, I moved to Hawkesdale and played there for two seasons.
My footy career ended up after I got crook after a game. I went home and started vomiting blood.
I was rushed into the old Koroit Hospital and Dr Lawrence was there.
Dr Lawrence found out my appendix had burst. I was very, very lucky, similar to the last time I was in hospital.
Two years ago I was taken to the Warrnambool Base Hospital after I felt crook.
They found I had two strokes which have impacted my speech and handwriting, but I was very lucky due to the quick actions of the staff at the Base.
Let's talk about your sporting highlight, being a Melbourne Football Club supporter. How many years have you barracked for the Demons?
All my life. I'll never forget I was 10 years old in 1948 and I was at the grand final when the Demons drew with Essendon.
I went back the next week to see the Demons win the 1948 flag.
I would have to say one of the highlights of my life was going to a function at the old Sheraton Hotel in Melbourne back in 1984.
What was so good about that night back in 1984?
It was a function organised by the Melbourne Football Club.
They were auctioning off memorabilia from the footy club, and one of the items which came up for sale was Robbie Flower's jumper.
Robbie was my favourite Demon player. I ended up paying $300. Robbie was there that night and he personally signed the jumper - he also gave me his footy boots, socks, short and footy bag. I've still got all the items. I cherish them.
I got to know Robbie really well after that function. We stayed in contact and I was also friends with numerous other Demon players including the late Jim Stynes and officials.
I've been a long-time member of the club. I was the first regional member of the old Premiers Club which Melbourne established many, many years ago.
Robbie sadly passed away in 2014. I'll never forget I heard he was diagonsed with prostate cancer in 2001, and that diagnosis triggered me to go and get my prostate checked out.
Jim Stynes was a champion bloke. He used to phone out of the blue just to check to see if I was all right.
Have you watched the replay of the Demons' grand final win over the Bulldogs on Saturday night?
I've watched it a couple of times.
I must admit I was worried about our chances in the first part of the third quarter, but the Demons just ran all over the Bulldogs in the end.
We've got a cockatiel at home and I've taught the bird to whistle the Melbourne theme song.
That just shows how one-eyed we are for the Demons.