The AFL launches Multicultural Round with Natanui and Jesaulenko at AFL House yesterday. Christmas time, last year – middle, Tony Woods, with Swannies hat in front of same mural at AFL House and right, Annie and Jezza with Swannies hat.

The AFL’s website reports that yesterday it launched Multicultural Round at AFL House with two of the game’s greatest markers, Nic Natanui and Alex Jesaulenko with a “speccy school”.

It sounds like there was great respect for each other’s capabilities:

“As a kid I didn’t know anything about football”, said Natanui, a Fijian. “But I used to know those few words, ‘Jesaulenko, you beauty!’ I used to kick the socks around the house and try and take speccies on my brother, and I’d be yelling his name out.”

Jesaulenko replied that “he’s sensational.”  “He’s won over all of my grandchildren. I have to get a couple of autographs from him to take home.”

And for those wondering how you get into the speccy club, Jezza warns that it doesn’t come easily.

“When I first started off in Canberra, we had one ball before training and there’d be 20 up one end and 20 up the other end. If you wanted a kick, there were two ways to get it: either jump and mark, or fight 19 other guys when it hit the ground. ”

Related items of interest:

  • To read the full article, click onto Speccy School.
  • Multicultural Round is designed to acknowledge and celebrate the game’s cultural diversity. Currently 14 per cent of the  AFL’s player list comes from 39 countries. The AFL will also select a Multicultural Team of Champions. Already named as Captain is Alex Jesaulenko and the coach will be Jock McHale. Other big names to be considered for the team include Daicos, Jakovich, Stynes, Mitchell, Rocca, DiPierdomenico etc etc. Click here for the full article. Multicultural Round could also provide an ideal opportunity for the AFL to leverage off the international network of volunteer footy clubs throughout Asia, Europe, the South Pacific and the US.
  • At Christmas time last year, the AFL’s Manager for International Development, Tony Woods, was photographed with a Swannies hat, standing in front of the same mural in AFL House, where Nic n Jezza were standing yesterday. The mural depicts 150 years of Aussie Rules and includes Jezza’s classic mark in the 1970 Grand Final. Two prints of that mural, signed by Kevin Sheedy,  have been donated to the Swannies by Vietnam Veteran, Kenny Earney. One was auctioned at last year’s Swannies AFL Grand Final Party. The second will be auctioned at this year’s Grand Final Party.
  • Alex and wife Annie, were photographed with a Swannies hat last Christmas.
  • Nic Natanui has travelled to Cambodia on a number of occasions where he has caught up with the Cambodian Eagles.