IT'S HARD to argue that the VFL means more to someone other than Nigel Carmody.
After 160 games for the Casey Scorpions and Collingwood between 1998 and 2008, he is now one of the key voices of the league as a broadcaster and has been chair of selectors in the last two Big V matches.
“It's a privilege to do the role that I've been asked to do,” Carmody told the State of Play podcast after the VFL's 11-point win over the SANFL on Saturday afternoon.
“People might take this as an overstatement, but being involved in this league's changed my life. Like, my time as a player, and then what I've been able to do in the broadcast since, I'm very, very lucky and moments like this are something you cherish.
“Especially given it's been so long since we've knocked off (the SANFL).”
8338 days. That's how long it had been that South Australia boasted bragging rights, and things looked very different back in 2002.
“I wasn't actually there the day we last beat Adelaide before today. I was a player in the competition at the time and had a few teammates and opponents who obviously played in the game as well,” Carmody said.
“So, it had been a long time (and) was sort of ironic in many respects that Josh Mahoney was the one to hand over the cup, who was the captain last time that the VFL defeated the SANFL.
“And we know what happened with Josh Mahoney's football career post that involvement, he went on and got on Port Adelaide's list and became a premiership player, and that probably drove him towards the things he's doing now in the game.”
Carmody can see the impact of the VFL on countless people still in the game today, across all facets of the industry, and has a similar feeling for those who took part in Saturday's win.
“There's people in that room now that their involvement in today and that success they've been a part of, I'm pretty confident it will shape some playing careers, but it will shape some lives off the field as well, which is tremendous,” Carmody said.
“I think the great thing is, they heard from people like Toby Pinwill and Luke Breust whose playing careers and lives intersected in 2010.
“Luke Breust hadn't played an AFL game at the time, he's now played 300 of them. Toby Pinwill went on to become a two-time premiership player and effectively helped keep Port Melbourne alive.
“They have a bond. Yeah, they might not see each other on a regular basis, but they have a connection.”
And what was Carmody feeling after Saturday's drought-breaking victory?
“Relief,” Carmody said.
“But, just so happy for the group… today we asked them to be tough, bold and connected, and they were that in spades.”
