Micro Noises 80: A birthday score!
The birth of a great side
Listeners of Grandstand Weekender, hosted by Francis Leach and heard on ABC local radio each Saturday and Sunday, may have heard your Micro Noises correspondent recently discussing the phenomenon of footballers whose birthdate falls on a footy score. For example, Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy boasts a birthdate of 15/4/94 and, as all mathematically inclined footyheads know, 15 goals 4 behinds results in a total score of 15.4.94.
In our most recent chat, Francis raised the prospect of putting together a full team of players whose birthdate was also a footy score. Needless to say, Micro Noises accepted the challenge with gusto and we unearthed 63 players with footy score birthdates who have played at the highest level. The task of culling that to a team of just 21 was not an easy one. There will be several past players (if they are still living) who will be disappointed to miss out. To them we can only apologise as we now proudly bring to you the VFL/AFL Footy Score Birthdate All Stars! The team is:
B: | Bert Lucas (Carl/SM, 3.4.22) | Darryl Wakelin (Stk/Port, 11.8.74) | Jim Munday (Geel, 1.11.17) |
HB: | Jake Hale (Carl, 2.1.13) | Cale Hooker (Ess, 13.10.88) | Daryl Vernon (Rich/Syd, 9.6.60) |
C: | Brent Reilly (12.11.83) | Damian Peverill (Ess, 12.7.79) | Bill Hanson (Ess, 14.9.93) |
HF: | Brad Green (Melb, 13.3.81) | Colin Bond (Fitz, 5.11.41) | Andrew MacNish (WCo/Geel, 9.11.65) |
F: | Bernie Dowling (Foots, 6.6.42) | Daniel Merrett (Bris, 12.12.84) | Mark Porter (Carl/NM, 11.10.76) |
R: | Brodie Grundy (Coll, 15.4.94) | Sam Mitchell (Haw, captain, 12.10.82) | Wally Matera (WCo/Fitz, 9.9.63) |
I/C: | Billy Lynch (Rich, 15.2.92) | Greg Miller (SM, 8.5.53) | Bill Gleeson (StK, 4.7.31) |
We're sure you'll agree this is a very balanced team, with each month of the year represented by at least one player, and all clubs with a representative, barring Gold Coast, GWS, Fremantle and University. Those sides have not had a player whose birthdate represents a football score. Astute fans of the game may be wondering why it is that Darryl Wakelin made the side, while his twin brother Shane, who in fact played more games, did not. The reason is quite straightforward - while Darryl was born on the footy score date of 11.8.74, he was born just before midnight, while his twin Shane did not join this world until the date had changed to a most unfooty score-like 12.8.74.
Our research also uncovered quite a few former players who died on a footy score date and these will be featured in a special section of the next issue of Micro Noises, "The passing of a great side".
A one of a kind team (part 4)
Regular Micro Noises readers will know that in recent editions we have canvassed them for examples of players who have both a first name and a surname that is unique in VFL/AFL history. This week we welcome Fremantle's Garrick Ibbotson to the squad, bringing to five the number of such players we have unearthed. While Garrick is unique in the VFL/AFL as a first name, it was seen as a surname between 1948 and 1955, with South Melbourne's Jack Garrick playing 117 games in that period.
Our one of a kind team so far is:
B: | Urban Duniam (SM) | ||
HB: | Garrick Ibbotson (Frem) | ||
C: | Trojan Darveniza (StK) | ||
HF: | Orazio Fantasia (Ess) | ||
F: | |||
R: | Enrico Misso (StK) | ||
I/C: |
Ibbotson's inclusion brings to five the number of team members. If you can come up with a player name that fits the criteria, please let us know in the comments section below.
Postcode of the week
Despite sending Geelong away without a win at Townsville last Sunday, the Gold Coast Suns appeared to try and make the Cats players feel at home to a certain extent. The Suns scored 3, 2, 1 and 4 goals across each of their four quarters in the NAB Challenge match against Geelong, and 3214 is the postcode of Norlane, Corio and North Shore, all suburbs of Geelong.
Ridiculous footy anagram of the week
Our last edition anagram unfortunately revolved around the season-ending knee injury to Melbourne's new recruit Christian Petracca. Sadly, this week's anagram also centres on a player whose season was cruelly ended last Saturday by a ruptured ACL. Such an injury is unfortunately the luck of the football draw. While Western Bulldog Nathan Hrovat will sit out just a couple of weeks with a cracked rib; a serious knee injury sustained in the same NAB Challenge match has brought the season to an end already for his teammate, TOM LIBERATORE, who ironically happens to be an anagram of LOTTO: A MERE RIB. A yardstick of the Bulldogs' midfield work-rate who will be sorely missed in 2015, he is also an anagram of TOIL BAROMETER.
Even more ridiculous footy anagram of the week
A happier anagram on which to end the week. After pressure from AFL fans last season, the MCG announced this week that it's food prices will be dropping for the upcoming season. We at Micro Noises weren't really surprised to hear that, given that AFL FOOD PRICES AT THE MCG is an anagram of GOT EDICTS FROM AFL: "CHEAP!"
Micro Noises is Andrew Gigacz's regular, quirky look at all things footy. The name Micro Noises is an anagram of Enrico Misso, who played one game for St Kilda in 1985. He remains the only Enrico and the only Misso to have played footy at the highest level.
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