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reading insidefootballonline- from post grandfinal which is just now up I fouund this little known (apparently) snipppett
Tony Elshaug was nearly a saint 30 years ago.......
There was another time when the club tried to sell me to Essendon for Tony Elshaug, which people don’t know about. But at the end of thinking about it I think, such is life, I stayed at one club and I’ve never regretted it.
Joffa was my hero. I may have stopped supporting the Saints if he was traded. I had moments when Russell Greene was shafted to Hawthorn. I was very close to going when Dean Rice went to Carlton.
I had the honour of meeting Joffa in 2003 (not sure) at the Sydney pre-game function at the Paddington RSL. Was also sitting at a table with Rhys Muldoon and Ivy Moyle. I bought the Heroes with Haloes book and got him to sign his page. As is the case with all of my idols, I didn't want to have a conversation except to say that I thought he was a great player. He said we should have a beer after the game.
After the game, I saw him at the post match function and he called me over to have a beer but I was too shy (I'm not a shy person normally) and I got my girlfriend at the time to buy him a beer and take it to him. He again called me over but I couldn't do it. Strange I know but true story.
My nephew just turned 15 and I decided to give him that book because it meant a lot to me and I thought he would appreciate it. He did.
Milan Faletic wrote:Joffa was my hero. I may have stopped supporting the Saints if he was traded. I had moments when Russell Greene was shafted to Hawthorn. I was very close to going when Dean Rice went to Carlton.
I had the honour of meeting Joffa in 2003 (not sure) at the Sydney pre-game function at the Paddington RSL. Was also sitting at a table with Rhys Muldoon and Ivy Moyle. I bought the Heroes with Haloes book and got him to sign his page. As is the case with all of my idols, I didn't want to have a conversation except to say that I thought he was a great player. He said we should have a beer after the game.
After the game, I saw him at the post match function and he called me over to have a beer but I was too shy (I'm not a shy person normally) and I got my girlfriend at the time to buy him a beer and take it to him. He again called me over but I couldn't do it. Strange I know but true story.
My nephew just turned 15 and I decided to give him that book because it meant a lot to me and I thought he would appreciate it. He did.
Great story.
We have had two dogs since we were married, both named after StKilda heroes. Our beautiful lab Harvey passed away recently as some on here will know. Before him we had a border collie/kelpie named Joffa.
Everything I've ever heard of Joffa Cunningham tells of a great bloke on and off the field, and your story reinforces that.
I'm glad your nephew appreciated your gift of that book. Good to know its in good hands.
Shattered dreams are just opportunities for improvement. Live and learn, fail and try harder. 2011 beckons.
I absolutely idolised Joffa. I still remember that game at Moorabbin when Joffa and Ablett spent the entire game trying to take mark of the year on each other. They both took some absolute hangers that day, I think Ablett kicked 6 or seven on him but Joffa was close to BOG for us. It was an unbelievable dual.
saintbrat wrote:
RHYS: Tell us what you are doing these days. You got a qualification as a curator and groundsman down in Victoria, didn’t you?
CUNNINGHAM: I’m living in Brisbane, at Cleveland. You would have heard of the Redlands Football Club where Jeff White played this year. That’s where I work. It’s beautiful – 27 to 30 degrees each day.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Best I be crossing the river & heading down to my old club to get a sig or 2 on some old gear I have lying around!
Always regret that we never had a chance to farewell Joffa as the champion he was.
I remember reading a paragraph in the paper one summer morning announcing that he was retiring.
And that was it.
No last game.
No being chaired off in front of the Huggins Stand.
No lap of honour.
And when the next season began - nothing.
No farewell lap etc.
He deserved better.
We do Legend retirements so much better these days.
The rest of Australia can wander mask-free, socialise, eat out, no curfews, no zoning, no police rings of steel, no illogical inconsistent rules.
They can even WATCH LIVE FOOTY!
I use Joffa as an example with my junior couching. What Joffa lacked in silky skills he made up for with sheer desperation, I remember seeing him chase a ball on his hands and knees for 10 metres and he still got it.
The other example I always talk about is the game BringBackMadDog was referring to, it was amazing watching that dual unwind as the game went on. The reason I use it is that you should never give up, no matter how well your opponent has been going, the next dual is a new one.
I am still hurting from 71;
my gut churns thinking of 97;
2009 was agony,
2010a was a pleasure to watch only to be devastated by 2010 b.
It hurts barracking for the Saints
Milan Faletic wrote:Joffa was my hero. I may have stopped supporting the Saints if he was traded. I had moments when Russell Greene was shafted to Hawthorn. I was very close to going when Dean Rice went to Carlton.
I had the honour of meeting Joffa in 2003 (not sure) at the Sydney pre-game function at the Paddington RSL. Was also sitting at a table with Rhys Muldoon and Ivy Moyle. I bought the Heroes with Haloes book and got him to sign his page. As is the case with all of my idols, I didn't want to have a conversation except to say that I thought he was a great player. He said we should have a beer after the game.
After the game, I saw him at the post match function and he called me over to have a beer but I was too shy (I'm not a shy person normally) and I got my girlfriend at the time to buy him a beer and take it to him. He again called me over but I couldn't do it. Strange I know but true story.
My nephew just turned 15 and I decided to give him that book because it meant a lot to me and I thought he would appreciate it. He did.
Great story.
We have had two dogs since we were married, both named after StKilda heroes. Our beautiful lab Harvey passed away recently as some on here will know. Before him we had a border collie/kelpie named Joffa.
Everything I've ever heard of Joffa Cunningham tells of a great bloke on and off the field, and your story reinforces that.
I'm glad your nephew appreciated your gift of that book. Good to know its in good hands.
I know a story a mate told me once about Joffa. This mate is a Saints supporter but he was good enough to be recruited by Melbourne. As a young bloke just out of U/19s he was playing in the ressies one day at Moorabbin, Joffa in his twilight happened to be in the ressies that day as well. My mate was playing full forward or in the pocket & Joffa picked him up. My mate led a couple of times but failed to time his run with the ball coming in. Then my mate started to lead again and Joffa grabbed his jumper and said: "Not yet, not yet." Joffa then let his jumper go, saying: "Now lead son." My mate led and the ball hit him perfectly on the chest. After my mate kicked the goal they were both walking back to the goalsquare and Joffa just said, "You just have to learn to time your leads."
True story.
As my user name suggests, Joffa was my hero as a kid. Proudly wore the number 5 on the back of my jumper. Ghost Like's story just puts the icing on the cake for me.
Joffa was my hero as well - I wore #5 at every senior club I played for because of him, and I'm sure I ended up a winger instead of an onballer for the same reason...
I met him and had a few beers with him at the Phoenix after the GF loss a month or so ago - he was a genuinely great guy and that experience took a bit of the hurt off what was otherwise a demoralising day. That and I got to accost Nicky Winmar in the crowd at half time and give him a hug. Two of my favourite players ever, if only we'd won, it would have been the best day of my life...
I remember one match at Moorabbin he just cleaned up an opposition player, (you could tell by his eyes that he aimed to do some damage)...
Sure enough, Joffa cleaned him up and was about to get up, but he must have noticed the umpire running in.
The umpire was about to report him, because he was searching for his notebook...
Joffa, being Joffa, rolled and rolled in pain, whilst his opponent laid motionless next to him.
The umpire must have thought that both were injured and continued to umpire the match, the moment the umpire left, Joffa got up and headed towards the play.
He was a great player that gave out the same amount as what he copped.
Don't wait for the light at the end of the tunnel to appear, run down there and light the bloody thing yourself!
PJ wrote:From memory didn'y Joffa have a brother that played for a short stint?
Fader.
he had two that appeared in team photos.
RHYS: Your brother Daryl played with you for the Saints and another brother – Greg – also trained with the club.
CUNNINGHAM: That’s right. He only trained for about two weeks and it happened to be when they took the team photo! So he’s in it up the end.
BringBackMadDog wrote:I absolutely idolised Joffa. I still remember that game at Moorabbin when Joffa and Ablett spent the entire game trying to take mark of the year on each other. They both took some absolute hangers that day, I think Ablett kicked 6 or seven on him but Joffa was close to BOG for us. It was an unbelievable dual.
I'll never forget that game. They belted the crap out of each other and at the end of the game threw their arms around each other. I've always hated Abblett, but that game was something else.
