And at Percy’s Bar on Lygon and Elgin Street corner last week, Carlton’s greatest practitioners of the leadership craft – its former captains – gathered in the lead-up to the Spirit of Carlton’s much-anticipated Captains Luncheon at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne.
In the house were eight of Carlton’s 18 living former leaders - from the oldest surviving captain Ken Hands (1952-’57) through to the game’s longest-serving, the current club President Stephen Kernahan (1987-’97).
Also there was Sergio Silvagni (1964), John Nicholls (1968-’74), Robert Walls (1974 & ’77-’78), Mike Fitzpatrick (1980-’83), Wayne Johnston (1984-’85) and Mark Maclure (1986).
Collectively, those eight captains have contributed 1890 games over 103 seasons, and landed 22 Carlton Premierships and 14 club best and fairests in the process.
Mine host Peter “Percy” Jones, Carlton’s four-time Premiership player and club best and fairest through 249 games and 14 seasons, said he welcomed the opportunity to renew acquaintance with the former captains, most of them his contemporaries.
“It’s wonderful to see them all again,” Jones said. “Usually these gatherings happen at Premiership reunions and there’s always something happening, but there’s a few hobbling including myself although I hasten to add that I am upright.”
Jones himself was particularly upbeat, the former North Hobart ruckman having recently been elevated to Legend status in the Tasmanian Football League Hall of Fame.
“Both Michael Roach and myself were elevated to Legends, while Verdun Howell and Tim Lane were named Icons . . . and I kept asking myself how many games Tim played?,” Jones suggested dryly.
“I give myself a year or two before I join them.”
Spirit of Carlton President David Rhys-Jones, forever remembered as Carlton’s Norm Smith Medallist for best player afield in the 1987 Grand Final, said the captains under whom he played – Kernahan, Maclure and Johnston – were natural born leaders.
“The one thing with all of them was they didn’t talk the talk – they walked the walk,” Rhys-Jones said. “That’s the easiest way to put it. They led by example and they were men you followed in to battle.”
Lunch with the Carlton Captains – to be hosted by the Spirit of Carlton Past & Present – is to be held at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, 123 Collins Street, on Thursday, August 8, 2013.
Cost is $180, which covers the three-course meal, premium wines, beer and soft drinks, with all money raised at the event to be donated to players’ welfare both past and present.
Amongst the many incredible items of memorabilia to be auctioned at the Lunch is an original club locker carrying the names of the 18 living Carlton captains, with numbered and signed guernseys for all 18 inside.
Tables are selling fast, so for bookings please contact Membership Services on 1300 227 586.
