The Marngrook Footy show has celebrated its 10th birthday with a special and memorable episode taking a look back at the first decade of the popular football program.
Original panellists Derek Kickett and Ronnie Burns joined inaugural and current hosts Grant Hansen and Gilbert McAdam, alongside fellow original Leila Gurruwiwi and also Shelley Ware.
The show, live on NITV on Thursday, started off the back of a special anniversary opener featuring clips and snippets from the past 10 years, highlighting many once fashionable haircuts, and in typically playful style, McAdam was quick to get stuck into Burns.
“I’m grey, but you’re greyer,” McAdam observed of the younger man’s hair colour.
The former Geelong and Adelaide forward Burns, now 44, was keen to deflect attention on to Kickett who he described as looking like Barry White.
But the former Kangaroos, Essendon and Sydney forward had a playful observation of his own.
Barry White and Derek Kickett Source: The Marngrook Footy Show
“I don’t die my hair but I notice that he’s 10 years younger than me and his hair is grey,” Kickett said.
“Ten years ago he had his hair parted to the left side, now it’s to the right side,” he added about Burns, who was wearing a sharp grey jacket to match the well-kept hair.
“He hasn’t changed much Ronnie has he?”
The jokes continued between the panellists as ‘highlight’ reels were shown of Burns and Kickett’s playing and TV careers, with Hansen reminiscing how Kickett holds the record for “the longest ever tip that went for about 10 minutes”.
Then after some usual McAdam banter surrounding team selections and tips, Hansen asked Burns “He hasn’t changed much Ronnie has he?”.
To which Burns replied: “Mate I’m glad I’m going back (home) on Sunday. I’m trying to get the red-eye (flight) tonight.”
But as always, there was serious reflection on The Marngrook Footy Show too, and discussion turned to Gurruwiwi and Ware’s involvement as trailblazers for women in the football media.
“I was 19 and only a few months out of high school when I got the opportunity to work on The Marngrook Footy Show,” Gurruwiwi said.
“I think we were all really nervous and really really excited and, uh, this always gets pulled out every single time we do one of these shows,” she continued as vision was shown of her first news segment announcing Kevin Sheedy would be parting ways with Essendon.
Leila Gurruwiwi, then (2007) and now (2017) Source: NITV
From Arnhem Land, Gurruwiwi reflected on all of the opportunities being a part of the show has created, including acting, community and mentoring work.
In paying tribute to the extensive list of talented women involved with and contributing to the Marngrook footy show, Hansen asked how it felt for Ware and Gurruwiwi, the first Indigenous woman to be on an AFL football show, to be pioneers.
“It feels fantastic to have been part of that history,” Ware said.
“And what is the most important part of it for me is that these young Indigenous children watching here tonight know that it’s actually possible for them.
AFL commentator and teacher Shelley Ware has co-authored an open letter calling for stronger punishments for online racists. Source: NITV
“And that’s the (important thing) that we’ve broken down these barriers for them, and we’ve had some pretty hard times and taken a bit of stuff from some people that have come in and asked us if we were doing the weather and certain little things like that along the way.
“And the wonderful thing about Marngrook is it’s always been really inclusive.”
“So it’s been great that we’ve knocked down these barriers and shown these young girls and young boys out there that anything’s possible and when I’m ready to go you can take my spot,” Ware said.
“I think it’s really important, like Shelley was saying, all Indigenous children out there that have people that reflect themselves,” Gurruwiwi added.
“And the wonderful thing about Marngrook is it’s always been really inclusive.”
Also a part of the 10th birthday episode was the show’s first ever guest, Nathan Lovett-Murray.
“I remember coming on the first time and just being really nervous, I’m a little bit nervous now at the moment, but you really made us feel comfortable for young Indigenous players, not having much media skills, but to be able to come on here and you taught us a lot and you opened up a lot of pathways into the media for AFL Indigenous players,” the former Essendon player said.
Throughout the show, lots of entertaining and nostalgic clips and highlight reels were played, including a collation of interviews from current Aboriginal footballers from when they were in their first few years playing on AFL lists.
To hear from more of the all-star guest list, such as Warren ‘Wow’ Jones, Peter Daicos and Mitch Robinson and to catch-up on all of the highlights from Thursday’s special episode of The Marngrook Footy Show, visit the on demand service .
The Marngrook Footy Show Cast Source: Marngrook Footy Show
Happy 10th Birthday Marngrook!
