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I would have no problem with this event if it was a straight "our old guys versus their old guys" charity match for Telethon, where both team's followers feeling equal participants, could go along, and cheer our past champions (who doesn't want to see guys like the Wiz, Belly, and God help me, the Prince or Clive pull on the purple again?) in a GENUINE football match conducted with fair play and good humour.
What I don't like (with all sympathies to the Mainwaring family in their loss) is by making it the "Chris Mainwaring Memorial Match" it emotionally skews the whole thing, which SHOULD be a impartial match between veterans of the two WA teams, towards the Eagles and thereby opens the whole thing up to being a staged event whereby the Eagles win through sentiment's sake which is why I've always refused to go. As it is, you get the impression the the Eagles fans think they "own" this game, which puts a lot of Freo followers off.
As long as this association continues it will never be a fair match between the teams.
Solutions? Rename it the Telethon Charity Football Match. Give the Chris Mainwaring Memorial Medal to the best OWLS player, and the Gary Dhurrkay Memorial Medal to the best Old Salts player. Problem solved, and I might even consider going, as I'm sure a lot of other Freo members would. Telethon would put a few more dollars in the coffers, each team would get to honour one of their players, and we might get to see some real footy between our oldies and goodies without them feeling like they have to play to a script.
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