A chip off the old block. Mo and Danny Monckton share a special day together at the Pakenham Football Club reunion on Saturday. 83941 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
By DAVID NAGEL
WHEN the old saying “a chip off the old block” was coined back in the 17th century it obviously wasn’t meant for Mo and Danny Monckton.
That’s only because they weren’t around back then… because the saying suits this father and son duo like a hand in a glove or as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. It just fits.
Mo Monckton, 79, has made his way in life as a concreter. He is a five-time premiership player with the Pakenham Football Club and was as tough as nails in his day.
Danny Monckton, 50, has made his way in life as a concreter. He is a five time premiership player with the Pakenham Football Club and was as hard as old boots in his day. See the resemblance?
Danny lives in New Zealand, but is at Toomuc Reserve with his father, to celebrate a reunion of the 1952, ’62, ’72, ’82 and 2002 Pakenham premiership sides. It’s a great day for his family.
“It is a very special day. Dad rang me up in New Zealand and told me the club was holding a reunion,” Danny said.
“I thought it might be the last time we get to do something really special together so there was no way I was going to miss.”
The Moncktons have been blessed with premiership success at Pakenham. Mo and his brothers Mick, Doug, Pat and Frank combined for a total of 23 flags through the ’50s and ’60s. Add Danny’s five to that list and it’s a truly remarkable achievement.
“A lot of water’s gone under the bridge but I remember those days fondly,” Mo said.
“I was known as a protector, if anyone got into strife we’d have to help each other, that’s just the way it was back then.
“I remember Barry Burnett telling me that when I was around, he knew he was safe. That made me feel pretty good.”
Danny’s memories of his father playing football are sketchy, but he vividly remembers the legends games between Pakenham and Nar Nar Goon that set the towns alight.
“These blokes were true legends to us, the games would start off slowly but the old spite would return pretty quickly. They’d run the beer bottle around the ground so the old timers could quench their thirst and cool down a bit.”
Danny’s five flags came between 1982 and 1990 and the burly back-man was given some tough roles to play through those years. He remembers battles with Garfield strong-man Murray Payne as the toughest of all.
“If there was a player we were having trouble with, I was sent out to make him earn a kick,” he said.
Fairly?
“Not always, you’d give one out and they’d give you one back, that’s just the way it was back then.”
There you go again, the chip off the old block following in his old man’s footsteps.
