wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
When I was a kid, the national team played s handful of Test matches a year, but, conversely, the local Saturday afternoon club game at the old Eastwood Oval usually featured a Wallaby or two (none from Eastwood, I hasten to add).
In those days, and for many years thereafter, Wallabies came from diverse backgrounds, but most of them were pursuing either a profession, or a business career, or were from a farming family.
No doubt some of them did some naughty things, but of course if they did, they were never publicised.
In those days the national squad assembled 48 hours before each game and for the rest of their lives the players led normal lives.
They were well respected to a man.
That's our Wallaby heritage, it has been changed out of all recognition. The players typically come from a narrow range of backgrounds, very little in their lives apart from the sport (a bit of study to fill in a few hours for some of them), every move is scrutinised and reported on social media, they are over-exposed in one sense, playing 40 games a year - but totally under-exposed in another. A young kid will not see a Wallaby running around in club rugby on a Saturday arvo,
In fact, unless his parents have Foxtel, he (or she) will only see them a few times a year on television.
Once upon a time, the players, past and present, were well rounded normal people who happened to be particularly talented at a sport many of us played at school. Now not many schools play the game. And the players lead highly specialised and frankly uninteresting lives (apart from the occasional scandal, that is).
In those days, and for many years thereafter, Wallabies came from diverse backgrounds, but most of them were pursuing either a profession, or a business career, or were from a farming family.
No doubt some of them did some naughty things, but of course if they did, they were never publicised.
In those days the national squad assembled 48 hours before each game and for the rest of their lives the players led normal lives.
They were well respected to a man.
That's our Wallaby heritage, it has been changed out of all recognition. The players typically come from a narrow range of backgrounds, very little in their lives apart from the sport (a bit of study to fill in a few hours for some of them), every move is scrutinised and reported on social media, they are over-exposed in one sense, playing 40 games a year - but totally under-exposed in another. A young kid will not see a Wallaby running around in club rugby on a Saturday arvo,
In fact, unless his parents have Foxtel, he (or she) will only see them a few times a year on television.
Once upon a time, the players, past and present, were well rounded normal people who happened to be particularly talented at a sport many of us played at school. Now not many schools play the game. And the players lead highly specialised and frankly uninteresting lives (apart from the occasional scandal, that is).
