Bartram_Class
2 Nov 2005, 21:18
Melbourne recruit Byron Pickett says the legacy of his great, great grandmother - Clara George - is driving him to play the best football that he possibly can with the Demons in 2006 and beyond.
Pickett, who completed his first day of pre-season training with Melbourne on Wednesday with a run around Albert Park Lake, said the recent passing of his great, great grandmother has inspired him for the season ahead.
"Obviously, a lot of family loved her and I'd seen a small part of her life before I got drafted to play, but I kept going back every Christmas to see her," Pickett said of his late great, great grandmother who was 107 years old and lived in Mt Magnet, near Meekatharra, 562km north-east of Perth.
"My two oldest girls have actually seen her as well, so that was probably one of my goals made for my kids - to see my great, great grandmother.
"I went home to see some family in Western Australia and I got my motivation from a special person - my great, great grandmother, who was 107 (years old). That's where I've always got my motivation from, from my great, great grandmother."
With her spirit, motivation has been derived by the fact that he has joined indigenous "brothers" Matthew Whelan, Aaron Davey and Shannon Motlop at Melbourne.
"I'm pretty excited about coming to Melbourne. All of the boys are pretty happy and excited about me coming over," Pickett said.
"I think personally, I thought I wasn't going to come back to Melbourne and play footy, but the way things panned out, I couldn't be more happier or more excited about the challenge ahead."
Although his hard-at-style on the field has often seen him at the tribunal during his career, he was adamant he was "not going to change the way I play footy".
He also added that he didn't always see eye-to-eye on every issue with coach Mark Williams.
"I didn't agree with Mark on everything he said. I think that's just the way footy goes I think," Pickett said.
But the 28-year-old has achieved some outstanding feats in his 175 AFL matches, which has included 120 with the Kangaroos from 1997-02 and 55 with Port Adelaide from 2003-05.
He has played in the 1999 and 2004 premiership teams with the Roos and Power respectively, while he won the Norm Smith Medal for his best-on-ground performance in Port Adelaide's inaugural flag last year.
In 1998 he won the AFL's Rising Star and in 1999 he was named All-Australian. He also represented South Australia in two state-of-origin matches.
Pickett, who completed his first day of pre-season training with Melbourne on Wednesday with a run around Albert Park Lake, said the recent passing of his great, great grandmother has inspired him for the season ahead.
"Obviously, a lot of family loved her and I'd seen a small part of her life before I got drafted to play, but I kept going back every Christmas to see her," Pickett said of his late great, great grandmother who was 107 years old and lived in Mt Magnet, near Meekatharra, 562km north-east of Perth.
"My two oldest girls have actually seen her as well, so that was probably one of my goals made for my kids - to see my great, great grandmother.
"I went home to see some family in Western Australia and I got my motivation from a special person - my great, great grandmother, who was 107 (years old). That's where I've always got my motivation from, from my great, great grandmother."
With her spirit, motivation has been derived by the fact that he has joined indigenous "brothers" Matthew Whelan, Aaron Davey and Shannon Motlop at Melbourne.
"I'm pretty excited about coming to Melbourne. All of the boys are pretty happy and excited about me coming over," Pickett said.
"I think personally, I thought I wasn't going to come back to Melbourne and play footy, but the way things panned out, I couldn't be more happier or more excited about the challenge ahead."
Although his hard-at-style on the field has often seen him at the tribunal during his career, he was adamant he was "not going to change the way I play footy".
He also added that he didn't always see eye-to-eye on every issue with coach Mark Williams.
"I didn't agree with Mark on everything he said. I think that's just the way footy goes I think," Pickett said.
But the 28-year-old has achieved some outstanding feats in his 175 AFL matches, which has included 120 with the Kangaroos from 1997-02 and 55 with Port Adelaide from 2003-05.
He has played in the 1999 and 2004 premiership teams with the Roos and Power respectively, while he won the Norm Smith Medal for his best-on-ground performance in Port Adelaide's inaugural flag last year.
In 1998 he won the AFL's Rising Star and in 1999 he was named All-Australian. He also represented South Australia in two state-of-origin matches.