WEBVTT - Stewart Crameri - The Essendon 34's unluckiest? 0:00:05.680 --> 0:00:09.520 Yeah, just devastation four. You know, obviously myself, but all 0:00:09.560 --> 0:00:13.360 the other players that were essentially innocent, and then, as 0:00:13.400 --> 0:00:15.400 I said, they get you on a technicality that you 0:00:15.440 --> 0:00:20.959 weren't aware of, that's not even proven and you think, oh. 0:00:18.960 --> 0:00:22.000 Well, I'm John Ralph and I'm Glenn McFarlane. 0:00:22.040 --> 0:00:25.280 Welcome to Sacked, a podcast that explores what really happens 0:00:25.280 --> 0:00:27.800 when the ax falls in the AFL world. Will take 0:00:27.840 --> 0:00:29.560 you behind the scenes with some of the biggest names 0:00:29.560 --> 0:00:32.000 in football and find out how they found out their 0:00:32.000 --> 0:00:33.720 time was up and who pulled the trigger. 0:00:34.240 --> 0:00:37.440 Stuart Kramer's AFL career deserved more than just over one 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.000 hundred games across three clubs, but injury and a year 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:43.519 out of the game due to the Essendon drug saga 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:46.159 took its toll on the big kid from Mary Burrough 0:00:46.200 --> 0:00:48.480 who had to fight to even play in the big 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:52.240 time And really did any of Essendon's thirty four lose 0:00:52.280 --> 0:00:55.440 more than Cramrie due to the band Yes, Joe Watson 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:57.640 was stripped of a Brown Low, but Cramery was forced 0:00:57.680 --> 0:01:01.520 to watch his by then Bulldog's teammates win a fairytale flag. 0:01:01.600 --> 0:01:04.080 In twenty sixteen, Stuey Kramrie. 0:01:04.280 --> 0:01:07.640 Thank you for joining us on the Sack podcast. Thank you, Ralphie. 0:01:07.640 --> 0:01:09.479 Thanks finally got me on the show. 0:01:09.680 --> 0:01:13.119 Yeah, so a country boy made good three AFL club 0:01:13.280 --> 0:01:15.360 Some highs, some lows. What do you think about when 0:01:15.360 --> 0:01:17.920 the head hits the plo about the soaring highs or 0:01:17.959 --> 0:01:20.560 some of the stetbacks of a pretty cool AFL career. 0:01:20.680 --> 0:01:24.039 Yeah, I think I think the career is probably contrasting. 0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:25.559 I think, you know, I had a really good start. 0:01:26.360 --> 0:01:28.760 The essendence stuff was probably you know, a bit of 0:01:28.760 --> 0:01:32.520 a low. Not not my fault. I don't think that's 0:01:32.520 --> 0:01:34.960 the stick, but I think, you know, people like talking 0:01:34.959 --> 0:01:36.560 about it, but that's understandable. 0:01:36.600 --> 0:01:39.199 But yeah, it is very contrasting. 0:01:39.319 --> 0:01:41.679 And you're one of the Essendon thirty four. Obviously we'll 0:01:41.760 --> 0:01:44.720 go into detail. How much of that saga defines your 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:47.360 footy career. Is it something that's just part of your journey. 0:01:48.520 --> 0:01:51.360 I think it defines a football career, you know, greatly. 0:01:51.440 --> 0:01:53.400 I think, you know, there's other ones that missed out 0:01:54.200 --> 0:01:56.080 with things like Joe Watson and you know, got to 0:01:56.080 --> 0:01:59.120 think of those guys who miss Brownlow and I missed 0:01:59.120 --> 0:02:01.320 the Grand Final. But you know that's I think It's 0:02:01.320 --> 0:02:03.360 just part of my journey and I'm happy to talk 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:03.960 about it now. 0:02:04.000 --> 0:02:08.760 And it's been over ten years and you know, glad 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:09.600 to move on from it. 0:02:09.720 --> 0:02:11.840 But if someone can get something out of it, you know, 0:02:11.880 --> 0:02:14.160 from what happened, maybe that's a positive. 0:02:14.200 --> 0:02:16.200 How often you get reminded of it? Is it a 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:18.480 daily occurrence? Is it something that pops into your head? 0:02:18.520 --> 0:02:21.320 It's you know, you're obviously pretty sanguin, pretty relaxed about 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:22.120 a great foota career. 0:02:23.639 --> 0:02:25.480 I get reminded it probably once a month. 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:27.960 Yeah, someone will speak to you. Yeah, someone will speak 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:28.160 to me. 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:30.400 So someone you know, want to talk or they will 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:32.160 recognize me and they want to talk about it. But 0:02:33.320 --> 0:02:36.320 you know, I think they're coming from a passionate point 0:02:36.320 --> 0:02:38.720 of view of it as an Essence supporter purely, So 0:02:39.160 --> 0:02:41.480 it's not something that they think I've done something wrong, 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:43.200 although the other guys did something wrong. 0:02:43.240 --> 0:02:45.560 Yeah, and I suppose you feel for those Essident supporters 0:02:45.560 --> 0:02:47.919 who've gone through a hell of a lot in that 0:02:48.040 --> 0:02:48.760 journey as well. 0:02:48.919 --> 0:02:54.240 Yeah, yeah, they're not having much success, but look, I 0:02:54.400 --> 0:02:56.200 all we want to do is do our best. Yeah, 0:02:56.280 --> 0:02:59.200 it was just an unfortunate situation. I guess we'll escape goats. 0:02:58.960 --> 0:03:00.760 In the end, Raily, let's go back to a bit 0:03:00.760 --> 0:03:03.679 of aut care free existence when you growing up in 0:03:03.800 --> 0:03:06.519 marybarr And, you know, playing junior footing, and it was 0:03:06.520 --> 0:03:08.280 it right that you played in your brother's team when 0:03:08.280 --> 0:03:10.240 you were eight and it was under thirteens. 0:03:10.280 --> 0:03:12.239 You're obviously a big kid for a start. 0:03:12.600 --> 0:03:13.960 Yeah, they used to call me the tank. 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:14.520 The tank. 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:17.200 I think Dad liked it because he had to just 0:03:17.240 --> 0:03:18.960 go to one game and I said, yeah, I'm happy 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:21.239 to play. So first couple of games, I've got a 0:03:21.240 --> 0:03:24.200 few goals, but I was vastly smaller than the rest 0:03:24.240 --> 0:03:27.040 of the players. But look that really helped me going 0:03:27.040 --> 0:03:29.080 forward and playing against better opposition. 0:03:29.760 --> 0:03:32.320 So Mary Burrow a couple of rejections early on. 0:03:32.440 --> 0:03:35.160 Take us through those first few years you played Maryborough seniors, 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:37.000 you got to Ben and Obama's reserves. 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:38.200 It's a been a hard slog. 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:40.880 Though, Yeah, there was, and I think you build a 0:03:40.960 --> 0:03:43.960 resilience over the years and that helped me when I 0:03:43.960 --> 0:03:46.720 did get to Estenon. But I was really determined to 0:03:46.720 --> 0:03:49.200 try and make sure that I do play AFL. And 0:03:49.240 --> 0:03:50.600 you know a lot of people say, look, it's going 0:03:50.640 --> 0:03:52.520 to be too hard and I said, that's your opinion, 0:03:52.560 --> 0:03:55.640 but I think the setbacks really helped me going forward 0:03:55.720 --> 0:04:00.400 and starting from country football into the VFL too, and 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:02.240 then VFL and then AFL. 0:04:02.880 --> 0:04:04.560 Look, it was a good journey. It was my journey, 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:07.000 and I wouldn't have done any. 0:04:06.880 --> 0:04:09.280 Other way, just with those setbacks and missing out on 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:12.960 REP teams and under eighteen's teams, and that clearly built 0:04:12.960 --> 0:04:14.520 the resilience that you were going to need later in 0:04:14.560 --> 0:04:16.640 your career. Did you ever think I'm not going to 0:04:16.680 --> 0:04:19.120 get there or were you just implicit in your mind 0:04:19.120 --> 0:04:20.280 this is going to be my journey. 0:04:21.600 --> 0:04:23.640 I didn't waver too much, and I just knew that 0:04:23.720 --> 0:04:25.560 I had the talent. I just didn't probably have the 0:04:25.600 --> 0:04:28.960 skill set just yet. And the more I played and 0:04:29.000 --> 0:04:31.520 played VFL and I started to learn from coaches like 0:04:31.560 --> 0:04:34.760 Adrian Hickmant, Matthew Knights and a few of those ones, 0:04:34.800 --> 0:04:37.200 I started to develop my skills a bit better and 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:39.920 hone in on that. You know, and a few coaches 0:04:40.000 --> 0:04:42.520 used to say I was very raw, but as I 0:04:42.560 --> 0:04:44.599 sort of fixed those things up, I was. 0:04:44.600 --> 0:04:47.320 Able to play a little bit better. So Essenon's VFL 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:49.520 side was the Benny Obamas, Is that right? That was correct. 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:50.800 So you obviously had. 0:04:50.880 --> 0:04:52.920 When did that AFL dream start, but you also had 0:04:53.000 --> 0:04:55.080 an entry point for that as well, given it was 0:04:55.120 --> 0:04:56.440 how far away from your hometown? 0:04:56.560 --> 0:04:58.279 Yeah, forty five minutes from my hometown. 0:04:58.279 --> 0:05:00.920 So I was traveling four times a week while working 0:05:00.960 --> 0:05:04.920 full time with my dad, and I just I. 0:05:04.880 --> 0:05:07.000 Didn't see any other way. I really liked football. 0:05:07.040 --> 0:05:09.640 I love the training aspect of it and the team 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:12.719 and the team aspect, and. 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:15.440 I just I just believe from day one I could go. 0:05:15.720 --> 0:05:17.440 I just had his mindset if I can just go 0:05:17.480 --> 0:05:18.880 as hard as I can, as long as I can, 0:05:19.120 --> 0:05:20.760 you know, I don't know what's going to happen, but 0:05:20.839 --> 0:05:22.080 if something does, well great. 0:05:22.120 --> 0:05:23.640 So what kind of football were you? So? 0:05:24.120 --> 0:05:27.799 Raw booming, left foot the tank as you said, Yeah, 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:30.479 but maybe lacked a bit of football house at that stage. Yeah, 0:05:30.520 --> 0:05:33.240 just football knowledge and that that showed early in my 0:05:33.360 --> 0:05:36.200 AFL career. But I did I try and fix that, 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:37.920 but it was more raw power. 0:05:38.120 --> 0:05:38.279 You know. 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:39.919 I used to do track, I used to go to 0:05:39.960 --> 0:05:42.520 the gym a lot, and so I sort of combined 0:05:42.520 --> 0:05:45.320 all that with Also I was a forward as a 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:49.400 as a kid, so just having that now surround the 0:05:49.440 --> 0:05:51.400 forward line was probably the key in the end. 0:05:51.640 --> 0:05:54.440 You talked about Nider and Adrian Hickman and the like, 0:05:54.480 --> 0:05:56.760 who else sort of helped shape you in those years 0:05:56.760 --> 0:05:59.240 because they had the chance to pick you up eston 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:01.479 early doors and left it a while, didn't they. 0:06:01.640 --> 0:06:03.320 Yeah, they left it another year and that was a 0:06:03.320 --> 0:06:06.000 bit hard to take that rejection. But I didn't give up. 0:06:06.040 --> 0:06:10.720 And I think Matthew Knights ended up getting sacked at 0:06:10.760 --> 0:06:13.680 the end of two thousand and nine or ten, sorry, 0:06:13.720 --> 0:06:17.280 and James Hurd and Brendan mccountany came in and really 0:06:17.279 --> 0:06:20.400 took me under my out their wing. And what Brendan 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:23.840 said was, you're not a midfielder, You're actually a forward. Here, 0:06:23.960 --> 0:06:26.880 come with me, And I said, well, I played all 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:30.600 juniors forward. It sort of worked out and clicked because. 0:06:30.400 --> 0:06:33.200 You got on the rookie draft I think two thousand 0:06:33.240 --> 0:06:35.000 and nine, just a couple of days before Christmas. I 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:39.000 think it was you played the three games under Matthew Knights. 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:41.839 Were you more you were playing midfield in those three 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:42.640 games or a bit of that. 0:06:43.640 --> 0:06:46.840 Because of the running capabilities I had, they thought I 0:06:46.880 --> 0:06:49.520 was a midfielder and I did an okay job, but 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:52.440 not great, and I was probably probably lucky to stay there, 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:54.720 and it was fortunate enough that Hurdy kept a lot 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:57.320 of players from the previous year. Otherwise I think I 0:06:57.320 --> 0:06:59.640 would have probably finished at the end of that year. 0:06:59.680 --> 0:07:02.600 But you know, fate has it that I got another 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:05.960 chance and put it in a solid preseason and got 0:07:05.960 --> 0:07:06.280 a game. 0:07:06.640 --> 0:07:09.240 Maccadale's ever said this about me, as Adrian Hickmott said 0:07:09.240 --> 0:07:12.920 he was an amazing specimen half a step back. So 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:15.320 that's an actual quote to Melbourne though. So there was 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:18.360 a time where you were, you know, driving down four 0:07:18.440 --> 0:07:20.360 nights a week. He decided I'd actually got to quit 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:22.600 myself full time, so you were staying in a motel. 0:07:22.720 --> 0:07:25.320 You were at a boxing gym as well. Take us 0:07:25.360 --> 0:07:27.600 through how that happened and why you thought that was 0:07:27.600 --> 0:07:28.160 so important. 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:31.320 Halfway through the year, my football was really declining. I 0:07:31.360 --> 0:07:32.040 was getting tired. 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:34.280 It was you know, middle of winter as it happens, 0:07:34.360 --> 0:07:38.640 and Adrian said, look, you need to move down and 0:07:38.440 --> 0:07:41.000 like Essenmon's Monto back in the day, whatever it takes 0:07:42.440 --> 0:07:44.360 to try and get the best out of yourself. And 0:07:44.360 --> 0:07:46.440 I said, right, okay, I'll take six months, I'll go 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:48.320 down and I'll train full time. 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:49.280 I'm not full time. 0:07:49.320 --> 0:07:51.120 I'm not a full time football yet, but I'll train 0:07:51.160 --> 0:07:55.239 for ye, so that helped him. By the end of 0:07:54.920 --> 0:07:58.280 the season, I managed a few best on grounds and 0:07:58.320 --> 0:08:00.840 then I finally got drafted from that, so it did work. 0:08:01.920 --> 0:08:04.000 But it was an interesting experience in the hostel. 0:08:04.120 --> 0:08:05.640 Well, I was going to say, Ralphie's used to staying 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:08.120 in five star accommodation wherever he goes. What do you 0:08:08.160 --> 0:08:09.880 get for it? Back then, what do you get for 0:08:09.920 --> 0:08:12.720 twenty dollars a night at hostel is like a prison type? 0:08:14.200 --> 0:08:16.400 It was forty dollars a night and I was forty, 0:08:16.440 --> 0:08:19.920 so it was terrible. Yeah, and you weren't really earning 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:22.720 any money at the time. Obviously your dad was probably 0:08:22.720 --> 0:08:25.040 looking after at that stage, and he obviously believed in 0:08:25.080 --> 0:08:27.520 you enough that you can go somewhere with your career. 0:08:27.680 --> 0:08:30.640 Yeah, Mum and dad both supported me in the journey. 0:08:30.640 --> 0:08:32.560 And look, I was working full time and I had 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:36.080 a little bit of money, not much, and I just 0:08:36.120 --> 0:08:38.960 wanted to get down there and just try and pretend 0:08:39.000 --> 0:08:40.880 I was a footballer, just to get into the swing 0:08:40.960 --> 0:08:41.160 of it. 0:08:42.120 --> 0:08:44.440 But it was a very interesting experience. 0:08:44.480 --> 0:08:48.240 You know, shared TVs and shared things and look, it 0:08:48.280 --> 0:08:50.120 was at the stage where I said I didn't care 0:08:50.160 --> 0:08:51.800 what I was doing as long as I was trying 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:52.800 to progress and get better. 0:08:52.960 --> 0:08:54.440 What was what was the rookie list? Like, you know 0:08:54.480 --> 0:08:55.240 at that stage there? 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:56.600 I mean now it's sort of you know, you can 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:59.120 play games immediately and you know you're very much part 0:08:59.160 --> 0:09:00.920 of the club. But did you feel not on the 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:02.440 out of there, but did you feel like you'd still 0:09:02.440 --> 0:09:05.040 made it? Or was the primary listing the the you know, 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:06.559 the crowning achievements. 0:09:07.520 --> 0:09:10.200 Look, the contract was pretty terrible, to be honest. Would 0:09:10.240 --> 0:09:14.720 have thirty grand. Thirty grand, yes, so that's you know 0:09:14.760 --> 0:09:15.559 you signed that off. 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:18.440 That's okay. But yeah, you do have a little bit 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:18.839 of friction. 0:09:18.960 --> 0:09:20.960 Yes, you're a rookie and you were treated a little 0:09:20.960 --> 0:09:22.800 bit different than you would be now, I think because 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:23.160 you're not. 0:09:23.480 --> 0:09:24.280 A part of the list. 0:09:25.240 --> 0:09:28.360 But you end up doing everything as a list player does. 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:32.000 So you've got to work through that. And yeah, there 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:36.640 was a few battles with players and then again you're 0:09:36.640 --> 0:09:38.839 building a character to be a better player. 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:42.080 What do you mean by battles with players internally externally. 0:09:42.320 --> 0:09:46.240 You know, on the field or a bit of banter. Yeah, 0:09:46.800 --> 0:09:49.439 you've just got to get through that boys will be boys. Yeah, 0:09:49.480 --> 0:09:52.760 you're only on rookie kind of thing or maybe like that. 0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:56.400 And did you feel welcome though, did youson? Did you 0:09:56.440 --> 0:09:58.200 feel welcome in that initially? 0:09:58.200 --> 0:10:00.680 Probably not? No, you know that's okay. 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:02.240 It was a kid from the country, Yeah, and it 0:10:02.320 --> 0:10:04.240 was an unknown resource. 0:10:03.800 --> 0:10:05.199 On the taps I did. 0:10:05.360 --> 0:10:08.120 I just I've come from nowhere, so I sort of 0:10:08.160 --> 0:10:10.520 had to prove myself, which is okay, and that's what 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:10.760 I did. 0:10:10.840 --> 0:10:13.040 And to play your first game against Collingwood, I think 0:10:13.160 --> 0:10:16.120 it was around twenty Matthew Knights's coach. What are your 0:10:16.160 --> 0:10:18.720 recollections that day you've had I think you were twenty 0:10:18.720 --> 0:10:21.120 two round about twenty two at the time. You had 0:10:21.160 --> 0:10:23.400 seventeen disposals, so you've walked in and had a pretty 0:10:23.440 --> 0:10:25.440 reasonable game first up, Yeah, and we. 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:26.319 Lost pretty badly. 0:10:26.400 --> 0:10:29.240 And I think I lined up on Dane Swan and 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:33.640 Scott Penalbury in the first first bounce and I thinking, okay, right, 0:10:34.080 --> 0:10:34.560 let's do this. 0:10:34.600 --> 0:10:36.520 But I got the first touch and we got a 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:37.200 goal from a bit. 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.880 From then on they were too classy and look, I 0:10:39.960 --> 0:10:43.760 learned a lot from you know, Daisy Thomas, Scott and 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:47.440 Dane Swan that night, and I thought, Okay, that's that's 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:49.760 what it's about. You there at the top of their game. 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:51.720 That's what I'm going to have to get to to 0:10:51.920 --> 0:10:54.720 be relevant in this game. So it was a big 0:10:54.720 --> 0:10:57.600 eye opener. And obviously I was playing the wrong position, 0:10:57.640 --> 0:10:58.520 so I was playing. 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:02.079 But to play prime Collingwood, you know, to play a 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:04.559 massive like that, and you're thinking, this is everything that 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:06.560 I've ever dreamed of and here on the big stage. 0:11:06.600 --> 0:11:09.080 Like how satisfying was that? It was good? 0:11:09.120 --> 0:11:11.000 It was quite nerve wracking, you know, there was sixty 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:12.800 plus thousand and you sort of get out there and 0:11:12.840 --> 0:11:14.120 you go, oh, should I be out here? 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:17.040 But and you work out, oh, I can't. 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:18.839 Do this now anymore, like you're in the BFL. I've 0:11:18.840 --> 0:11:20.560 got to change my game style a little bit. But 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:24.000 it's quite rewarding after you know, it was about three 0:11:24.080 --> 0:11:27.439 or four year journey trying to get there, but disappointing. 0:11:27.559 --> 0:11:29.080 Nice. Yeah, they just. 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:33.080 Absolutely smash Obviously the arrival of the prodigal Son. James 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:34.959 heard it was one of the biggest stories in town. 0:11:36.200 --> 0:11:40.880 Comes in. What's your first conversation with James Hurd first. 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:43.800 Conversation, I think I did one thing wrong. We had 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:45.800 to do a test and I did it wrong and 0:11:45.840 --> 0:11:46.880 he told me off, and I. 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:49.559 Thought, oh okay, here were Darious and you know. 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:53.720 I still wasn't nobody then and he borrowed me once 0:11:53.880 --> 0:11:55.520 and I said, okay, you'll never do that again. 0:11:55.600 --> 0:11:58.240 So you know, we got along really well. 0:11:58.280 --> 0:12:01.240 And it was I that was an eye opener for me, 0:12:01.280 --> 0:12:05.320 and ye, serious, what did you do wrong? You have 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:09.520 to do a urine test and it was above the 0:12:09.559 --> 0:12:14.200 required range and you know, just by one. And yeah, 0:12:14.240 --> 0:12:16.960 he told me of okay, and what's so what did 0:12:16.960 --> 0:12:17.520 that signify? 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:18.720 Though? Well, maybe he's. 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:22.320 Come and bring some standards and and that kind of 0:12:22.320 --> 0:12:26.040 thing with so maybe maybe I got to be serious 0:12:26.480 --> 0:12:28.320 maybe And then yeah, he pulled me in the line, 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:30.840 and so did Macha, and I think Hurd he told 0:12:30.840 --> 0:12:33.320 me off once. Maka told me off once, and he said, 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:35.240 and they didn't tell me off again. 0:12:35.320 --> 0:12:37.720 He can tie off with the best Maca Cantey as well. 0:12:38.280 --> 0:12:40.120 But it was really a dream team, wasn't it. There 0:12:40.160 --> 0:12:44.679 Bomber comes in and Hurdy and Maca. The standards just 0:12:44.720 --> 0:12:46.880 completely changed in that sense from. 0:12:46.800 --> 0:12:48.840 Yeah, and you got a sense from the two thousand 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:52.360 Grand Final that team. You got to you got to 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:55.160 feel of that. They brought that into the club and 0:12:55.840 --> 0:12:58.840 it was not serious. We definitely had some fun, but 0:12:59.000 --> 0:13:02.040 when we trained will definitely we'll switched on. 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:04.960 And I think I got the most out of that. 0:13:04.720 --> 0:13:07.320 Us about Bomber and just the little things that at 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:09.720 sen and club legend and of course couple of multiple 0:13:09.720 --> 0:13:10.680 time geelong coach. 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:11.679 What did he bring as well? 0:13:11.679 --> 0:13:16.079 Because he's quirky, but he's an extraordinary quirky Yeah, understatement. 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:19.800 I think he didn't talk to the group as much, 0:13:19.840 --> 0:13:23.280 but he was more I think Hurdie's mentor, so he 0:13:23.360 --> 0:13:27.880 wasn't sort of our direct coach, so our interactions weren't massive. 0:13:28.000 --> 0:13:30.200 But that's probably my take on ituirky. 0:13:30.280 --> 0:13:33.480 And who was the person that said you're not a midfielder, Dewey, 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:35.560 we want you to play forward. Was there one person 0:13:35.559 --> 0:13:37.560 that was there a decision there that that was made 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:38.280 internally that. 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:40.959 Yeah, I think Brenda McCartney. Obviously. 0:13:41.360 --> 0:13:44.600 I addressed that straight away and he said I think 0:13:44.640 --> 0:13:46.920 you're a forward because he was the forward line coach 0:13:46.960 --> 0:13:49.240 and I said, no worries, I can play forward. He 0:13:49.320 --> 0:13:51.600 was okay, we'll show me, so he'd throw me the 0:13:51.600 --> 0:13:53.840 ball and I'd say, right, what do you want to do? 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:56.120 Goes right, Will and kick it from fifty Okay, there 0:13:56.120 --> 0:13:58.840 you go. He was okay, great, okay, now market turn 0:13:59.040 --> 0:14:00.920 do it the same thing and he and he really 0:14:00.920 --> 0:14:02.360 pushed me on that way, and I said, well I 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:03.680 can do all that, and he goes, great, you're a 0:14:03.720 --> 0:14:06.000 forward and you're going to start forward and you're going 0:14:06.040 --> 0:14:09.599 to start the round one. So I said, great, this 0:14:10.160 --> 0:14:11.079 is a dream come true. 0:14:11.160 --> 0:14:13.640 So that's just confidence all of a sudden, You're not 0:14:13.679 --> 0:14:14.560 worrying about your spot. 0:14:14.640 --> 0:14:15.920 You're thinking I've got a roll here. 0:14:15.960 --> 0:14:16.160 Yeah. 0:14:16.200 --> 0:14:17.160 Yeah, and they believe in me. 0:14:17.280 --> 0:14:17.520 Yeah. 0:14:17.559 --> 0:14:19.240 And this is the first time in my whole career 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:21.800 that I've actually now I mean a senior team in 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:25.040 the AFL and I can actually help the team win. 0:14:25.240 --> 0:14:26.720 So it was a great feeling. 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:30.720 Is that it just seems so simple. You're a forward, right, 0:14:30.720 --> 0:14:33.000 I't go and do it. But that's the essence of coaching. 0:14:33.480 --> 0:14:35.840 It is it is, And he picks up those saddle things. 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:39.200 I think the year prior, maybe we're lacking in the 0:14:39.200 --> 0:14:41.880 midfield space. And if I can run fifteen sixteen k's, 0:14:41.880 --> 0:14:44.360 I said, well, you're definitely a midfielder. But how about 0:14:44.400 --> 0:14:47.280 I play forward. I'll probably run less, but I'll be faster. 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:49.080 So it's just an adjustment. 0:14:49.360 --> 0:14:52.480 And from that moment on, you really make that position 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:54.600 your own. You kick four goals on Anzac Day. What's 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:57.040 that like? I know you lost the game, Yeah, but 0:14:57.040 --> 0:14:59.440 you were clearly evidence best player on the day and 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:00.520 kick four goal. 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:04.520 Strong good traveling Again, it's not big. 0:15:06.560 --> 0:15:15.640 Is still telling Tremor having the game of his life? Yeah, 0:15:15.880 --> 0:15:18.080 I think my life really changed from that point on. 0:15:18.280 --> 0:15:19.080 That was the switch. 0:15:19.120 --> 0:15:22.560 That was Yeah, and and sort of everyone everyone knew 0:15:22.600 --> 0:15:25.360 who I was after that day and you know that 0:15:25.360 --> 0:15:28.240 that's okay. But I felt like in that game I 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:30.760 could sort of do what I wanted and you know, 0:15:30.920 --> 0:15:33.960 really free enough to kick those goals. And I don't know, 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:36.720 I might have missed a couple as well. But end 0:15:36.760 --> 0:15:39.440 Zac Day is a special day with you know, the crowd, 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:43.000 the moment, the build up, you know, ninety thousand plus 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:45.720 and you sort of just you live and breathing. 0:15:45.880 --> 0:15:48.360 This is so good and you really enjoy the experience. 0:15:48.360 --> 0:15:51.600 How does your life change as an AFL footballer after 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:52.520 a game like that? 0:15:52.840 --> 0:15:55.160 We number one year contract, which is which is a 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:55.800 great thing, isn't it. 0:15:56.080 --> 0:15:59.040 They you talk about that, but just being recognized, you know, 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:03.120 throughout the on the street or whether the Bombers supporters, 0:16:04.400 --> 0:16:07.240 which look, it's a good part of football, but it 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:08.560 also has its downsides. 0:16:08.600 --> 0:16:10.080 But at that time it was okay. 0:16:10.360 --> 0:16:12.760 So with the contract, do they help you out straight away? 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:14.280 Because I think there had to be a couple of 0:16:14.280 --> 0:16:17.040 injuries to keep you playing there, but they did have 0:16:17.080 --> 0:16:19.720 some that year and there was some suggestion. Did Hurdie 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:22.400 say we need to keep Cramery? Was there any interest 0:16:22.400 --> 0:16:24.000 from the Giants? Did they come did a couple of 0:16:24.040 --> 0:16:25.720 clubs come knocking even early doors? 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:29.240 I'm not sure I comment on that, but maybe yeah, 0:16:29.280 --> 0:16:31.520 I know, but I think hurdy just wanted to sew 0:16:31.520 --> 0:16:33.440 it out. But I remember I think he went on 0:16:33.560 --> 0:16:35.560 radio and said, look, every game he plays, but don't 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:37.560 sign he goes up another ten's. 0:16:37.120 --> 0:16:40.000 Right, That's exactly what he said, which which is good 0:16:40.000 --> 0:16:41.960 for you because you're not on a lot anyway. 0:16:42.360 --> 0:16:43.280 Yeah, yeah, I was. 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:46.320 Yeah, I was probably hoping for match payments and things, 0:16:46.320 --> 0:16:49.480 but look, and I never did it for money, and 0:16:49.480 --> 0:16:52.000 it was always about the football and I was just 0:16:52.080 --> 0:16:54.880