Latest news with #SamKekovich
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Wayne Carey blasts footy great who became famous for his TV ads after legends boycott celebration 'because they don't want to share the limelight with women's team'
AFL legend Wayne Carey has urged North Melbourne great Sam Kekovich to put aside his complaints and attend the club's upcoming 1975 premiership celebrations. The milestone event, which will commemorate the club's centenary and the Kangaroos ' premiership win in 1975, has been organised to take place next month, but several greats are so angry with the arrangements that they are giving it a miss. Kangaroos premiership icons including Sam Kekovich and John Burns are boycotting the event because it is now also celebrating last year's AFLW premiers, according to reports. Carey said he was also disappointed with the planned celebrations, but implored Kekovich to 'bite the bullet'. 'What I would say to Keka, because - and I love Keka - but I would say sometimes, whether you agree or disagree with certain things, sometimes you've got to bite the bullet,' Carey said on his You Cannot Be Serious podcast with Sam Newman. 'You mightn't agree with everything that is going on around you, but sometimes you do what's for the benefit of more than yourself. That's what I will be doing. 'Because there are other people, we're talking about a club that has gone for 100 years now. And there are many, many, many, many people that are involved in that footy club.' Newman said the 1975 team certainly deserved their own function. 'To have him at a p**sy little stand-up function and finger food before a game, which will be s**thouse in the cold … if you couldn't put on what they do like the North Melbourne Breakfast and get 1000 people to the Crown Palladium, you'll have people come out of the woodwork,' Newman said. 'They'll fill their coffers up and they'll march all the stars out who are still alive and still with us.' Journalist Caroline Wilson told Seven's The Agenda Setters program on Tuesday night that the story continues to anger her. 'A couple of them [the Kangaroos greats] have already named and shamed themselves, and one of them, of course, is Sam Kekovich, who I think has said he won't be going. I think John Burns has thrown his hat into the ring as well,' she said. 'But as I suspected, this is largely about gender and about the club's decision to not only celebrate their first AFL (then VFL) premiership, which happened 50 years ago, but also to celebrate their inaugural AFLW premiership in the same room, which happened last year.' Wilson's take was backed up by another report on Fox Sports' AFL 360 program on Tuesday night. 'My understanding is a really big slice of that frustration surrounds the fact that they have to share that event with the AFLW premiers of last year,' panel member and journalist Jon Ralph said. 'I personally think it's ridiculous,' host Lauren Wood said. 'The reality of this is, it's actually not a premiership reunion. It's a centenary event that was the first VFL premiership that the club won, this was the first AFLW premiership that the club won. 'The club poured huge amounts of time, effort and money into developing this women's football program. 'This is a sign to the future of this football club, and the reality is that AFLW is now part of the football club.' North Melbourne legend Malcolm Blight had a different take on why a few of his former teammates won't show up at the match against the Western Bulldogs. 'Well, I've heard plenty, of course,' Blight said on SEN. 'It was originally gazetted for Round 20 when they play Geelong, which was the first team they played against in 1925. That sounded lovely. 'But suddenly they've got a Thursday night game playing the Bulldogs, and they've changed everything. 'You know, we're all getting a bit older, and a lot of them had holidays booked. 'It went from a dinner to a (cocktail event) stand-up with pies, pasties and sausage rolls. Apparently, that's right. 'So a few of the lads just are not buying into it.' Last week it was reported that players were snubbing the event because they would be standing up at the venue instead of sitting down at a gala dinner. 'About eight to 10 [players] are not going to turn up because it's a stand-up function at a bar,' 3AW's Ross Stevenson reported. Top footy journalist Caroline Wilson confirmed the rumour on Channel Seven's The Agenda Setters program. 'I think this is a bit churlish,' said Wilson. 'They're also celebrating their first AFLW flag, so there's going to be a lot of people at this function. 'There isn't enough room for everyone to sit down. There will be people going in, people going out, stuff going on on the ground.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
AFL club North Melbourne's greatest players boycott anniversary celebration 'because they don't want to share the spotlight with the women's team'
A group of North Melbourne Football Club legends are reportedly planning to boycott the club's 100-year celebration next month because they don't want to share the limelight with the team's AFLW premiers. The milestone event, which will commemorate club's centenary and the Kangaroos ' premiership win in 1975, has been organised to take place next month, but several greats are not pleased with the arrangements. Kangaroos premiership icons including Sam Kekovich and John Burns are boycotting the event because it is now also celebrating last year's AFLW premiers, according to reports. 'I continue to be horrified by this story, OK?' journalist Caroline Wilson said on Seven's The Agenda Setters program on Tuesday night. 'A couple of them [the Kangaroos greats] have already named and shamed themselves, and one of them of course is Sam Kekovich, who I think has said he won't be going. I think John Burns has thrown his hat into the ring as well. 'But as I suspected, this is largely about gender and about the club's decision to not only celebrate their first AFL (then VFL) premiership, which happened 50 years ago, but also to celebrate their inaugural AFLW premiership in the same room, which happened last year.' Wilson's take was backed up by another report on Fox Sports' AFL 360 program on Tuesday night. 'My understanding is a really big slice of that frustration surrounds the fact that they have to share that event with the AFLW premiers of last year,' panel member and journalist Jon Ralph said. 'I personally think it's ridiculous,' host Lauren Wood said. 'The reality of this is, it's actually not a premiership reunion. It's a centenary event that was the first VFL premiership that the club won, this was the first AFLW premiership that the club won. 'The club poured huge amounts of time, effort and money into developing this women's football program. 'This is a sign to the future of this football club, and the reality is that AFLW is now part of the football club.' North Melbourne legend Malcolm Blight had a different take on why a few of his former teammates won't show up at the match against the Western Bulldogs. 'Well, I've heard plenty, of course,' Blight said on SEN. 'It was originally gazetted for Round 20 when they play Geelong, which was the first team they played against in 1925. That sounded lovely. 'But suddenly they've got a Thursday night game playing the Bulldogs, and they've changed everything. 'You know, we're all getting a bit older, and a lot of them had holidays booked. 'It went from a dinner to a (cocktail event) stand-up with pies, pasties and sausage rolls. Apparently, that's right. 'So a few of the lads just are not buying into it.' Last week it was reported that players were snubbing the event because they would be standing up at the venue instead of sitting down at a gala dinner. 'About eight to 10 [players] are not going to turn up because it's a stand-up function at a bar,' 3AW's Ross Stevenson reported. Top footy journalist Caroline Wilson confirmed the rumour on Channel Seven's The Agenda Setters program. 'I think this is a bit churlish,' said Wilson. 'They're also celebrating their first AFLW flag, so there's going to be a lot of people at this function. 'There isn't enough room for everyone to sit down. There will be people going in, people going out, stuff going on on the ground.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kangaroos greats slammed over AFL boycott as 'ridiculous' women's footy storm erupts
North Melbourne premiership heroes Sam Kekovich and John Burns have come under fire over reports they plan to boycott the AFL club's upcoming centenary celebration, amid a storm around the champion women's side. The Kangaroos are set to mark the club's 100-year anniversary on Thursday week, with many of their 1975 premiership greats set to be in attendance, as well as North Melbourne's 2024 AFLW grand final winners. All six of North's 300-game players will be recognised at Marvel Stadium before the Kangaroos' AFL round 17 clash against the Western Bulldogs. But club legends Kekovich and Burns are set to be controversial no-shows, with the pair insisting the Kangaroos should hold a stand-alone function to celebrate their historic grand final success 50 years ago. The centenary event lines up with the 50-year anniversary of the club's first VFL/AFL premiership in 1975. But Kekovich and Burns are reportedly not happy about having to share the limelight with the club's AFLW champions. And Kekovich has made no secret about his plans to boycott the event. Speaking about the situation on Fox Footy's Midweek Tackle, AFL reporters Jon Ralph and Lauren Wood said Kangaroos President Sonja Hood has tried to change Kekovich's mind, to no avail. It's understood the Kangaroos great feels the club has lost touch with its working-class roots and the area's historical abattoir workers that saw North Melbourne coined with the 'Shinboners' nickname. 'Sonja Hood has tried and failed to convince Sam to try change his decision ... but he's just not interested in that," Ralph said. "His stance is he feels the club attitude is representative of a club that doesn't revel in the 'Shinboner' history. 'My understanding is a really big slice of that frustration surrounds the fact that they have to share that event with the AFLW premiers of last year. They feel like... not that theirs was of a bigger quality than that, but (males) versus females. It's a challenging perspective." RELATED: Carlton captain's startling confession as Buddy calls for coach to go AFL world all says same thing about Bont as Dogs star makes history AFL viewers make angry complaint about 'ridiculous' move The club's decision not to invite all of its former chief executives has also raised eyebrows, with only club patron Greg Miller set to attend the 100-year celebration. But Wood described the proposed boycott from Kekovich and Burns as 'ridiculous' and argued that recognising North Melbourne's AFLW champions is just as important as celebrating the club's inaugural premiers. 'I personally think it's ridiculous ... the reality of this is, it's actually not a premiership reunion," Wood said. "It's a centenary event that was the first VFL premiership that the club won (and) this was the first AFLW premiership that the club won — and it was a really significant occasion,' Wood continued. 'The club has poured huge amounts of time, effort and money into developing this women's football program. (They are) really in the ground floor with that relationship with Melbourne University. This is a sign to the future of this football club, and the reality is, that AFLW is now part of the football club. It is part of the football landscape. Ralph added: 'You're going to have to embrace all the girls who want to follow the premiership dream of those girls... some of the 1975 (premiership) heroes haven't done that at all.'
7NEWS
24-06-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
North Melbourne champions set to boycott centenary celebrations because of AFLW premiers' inclusion
An awkward off-field impasse is threatening to sour North Melbourne's centenary celebrations next week. The Kangaroos are facing the prospect of having a number of their former legends boycott the event, which will be held next Thursday night against the Western Bulldogs, because they don't think it's appropriate to include the club's inaugural AFLW premiership as part of it. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: North Melbourne greats set to boycott centenary celebration. North Melbourne will recognise their first AFL (VFL at the time) and AFLW premierships, among other highlights from its first 100 years, at a special function before the Bulldogs game, as well as in an on-ground ceremony. All six of the club's 300-gamers will be recognised at ground level. Conveniently, the milestone aligns with 50 years since that first VFL flag in 1975. But members of that side, including Sam Kekovich and John Burns, have already declined invitations because they do not want to share the spotlight with the women. 'I continue to be horrified by this story, OK?' Caroline Wilson said on Tuesday night's episode of The Agenda Setters. 'And a couple of them have already named and shamed themselves, and one of them of course is Sam Kekovich, who I think has said he won't be going. I think John Burns has thrown his hat into the ring as well. 'But as I suspected, this is largely about gender and about the club's decision to not only celebrate their first AFL (then VFL) premiership, which happened 50 years ago, but also to celebrate their inaugural AFLW premiership in the same room, which happened last year.' Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend Malcolm Blight, who won two premierships and played 178 games for the Roos, said he's unsure if he would have included the women. 'I suppose if you're sitting on the board or executive of North Melbourne, you probably think, oh, well, they're part of the club now and they're going to be part of it going forward,' he told SEN on Tuesday. 'So would I have made that decision? I don't know. I didn't have to go through the mechanics of it. 'But I just think it was interesting that the focus was on 50 years and 100 years and there's a lot of players probably not going who played more than a role rather than in a premiership.' Firing back at Blight, one of the game's icons, Wilson said: 'Come on, Malcolm. I mean, all the former players have been invited, not all of them into that one special function,' before airing more of Blight's comments from the same interview. 'Suddenly they've got a Thursday night game playing the Bulldogs and they've changed everything,' Blight added. 'So, you know, we're all getting a bit older and a lot of them had holidays and it became from a dinner to a stand up with the pies and pasties and sausage rolls. ('You're kidding?' his co-host said) No, no, apparently that's right. And so a few of the lads just are not buying into it.' The celebration was initially slated for North's Round 20 game against Geelong, but was moved when the floating fixture confirmed that the Roos had the opportunity to use a prime-time slot on free-to-air television. 'Now, I feel really sorry for North Melbourne,' Wilson went on. 'Are they going to put out a press release denying that they're serving pies and pasties? Of course they're not serving pies and pasties, Malcolm. It's a buffet with quality food and good sandwiches and, yeah, probably pies at half-time like you get in the Long Room and the Committee Room at the MCG. 'This is pathetic. The reason they changed the date is because Channel 7 decided to televise this game on a Thursday night prime time against the Western Bulldogs. So they brought the game forward because the Geelong game where they were going to have the celebration is on Fox Footy. 'This is nothing against Fox's coverage, but they don't have long lead-ins. It would have been a three or four minute lead-in. So they couldn't have had all the on-ground celebrations as, Luke (Hodge), you enjoyed at Hawthorne's 100th about a month or two months ago. 'So that's one thing. But several players, other players, members of that 1975 team have called the club and, look, I've been asked not to name them. One of them has agreed to go. And the other one isn't going because he says they've changed the date and it doesn't suit him or something.' Wilson wouldn't name the players who had declined the updated invite, but exploded at how 'petty' they were for doing so. 'I've been asked by the club not to do it (name them). And I only know this because the club has told me who they are,' she said. 'But they have both suggested the club would have done a lot better to have a separate function for the women and raise more money. 'It's not a fundraiser! It's a celebration. I cannot believe how petty they are being.' Attempting to play the devil's advocate for a moment, Kane Cornes asked: 'Do you think in any way this is watering down the achievement, and it's been a long time, to celebrate them both together? I'm asking you the question, if you can see their point of view.' 'If it was a 50-year celebration, but it's not. It's a centenary celebration,' Wilson said. 'So they're also celebrating in a separate room, because they can't all fit in the same room. In a separate room, I think (AFLW coach and former AFL player) Darren Crocker is hosting the one in the other room. It's all the players from the other premiership teams. 'And by the way, I read Eugene Arocca and I think a couple of others, Ben Armafio (both former CEOs), saying they hadn't been invited and all these CEOs hadn't been asked. 'They were asked as part of their ongoing membership as former club officials. They were invited. It is true that Geoff Walsh, really a legendary official at the club, as both footy boss and CEO ... wasn't asked, and that was an oversight. He should have been asked. That has been rectified today. 'And I understand Geoff Walsh has spoken with the club chairwoman, Sonja Hood, and that he's coming, he's rapt to be going, blah, blah, blah. 'But all I'm saying is it's not just about the 50 years. It's about all the premierships, specifically the inaugural premierships. Why not celebrate your future as well as your past? 'Why wouldn't you celebrate two inaugural premierships, why not rub shoulders with the future as well as the past? They are not diluting the 1975 team. They're putting them in a function being hosted by the president, the chairwoman Sonja Hood, and the women, the inaugural women's premiership team is there too. 'The AFL should be celebrating this and so should North Melbourne. I just think it's really churlish and all that stuff about changing the date, you can understand, once it became a Seven game and they could get double the people watching it and film all the celebrations on the ground, how wonderful is that going to be. 'Party pies and sausage rolls, seriously.'
Courier-Mail
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
AFL 2025: Several North Melbourne Kangaroos 1975 premiership players to boycott centenary celebrations, AFLW 2024 premiership players, Sam Kekovich, Sonja Hood, Midweek Tackle, reactions, latest news
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News. Off-field drama has emerged ahead of North Melbourne's centenary celebrations next Thursday night, with reports some of the club's 1975 VFL premiership team are boycotting the event due to the simultaneous celebration of last year's AFLW premiership. The Kangaroos informed those invited to the celebration a month in advance before the club's fixture with the Western Bulldogs, where all six of North's 300-game players will be recognised on the Marvel Stadium turf. FOX FOOTY, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every match of every round in the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. But the likes of premiership player Sam Kekovich and Grand Final hero John Burns are not expected to be in attendance, discontent with last year's AFLW side sharing the spotlight. The celebrations for the club's 100 years align with the 50th season since the club's inaugural V/AFL flag. Sam Kekovich and North Melbourne's 2024 AFLW premiership team. Speaking on Fox Footy's Midweek Tackle, Herald Sun journalists Jon Ralph and Lauren Wood dissected the bizarre stand-off that threatens. 'Sonja Hood has tried and failed to convince Sam to try change his decision ... but he's just not interested in that. His stance is he feels the club attitude is representative of a club that doesn't revel in the 'Shinboner' history,' Ralph began 'My understanding is a really big slice of that frustration surrounds the fact that they have to share that event with the AFLW premiers of last year. 'They feel like... not that their were of a bigger quality than that, but (males) versus females. It's a challenging perspective. They (also) haven't invited all of their CEO's of the last 30 years, which I feel they should've done.' As per the Herald Sun's report on Tuesday morning, only club patron Greg Miller is expected to attend the event as a former chief executive. It makes for an awkward handling of relationship for North Melbourne between not just former players, but also a number of high-profile, off-field figures etched into Arden Street history. 'I personally think it's ridiculous ... the reality of this is, it's actually not a premiership reunion. It's a centenary event that was the first VFL premiership that the club won (and) this was the first AFLW premiership that the club won — and it was a really significant occasion,' Wood continued. 'The club has poured huge amounts of time, effort and money into developing this women's football program. (They are) really in the ground floor with that relationship with Melbourne University. 'This is a sign to the future of this football club, and the reality is, that AFLW is now part of the football club. It is part of the football landscape. Ralph ended by saying: 'You're going to have to embrace all the girls who want to follow the premiership dream of those girls ... some of the 1975 (premiership) heroes haven't done that at all.' North Melbourne's win over Carlton at the MCG last Saturday afternoon takes the club's win tally for the AFL season to four — the most they've had in the men's side since 2019. Originally published as 'Ridiculous': Several Roos greats to 'boycott' club's 100th-year event over AFLW celebration
