AUSTRALIA is not the same as America in a number of key ways. One of them is that you don’t have to be born in Australia to rise to the rank of political leader in this country, the Prime Minister, like you do in the US of A.
And if his statesmanship during a visit to the devastated, but fighting-back-from-adversity Fish Creek Football Netball Club on Tuesday is anything to go by, Collingwood’s Mason Cox is a political leader of someone’s country, maybe theirs, maybe ours, in waiting.
He was absolutely superb, not only pressing the flesh, meeting old timers of the Fish Creek club, recent and modern-day legends, supporters, kids you name it, but also took a keen interest in the club’s history, what happened on that fateful day back in November and what the club intends to do now.
At the end of it, he pledged Collingwood’s support for their recovery.
“On behalf of the Magpies, thanks for asking us out and for telling us the story of your club and also the fire,” said Cox before an assembled throng, many of them attired in the black and white of the Pies and also the red and white of Fish Creek.
“I know you’re going to come back bigger and better but if there’s anything we can do that helps with the rebuild, just let us know.”
They’ve already done a lot.
As well as coming over specially from their country training camp at Morwell and Traralgon, after hearing of the devastating incident, when the revered clubrooms was burnt to the ground on Saturday, November 4, with all of the club’s 37 premiership cups, trophies, photos and memorabilia from 120 years, the Collingwood players also brought with them a signed premiership jumper to keep or to auction.
“Here’s a signed and authenticated Collingwood jumper, it’s yours to keep but I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to auction it to raise money for the rebuild.”
A delighted co-president Ray Stefani gratefully received the jumper and thanked the Pies’ players Mason Cox, Oleg Markov and Paddy Lipinski as well as the Collingwood staff who came across to support the club as the immense task of rebuilding starts in earnest.
