After the AGM (Feb 21), this will be someone else’s column, so I just want to say ooroo and thanks. Yous blokes are a special bunch (sometimes in that Yooralla “special” way….) and it’s been great to be a part of this Club and work with yous all, on and off the field. You have all been very supportive of the Wombats events, from buying and selling raffle tickets, getting ya mates to Trivia Nights, chipping in a Senner for the sweeps, and recently bringing a few new faces to the Club.
A few special mentions: Paul Shax for all things photographic; Nobbie Mann, the model of raffle ticket salesman; Andy, Burkey and Al, our 3 webmistresses; Luke Ray, right hand man and raffle ticket salesman; Jarrad, for amongst many things looking after the Club wine cellar; Mark Kelly, for the new U-beaut Raffle Tickets; Burkey for assisting on the Trivia Night; and GT, supplier of marvelous ANZ goodies.
The just completed CM6s Quiz Night went off pretty well – technical hitches coming at the very first question aside! A fair bit of the entry fee for the Sixes was covered that night. The house was full, no mean feat for the middle of the ski-season. LOTS of new faces there too, with as many as 5 or 6 fellas looking to don the whites in ’09. Looked like everyone enjoyed themselves. Appropriately, it was CM veteran Paul’s Men In Black that walked out with the major prizes, from ANZ, Hardys and CM6s goods too. Ross’s Pelicans, Burkey & Shaxxie’s Drifters also walked out winners, with new Wombats Ted and John taking 4th. The Jose Cuervo Award went to GT’s Red Roosters – better luck next time!
Since losing young Mark Ainslie and Christopher Mortimer, things have been a bit quite – a couple of bo-nen-kais and Chrissie dos, a spot of cricket watching at the Black Lion. Only Shaxxie made the Japan Cup, hardly a surprise as it followed the Presentation Night!
Jarrad was crowned Worst Dressed again (and with me off, could be his for a while yet), scooped the Golden Thong. Reggie got the Quote, Morty the Sledge (again – these Englishmen….). Herschelle Gibbs was a tight race between Rhino and Luke, but Luke won that for what really was an Under 9s level drop. A new name sits on the Dummy Spit, with six-time winner Jarrad and Bish joined by The Skipper, Chuckie!
Coming up, cricket is just around the corner. AGM 21st of Feb will be followed by our first practise sessions starting March. Looking forward to seeing as few long, lost faces at both. March 15th we are back on the Tomei – practise match v Predators at Shizuoka.
Chiang Mai Sixes starts March 29th, with a few quiet pre-tournament beverages in Bangkok Friday 27th. Wish some of you blokes could sort your shit out and get there! Me, Kyal, Jarrad and – of course – Marty will be joined again by 27 Test Sri Lankan Ravindra Pushpakamara, an excellent addition to our squad. Expect to see his best footwork at Hot Shot. OK, yes that is FIVE, and it is a SIXES……we’ll see. Anyone!??!
Once the cricket starts, I’m sure the drinking will pick up too. Hopefully we can get some of the Aust-SA Tests at The Black Lion. As usual, we’ll have the main Trivia Night and Club Raffle in the middle of the year. And of course, there will be many post-training and post-game laughs, as well as some post-work nocturnal adventures. Reggie’s buck’s night and another Zulu Tour? You heard it first here!
Looking forward to bigger and better things in 2009.
| 2009 MARCH 28TH – APR 4TH — THAILAND’S CHIANG MAI SIXES |
| It’s official- Wombats are Chiang Mai chokers! Marty’s unique leadership style took us all the way to the bowl final, where we somehow couldn’t defend 82! Must have been the 4am curfew. Sign up for 2009. A week of great mates and great cricket. www.chiangmaisixes.com |
| MAY 23RD — HARDYS TOKYO ASHES |
| BBQ, cricket. smashing the poms. Sounds like a fantastic day to be had by all at the Ageo ground. |
| JUNE 20TH — TOKYO WOMBATS ANNUAL TRIVIA NIGHT |
| Test your trivial trivia knowledge against Reggie Dawson’s psychadelic-inducing questions – amazing prizes up for grabs! |
| SEPTEMBER — THE AFL GRAND FINAL |
| The greatest day in the world’s sporting calendar. Geelong v who, is the question. |
| NOVEMBER — THE MELBOURNE CUP |
| I’m due for a win. Hoping the TAB pays on 1st,2nd and 4th this year. The race that stops a nation. See if we cant get some live coverage some where. You betcha. |
| NOVEMBER — THE PRESENTATION NIGHT |
| A time to laugh, a time to cry. An upset looms in the Dummy Spit, but who will take The Thong? Or The Herschelle? Scott will be turning on the hospitality for us at The Black Lion in Meguro. |
| NOVEMBER — JAPAN CUP, FUCHU RACECOURSE |
| Fully entrenched on the Wombats’ calendar, enjoy a day at the GGs. Throw good money away on old nags, pick the 2,3,4 placed horses and come away with sweet f**k all! Watch Steve Burke pursued down the straight by 100 Fun Police!! Go Burkey! |
| JANUARY OR FEBRUARY — Hi-TECH PULP-TRIVIA EXTRAVAGANZA |
| Details to be confirmed. An A/V PULP-TRIVIA Night, featuring computerised audio-visual (no, Pup, not adult video…) questions, fancy pop-up graphics, and heaps of prizes from Hardys and ANZ!! |