Cats' big day. Dick's big day. Please copy
28 September 2007
Geelong. What thoughts does the word conjure up? The Ford factory and Toorak Tractors. The Shell refinery. Jetstar. The Alcoa aluminium plant. Well Richard (Dick) Jones hopes not. He wants you to think feline. C – A – T. Pronounced Geelong.
Quote. “COLIN Rice stands out as one of the greatest rovers and crumbers in post-war Bendigo football. His dominance around the packs, terrific ball-gathering skills and inspiration …..”
Now that is classic Jones. From the capitalised first word and the gritty detail to the energetic rhythm of the prose. Strewn with phrases like “famous red and white Guernsey”, “testament to the champion rover's 25 years”, “promoted to the senior side and never looked back”, “cemented a spot as a VFL star”, and “a driving force in the Bloods' victory”. Pure Jones. Vintage Jones. Dick Jones.
Following the 2005 reunion, Richard was in fine footie fettle when he wrote: “I don’t want to hear one more mention of the Sydney Swans! Dave Kesby was delirious with joy about the Swannies’ success and didn’t want to hear that they had just fallen over the line against Geelong on the last kick of the night.” That’s loyalty.
Diane Bohlen wrote at the time: “Watching Richard meeting and greeting his mates from 43 years ago was a delight. He was so excited. I had to laugh at Judyth saying, “He might be your Dick, but he’s my Richard.”
Now, for the first time in 44 years, not since 1963 when Richard was in his final year at ASOPA, the Cats are back. Can Dick replicate that great grand final day, 44 very long and disappointing seasons ago, when the pussies purred proudly at the peak of footie fame? Tomorrow we know.
As I wrote to Sir Roderick Hard earlier this week, still trying to Keep the Lid on Things as far as the Cats are concerned.
And as for caps on the first word in a story, Sir K, that's journalistic practice in the News Ltd stable. Every story starts with a capitalised word. But if a yarn starts with the indefinite article "A", the 2nd word would be capped too, as in: A FIRE broke out last night...
Old habits die hard and, indeed, never disappear.
Hope Geelong doesn't have to wear the white shorts as was the old rule for away teams in the VFL/AFL. We had to wear the white shorts against Collingwood because of the jumper similarities. And by wearing the white shorts we only just fell over the line.
Still we finished the home-and-away season well on top of the ladder so should be given the courtesy of wearing the club's dark, navy shorts. Let the Port Adelaide mothers wear white shorts.
Posted by: Richard Jones | 28 September 2007 at 09:20 PM