If there was ever a moment in Australian Football League history that demonstrates how elite footballers put their bodies on the line for the game, it would be the case of Western Bulldogs alum, Neil Sachse.
Hailing from South Australia, Sachse was an exciting and big name recruit for the Dogs in 1975, with the 24 year-old centre half-back known as a strong player. In his first senior outing for the Club, he showed the signs of great things to come.
But in a shocking and tragic turn of events, during his second game playing against Fitzroy, Sachse was severely injured. He suffered irreparable spinal cord damage and was left a quadriplegic. In that moment of play, Sachse’s football career was over and his life would never be the same.
After the accident, Sachse would go on to show the kind of guts and determination off the field that earned him his tough playing reputation and a place in the Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame. Passionate and committed to finding a cure for spinal cord injury, in 1995, he founded the Neil Sachse Foundation to raise awareness and much-needed funds for spinal cord injury research.
This year, 12 cyclists and their support crew will donate their time to the Foundation for the 12 Riders… 12 Days event with riders taking to the roads to talk to school children about safe play in our school communities. They will share the importance of playing safely in the playground, on the field and when out on the road.
Burning up 1200 kilometres between Adelaide and Melbourne over just 12 days, the riders aim to raise $100,000 so that the Neil Sachse Foundation can continue research into the prevention, intervention and, ultimately, cure for spinal cord injury.
Says Neil Sachse, “To undertake an education process with the primary school age children and have them understand the risk is paramount to the work of the Foundation.
We can build upon these steps through senior school, the road users and into the workplaces of our country so that, within Australia, there is an understanding of risk, the consequence of risk, and what to do if something goes wrong through the various ages and circumstances of life.”
You can help by attending Friday Night Football Comes to Lunch on Friday 1 April to welcome the 12 riders to Melbourne. Channel 7’s Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Leigh Matthews, Tom Harley, Tim Watson and Matthew Richardson will all be on hand as the ‘baton of safety’ - the Safety Ride shirt - is passed finally to Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle after tag teaming each town’s Mayor en route from Adelaide.
Plus, you can cheer on the 12 riders at this Sunday’s game as, on their bikes, they lead the cavalcade paying tribute to recently retired favourites, Brad Johnson and Nathan Eagleton. You can also make a donation to the Neil Sachse Foundation at Gate 7.
Friday Night Football Comes to Lunch
When: Friday 1 April 2011
Time: 12pm until 2:30pm
Venue: Hilton Hotel
Tickets: $130 each, or table of 10 for $1,250
Bookings: www.nsf.org.au
