Ossie goes to the Noble Park RSL Club

Last Thursday, Richard “Ossie” Osborne visited the Noble Park RSL Club in Melbourne to meet Veterans prior to his trip to Vietnam later this week to play in the 2011 ANZAC Friendship Match in Vung Tau.

Some of the people Ossie met included Ray McCarthy (President of the Noble Park RSL Club), Stan Middleton (who contacted the Vietnam Swans just after our first ANZAC Friendship Match last year to inform us that the diggers had played in the “Vietnam Football League”), John Carey (friend of 1967 Premiership Player, Ron Vernon who will be at next weekend’s match) and Ken Earney.

Ken Earney will be here for the ANZAC Dawn Service but, regrettably, will miss the footy match. However, he has very generously donated three trophies for the match: Best on Ground, as judged by a panel; Best Dragon, as judged by the Swans; and Best Swan as judged by the Dragons.

Stan says that the day at Noble Park was “a great success and enjoyed by all the Vietnam Vets. Ossie has been invited back to talk about the game in Vung Tau and the emotions of the weekend when he returns.”

Richard “Ossie” Osborne will fly into Saigon (thanks to sponsor, Jim Beam) on Thursday afternoon. He will then join the Swannies for our last training run prior to the 2011 ANZAC Friendship Match.

Ossie will play the first half with the Swannies and the second half with the Dragons. Sounds like Ossie is hedging his bets!

To see more photos of Ossie at the Noble Park RSL Club, click onto the Vietnam Swans Web Album.