Gembrook-Cockatoo Football Club president Steve Goodie is preparing to welcome a host of AFL stars for a Twenty20 cricket match this Sunday.By Paul Pickering
FIRST it was the acquisition of former Saint Aussie Jones, now Gembrook-Cockatoo Football Club is bringing AFL stars Brendan Fevola, Stephen Milne and Michael Firrito to town.
The Brookers have recruited eight current AFL players for a Twenty20 cricket match against the locals this Sunday, 1 February.
Fevola and Milne will join former Brookers junior Firrito and his North Melbourne teammates Brady Rawlings, Daniel Pratt, Josh Gibson, Corey Jones and Leigh Harding in the AFL All-Stars team.
And one lucky Brookers supporter will also win their way into the AFL All-Stars side via a pre-match raffle at the club.
The returning Firrito – whose parents live a drop punt away from the ground – this week said he was keen to see which team could back-up their own hype.
“All the (Kangaroos) boys think they’re Sachin Tendulkar or Ricky Ponting,” he laughed.
“Everyone’s the best batsman in the world at the moment. Josh Gibson rates himself in all areas and Daniel Pratt reckons he could have been the next Matthew Hayden, but we’ll see how they go.”
Rawlings has even been getting some advice from his Tasmanian mate – Aussie captain Ricky Ponting – in the form of a few text messages ahead of the clash.
As for the enigmatic ‘Fev’, Firrito isn’t convinced.
“I’m not sure how Fev goes, but he kicks it pretty straight, so we’ll see how he goes with a bat in his hands,” he joked.
The versatile Kangaroo defender said he has noticed a bit of a buzz at his former club of late and he is looking forward to seeing some familiar faces on Sunday.
“It’s exciting times for the club, so hopefully we’ll get a good crowd out there and it’ll be a fun day,” he said.
The on-field action is sure to be entertaining, but there will also be live music and a barbecue during the day.
The match is sponsored by the Mitre 10 Emerald Co-Op, while the Bendigo Community Bank in Cockatoo will provide prizes for crowd catches.
The event starts at 12.30pm, but the raffle ring-in will be announced at noon.
Entry will cost $5 for adults, while children under 16 will be admitted free.
