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- Merbein Magpies.
The apology seemed to go down well. Derek Hine had explained to his neighbour that he had a young Irishman staying with him who was learning how to kick an Australian Rules football, and had accidently put it through her back window.
He would obviously fit the bill to repair the damage and would attempt to keep his house guest under control. But given that all Marty Clarke wanted to do was play kick-to-kick with Hine’s two sons, Matt and Travis, Collingwood’s national recruiting manager was more hopeful than certain it would be his last visit next door.
Twelve months later, almost to the day, Kevin Dyas – the Magpies’ latest Irish recruit – is having a kick with Matt and Travis. Dyas is still having trouble with the foreign ball and leans back on one, which sails over the swimming pool and slams straight into the same neighbour’s window.
Again, Hine walks next door. Before he can offer anything, his irate neighbour says: “Let me guess – an Irishman did it.”
Hine smiles. “Well …”
Clarke and Dyas love that story. “A policewoman, she was,” Marty says. “She went nuts the second time,” Kevin adds.
The pair are sitting in an office at the Lexus Centre trading one-liners. It’s obvious they enjoy each other’s company and how grateful they are to have each other along for this amazing adventure. “It’s absolutely better having someone from home here, especially someone with a similar personality to me,” Clarke said.
“Someone who, once they are playing and training, they give it everything and then away from the club they are willing to have a laugh and just enjoy the opportunity we have been given to come out here. We had fairly similar lives at home and it’s good to be able to relate to things, talk about them and not have to always explain the connection to people. He knows what I’m talking about and it makes it a lot easier.”
Dyas is not overawed about coming in behind Clarke’s first season heroics. “People always ask how you are getting on because Marty did so well,” he said. “I have never looked at it like I have to play (senior football) here and now, do as well as Marty has, or anything like that. It’s just great for me to have Marty here because he went through last year what I’m going through now and anything I need to ask, he can answer it.”
He would obviously fit the bill to repair the damage and would attempt to keep his house guest under control. But given that all Marty Clarke wanted to do was play kick-to-kick with Hine’s two sons, Matt and Travis, Collingwood’s national recruiting manager was more hopeful than certain it would be his last visit next door.
Twelve months later, almost to the day, Kevin Dyas – the Magpies’ latest Irish recruit – is having a kick with Matt and Travis. Dyas is still having trouble with the foreign ball and leans back on one, which sails over the swimming pool and slams straight into the same neighbour’s window.
Again, Hine walks next door. Before he can offer anything, his irate neighbour says: “Let me guess – an Irishman did it.”
Hine smiles. “Well …”
Clarke and Dyas love that story. “A policewoman, she was,” Marty says. “She went nuts the second time,” Kevin adds.
The pair are sitting in an office at the Lexus Centre trading one-liners. It’s obvious they enjoy each other’s company and how grateful they are to have each other along for this amazing adventure. “It’s absolutely better having someone from home here, especially someone with a similar personality to me,” Clarke said.
“Someone who, once they are playing and training, they give it everything and then away from the club they are willing to have a laugh and just enjoy the opportunity we have been given to come out here. We had fairly similar lives at home and it’s good to be able to relate to things, talk about them and not have to always explain the connection to people. He knows what I’m talking about and it makes it a lot easier.”
Dyas is not overawed about coming in behind Clarke’s first season heroics. “People always ask how you are getting on because Marty did so well,” he said. “I have never looked at it like I have to play (senior football) here and now, do as well as Marty has, or anything like that. It’s just great for me to have Marty here because he went through last year what I’m going through now and anything I need to ask, he can answer it.”
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