Charlie Gardiner article

[Riewoldting]

Draft Brings Happiness After A Tragedy
Caroline Wilson
26 November 2001
The Age
One month ago, as we sat opposite the Botanic Gardens to talk about his potential football career, Charlie Gardiner appeared to be one of the chosen few. A boy with the world at his fingertips.

The captain of Geelong Grammar's 2000 first 18, he was nearing the end of the first year of a law degree at Melbourne University and only months earlier had surprised even himself by winning all-Australian selection. He described football as an itch that had suddenly become a serious affliction.

Gardiner had a handsome face, a Toorak address and a not unhealthy attitude to his AFL prospects. ``I'm told I'm not tall enough and I'm not a brilliant athlete,'' he said back then.

``I'm not exceptionally quick or mobile but I think I can read the play pretty well. People say my marking's pretty good. If it happens, it happens, but if I miss out it's not the be-all and end-all.''

He mentioned that he would probably watch the AFL draft in hospital with his mother Jane who had not been well. Gardiner made it clear the two were extremely close. He didn't say that she had been battling cancer for years.

And then 19 days ago Charlie Gardiner's world shifted savagely. At the age of 55 his mother died.

Left to grieve at home, the youngest Gardiner didn't know what to think about football or university and didn't care. He missed his exams and, while his football mentors left messages, he was uncontactable for several days.

Two weeks ago, however, all 16 AFL clubs received a letter from Wayne Oswald, the Sandringham Dragons regional manger, informing them of Gardiner's family tragedy but that he remained eligible for yesterday's draft. The shattered teenager, said Oswald, could think clearly enough to gain solace from his mother's encouragement in her final months.

As it happened, he is returning to Geelong, having been picked up by the Cats yesterday at No.23.

When contacted last night Gardiner sounded happy. He was at home with family and friends but still coming to terms in his 18-year-old mind at the day's significance.

``I think she would have been delighted for me,'' said Gardiner. ``Mum would have wanted to see how far I could go with this and she was quite involved there for a while, so in some respects I'll do it for her and try to succeed for her.

``In another sense it has put things into perspective and football is not everything. She certainly loved it and loved to talk about it - she would have enjoyed this.

``I still expect her to walk through the door in a minute or two. I don't think I've really come to terms with it yet. I was at a wedding the other day and the groom was dancing with his mum and I thought well that's something I'll never get to do now. Little things like that keep hitting me.''

Gardiner was invited to Melbourne Park yesterday and was accompanied by his two elder siblings and father Rob. The Geelong hierarchy has already encouraged him to set up a base in Geelong but he remains unsure.

This time last year Gardiner, who attended Melbourne Grammar until year 7 but moved to Corio when his parents' marriage broke up, thought he was destined for amateur football via the old Geelong Grammarians or the Old Melburnians. Instead he embarked on a pre-season with the Dragons.

By July, having scraped into the Victorian Metro team, he had been named all-Australian.

If Gardiner has football mentors they appear to have been his mother and Oswald, who saw four of his charges drafted yesterday. Two - Luke Ball and Chris Judd - were picked at Nos.2 and 3 by St Kilda and West Coast.

But Oswald has been saying for months that Gardiner was special too.

``Once in a while a kid comes along and you know they are going to be great for football,'' said Oswald of Gardiner.

``He asked me before the draft camp whether he should be himself, whether he should be honest about what he wants out of life. His law studies will be an asset to football one day. Jane was special, too. She became an important part of our football club.

``When she went into hospital for her last treatment she handed me responsibility for Charlie, and I know he'll make her proud.''

Football and the prospect of being drafted became a focus as well as a distraction. Gardiner turned up to train with the Dragons last week and as he appeared thinner and drained of color, the Sandringham staff placed him on a saline drip and then welcomed him back to the track.

``I've had lots of support from family and friends,'' said Gardiner. ``I have friends who have lost their fathers - Ossie (Oswald) lost his father in similar circumstances - and it helps to know they've gone on somehow. The last few weeks have been like a cushion with everyone protecting me from reality, but at some point I'll have to face it on my own.'

[SaintBot]

wayne oswalds a great guy, strange at times but very good with young footballers


thanks for all the articles riewoldting, i never knew about Gardiner's situation with his mother