Five from Five

It seems Nigel has found the winning formula. This morning I am delighted to introduce you to two of the long term O'Reilly boys, James and Ian/Max. 

JAMES

Footy
First encounter Melbourne 1973. Sadly (not sad at the time) the year South Melbourne won the wooden spoon. Wanting to back a winner I supported Carlton. They lost the Grand Final to Richmond that year, which I attended. Along with about 110,000 others (the days of standing room). It was the grand days of Alex Jesaulenko, John Nickols, Geoff Southby, Sergio Silvagni, Robert Walls, Bruce Doull... My support then shifted to Geelong as I shifted to school there but there was little to cheer and few players to remember.  I played in various positions for Geelong Grammar School 1st XVIII alongside David Cordner, who actually went on to play a few unremarkable games for the Swans in 1988. (Just after their glory years of 86 & 87)  I played for Robb College in Armidale and for New England in the NSW Country Championships of 1982 before going on to play for Lismore in the Gold Coast League in 1983. Can safely say was never in danger of being recruited, but loved the game. My nickname, which I'm not proud of, was Knuckles. Ironic of course. Traveling to Europe in 1984 spelled the end of my playing days, retiring aged 21.

Life
The journey in geographical terms: Banz, Papua New Guinea, Melbourne, Geelong, Armidale (NSW), Byron Bay, London, Interlaken (Switzerland), Saalbach (Austria),  Hydra (Greece), Sydney, Bruny Island (Tasmania), Sydney. Now married to the remarkable Lisa Matthews. Two children, named after the places they were conceived: Byron 8, Chloe 6  (Chloe - Clovelly, sort of. There were too many Brontes. There is a fair chance Byron was  conceived in Woy Woy, but couldn't persuade Lisa)

Work
Film and Garden maker.

Hobbies/Interests
Other than cinema and gardening - bushwalking, wilderness photography, cooking, periods in Australian & PNG history.

5 and a Half Favourite players
Michael O'Loughlin, Paul Kelly, Wayne Schwass, Paul Roos, Adam Goodes ... and the half for Byron Middleton, currently Under 9s for the Eastern Suburbs Bullodgs.



IAN/MAX

Footy
A late in life convert, despite having lived on Punt Rd more or less opposite the G in the late 1980s, and all-too-frequently being assailed by Tigers players recruiting members on Swan St. Managed only one visit to VFL Park for a Pies-Hawks clash in 1989. Recruited to the Swans by Dylan Gower and Patrick Nolan in 1999. First game was v Port, round 1 that year: also A. Goodes' debut. Missed one season (2009), partly in disgust at Barry Hall's strike on Brent Staker in 2008,  and partly because of what the Tip Mistress referred to as the 'mouldiness' of the Swans' game plan at the time: stoppage footy at a time when Geelong were rewriting the rules with play on footy. For the record, Hall's captaincy of the 2005 GF team still rankles with me. He shouldn't have been playing.

Life
Married with two daughters (Mia, 8, and Zoe, 4) and a hellish mortgage. Just celebrated tenth wedding anniversary, marked by the emergency removal of my wife, Vanessa's, gallbladder. A night to remember. Converted to Greek Orthodoxy for marriage ('My Big Fat Greek Wedding' is, I assure you all, social realism, not a comedy). I plan on retiring to the Peloponnese with a boat and Foxtel Footy (somehow). And the family. All of them.

Work
Ensconced deep within the ivory towers of a sandstone university, and about to embark upon 12 months of leave. For the past two years a management flunky, I look forward to returning to the less stressful life of a researcher and writer.

Hobbies
I love to sail, particularly on high performance off-shore yachts, but am finding it harder and harder to commit to the long hours required to be of any use on board. The family and a large garden keep me busy on weekends. Am learning guitar with the eight year old, and spend a great deal of time reading.

Players
All time: Wayne Carey. Astounding watching him own the half acre around half forward. He seemed to tower over everyone, projecting an uncanny forcefield. I adore the story a footy-loving friend told me: that Carey loved and lived football so much that he would sing, sotto voce, every opponent's team song when it was played before games. From here it's all Swans . . .
Recent past: I always had a soft spot for Jared Crouch, not least because of the career-long martyrdom involved in his commitment to tagging (viz Akermanis) and grinding stoppage football. His delight in ever getting a kick--usually a wobbly mongrel punt from a scrap on the half back flank collected by the opposing centre half back and precipitating a rebound into 50--was palpable. Tagdh Keneally was amazing, too.
Present. Lewis Jetta is turning into something very special, as are Hannebery and Luke Parker
Debut 2011. Alex Johnson
Future: Jed Lamb