Favourite Footy Moments

What have been your favourite footy based moments?

Doesn't have to be something as big as a GF win (of course those count too) it could be a little act of random kindness experienced at a game that you've never forgotten or getting to meet a footy hero.

Also doesn't have to be just one moment...keep adding as you think of them or experience them.

Regards
JAS

I would say with my grandparents living in Clovelly Park, I will always remember going to the great club at St. Marys as a kid (12 to 14 year old!!) in around 1986 - 1989. I went with my Pop and Uncle after going to a South game at Adelaide Oval on a Saturday and getting all the players at the bar to sign drink coasters for me. Michael Bennett, Gordon Gatti ( quite a different character but he was so nice to me!!), Michael Whitford, Shane Butler....just to name a few!! I captained my high school football team in 1989 to a premiership and had Geoff Winton sign a little message on one of his player profiles to say what a great captain's job I did!! .....its the little things like that I will always cherish so much as now my Uncle and Pop have past away....its something I still have at home and keep close to my heart

Nice memories to share, southee. It's things like that which makes us follow a club passionately for the rest of our lives.

As it happens, my early years were spent in Clovelly Park (Norrie Avenue), which is one reason I've always had a soft spot for South.

Interestingly, when he first came to South Australia from the West, Gordon Gatti was one of the Maths Teachers at Christies Beach High School! Was weird to have a lesson with him through the week then see him wearing the jumper at the game on the weekend!

Ben W wrote:Interestingly, when he first came to South Australia from the West, Gordon Gatti was one of the Maths Teachers at Christies Beach High School! Was weird to have a lesson with him through the week then see him wearing the jumper at the game on the weekend!

He was quite the character to say the least!!!

Southee wrote:I would say with my grandparents living in Clovelly Park, I will always remember going to the great club at St. Marys as a kid (12 to 14 year old!!) in around 1986 - 1989. I went with my Pop and Uncle after going to a South game at Adelaide Oval on a Saturday and getting all the players at the bar to sign drink coasters for me. Michael Bennett, Gordon Gatti ( quite a different character but he was so nice to me!!), Michael Whitford, Shane Butler....just to name a few!!

I went to many Adelaide Oval games with my grandfather in my early teens, so from about 1974 to 1977 or so. Grandpa was a SACA member and in those days each member was issued with two "Lady's Tickets" which could be used by women or kids under 16. Yes, not very politically correct - love it!

So despite being a North supporter I had South firmly established as my "second side" from those days.

And then almost thirty years later I met and played tennis with Gary Mousley and his brother for a few years. It was a bit strange at first to meet the bloke I remembered as no. 29(?) with the flowing black hair who ran hard out of the South backlines all those years earlier. Gary is a hell of a nice bloke.

Running out as the team mascot with Grant Coffee for Centrals back in the early 90's.

Seeing Central's first Premiership at League level and the following success they had.

Seeing the first of many Port premierships in 77, being in the crowd and at Alberton for the after match was something else........albeit i was only a kid the atmosphere was electric!!....magic memories...

Taking the drive from Karoonda to Murray Bridge as a 16 year old to watch the 'big game' between Sturt and South (I reckon it was) - ground was absolutely packed, atmosphere was awesome... we sat on the inside of the fence near the boundry...

Then seeing ourselves on the news footage that night - in the background behind play .... That was a huge highlight - being on telly !!

watching centrals win their first ever flag when i was about 12, i'd been to all of the losing ones and to finally see them get one was magic

being a trainer at westies in 1983 and to be on the ground when the final siren went will live with me forever

Phil Carman's first game for Norwood v Port Adelaide at Norwood, 1970.
Noel Pettingill's monster 105 metre goal v Port Adelaide at Norwood, 1972.
Lining up outside Adelaide Oval to watch my first SANFL Grand Final, 1966.
Ron Kneebone's 1966 Magarey Medal win.
Just some of a million wonderful memories of the SANFL.

One interesting memory I have as a youngster was the time I was asked to play mini-league for Centrals. I remember it was quite a wet day at Richmond and the Centrals mini-league side was a little short on numbers, and I think a few connections my uncle had with the side saw my dad and uncle spending a fair chunk of the first quarter persuading me to play (after initially saying I wouldn't). Being about 7 at the time, I was the youngest, shortest kid out on the field by a mile. I think spent most of the game cheering and carrying on as if I was still on the other side of the fence, but it got me a special mention in the school newsletter and will always be one of those unique memories of our great game.

BEING A NORWOOD FAN , I HAVE BEEN TO 3 GRAND FINALS 1993 1999 AND 2010 , 99 AND 2010 WERE GREAT GAMES TO WATCH BUT THE OUTCOMES WERE NOT GREAT FOR A NORWOOD SUPPORTER, BUT THE SECOND QUATER BY NORWOOD IN 2010 GF WITH THE CROWD GETTING BEHIND THEM AFTER EACH GOAL WAS FANTASTIC, ONE OF THE BEST TIMES I HAVE HAD FOR ATMOSPHERE AT A GAME!I SAW A LOT OF GREAT GAMES IN THE 80'S .

As a 12 year old in 1966 somehow getting into the Westies changerooms at half time at prospect oval and listening to the coach (Don Roach) and sitting alongside some of my favourite players from that era. Garry Sims, Robert Day, Rodney Pope and Jack Pannenburg just to mentoin a few. Great days indeed.

Beating centrals in the ot final
94 gf against the wiggles
Beating norwood and seeing the legs fans spit it after the game

Beating Eagles in the 2010 PF, and watching Eagles fans spit it after the game.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Beating Eagles in the 2010 PF, and watching Eagles fans spit it after the game.

Well you were lucky to win that day.
Defeating Norwood in the 93 GF
Defeating Central in the 2006 and 2011 GF's
Being at all Eagles GF's
Being involved with the Eagles Underage teams.

I know premierships hold their place in the upper echelons of supporters' footy experiences. But I am going to concentrate on non-premiership moments that I hold close.

1 1983- Watching Rick Davies slot through goal #15 at Footy Park against West. Jumbo brought his own ball that day. And I only saw the last 5 goals.
Was home studying listening on the radio and heard Jumbo had 10 to three-quarter time. So I grabbed my brother and we went in for free for the best 30 minutes of entertainment.

2 2010 - Watching at Unley v South and the Chambo Choir had their picture taken with Rick Davies. By now you are probably concerned about my man-fixation with the Jumbo. That was the day he offered us sage advice about the ills of drinking as he carried his beers back to his group. Note: These are not all Jumbo stories.

3 2009 - Watching Chambo's 11 goal haul against the Eagles at Woodville. A special day for the Choir. Sang ourselves hoarse. Followed up by meeting Chambo's Mum and Dad at Richmond the following year.

4 1998 - Not one special moment, but the year we truly bounced back from oblivion. 1997 was good to finish 5th. But 1998 we found ways to win when we shouldn't have. Only blemish was bad kicking for goal early and ourselves out of a win in the GF and losing by 9 points. But that year the belief on and off the field came back.

5 Circa 1974 - Watching Paul Bagshaw do 2 things that defied opponents (and the umpire in the case of one). Left a life long impression on an 11 year old. Firstly, at Woodville, he was running backwards in the direction of the ball in flight and I think mid-judged the flight of it. So he just put his hands behind his back and marked it. Secondly, Baggy was surrounded by opponents in front of him and couldn't get the ball away. So he saw a team mate running past and put the ball behind his back to protect it and handpassed it from behind. It hit the target of course, but the ump couldn't see it properly and not thinking it possible to do, called it a throw. Well at least umpires are mortal.

Left in tears after my father left me behind when he went to the 64 GF............

I saw David Kantilla play-live .......and can just remember him standing on someones head and taking a screamer in the scoreboard pocket at Adelaide Oval

attending South home games at Adelaide Oval, smelling the linament coming up through the wooden floorboards in the grndstand from the changerooms beneath.

As a young fella running round the block to watch the Panthers train every night at Panther Park,St Marys. Fetching footies from behind the goals when the players had goal kicking practice.

Seeing Bill Bennett flatten a young Phil Carman on the Adelaide Oval.

South V Carlton trial match at Panther Park in the early 70's- Darley Backman etc versus Jesaulenko,Nicholls, Jackson , Jones and Gallagher. South were soundly defeated but were up against asuper team in the ir prime, a great spectacle.

being taken to Adelaide Oval a few times with my mates Grandfather, "Diddy" Munro, -who was full forward in Souths 1935 premiership team and kicked 6 straight in the GF and 100 goals that year as well.

Darren Harris' 65m goal after the siren to defeat port in 1983 on the Adelaide Oval.

blueandwhite wrote:I saw David Kantilla play-live .......and can just remember him standing on someones head and taking a screamer in the scoreboard pocket at Adelaide Oval

Seeing Bill Bennett flatten a young Phil Carman on the Adelaide Oval.

David Kantilla was a sensational player, I loved watching him play. Folklore says the biggest problem South had with Kantilla was getting him to wear footy boots.

Bill Bennett was one tough hombre. Could play a bit as well.

Bennett played in a premiership at Carlton in 68 I think... he had played most of the year in the twos bui was elevated into the GF side out of the blue. The coach, Barassi I think it was, told him before the game that he was in the side for one reason only- to follow Jezza around all day and belt the living suitcase out of anyone who tried to rough him up.

But you are right- he could really play a bit too and by hell he was tough and mean as well.
He used to stop and have a kick with my bro and I our street on the way home from practice.

Another alledged story I heard about him was.... South used to hold functions on sunday afternoons at St Marys, with beer and aledgedly- strippers for a $10 cover charge. One sunday arvo 3 patrons were a little upset about the quality of the entertainment and wanted their money refunded, so they cornered the man on the door.
The man on the door felt quite threatened by the 3 gentlemen standing over him until Bill arrived on the scene and brandishing a Barstool asked the doorman whether there was a problem? The doorman then asked the 3 gents if there was a problem.... they replied that there was not a problem and left imediately.

One memory I have still makes me chuckle to this day....

A few years back my brother & I went along to the GF to watch South play in the reserves. We stuck around for the League but at half time Centrals were giving WWT a hiding and it was all but over, so we decided we'd hit the road.

When we got outside the ground we witnessed quite possibly one of the funniest things I've seen at a football match. Stuck in the grass along the driveway past the Crows tavern were little bunches of baloons on sticks in the team colours of the competing sides. An old lady, obviously a WWT fan and most likely well into her 80's at a guestimate, was shuffling down the road muttering loudly to herself and giving each bunch of WWT balloons a swift kick as she went.

She was obviously quite frustrated by Centrals continued dominance over her team and the prospect of being another year closer to her grave without a WWT premiership.

Standing in the race at Richmond with my late Father both in tears watching my nephew who doctors said would never walk run out as the West Adelaide mascott - makes me damp in the eyes just typing this - very special