The best of the Kekovich Brothers?
Michael Kekovich was the youngest brother of former AFL/VFL players Brian and Sam. He attended Trinity Grammar School in Kew, where he played several years of schoolboy footy for the first 18 side. He was signed by North Melbourne when he was 14 years of age, and was on the senior training list in 1971 at the age of 16. Michael had the choice to play in the North Melbourne side, however, always put his school team first. In a game against Assumption College, Michael was included in a Melbourne Sun article, with the headline “Trinity Grammar on top with Michael Kekovich dominating rucks.” Michael was 16 years old at the time. With the conclusion of the schoolboy footy season, Michael managed to break into the North Melbourne senior side, at the age of 16 – it was a night game against Fitzroy. He was quiet during this game, but showed glimpses of how good he would be in the future.
In that same year, Michael played in two reserve grade finals against Hawthorn and Melbourne, kicking a goal against Melbourne in a losing side. He also won the award, for the best, first year player with the North Melbourne under 19s. During his three years at North Melbourne, Michael had not only won the best first year player award but also the highest respect from everyone at the club. A bright future was ahead of him with everyone looking forward to it.
The following year, was horrific. Michael, just 17 years old, a football champion of the future, was killed, on a jog home from football after playing for Trinity on a Saturday evening. Michael was hit by a car, close to his home in Doncaster. It was a tragic accident which left the school community and his family heartbroken. Up until his death Michael had concentrated on school football; he chose to play at Trinity rather than North Melbourne. “His football commitments with Trinity Grammar were almost completed and he would almost certainly have been in the senior side before the end of season,” North Melbourne President at the time, Allen Aylett said.
Along with his football skills he was described by his older brother Sam as very bright who was good academically and a terrific kid. “Michael was quiet and an unassuming lad, devoted to matriculation studies and football, Aylett said. Ron Carter, a journalist of the 70s told the media that he knew Michael personally: “You could not meet a nicer boy.” Michael was just a kid, the same age as me with a dream of playing AFL football, which he had already partially achieved, until his tragic death. To me this presses home the message, to everyone, take nothing for granted and take everything life throws at you because life is short, and the opportunity is still out there. Everything he had ever worked for had been lost, his family so proud yet so heart broken.
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Richard Grummet 25 November 2014
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