SA Footy

Final fling for 'old dinosaur'
1:12:15 PM Wed 11 January, 2006
Alan Shiell
Sportal for afl.com.au

Gavin Wanganeen, Port Adelaide's much-decorated champion, has started preparing for his 16th and final AFL season, describing himself as 'one of the old dinosaurs of the competition'.

Wanganeen, 33 in June, is scheduled to play his 300th AFL match in the opening round - against the Kangaroos at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night, April 1.

He has made a later-than-normal start (a week ago) to pre-season training and Port coach Mark Williams has said he will be nursed through the season - in matches and at training - as Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy has indicated he will do with James Hird this year.

"I'm mentally fresh and the body's a lot fresher, so the break has been really good," Wanganeen said at Alberton Oval on Wednesday. "It's great to be back. There are a lot of new faces here and I'm getting to know a lot of the younger guys.


"Knowing it's my last year, I'm excited about it. I know the time will go very quickly, so I'm going to enjoy it while I'm still here. Once it's over, it's over, and I'm looking forward to the year.

"Mark Williams had a good chat to me and he just mentioned there was still a role for me to play at this ripe old age. I thought that was enough and I'd push my body through one more year."

Wanganeen, the 1993 Brownlow medallist, a dual premiership player (Essendon in 1993, Port in 2004), a five-time All-Australian, an AFL life member and the Power's inaugural captain (1997-2000), played 23 of Port's 24 regular-season matches last year to lift his tally with the Power to 172 since 1997 after 127 with Essendon from 1991-96.

He said he would play a 'similar role' to what he played in the second half of last season - 'a lot more time on the bench, more of a burst sort of a player'.

"I enjoyed that so I look forward to doing that again this year," he said. "It will probably be a half to three-quarters of a game. Occasionally I might get the full game in if we've got a few injuries and if I'm feeling good … just spending a lot more time on the bench and trying to stay fresh.

"I might start on the bench, I might start on the ground. It all depends on how I'm going. I still believe I've got a lot to offer, even though it's on a limited time on the ground.

"I've been training (with Port) for a week now and I'm already starting to feel a lot better. The old lungs are not suffering as they did last week, so, yeah, I'm not going too badly at all.

"My back and legs don't feel as good as they used to when I was 18 running around all day every day. But (they are) not too bad - good enough. You've always got to expect some sore spots at this age.

"You just get used to the sore spots and, at the same time, you're still rapt just being around the place. I've still got quite a bit of time to get right. I'll be ready for round one, that's for sure."

Reminded of Sheedy's sympathetic consideration for Hird early this week, Wanganeen said: "Good old Sheeds. I think it's a great point. The older guys in the competition have got a lot to offer in terms of experience and what they can hand down to the younger guys.

"I think there are definitely positions there where they should look at keeping the older guys and looking after their training and all their appearances during the week. If they can limit that and be able to keep a lot of the older guys it's definitely better for the game, that's for sure. Choco and Sheeds have been good in that area."

Wangas was/is a true champ, played a major part in our premiership in 04.

I once read where Jack Cahill said that Wanganeen was the best one on one player he'd ever seen in his long involvement with footy. I certainly wouldnt disagree with that.

Great player, I thought he was sensational especially in his younger days but unfortunately he'll always be remembered by most for his diving exploits in front of the umpires. Unfortunate but just the way it will be.

A lot of the 'diving' Wangas does is simply to accentuate a free kick that's already there.

Though my favourite Wangas performance was in Hobart, 2004 when the big G-Train looked like he cracked him with an open hand in the face.

Wangas dropped like he'd been shot and was awarded the free kick.

A different camera angle showed that the only thing that hit him was fresh air.

**** funny though. The G-Train completely lost the plot that day and that just about tipped him over the edge.

Anyway, Gavin Wanganeen is an undisputed champion and I, for one, will remember him for his fearless courage, balance and poise under pressure and ability to turn games, none more so than the 2004 AFL Grand Final.

From the first game I saw him play with the Magpies through to present day I have had much admiration for Gavin.I am also the first to admit he does give the umpires a better view of the free's at times.He also has the right to, as he over the years he has also displayed courage that many players could only wish for.

I for one will remember him for a couple of instances.
1:The marlk he took years ago for Essendon going back with the flight,IIRC Mark Harvey and a Geelong(?) bloke was bearing down on him.Courage.
2:The moment he threw his arms into the air,just after kicking his fourth goal in the 2004 GF just into the last quarter. That's when I knew we were home.

Superb player who demonstrated to the highest degree all of the skills that make Aussie Rules the unique and greatest game it is ... Deserves all of the accolades that come his way!

Wedgie OTM re: Wanganeen. Funny how (many) Port supporters loathe Matty Lloyd but can forgive Wanganeen for his diving. Wanganeen is a great player who somehow manages to get up and get a kick when he looked gone for all money only minutes before with what looks like a crippling injury at the time.

I think Wangas best effort was perhaps when he was kickless against the Saints in that prelim final but suddenly sprung to life in the last quarter and was instrumental in getting the Power into it's first grand final, sensational stuff, even for a Port hater like myself.

Booney, I think you may have confused your second point with a mark that Blake Caracella took against Geelong, running against the flight.

regards,

REB

Read an article once where Wanganeen said he was a Norwood supporter as a kid but was zoned to Port ... At least he had class at some point in time

Can't understand how his bones and joints can keep doing it...?

Constance_Perm wrote:Read an article once where Wanganeen said he was a Norwood supporter as a kid but was zoned to Port ...

This is true.

Michael Aish was his boyhood hero.

Wangas eventually came to his senses.

I thought there was something familiar in his diving methods

It might not have been against the Catters REB,but it was Wanganeen,may have been way back in '93 or '94.

Not sure when.And Caracella did something brave?

Booney wrote:It might not have been against the Catters REB,but it was Wanganeen,may have been way back in '93 or '94.

Not sure when.And Caracella did something brave?

Yep, it must of hurt tho so he didn't try it again

regards,

REB

Booney wrote:It might not have been against the Catters REB,but it was Wanganeen,may have been way back in '93 or '94.

Not sure if it was the same one you're referring to, but I'm pretty sure he took one against the WEagles in 93' that was widely commented on ...

Yes, is a superb player and I think Essendon showed how much they thought of him when they named him in their team of the century, which is some kind of honor given that he was only there for six seasons and given some of the players that have played for Essendon throughout their days.
Can see what you're getting at Wedgie but I think it will be the non Essendon supporting Victorians that will remember him that way.

Yep Wanganeen played vintage footy @ the Dons, Have to agree with Booney, that mark against the catters was something special, wasn't that the game where Ablett went ballistic and kicked 13.

I remember watching the delayed telecast at the bay after a game, that last quarter was ******* sensation, one of the great minor round games.

That year my Brother was living in Darwin and Clarkey had him at 16s to win the Brownlow, being a poor impoverished student I told my brother $5 each way, but that day he was BOG so when my brother went on Darwin cup day to put the money on he was in to 8s,

still back then $55 paid for 2 ctns of West End, happy days....