MEMBERS ON SPORTING STAGE - Melbourne Cricket Club

NO. 140 • DECEMBER 2008 • ISSN 1322–3771
shine
MEMBERS
ON SPORTING STAGE

CLUB NEWS
IN THIS EDITION OF MCC NEWS…
Clearly moved by the
club’s decision to
propose him for
Honorary Life Membership,
David Jones brought a
temporary halt to proceedings
as he shook hands with each
committee member after his
acceptance speech at the
AGM on August 6.
The long-serving committeeman
and immediate past
president’s appreciation of
the honour was palpable.
A founding member of the
Redlegs supporter group
when the MFC was a section
of the club, he joined the
MCC committee in 1988,
was elected vice-president in
1997 and took on the top job
2 MCC NEWS
4
5
7
11
DECEMBER 2008
Energy, water, waste
on the watch list
There’s a concerted effort to ensure
that the MCG is a good corporate
citizen, striving to exceed the
expectations of an increasingly
“green” community.
Olympic medal haul
for MCC members
The club’s connection to the
Olympic movement was enhanced
considerably by the performance of
several members at the Olympic
and Paralympic Games in Beijing.
MCG again the stage for
Socceroos’ World Cup tilt
World football returns to the
MCG when the Socceroos meet
Japan in the fi nal round of the 2010
FIFA World Cup qualifi ers on
Wednesday June 17, 2009.
Virtual champions at home in NSM
Two of Australia’s sporting greats,
James Hird and Shane Warne, are
the stars of sensational threedimensional
holograms that are
fascinating visitors to the MCG’s
National Sports Museum.
HE’S HONOURED TO HAVE SERVED
in 2003 following Bruce
Church’s retirement.
It was a good time to be at
the helm, as David will
confi rm. Everything was on the
up, literally and fi guratively, as
the redevelopment project took
shape and the new facilities
came on stream.
There are a few foundation
stones around the place to
record David’s stewardship
during a period of great and
welcome change, but none
could convey his broad-brush
contribution to club life
generally.
With wife Diana by his side,
he was a remarkably consistent
attendee at celebratory
functions, annual dinners,
12
15
21
23
museum exhibition launches
and countless other events that
would test the endurance of a
marathon runner.
“I was honoured to have the
opportunity to serve,” says
David. “Diana and I had the
time of our lives being so
OUR COVER MCC stars (see page 5) from top left: James Tomkins, Shane Warne and Mat McBriar.
Below are Brad Hodge, Sam Bramham, David Crawshay (with Scott Brennan) and Russell Mark.
Grand fi nal day lives up to the hype
Perfect weather, a massive crowd
and a gripping contest made for
another memorable grand fi nal day
at the MCG.
Member profi le: Mat McBriar
Dallas Cowboys punter Mat
McBriar is yet another MCC
member making it big on the
world sporting stage.
Upcoming member functions
There is something for everyone
on the MCC function calendar.
Find out what’s happening
around your club.
Sydney trip for young members
The club is calling all members
interested in a fun-fi lled, whistle-stop
tour of Sydney over the Australia
Day long weekend.
closely involved with this
great institution.”
We salute the contribution
of a fi ne fellow and a
champion of the club he
served with such dedication
and distinction for nearly
20 years.

As we head towards the end of
2008 we look back on another
amazing and successful year
of cricket, football and special events
at the ’G.
The AFL home and away matches
were attended by about 2.3 million
fans and we were particularly pleased
to see Victorian teams at the top of
the ladder.
As a consequence we hosted seven
fi nals, including both preliminary fi nals
and the grand fi nal, adding another
500,000 to the attendance total. This
gave us 2.8 million for the season, up
on 2.5 million last year.
The grand fi nal crowd exceeded
100,000 and we congratulate Hawthorn
on their premiership victory. The
Members Reserve was at capacity but
reports suggest that members enjoyed
their day in reasonable comfort.
I am pleased to note that incidents of
inappropriate behavior in the Reserve
fell markedly during the football
FROM THE PRESIDENT
CONCOURSE WIDENING
UNDERWAY
Further to our report in July’s MCC News, work has
commenced on the widening of the concourse outside
Gate 7 in the Great Southern Stand to facilitate better
pedestrian circulation on event days.
The 215m x 6m path is being constructed over Brunton
Avenue between the footbridges that connect the MCG to
Hisense Arena (formerly Vodafone Arena) and Rod Laver
Arena. It is expected to be completed just prior to the start of
the 2009 AFL season.
In the meantime, MCG visitors and passers-by will
experience partial and (at times) full road closures of
Brunton Avenue as work continues. In particular, there will
be no access to the stadium via Brunton Avenue during the
fi rst two weeks of January, except on major event days.
season. There were still several
unsavoury matters dealt with – often
involving members’ guests – but I am
confi dent that our campaign to
improve behaviour standards is having
a positive impact.
There was more good football news
when we opened the Australian
Football Hall of Fame in August.
This is an outstanding tribute to the
game’s greats and a real coup for the
National Sports Museum. We were
delighted when the AFL agreed to
relocate the hall of fame and it is a fi ne
addition to the museum’s wide range
of attractions.
So, too, are the Pepper’s Ghost
exhibitions featuring James Hird and
Shane Warne. These are world-class
productions utilising technology to
bring two of our fi nest sportsmen
“into the room”, as it were.
Visitors are enthralled by the
intimacy of the experience and I highly
recommend it to members.
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame,
now an integral part of the NSM,
inducted seven new members in
October and the exposure this brings
to the museum will be increasingly
valuable in the years ahead.
Members will be interested to know
that we have commissioned a portrait
of one of the club’s most infl uential and
popular presidents, Frank Grey Smith.
Although we do have a small
photograph of Frank in the Long
Room and he has been recognised in
the naming of the Frank Grey Smith
Bar, we thought it appropriate to have
another tangible reminder of this
man who guided the club through
a very diffi cult fi nancial period in the
late-1890s.
Finally, as this is the last newsletter
for 2008, I wish all members and their
families a safe and happy festive period
and hope to see many of you at the
cricket in the months ahead.
David Meiklejohn
CRICKET SEASON FULL
STEAM AHEAD
The 2008/09 cricket season is under way, with a range
of international and domestic cricket to whet the
appetite of cricket fans.
While the Boxing Day Test against the South Africans
will be the hallmark event, the Twenty20 international,
two one-day internationals and Victoria’s Sheffi eld Shield,
Ford Ranger Cup and Twenty20 campaigns promise to be
hugely popular among members and their guests.
All the details about the coming season are outlined in an
eight-page guide accompanying this newsletter as a convenient
reference point for all arrangements for the summer.
Some arrangements may be subject to change, so please refer
to the club’s website, weekly information bulletin and regular
emails from the club for the most up-to-date information.
The Sheffi eld Shield is back
in its place as the prize
for Australia’s four-day
domestic cricket competition,
much to the pleasure
of Brett Lee and Brad
Hodge. The shield has
been on display in the
Backyard to Baggy Green
exhibition at the National
Sports Museum.
DECEMBER 2008
MCC NEWS
3

CLUB NEWS
ENERGY, WATER, WASTE
ON THE WATCH LIST
Environmental considerations are
high priority at the People’s
Ground. There’s a concerted effort
to ensure that the MCG is a good
corporate citizen, complying with
regulatory bodies and striving to exceed
the expectations of an increasingly
“green” community.
Among several research projects on his
books, executive manager for environment
and turf development Tony Ware is charged
with improving the carbon footprint at the
ground. This involves developing energy,
water and waste management practices that
can be costed on a carbon-equivalent basis.
In conjunction with Spotless and the
facilities management team led by Peter
Wearne, Tony is examining every possible
avenue to increase the MCG’s overall
effi ciency. Perhaps the ground could
generate more of its own power through
wind turbines and solar panels, and when
should lights be turned off. They’re all in
the mix.
On the water front, rainfall is harvested
from the new grandstand’s roof and
stored in a 1.5 million litre tank. It is used
to clean the seating bowl. But with the
MCG using about 80 million litres of
water annually, there is scope for
improvement and alternative sources are
being investigated.
“By far the biggest water use at the
ground is for toilet fl ushing,” says Peter
Wearne, “and you don’t need potable
water for that function.”
We’re winning with waste. Event-day
MCG REDEVELOPMENT
SNARES TOP AWARD
The MCG’s magnifi cent new
grandstand has been delighting
members and patrons for almost
three years now, but recognition of its
quality keeps on coming from within the
construction industry.
At the prestigious Excellence in
Construction Awards, hosted by the
Master Builders Association of Victoria
in July, Grocon was named Master
Builder of the Year for its MCG
redevelopment project.
The association’s executive director,
4 MCC NEWS
DECEMBER 2008
waste recycling from the seating bowl is
virtually 100 per cent, while in recent
years the recycling of all MCG waste has
risen from about 20 per cent to above
80 per cent. There is more improvement
in the pipeline.
The carbon footprint project will lead
to a better MCG, a superior venue in
every respect. It’s part of the back-room,
behind-the-scenes activity that provides
essential support to management and
those who are putting on the show.
“The MCG is a big business, a mini-city
that deals with virtually all the obligations,
risks and responsibilities of a major
corporation,” says the facilities manager,
who is conscious of the club’s obligation to
provide a safe and secure environment.
“On match days we have a duty of care
for up to 100,000 people and there are
usually 400-plus working here at any given
time, plus many hundreds who could be
attending functions around the ground,”
he says. “We’re ultimately responsible for
their welfare while they’re at the ground,
and we take that very seriously.”
Portable
pitches are
now under
the facilities
management
umbrella.
Brian Welch, said the MCG
redevelopment joined a long list of
Master Builder projects as “an iconic
structure which demonstrates technical
engineering excellence”.
“Every Australian can be proud of
Grocon’s redevelopment of the MCG,”
said Mr Welch. “Taking almost four
years, the redevelopment was a
complicated project with several major
events scheduled throughout the process.
“Construction has resulted in a sporting
facility capable of holding 100,000
Peter Wearne has cleaning,
security, operations and arenas
management under his watch
and he’s well prepared for the task.
A Bachelor of Business, Peter spent
13 years with the public service,
including fi ve years with the Liquor
Licensing Commission, as well as
seven years managing a food
processing fi rm.
More recently he managed
Spotless’s cleaning contract at Crown
and was with caterer Delaware North
in a marketing role before joining the
club in 2006.
His arrival at the MCG was predestined.
Peter was one of 2000 babies
who Honorary Life member Donald
Cordner was proud to deliver, nearly
all of them in the Diamond Creek
region, and the Wearnes remain fi rm
friends of the good doctor to this day.
spectators, with 55,000 new seats
installed much closer to the action. Due to
Grocon’s sterling effort, the MCG is now
truly one of the greatest stadiums in the
world,” he said.
And so say all of us.

OLYMPIC MEDAL HAUL
FOR MCC MEMBERS
The club’s long-standing and strong
connection to the Olympic
movement was enhanced
considerably by the performance of several
MCC members at the 2008 Olympic and
Paralympic Games in Beijing.
Ten members competed in the
Australian Olympic team in August and
three wore the green and gold at the
Paralympics that followed. They
produced a combined tally of three gold
medals, three silver and one bronze.
At the Olympics, rowers David
Crawshay and Drew Ginn both won gold
medals in their respective events, while
swimmer Matthew Targett won a silver
and bronze in relays.
It was Ginn’s third gold medal from
three Olympic appearances.
Shane Brand was a member of the
Paralympic team that won silver in the
wheelchair rugby competition, going
NEW AGREEMENT IS JUST THE TICKET
Following the recent successful
tender by Ticketek Pty Ltd,
members will have access to a
new and improved ticketing system
for their visitor ticket and reserved
seat purchases from the start of the
2009 AFL season.
The club has engaged Ticketek to
perform all ticketing and access
control services at the MCG for the
next fi ve years.
Ticketmaster has been the MCG
down in the fi nal to the USA (53-44).
Sam Bramham was a star in the pool
in the S9 classifi cation, part of the worldrecord
team that won gold in the men’s
4x100m freestyle relay.
The club congratulates those athletes on
their medal-winning performances, as well
as the following members who also did the
club proud on the world’s biggest sporting
stage: Mark French (cycling), Mark
Anthony (judo), Stephanie Grant (judo),
Kim Crow (rowing), Elizabeth Patrick
(rowing), James Tomkins (rowing), Russell
Mark (shooting) and Samantha Gandolfo
(swimming S10 classifi cation).
For elder statesman Tomkins,
Australia’s fl ag-bearer at the Olympics
opening ceremony, and MCC Clay
Target Club chairman Russell Mark,
it was probably the last Olympic
campaign of their outstanding careers.
The Beijing performances continue
ticketing agent for more than a quartercentury,
including a period when it was
known as Bass, and has held an
exclusive contract since 1998.
Importantly, the current agreement
with Ticketmaster extends to the end of
a proud record of MCC members
performing on the elite sporting stage.
The current crop of stars, including Chris
Judd, Shane Warne, Chris Guccione, Brad
Hodge and Dallas Cowboys punter Mat
McBriar (see page 15), has taken the
baton from the likes of Max Walker,
Denis Pagan, Jim Stynes and Pat Cash.
From top left: Duncan Free and Drew
Ginn in Beijing, committeeman Peter
Mitchell congratulates gold-medal
oarsman David Crawshay at the Sporting
Sections luncheon, Paralympian swimmer
Sam Bramham.
the 2008/09 cricket season, so members
can continue following their normal
purchasing processes until then.
Full details of the change will feature
in the February newsletter and the
accompanying 2009 AFL season guide.
“The MCG is a world-class stadium
and we continue to look at ways of
improving services to our members
and patrons and enhancing their
experience at the venue,” said CEO
Stephen Gough.
DECEMBER 2008 MCC NEWS 5

CLUB NEWS
THOMPSON, OPAS
DEPART MCG SCENE
We lost two fi ne friends of the
club and the ground with the
recent passing of Lindsay
Thompson and Phil Opas.
A former Premier and long-time
Education Minister, Mr Thompson
was an MCG trustee for 32 years and
chairman for 12 years until 1999. While
he was not a member of the MCC, he
was a great clubman, recognising the
MCC’s role as part of a unique triangular
arrangement with the government of
the day and the MCG Trust in managing
and maintaining the People’s Ground.
Current trustee and MCC Honorary
Life Member John Cain recalled Lindsay
Thompson’s commitment to the ground.
“The interests of the public were
The MCC Foundation has
continued the club’s longstanding
support of junior sport
through its links with AFL Victoria’s ‘G
Footy initiative. This program aims to
promote and develop the game in
secondary schools across Victoria and the
MCC is chief sponsor of both the MCC
Herald Sun Shield and VSSSA State
Championships.
On August 2, the AFL Victoria MCC
VSSSA State Championship fi nal was
6 MCC NEWS
DECEMBER 2008
always uppermost in Lindsay’s mind,” he
said. “He appreciated how people from all
sides of politics had worked together for
many years to create a culture that, I
think, refl ected the public’s expectations
of how the MCG should be run.”
Phil Opas QC, a 50-year member, was
a remarkable man. He served with
distinction in World War II and later
represented his country in war-torn
Europe, recruiting skilled workers as
migrants. As a youngster he was a good
footballer, cricketer and athlete and in
1956 managed the athletics competition at
the Melbourne Olympics.
He was admitted to the Bar in 1942 and
most famously represented Ronald Ryan,
the last man hanged in Victoria (1967).
STRONG SUPPORT
FOR JUNIOR FOOTY
played as a curtain-raiser to the
Essendon-Melbourne match.
In a high-standard contest, Box Hill
Secondary College turned around
a 29-point half time defi cit against
Ballarat High School to take out their
second consecutive state championship
and sixth overall.
The MCC Herald Sun Shield was a
tough contest between Assumption
College and Essendon Keilor College,
played prior to the Melbourne-West
Lindsay Thompson (right) with honorary
librarian Rex Harcourt and Tony Charlton
at an MCC function in 1987.
Dr Opas protested Ryan’s innocence
to the end and, 40 years on, would
recite – at the drop of a hat – details of
bullet projections and so on,
enthusiastically putting his case to
anyone who’d listen.
Those lucky enough to be seated on
an Opas table were privileged indeed.
At 90, he attended last year’s
preliminary fi nal and the grand fi nal
won by his beloved Cats and returned
yet again to the MCG for the fi rst two
days of the Boxing Day Test.
Coast clash on August 16. Essendon
Keilor led by 27 points heading into the
main break. However, Assumption
College capitalised on their opposition’s
wayward goalkicking to fi ght back and
record a nail-biting six-point victory and
tenth title.
MCC president David Meiklejohn
(above) and MCC committeeman
Stephen Spargo (top) represented the
club and presented the trophies to the
winning teams.

MCG AGAIN THE STAGE FOR
SOCCEROOS’ WORLD CUP TILT
World football returns to the
MCG when the Socceroos
meet Japan in the fi nal round
of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian
Qualifi ers on Wednesday June 17, 2009.
The match shapes as the fi nal hurdle
for Australia to clear before being
granted a World Cup berth in South
Africa the following year, where they
will hope to repeat the heroics of the
2006 campaign in Germany.
Members and guests will have full
access to walk-up seating and facilities
in the Reserve for this event, although
an admission fee (subsidised by the club)
is payable as part of contractual
arrangements with the event promoters.
Please note:
• Members and guest cardholders will
be required to pre-purchase a $20 nontransferable
entry entitlement (or $30
inclusive of a reserved seat) that will
validate their membership card at the
turnstiles.
• Fifty-year members are excepted.
Their cards will be automatically
validated for entry.
• Unless an entry entitlement has been
purchased, neither an MCC membership
card nor guest card will be valid at the
turnstiles.
• Members and guest cardholders must
also produce their entitlement receipt to
gain access to the Reserve.
• The entry entitlement is not
transferable to another person – even
another member – for this event.
Visitor tickets (maximum of four per
member) and entry entitlements for
members are now on sale through
Ticketmaster or in person at the club.
Visitor tickets cost $90 (adults) and $45
(child u/15) and were still available at
the time of publication. Please check the
website for the latest updates.
As members are expected to
accompany their guests in the Reserve,
members will not be able to purchase
visitor tickets unless they have validated
their own membership card for entry.
Please note that Long Room passes
and Balcony passes will not be available.
Therefore, visitor ticket and guest
cardholders will not be able to access
the Long Room and member-only
seating areas on levels 2 and 3 of the
Reserve.
MEMBER RESEARCH
PROGRAM COMMISSIONED
In order to understand its members’
needs and measure satisfaction,
the club has commissioned Sweeney
Research to undertake a comprehensive
research program over the next
three years.
The club is keen to explore the views
of its members on a broad range of issues
and, when appropriate, we’ll report the
fi ndings of the survey in MCC News.
As we went to print, the fi rst
of a series of focus groups with
randomly selected members was
being held in Melbourne.
Additionally, an online survey will
be sent to members with an email
address at the club to gauge their views
on all things MCC.
Spot surveys also will be conducted
throughout next year on specifi c issues,
both online and at events and functions.
We look forward to your co-operation
and if you have any queries, please
contact our service representatives
on (03) 9657 8888 or email
membership@mcc.org.au.
DECEMBER 2008
MCC NEWS 7

MEMBER PROFILE
8 MCC NEWS
There’s no forgetting
THE WARDILLS
Tracey Wardill’s connection to the
Melbourne Cricket Club runs
much deeper than most. Not only
has her family rendered exceptional
service both on and off the fi eld since the
1860s, but this eminent neuropsychologist
also is a committee member of the Women
of the MCC group, and she loves it.
“It’s a connection that I really enjoy”,
says Tracey, adding that the club “is in my
blood”. She says the ladies’ group is a
great success, not least because it gives
women the opportunity to enjoy the club’s
facilities with or without a partner.
Apart from the (almost traditional)
breakfast on day two of the Boxing Day
Test, the Women of the MCC group
has run functions dedicated to wine and
football and, most recently, sport
generally. Catherine Freeman was their
special guest at a Long Room luncheon
in October.
The Wardills are indeed legends of the
Melbourne Cricket Club. Tracey’s great
grandfather Dick was Victoria’s leading
batsman in the early days and scored the
fi rst century in Australian fi rst-class
DECEMBER 2008
cricket. He also was secretary of the club
from 1860-63. His brother, the fl amboyant
Major Ben Wardill, was secretary for a
remarkable 32 years from 1879.
Dick’s son Richard captained Melbourne
to their fi rst VFL fl ag in 1900 and his son
David, who served with the RAAF in
World War II, played in the famous Stalag
Luft IV “Test” between Australian and
English prisoners. David was the family’s
great collector of memorabilia and his
daughter Tracey and son Jonathon have
continued the line. You can see some of the
family gems in the MCC Museum.
Tracey’s calling has particular relevance
to a large section of the community. For
more than 20 years she has worked as a
clinical neuropsychologist, specialising in
the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease and
other dementias.
She has researched the impact of ageing
on memory and thinking, conducting the
largest study of its kind in Australia to
determine that memory loss is not an
automatic part of the ageing process.
Earlier this year she received a Churchill
Fellowship to study a younger onset form
of dementia that impacts on the 45-65
age group, and the devastating effect this
illness has on families. This “dementia
of the young”, clinically known as
fronto-temporal dementia (FTD), is
diffi cult to diagnose, often being
confused with depression, bipolar
disorder and Alzheimer’s.
Tracey has experienced some bizarre
behavioural shifts in patients with FTD.
A gourmet chef started cooking “meat
and two veg” for her family every night
and one chap started drinking expensive
bottles of wine at two o’clock in the
morning.
The Churchill Fellowship gives Tracey
the opportunity to travel to the UK and
the US to visit dementia clinics involved in
the diagnosis and management of FTD.
She is a prime mover in the Eastern
Cognitive Disorders Clinic at Box Hill
Hospital, a part of the public health
system which specialises in FTD diagnosis.
The current aim is to maximise the
number of patients seen with this disorder.
“The more we see, the better we get
at it,” is the rationale.

GRAND RECEPTION
FOR NEW MUSEUM
An exit poll satisfaction rating
of almost 100 per cent and a
doubling of MCG visitation
confi rm that the National Sports
Museum is off to a fl ying start.
Occupying a large space beneath
the Olympic Stand, the NSM has
added a signifi cant new dimension to
MCG operations and has been an
important new string to the bow of the
Victorian tourism industry since
opening in March.
A recent comprehensive survey
of visitors was full of positives.
More than 80 per cent thought the
experience was good value for money
– a very high rating for any attraction –
while museum staff received a 99 per
cent tick for their attentiveness.
In this case, “staff” would mostly
refer to our band of NSM volunteers.
Coupled with MCC guides and
library volunteers, these willing
helpers now number 400-plus and
PEOPLE, MATERIAL
WALK IN ON CUE
There has been no shortage of
special visitors to the National
Sports Museum since it opened
in March. After all, there’s much to see,
many sports are featured and the
support of athletes and organisations
has been both generous and appreciated.
The Beijing Olympians are strongly
represented and one of the fi rst to oblige
our collections team was Jared Tallent.
You’d walk a long way to fi nd a
nicer chap and a more modest champion
than Jared.
This young man from Ballarat has
also been walking a long way – long
enough to claim bronze and silver
medals in the 20km and 50km walk
respectively at Beijing, thus becoming
the fi rst Australian male athlete to
win two track and fi eld medals at the
same Olympic Games for more than
a century.
An Australian Institute of Sport
graduate, Jared, 24, has loaned the
museum the gear he wore in gruelling
heat at the Games, shortly after which he
tied the knot with Claire at (where else
but) Walkerville in suburban Adelaide.
Senior members may recall Dolly
Lindrum, whose billiards and snooker
parlour in Flinders Lane was a
Melbourne institution. Dolly, 86 and
sharp as a tack, is a niece of the great
Walter and was raised by him in the
Albert Park family home after her
mother died at childbirth.
The Lindrum story is a fascinating
tale of the family’s freakish ability to
pass on their unique cue skills from
generation to generation. As is legend,
Walter was so good that they changed
the rules to give his opponents a chance
to beat him.
His nephew Horace was also a
champion, winning the world snooker
championship in 1952 and dominating
the sport for more than 30 years.
Dolly says the visit to the museum
Australian basketball legend Lindsay
Gaze addresses schoolchildren during
the National Sports Museum’s “Meet
an Olympian” program in July.
recruitment is ongoing.
The Olympic Exhibition was
most popular with visitors although,
as museums general manager Gerry
Kerlin noted, it’s an Olympic year and
favourites will tend to be seasonal.
“Coming into summer, we’re fi nding
the Baggy Green exhibition and the
Shane Warne Pepper’s Ghost feature
are very popular, and our various
football displays are sure to boom
next season,” said Gerry.
“We’re very pleased with the results
of the survey but there’s still much
to do. In April we’ll be opening a
temporary exhibition space for Rugby
League’s centenary celebrations and
we plan to schedule three or four such
exhibitions annually to encourage
return visitation.”
Meantime, we’ll ponder the views
of those surveyed on what additional
sports, if any, they’d like to see
represented. The chequered fl ag went
to motor racing.
Top: Dolly Lindrum admires footage of
Uncle Walter in the NSM. Above: Museums
general manager Gerry Kerlin accepts
material from dual Olympics medallist
Jared Tallent.
was a real eye-opener for her.
“I couldn’t begin to imagine what I’ve
seen here today.
“It’s just marvellous and I won’t stop
talking about it.”
DECEMBER 2008 MCC NEWS 9

CLUB NEWS
At the hall of fame opening were (from top)
Bob Skilton, Tom Hafey and Kevin Bartlett,
AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick
with MCC president David Meiklejohn
and CEO Stephen Gough, Ron Barassi and
Gavin Brown.
10 MCC NEWS
DECEMBER 2008
FOOTY HALL OF
FAME FINDS HOME
The MCG completed a coveted
sporting trifecta with the opening
in August of the Australian
Football Hall of Fame (AFHOF).
This magnifi cent new attraction, now
housed in the National Sports Museum
in the Olympic Stand, joins the Sport
Australia Hall of Fame and the
Australian Cricket Hall of Fame as key
elements of the country’s fi nest repository
of sporting heritage.
Drawing AFHOF to the home of
football was a win-win move for all
concerned. This celebration of the game’s
champions had been “off campus” since its
establishment in 1996.
However, there was consensus in recent
years between the AFL, the MCC and the
MCG Trust that it should be based at the
MCG and the advent of the National
Sports Museum was the catalyst for its
relocation from the CBD.
Opening night was a grand occasion,
particularly for those who were on the
honour roll.
As happens in sport, champions of the
game were humbled to be in the company
of their peers.
Rubbing shoulders with legends
Nicholls, Barassi, Skilton, Bartlett and
Hudson were a host of AFHOF members
who had been recognised for their
contribution as players, umpires,
administrators and media personnel.
Guests were welcomed by president
David Meiklejohn, who reaffi rmed the
stadium’s commitment to preserving
sporting history. AFL Commission
chairman Mike Fitzpatrick responded on
behalf of the league.
Hawthorn’s peerless full forward, Peter
Hudson, represented his fellow legends at
the microphone and spoke impressively of
the pride they felt at being recognised
formally by football’s governing body.
The hall of fame is of two parts. The
anteroom is bright and welcoming, with
walls festooned with photographs of the
inductees. Press a button or two and you’ll
fi nd 150-word biographies telling the story
of these brilliant performers.
By contrast, the legends room is a
darker, more reverent space where the
material on display is simply sensational,
refl ecting a generosity of spirit among the
22 legends and their families.
There’s an illuminated address that
accompanied the fi rst of Haydn Bunton’s
three Brownlows in 1931, Baldock’s
guernsey from the Saints’ 1966 premiership
triumph, Coleman’s training bag, and you
name it.
Football’s hall of fame is a must-see
addition to the National Sports Museum’s
stunning range of attractions. We suggest
members treat themselves and guests to an
hour or two in the new museum. You’ll
fi nd yourself coming back for more.

HIRD, WARNE STILL
STARRING AT THE MCG
It has been a hectic time for the National
Sports Museum since its grand opening
in March and there will be no time for
a breather now that its latest stunning
attractions have been unveiled.
Two of Australia’s sporting greats of the
modern era, Essendon’s James Hird (on
September 3) and spin king Shane Warne
(October 27), are the stars of sensational
three-dimensional holograms that are
fascinating visitors to the MCG.
In Off The Bench and Cricket Found Me
respectively, Hird and Warne take visitors
through many of the highs and lows of
their magnifi cent careers. Using the latest in
simulated hologram technology, audiences
feel as though they’re actually in the room
with the subject as he interacts with the set
and moves around the space.
Standing in front of the bench at the end
of the 2007 season and facing retirement,
“Sir James” offers a moving account of his
NSM PRAISED FROM AFAR
Museums general manager Gerry Kerlin
was pleased to receive an email
commending the National Sports
Museum from an overseas member of
the MCC, Barry Critchley, a journalist
with Toronto’s National Post who
visited the NSM in October.
“As a fi rst time visitor, I can’t say
enough about the National Sports
Museum at the MCG. It is simply
wonderful,” Barry wrote. “It is easy to get
around, the displays are great, there is lots
of good information and lots of variety
with all the major sports covered.
“I especially liked the Olympic Games
section and the many gold medal-
life as player and captain, including
the private turmoil of his baby
daughter’s ill health leading up to
the 2000 grand fi nal.
The virtual Warne talks from the
MCG changerooms, where he relives
his Test debut, the famous “Gatting
ball”, his MCG hat-trick and his
700th Test wicket in the 2006
Boxing Day Test – his last at the
MCG. It’s a fabulous presentation.
“It’s going to be fantastic for
people around the world to come
here to the National Sports Museum
and have a look at this,” said Warne
at his exhibit’s media launch. “As
Australians we can be very proud.
“I have a very close relationship with the
MCG. I’ve been coming here since I was a HOW IT WORKS
young kid, watching AFL football and
playing cricket for Victoria and Australia,
which has been an absolute pleasure.” Technology used in the new permanent
attractions draws on a 19th century
technique known as Pepper’s Ghost.
An illusion is created by vision and
light being refracted from a hidden
source onto a pane of angled glass,
leaving the visitor seeing a semitransparent
version of the subject.
The technique has been modernised
using the latest high-defi nition fi lm
and sound technology.
Produced in conjunction with media
companies Shirley Spectra and
Turnstile4, Hird and Warne each spent
a day-and-a-half fi lming in a South
Melbourne studio many months ago in
order to produce the 10 minutes of
winning efforts of the Aussies. The
James Hird display was also wonderful
and I see that similar technology was
used by the TV networks in covering the
recent US election.
“The football section was also great
and showed the many highlights of what
is a fantastic form of football. There was
only one problem: I didn’t have enough
time to do it all, which I suppose is not a
bad problem to have. I will solve that
problem when I am next in Melbourne.
“Well done to those involved in
making the National Sports Museum
such a great memory of my recent trip
to Melbourne.”
footage that is the fi nal product.
Each was required to deliver his
script in one take, with no editing.
Afterwards, Hird described it as one of
the most challenging exercises he has
ever undertaken. Warne also
acknowledged the diffi culty of the task.
“It did take a bit of time and I
messed up a lot of lines,” said Warne.
“I had to rehearse it and rehearse it
and do it again and again. There was
a bit of prompting but it was basically
off the cuff.”
Admission to these superb additions
to the National Sports Museum is
included in the general admission price.
Further information is available at
www.nsm.org.au.
DECEMBER 2008 MCC NEWS 11

CLUB NEWS
September was a bumper month at
the MCG, with seven AFL fi nals in
23 days accommodating more than
half a million fans who witnessed some
fabulous football. The Grand Final saw a
return to “the good old days”, with an all-
Victorian contest to decide the
premiership between the season’s two best
teams, Hawthorn and Geelong.
The public and members voted with
their feet. The grand fi nal attendance of
100,012 was the highest since 1986 and
the fi rst event to break through the
six-fi gure barrier since the new grandstand
12 MCC NEWS DECEMBER 2008
GRAND FINAL DAY LI
Perfect weather, a massive crowd and a gripping contest
was completed three years ago. It was also
the highest Members Reserve attendance
in more than a decade of grand fi nals.
Such was the popularity and
anticipation of the contest between the
all-conquering Cats and emerging Hawks,
more than 7500 MCC members queued
patiently outside Gate 2 from early
morning. After the gates were thrown
open at 8am, the fi rst three levels of the
Reserve were fi lled before the fi rst egg had
been scrambled in the nearby Hugh
Trumble Café.
Soon, the bars and dining rooms were
working at capacity, both inside and
outside the Reserve. Early on, the Long
Room was the place to be for many, either
to relax on the famous couches or share a
beer with old friends.
With the immaculate arena bathed in
bright sunshine, the atmosphere built
steadily. Car park barbecues were
gathering momentum as fans started to
arrive in numbers to savour the unique
experience of a grand fi nal at the ’G.
There were two high-quality under-16
curtain-raisers before world-renowned
Aussie rock group Powderfi nger took

VES UP TO THE HYPE
made for another memorable grand final day at the MCG.
centre stage. The pre-match entertainment
concluded with a motorcade farewell to a
number of football retirees, including the
evergreen Robert Harvey.
MCG icon partner Coca-Cola Amatil
again held their Grand Final Brunch at the
MCG, transforming the Olympic Stand’s
rear atrium space into an atmospheric
dining room. Former Test cricketer and
media personality Max Walker was MC
and MCC chief executive Stephen Gough
dropped by to address the function and
outline what goes on behind the scenes at
the home of football.
It was also a special day for MCC event
services manager Ken Parker, presiding
over his 22nd and last grand fi nal before
he draws stumps on his career in
mid-December. We’ll feature more on
Ken’s life and times at the ’G in our next
newsletter.
It was the biggest of big days for the
MCC events team, with early birds
arriving at 4am and the last to leave
shutting the doors well after 9pm. The
day’s success was a credit to the entire
event management team, as well as the
thousands of event staff members, the
membership and customer services team,
caterers, emergency services personnel and
match offi cials who ensured that a great
day was had by all.
The match itself was a ripper. After a
bone-crunching fi rst half, Hawthorn
stormed home to record a momentous
26-point victory. Captain Sam Mitchell
and coach Alistair Clarkson held aloft the
club’s fi rst premiership cup since 1991.
Clarkson’s post-match acknowledgment
of the MCC’s role in making the day a
success for all involved was appreciated
by those who put the day together.
DECEMBER 2008
MCC NEWS 13

CLUB NEWS
BUMPER FOOTY
FIXTURE IN STORE
The relentless football news cycle
was most evident in October when
the 2009 AFL season schedule of
matches was released before a cricket ball
had even been bowled at the MCG. As
was the case in 2008, the MCG will host
46 home and away matches next season.
It will be an action-packed opening,
with four matches played at the ’G in the
fi rst round, starting with a clash between
Richmond and Carlton on Thursday
March 26. On the following evening the
grand fi nal replay between Hawthorn and
Geelong is bound to draw a big crowd.
Other notable features of the MCG’s
schedule include a fortnight without
matches over the weekends of June 13-14
and 20-21, the return of the Anzac Day,
Queen’s Birthday and Dreamtime at the
’G matches, a Geelong-Collingwood
Easter Thursday blockbuster and 14
matches involving Collingwood (the most
of any club), including two against both
Carlton and Essendon.
A full fi xture and operational details
about the 2009 AFL season will
complement the MCC newsletter in
early March.
MCC member Michael Inglis (second from left) became the lucky two-millionth patron for the
2008 AFL season on August 2. MCC chief warden Peter French (right) and Sharp Australia
sales manager Steven Field (left) presented Michael with a new television, courtesy of Sharp.
IRELAND’S CLEAN SWEEP
For the fi rst time since 2003,
the MCG hosted an International
Rules Series match between
Australia and Ireland on October 31,
exactly fi ve years to the day the ’G last
saw the hybrid game.
More than 42,000 fans descended on
the stadium, braving the cold and rain
throughout most of the second and
third quarters, to watch the close
encounter. The ’G looked a picture,
with ground staff doing a wonderful
job converting the arena to its new
confi guration and rejuvenating the turf
after thousands pounded it during the
Samsung Melbourne Marathon a
fortnight earlier.
After a hard-fought fi rst Test at
Subiaco, Australia was looking to
bounce back from a narrow defeat and
14 MCC NEWS
DECEMBER 2008
win in Melbourne. The Irish, however,
had other ideas and a gallant effort by
the Aussies in the fi nal term wasn’t
enough to stop Ireland winning by four
points and making it a clean sweep of
the series to take home the Cormac
McAnallen Trophy.
Stephen Gough presents a cheque for
$50,000 to Ladder general manager
Mark Bolton.
MCC SUPPORTS
WORTHY CAUSES
The MCC has continued its
support for community
activities, recently making
sizeable fi nancial contributions to two
very worthwhile ventures.
At the AFL Players’ Association
(AFLPA) Most Valuable Player Awards
night in September, MCC chief
executive Stephen Gough presented
$50,000 to the AFLPA to go towards its
Ladder project.
The club matched the gesture of Hall
of Fame Tribute game players who
donated their match fees to Ladder and
two other community projects. The
MCC donation came from the proceeds
of the same game in May.
Ladder was created in 2007 by the
AFLPA and AFL Foundation to address
the issue of youth homelessness across
Australia.
It aims to provide programs that will
give hope and inspiration, improving
the lives of homeless young people by
tapping into the resources of the AFL
and the players.
Ladder general manager, former
Essendon defender Mark Bolton, was
pleased to see his organisation receive
such strong support.
“I am very happy that, as one of the
game’s key stakeholders, the MCC has
joined the team,” he said. “I would like
to think that Ladder has the potential to
change lives, not only of the youth
involved in our programs but also the
players themselves, giving them a sense
of perspective and also fulfi llment that
comes from helping others.”
The club has also donated $20,000 to
St John Ambulance Victoria to fund the
purchase of new equipment to maintain
the high-level medical support available
to MCG visitors on event days.

Picture: James D Smith
UNKNOWN AUSSIE
A BIG NAME IN AMERICA
The MCC membership is so large
and diverse that it is understandable
when the feats of individuals
among us are occasionally overlooked.
Such is the case with long-time member
Mat McBriar, who has been busily
making a name for himself as a highly
paid American football punter with the
Dallas Cowboys.
While McBriar may not be quite as well
known as other Australians playing US
professional football, such as former AFL
players Ben Graham, Darren Bennett and
Saverio Rocca, many would argue his
impact on the National Football League
more than matches his compatriots.
Born and raised in Melbourne and an
MCC member since 1995, McBriar gained
his college education in America while
punting for the University of Hawaii.
His then head coach, June Jones, told
the Sydney Morning Herald in 2003 that
McBriar was “probably as special as any
(punter) that I’ve ever seen”.
After finishing his three-year scholarship
and breaking all Hawaiian punting
records, McBriar signed with the Denver
Broncos and was later traded to the
Seattle Seahawks. Seattle unexpectedly cut
McBriar only one game into the preseason,
leaving him without a team and
out of football.
A year later, McBriar was picked up by
the Dallas Cowboys and he has been their
star punter for the last five years.
The Victorian was just the fourth
Australian to play in the NFL and only the
second to play for the Cowboys behind
Colin Ridgeway in 1965.
Ridgeway also boasted achievements as
an Olympic high jumper on his sporting
resume.
In 2006, McBriar added another feather
to his cap when he received one of the
highest accolades in American football –
selection in the NFL Pro Bowl. He is the
first MCC member and only the second
Australian to scale such heights after
Darren Bennett, who was selected in 1996
and 2001.
McBriar credits his leap into the
American football big time to Bennett
Picture: James D Smith
who, after seeing McBriar’s impressive
skills in an NFL-run kicking competition
in 1997 at Waverley Park, introduced him
to Jones at the University of Hawaii.
Bennett again lent a helping hand when
he housed McBriar for a year between his
stint at the Seattle Seahawks and his
current contract with Dallas.
Further cementing his place in NFL
history, McBriar recently extended his
contract with the Cowboys for another
five years, and he’s now one of the highest
paid punters in the league.
We were hopeful of speaking to
McBriar prior to deadline but, as
fate would have it, he unfortunately
sustained two hairline fractures to his
foot when his punt was blocked during a
game against Arizona in October.
Fellow teammate, Louis-Philippe
Ladouceur, described McBriar as being
“greatly missed” during his recovery and
while he is unlikely to return to the
Cowboys this season, he will be looking
to make a big comeback in 2009.
We will keep you posted.
DECEMBER 2008 MCC NEWS 15

CLUB NEWS
HODGE ENTERS
RECORD BOOKS
It was a red-letter day for MCC
batting dynamo Brad Hodge in late-
October when he wrote his name into
the history books in the Sheffi eld Shield
clash against Queensland at the Gabba.
With his 13th run in the second innings
on October 23, Hodge became the highest
all-time run scorer for Victoria at
fi rst-class level, surpassing fellow MCC
batsman and boyhood idol Dean Jones’
10,412 career total.
“Hodgey” is in exalted company, with
greats such as Ponsford, Lawry, Hassett
and Armstrong all in his wake. It is one
thing to perform, another altogether to do
it consistently over a 15-year period.
Jones, a good friend and former MCC
and Victorian teammate of Hodge, was
effusive in his praise of the talented right-
The annual MCC Members’ Day
bowls tournament will be held
on Sunday February 15, 2009
on the Swinburne Avenue greens in
Hawthorn.
The tournament is open to all MCC
16 MCC NEWS
DECEMBER 2008
hander, who was recruited to the club in
1990-91 to play in the under 16 Dowling
Shield competition.
“I am thrilled for Hodgey,” said Jones.
“I’ve seen him grow from a young tyro to
a seasoned veteran and it’s been a
privilege to watch.”
Hodge crept past Darren Berry to
become the most capped Victorian player
(139 matches), achieving the milestone
during the MCG’s fi rst match of the
summer against Tasmania from
November 15-18.
With records tumbling and runs galore,
all that is left now for Hodge is to force
his way back into the Australian Test
team, where he can work on his more
than useful career average of 55.88 from
six Tests.
MEMBERS’ BOWLS DAY
members irrespective of their ability or
their bowling club. It is designed to enable
MCC members to meet bowlers from other
clubs and to compete on equal terms in a
fours event. Three games will be played on
a progressive basis and prizes will be
Long way to Long Room: Following
the MCC’s successful cricket tour of
Japan in May, the club extended its
hospitality to representatives of Osaka
City Council at the Richmond-Essendon
match on July 19. Here, MCC vicepresident
and cricket chairman Bob
Lloyd introduces Kunia Hiramatsu
(Mayor of Osaka) and Toshifumi
Tagaya (Osaka City Council president)
to the famous Long Room.
Ayres honoured: The MCC First XI’s
Premier Cricket clash with Dandenong
on October 12 was played for
the Warren Ayres Cup for the fi rst
time in honour of his outstanding
contribution to both clubs. Ayres,
who retired as a player at the end of
last season but is still coach of
Dandenong, presented the trophy to
winning MCC captain-coach Adam
Dale. In his fi rst season in charge,
Dale’s team has performed strongly
in the fi rst part of the season.
awarded to winners and runners up.
Members wishing to participate can
obtain an application form from
secretary Ian Cave at P.O. Box 977
Hawthorn 3122 or by emailing
iancave46@hotmail.com.

IT’S YOUR CLUB, SO WHY
NOT ENJOY IT TO THE FULL
Planning a function and looking
for a special venue?
Take your pick. There’s the Long Room,
the Committee Room and the Members
Dining Room for special occasions and
any number of atmospheric spaces for
less formal affairs, perhaps even one of
the bars such as the Frank Grey Smith
Bar or the Bullring Bar where younger
members can entertain in style.
Taking friends, family or business
associates to lunch?
Where better than the MCC Committee
Room, an outstanding a la carte
restaurant for weekday luncheons when
members and guests can revel in the
finest of food from Epicure Catering’s
leading chefs.
The message is simple. The club’s
superb facilities are yours to enjoy, so
why not take advantage of the opportunities
and amenities on offer.
A Committee Room luncheon,
overlooking the famous field of battle, is
unbeatable. You can sample the delights
of a creative, beautifully balanced menu
at your leisure, or perhaps the fast-track
business lunch will appeal. Two courses
and a glass of wine are yours from just
$35 (three courses from $45) and you’re
back at the desk in double-quick time
after parking underneath the grandstand.
All of this in the inner sanctum, where
Bradman and Ponsford greet you at the
door and a fascinating array of artworks
and photographs complement Wes
Walters’ portrait of those champion
batsmen.
Today’s MCG is also a high-end
function venue, popular across all
market segments for its unique attractions
and increasingly the choice of
members arranging weddings,
engagements, 21st birthdays and other
special occasions.
What could beat exchanging vows in
the Long Room, overlooking the green
sward and under the gaze of your club’s
eminent presidents and secretaries.
The Members Dining Room and
Committee Room also cater for
everything from intimate dinners to
cocktail parties for 500, with Epicure’s
professional polish ensuring a day or
evening to remember. Members enjoy
complimentary room hire and discounted
food and beverage packages
when booking a function at the MCG.
We suggest you check with Epicure
about a tailor-made experience at the
mighty ground.
PARK AND DINE
On most weekdays during the year,
members dining at the ground may park
underneath the new grandstand, entering
via Gate A off Brunton Avenue.
It’s odds on there’ll be a spot just a few
metres from Lifts 5, 6 and 7, which take
you to Level 2 and within easy reach of
the Committee Room. Simply advise
Epicure of your party when booking
(9284 2300) and security personnel will
be expecting you.
THEMED LUNCHEONS
On offer could be an extended range of
wines from Margaret River with food to
match. Or perhaps a choice of oysters
when they’re at their peak, new season’s
asparagus or winter roasts. Whatever the
theme, the MCC dining room will boast
a constantly changing menu and wine list
during 2009. Please check the website
for details.
FUNCTION BOOKINGS
Epicure will welcome your function
inquiries on (03) 9284 2300 or email
functions.mcg@epicure.com.au.
DECEMBER 2008 MCC NEWS 17

FUNCTION NEWS
THE DON’S CENTURY
HEADLINES FUNCTIONS SEASON
More than 400 members and
guests marked the centenary
of the birth of Australia’s
greatest cricketer, Sir Donald Bradman,
at The Bradman Luncheon – A Centenary
Celebration, in the Members
Dining Room on August 27.
The eighth annual luncheon, jointly
hosted by the MCC and Cricket
Victoria, featured numerous musicians,
performers and cricketers, all chosen to
refl ect the taste and style of The Don
during his lifetime.
In an entertaining and polished
display, recently retired cricket great
Adam Gilchrist delivered the keynote
address, touching on the achievements
of Bradman as well as the future of the
game and world cricket’s ability to
manage its future.
Gilchrist admitted to a strong
18 MCC NEWS DECEMBER 2008
affi liation with the cricketers of the
Bradman era, recalling the honour
of receiving his baggy green cap on
Test debut from 1948 “Invincible”
Bill Brown in 1999.
Another Invincible, Arthur Morris,
recounted tales of playing with
The Don in the only way he knows how
– with humour and humility.
Earlier, a string of extremely talented
musicians – including Rebecca Chambers
(piano), Sally Cooper (violin) and Alan
Kogosowski (piano) – delivered
powerful performances that enthralled
the audience.
Sir Donald’s granddaughter, Greta
Bradman, sang a touching rendition
of Amazing Grace, accompanied by
Kogosowski on piano. Greta then took
questions from MC Tony Charlton (who
has presided eloquently over each of the
eight Bradman Luncheons) and talked
fondly about her granddad. The day
was capped off by a spectacular act
from world-renowned performers
Soul Mystique.
Following the success of last year’s
inaugural Long Room Luncheon with
John Buchanan, two more similarly
themed events were hosted by the
club during the footy season.
At the Kevin Sheedy Luncheon on
July 1 it was most appropriate that
former MCC vice-president and current
Essendon committeeman, Daryl Jackson,
introduced one of football’s great
characters to a full house in the Long
Room, a show of hands indicating that
the Bombers were strongly represented.
Sheedy’s theme was about Martians
but, as is his wont, he courted countless
topics during an entertaining address

that held his audience spellbound.
On September 9, more than 180
members and guests enjoyed an intimate
lunch with Melbourne Football Club
chairman and Brownlow medallist
Jim Stynes.
Guests heard from MFC football
operations manager and former Demon
player Chris Connolly, who introduced
Stynes with a range of witty tales about
the Irishman’s early days in Australia
and his passion for the red and blue.
In his new role as chairman, “Jimmy”
has vowed to turn around the club’s
fortunes. He outlined his fascinating
career, including coming to grips with
a foreign game in a foreign country,
his fi rst visit to the MCG, that infamous
15-metre penalty in the 1987 preliminary
fi nal, winning the Brownlow, his work
with Reach Foundation and his plans for
reinventing the Demons.
As is customary, there were nearly
300 in attendance for the annual XXIX
Club dinner on the Wednesday before
the Grand Final. Most of the guests
would have been aware of the extraordinary
service rendered by committeeman,
captain, tour host and treasurer Barry
Matters, who was retiring after nearly
two decades in charge of the exchequer.
Fittingly, Barry proposed the toast to
the XXIX Club. In response, incoming
president Bill Stahmer was on the front
foot from the outset, pausing only to
swap sword for sledgehammer as he
announced the likely sacking of last
year’s unsuccessful captains (we think
he was joking) and promised reform
in a range of issues concerning our
social cricketers.
Former Test cricketer Stuart MacGill
joined an illustrious line of guest
speakers who have graced the dinner
since 1957, when Lindsay Hassett
opened the batting. Funny-man fast
bowler Ernie McCormick entertained the
following year and then Bob Menzies
put some prime ministerial polish on
proceedings in 1959.
The PM was followed by Jack
Fingleton, Arthur Calwell and Richie
Benaud, so there was no shortage of
quality support as the fl edgling club
found its feet in the early years.
MacGill’s address revealed, somewhat
surprisingly, that there was no
resentment of Shane Warne at any time
during his 200-wicket Test career.
Indeed, “he popularised spin bowling,
which was good for all of us tweakers,
and I was just lucky to play with him.”
Today’s cricket? It’s very much
“a retail product”, with concerns
for the dollar often outweighing
the best interests of the game.
On a personal level his biggest regret
was presenting himself to play in the
West Indies when not fully fi t, spelling
the end of a useful career at the top level.
September also featured the annual
Sporting Sections Grand Final Week
Luncheon, where former Bomber
champ James Hird was an outstanding
guest speaker. Olympic gold medallist
and MCC member David Crawshay
(see page 5) was also on hand to
chat to hosts Ian Cover and Tony
Leonard about his Beijing experience.
That evening, the Coodabeen
Champions again held court at their
Brownlow Dinner, which is fast
becoming one of the hottest tickets
on the club calendar.
DECEMBER 2008
MCC NEWS
19

FUNCTION NEWS
THIS YEAR’S MEMBERS’ DINNER
WILL BE A PRIME MINISTERIAL AFFAIR
Former Australian Prime Minister,
The Hon John Howard AC,
is guest speaker for this year’s
sold-out Members’ Dinner on
Friday December 12 in the Members
Dining Room.
It is the fi rst time since Bob Menzies
addressed the XXIX Club annual
dinner in 1959 that a Prime Minister
has spoken at a club function.
A self-confessed cricket tragic,
Mr Howard will no doubt regale his
audience with tales of his cricketing
experiences during an 11-year term
as our country’s leader.
Agreat Australian, Sir Arvi Parbo
AC, will address members and
guests at next year’s Australia Day
luncheon in the Members Dining Room.
Sir Arvi migrated to Australia in 1949
from Estonia via Germany, where he
attended the Clausthal Mining Academy
and, having taught himself English,
continued his studies to emerge with an
honours degree in Mining Engineering
from Adelaide University in 1955.
He joined Western Mining
Corporation as an underground surveyor
in 1956 and rose through the ranks to
become managing director and later
chairman of this important company
before retiring in 1999.
Universally admired, Sir Arvi also was
chairman of Alcoa and BHP and held
directorships at a number of blue-chip
companies during a most distinguished
corporate career.
The Parbo journey is a great migrant
success story and the MCC is delighted
that he has accepted our invitation to
join us on January 26.
The Australia Day luncheon includes a
three-course meal with soft drinks. Beer,
wine and spirits can be purchased at bar
prices. Bookings are now being taken and
you are encouraged to book early to
avoid disappointment (guests are
welcome to attend).
20 MCC NEWS
DECEMBER 2008
Former Cricket Australia and
International Cricket Council chief
executive Malcolm Speed will propose
the toast to cricket at this black-tie event.
It will be a rare public appearance for
Malcolm since he departed the ICC in the
middle of the year and is sure to be of
immense interest to our cricket-loving
audience. Respected cricket broadcaster
Tim Lane will be master of ceremonies.
Since its inception in 1994 the
Members’ Dinner has featured such
luminaries as Sir Richard Hadlee, Lord
Cowdrey of Tonbridge, Kim Hughes,
Wes Hall, Jeremy Coney, Mike Brearley,
SIR ARVI TO SPEAK
ON AUSTRALIA DAY
WHAT Australia Day Luncheon
WHEN Monday January 26, 2009
TIME 12.00pm for 12.30pm
WHERE Members Dining Room,
DRESS Jacket and Tie
COST $60 (members) and
$70 (guests)
Please note:
• Members wishing to sit together
should submit their forms together.
• Successful applicants will be sent
a letter of confi rmation.
To confi rm your booking, please visit
the website to download an application
form or contact Membership Services
on 9657 8888.
Sunil Gavaskar, Ian Healy, Graham
Gooch and last year’s guest speaker,
Rod Marsh.
GET SET FOR
THE MCG
LONG LUNCH
Following the success of last
year’s event, the MCG Long
Lunch will return on Friday
February 27, 2009.
MCC members are invited to
experience the thrill of being out
on the MCG arena, while enjoying
gourmet food, fi ne wines and top
entertainment.
Full details were still being fi nalised
as we went to print, so we suggest you
mark your diaries and visit the club
website closer to the event.

YOUR FUNCTIONS CALENDAR
DAY DATE FUNCTION VENUE
Tuesday Dec 2 Volunteers’ Christmas Luncheon Members Dining Room
Tuesday Dec 2 New Member Induction Evening Members Dining Room
Thursday Dec 4 New 50-Year Member Luncheon Members Dining Room
Tuesday Dec 9 Volunteers’ Christmas Luncheon Members Dining Room
Friday Dec 12 Members’ Dinner Members Dining Room
Thursday Dec 25 Christmas Day Luncheon Members Dining Room
Friday Dec 26 Boxing Day Breakfast Members Dining Room
Saturday Dec 27 Women In Cricket Breakfast Members Dining Room
Monday Jan 26 Australia Day Luncheon Members Dining Room
Tuesday Feb 24 Members’ Golf Day Kingston Heath Golf Club
Friday Feb 27 MCG Long Lunch MCG Arena
Wednesday Mar 25 Footy Season Launch Luncheon Members Dining Room
Sunday Mar 29 MCC/MFC Game Day Function Jim Stynes Room
Friday April 24 Young Members Anzac Eve Ball Members Dining Room
Thursday Aug 27 The Bradman Luncheon Members Dining Room
MEMBERS’ GOLF DAY 2009
The next Members’ Golf Day
will be held at Kingston Heath
Golf Club on Tuesday February
24, 2009. The event is open to
members of all categories with a club,
VGA or WGV official handicap.
Participants will compete for the
President’s Cup and other great prizes.
Cost for the day is $140, which
includes green fee, light lunch and
the presentation dinner with drinks
afterwards.
There are two tee-off times: 8am and
1pm. Bookings open on Monday
December 8. Should applications exceed
capacity, a ballot will be conducted.
To confirm your booking, please visit
the website to download an application
form or contact Member and Customer
Services on (03) 9657 8888.
CATHY
COMMITTED
Catherine Freeman was a most
entertaining guest speaker
at a Women of the MCC
luncheon in the Long Room in
October. The former champion
athlete, pictured above with MCC
committee member Jane Nathan and
Tracey Wardill, has pursued noble
causes since retirement in 2003.
She has established the Catherine
Freeman Foundation to “create
pathways to a brighter future”
for young indigenous Australians.
The foundation has also established
programs with other charities such
as Cottage by the Sea and the
Inspire Foundation.
DECEMBER 2008 MCC NEWS 21

MEMBERS’ NEWS
The annual Boxing Day
Breakfast in the Members
Dining Room will again
usher in the biggest sporting event on
the summer calendar. Your host is
former Victorian captain and media
personality, Darren Berry (pictured).
Members are invited to bring up
to two guests along to this popular,
high-quality function. The breakfast
package is inclusive of a reserved seat
on Level 2 in front of the dining room
to view the day’s play.
Bookings opened for this function
on Monday November 17.
Due to the expected demand,
the function may have sold out as we
went to press.
Please check the website or ring the
club for the latest updates.
22 MCC NEWS
DECEMBER 2008
BOXING DAY BREAKFAST
WOMEN IN
CRICKET
BREAKFAST
Television, fi lm and theatre
actress Kate Fitzpatrick
will be a special guest
speaker at the Women in Cricket
Breakfast on Day 2 of the
Boxing Day Test in the Members Dining Room. While Kate’s
distinguished acting career includes parts in shows from Hamlet
to the The Rocky Horror Show, she is perhaps best known to
members for her stint on the Nine Network cricket
commentary team in 1983 in an attempt to attract female
viewers. Her anecdotes and views on this turbulent period in
her career will be most enlightening.
Bookings are now open for this event and will be taken on a
fi rst-in, best-dressed basis. An application form is available on
the website or at the club.
WHAT Women in Cricket Breakfast
WHEN Saturday December 27, 2008
TIME 7.30am – 9.30am
WHERE Members Dining Room
DRESS Jacket and Tie
COST $70 (members) and $80 (guests)
RSVP Bookings close Tuesday December 16
(unless sold out earlier)
Please note that as breakfast tickets do not admit guests to the
Reserve, visitor tickets will need to be purchased separately.
WHAT Boxing Day Breakfast
WHEN Friday December 26, 2008
TIME 7.30am – 9.30am
WHERE Members Dining Room
DRESS Jacket and Tie
COST $75 (members) and
$85 (guests)
Please note:
• Breakfast tickets do not admit guests to
the ground
• Members wishing to sit together should
submit their forms together
• Bookings will be taken on a fi rst-in,
best-dressed basis
• Members should ensure that their
visitor tickets are pre-purchased for
guests as it cannot be guaranteed that
they will be available close to the day.
CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS
AT THE MCG
Why not relax and celebrate Christmas with family
and friends while leaving all the festive duties in the
capable and creative hands of Epicure at the MCG.
Enjoy Christmas Day luncheon with all the trimmings in the
comfortable surrounds of the Members Dining Room at the
home of sport on the eve of the Boxing Day Test.
Turkey, ham, plum pudding and all the traditional treats
will feature on a sumptuous three-course buffet menu
complemented by beer, wine, sparkling and soft drink.
And, of course, Santa will drop in with gifts for the kids!
To confi rm your booking, please visit the website to
download an application form or contact Membership Services
on 9657 8888.
DATE Thursday December 25, 2008
TIME 11.30am for 12.00noon
WHERE Members Dining Room
DRESS Jacket and Tie
COST $150.00 (adults)
$120.00 (children 12-17)
$30.00 (children 4-11)
infants free of charge
RSVP Friday December 12, 2008
unless sold out beforehand.
There is no limit to the size of your
booking. Please note that members
who wish to sit together should submit
their forms together.

SYDNEY TRIP FOR
YOUNG MEMBERS
The club is calling all members
interested in a fun-filled, whistlestop
tour of Sydney over the
Australia Day long weekend.
Members can spend four days and
three nights experiencing all that Sydney
has to offer, including a memorable
evening harbour cruise, while enjoying
the company of fellow members.
The package, from January 23-26,
2009, also includes flights,
accommodation, attendance at the
Australia-South Africa one-day
international at the Sydney Cricket
Ground, a lazy lunch and afternoon at
Manly’s beaches, barefoot bowls at Bondi
to celebrate Australia Day and plenty of
free time to explore or relax as you please.
Bookings are now being taken.
Places were limited at the time of
publication so we suggest you act now. To
book, or for further details about cost and
final itinerary, please visit the website or
ring the club on (03) 9657 8888.
ROYAL SELANGOR VISITS OUR SHORES
In addition to the swathe of
international and domestic cricket
matches this summer, the club will
also welcome one of our reciprocal
clubs – Royal Selangor – for a brief visit
in mid-December.
The MCC has been affiliated with
Royal Selangor since 1997 and the
sporting club, established in 1884, is
one of the oldest clubs in Malaysia.
It hosted the first hoisting of the
Malayan flag in place of the Union Jack
in 1957 to signify the country’s
independence from Britain.
In addition to swimming, taekwondo,
dance sport, darts and the curiously
MCC members can enjoy the
benefits of the club’s
reciprocal access arrangements
with the Victoria Racing Club
(VRC) at a host of race meetings in and
around Melbourne during the 2008/09
racing season.
MCC members will have access to the
members’ enclosures at Flemington and
other courses for nominated meetings
(see website) and they may also
introduce up to four guests.
Members and guests must pay the
$8 admission fee to the racecourse
named hash running (we’ll let readers
investigate that themselves), the club
also dabbles in cricket and will play a
series of matches while in Melbourne.
After a welcoming cocktail party
at the MCG on December 17,
Royal Selangor will play the XXIX
Club at the Albert Ground the
following day. On December 21,
Canterbury CC will host them, before a
final match against an MCC XI at the
Albert Ground on December 22 and
attendance at the first two days
of the Boxing Day Test. For more
information about Royal Selangor
Club, visit www.rscweb.org.my.
OFF AND RACING AT THE VRC
for midweek and Sunday meetings
($12 for Saturday and Public Holiday
meetings) and then proceed to the
Raceday and Ticketing Office to obtain
the appropriate ticketing.
MCC members are admitted to
the enclosure free of charge, but guests
pay $15 for midweek and Sunday
programs and $20 for Saturday and
public holiday meetings.
To obtain information regarding
the dress code for entry to the VRC
Members’ Enclosure, please refer to
the VRC website www.vrc.net.au.
VALE,
SAM CALDER
The club lost one of its longestserving
members when Stephen
(Sam) Calder died aged 92
in September. A former RAF pilot,
pastoralist, politician and sportsman,
Sam was an MCC man for 78 years
and one of our top-10 longest-serving
members. Sam’s service to the
Northern Territory over many decades
was recognised with a State Funeral
in Darwin to mark his passing.
On a brighter note, the club’s
second-oldest member, John King,
celebrated his century on October 9.
John has been a member since
December 1927, one of a select few
still able to recall the early days of our
previous Members Pavilion.
Many happy returns, John.
LONGEST-SERVING MEMBERS
NAME ELECTED
Mr Leonard Kemp 01/12/1925
Mr John King 17/12/1927
Rev (Gerald ) Paul Ryan 17/12/1927
Mr Russell Boughton 01/09/1928
Sir Edward Cohen 01/09/1928
Mr George McCahon 01/09/1928
Mr Dereck Shew 01/09/1928
Mr Keith Chrystal 10/05/1930
Mr John Remington 10/05/1930
Dr Alan King AM 10/05/1930
DECEMBER 2008 MCC NEWS 23

MEMBERS’ NEWS
MEMBERSHIP IS COVETED BY MANY
MCC membership is still
the most popular and
prestigious ticket in town,
and that goes double.
Not only were there 99,932 fi nancial
members at August 31 this year, there
are 184,974 nominees waiting to join us.
We have 60,550 Full members
(including 1850 50-Year members) and
39,382 Restricted members.
Females, fi rst admitted in 1984, now
comprise 21 per cent of membership.
Member numbers have increased
exponentially over the past two decades.
CLARE AND RACHEL
ARE AT YOUR SERVICE
The MCC is proud to acknowledge two members of
the Member and Customer Services (MACS)
Department, who have been honoured at the 2008
International Customer Service Professionals (ICSP) Awards
on October 10 at Docklands.
Club administration co-ordinator Rachel Dove and club
administration offi cer Clare Chisholm were both fi nalists in
the individual Customer Service Champion category, with
Clare taking gold in the category.
The ICSP is a professional body for customer service
facilitated through an international membership network
to recognise organisations as well as individuals throughout
Australia and New Zealand.
This is the second year the club has entered the
awards, which provide a great opportunity to recognise
our high-performing customer service staff.
Clare (left) and
Rachel are pictured
with MACS team
members (from left)
club manager Mark
Anderson, general
manager Scott Butler
and customer service
manager Stephen Philp.
24 MCC NEWS DECEMBER 2008
In 1987 there were about 44,000 on the
roll, but the club’s commitment to major
redevelopment projects meant more
members had to be admitted to help
fund the works. Few would argue the
wisdom of such initiatives.
Those pondering whether to retain their
membership should note that it’s
a rather long wait to return to the fold.
The 180,000-plus waiting list is supplemented
by an average 15,000
new applications annually, and the most
recent intake of Restricted members
comprised those nominated up to October
31, 1994. Admission to Full membership
was cut off at April 30, 1988.
Although the balance is shifting slightly,
recent statistics show that Melbourne is
still the AFL team of choice for more than
a fi fth of MCC members (see table).
With a membership age range from
15 to 104 (average age 43) and where
more than a third live interstate, overseas
Breakdown of AFL clubs supported
by MCC members at September 2008
Melbourne 21%
Essendon 13%
Collingwood 11%
Carlton 9%
Hawthorn 8%
Richmond/Geelong 7%
St Kilda 5%
Kangaroos 3%
Sydney
Western Bulldogs
Brisbane 2%
West Coast
Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Fremantle fewer than 1%
No club listed 8%
or in regional areas, the task of meeting
everyone’s expectations is ever present
and ever challenging.
ANZ STADIUM DEAL
FOR MEMBERS
The club is pleased to announce that it has negotiated
reciprocal arrangements with ANZ Stadium in Sydney,
although the fi ner details concerning access and
ticketing are still being worked through.
It is likely that MCC members will be able to access
the members’ area at the home of the Sydney Olympics
for domestic cricket and AFL and NRL matches, as well as
limited ticketing to other nominated major events at the
stadium.
Further information will be communicated to members
when arrangements are confi rmed.
MCC CONTACTS
Mail: PO Box 175, East Melbourne, 8002 Telephone: (03) 9657 8888 Fax: (03) 9650 5682
Country and interstate: 1300 367 622 (local call fee only) Email: membership@mcc.org.au Web: www.mcc.org.au