Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Perhaps my earliest memory is going with my late father and my brother Simon to a St Kilda-Footscray match at the Junction Oval, where St Kilda is no longer based. Ironically, the area is practically opposite my office. I remember it was in the very early 1960s. Unfortunately, my brother and I, being six and five, picked up the habit of parroting some of the abuse being shouted by adults in front of us, and a Footscray supporter turned around and punched my father in the nose. This Friday night, St Kilda plays Footscray’s successor, the Western Bulldogs, in one of the big preliminary finals before, we hope, the mighty Saints will go to the grand final of the AFL. Unfortunately, like David Smorgon, the chairman of the Western Bulldogs, I will not be able to attend because the match takes place on the eve of the Jewish New Year, but my affection will not be dimmed through not being there.

This year, more than ever, has brought to mind the role that AFL football and family play. Particularly in Victoria, but all around the country, AFL plays a great role in solidifying families. This year I have been attending St Kilda matches more than ever with a great Australian, and a veteran of the Z Force, Sid Benjamin, 96, who faithfully attended St Kilda matches over the last 60 years but unfortunately passed away this year. Together with Sid, I have attended a series of St Kilda victories, with his son and my great friend Dennis; his grandson Gil; and sometimes my daughter Laura. We all hope for Sid’s sake that the mighty Saints are able to win the grand final this year. My brother, Simon, and I attended some years ago a wonderful ceremony in the Long Room at the MCG—before it was bulldozed—where we met our great heroes Alan Jeans, the coach of St Kilda in the 1966 grand final; Ross Smith; and Daryl Baldock. It brought to mind how we St Kilda supporters long in our hearts to win a grand final.

If St Kilda make it this year, people like me will not be in conflicted circumstances like we were in 1966, So I am hoping and praying that St Kilda will win. This is despite a very odd incident several months ago where a radio segment reported an unconfirmed rumour of a St Kilda player fleeing the scene of a crash in Brighton Road. This was interesting news to me because the night before I was woken by the sound of my car, which was parked in Brighton Road, being totalled in a hit-and-run accident. Now, I am not making any connections, but I feel that I lost a car in the interests of St Kilda so I hope that they will return the favour to me by winning the grand final this year—when my family and I will be able to attend.

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