Kurt Tippett pays tribute to Neil Craig in his latest blog ...

Initially I planned to write about the recent milestone game players and the certain idiosyncrasies that have allowed them to be such long serving members of our football club.

However, Monday’s emotional events have provided a perfect platform, one I find quite fitting, to talk about Neil Passmore Craig. So congrats to Radar and Stiffy…. I’ll get back to you.

Craigy’s resignation as coach rocked the playing group to its foundation. True to his usual routine and quick-witted sense of humour, Craigy began the team meeting by asking our team manager Graeme Dunstan for any messages. Mocha’s uneasy response of “not today Craigy” aroused a sheepish laugh from the group, everyone including myself sensing the abnormality and seriousness of the occasion.

Craigy went on to inform the playing group of his decision to step down immediately. I, along with my team-mates, found this a very hard thing to swallow. With lumps in our throats we listened as Craigy explained his reasons and wished us well. He finished by stating that we would become the successful team that we all wanted to be if we continued to work as hard as we do. I initially left the room feeling guilty, like we had let him down with our very poor performances. I wished I could have talked him out of his decision. I also felt very fortunate and privileged to have had the opportunity to learn and grow under such a coach and that I would never forget the great wisdom he shared.

Sitting at my kitchen bench after a long day full of a whirlwind of emotions, trying to digest some “Chicken Ala Train Smash” courtesy of my housemate Aidan Riley, the subject of conversation quickly turned to Craigy and some of the unforgettable times we have shared with him. I thought I would share a couple.

Something that sticks out for me was that whenever we played in Queensland, Craigy would stir me up all week about how the region was a “sunny place for shady people”. He also used to sit the boys down and remind us that we weren’t going up there on a holiday and that “coconut oil and bikinis won’t win us the game”.

While he used to muck around with me a fair bit, it was his many little pieces of wisdom that I will take with me on my football journey. Training was always referred to as “rehearsal” for the weekend and the little things were always a reflection of our attitude. When doing our skinfolds he would always remind us that “a fat blowfly is a slow blowfly”. In tough times like now he always used to remind us that nothing worthwhile was ever accomplished easily and that every elite sportsperson had failed many times before they get to the top. It’s how you deal with the failure or the hard times that’s important, he would point out.

Aidan remembered a time when Craigy, sensing we needed a little relief during a long pre-season session, stopped training to ask the newly drafted Luke Thompson where he was from: “Warrnambool, wasn’t it?”

“Timboon”, Thommo replied shyly. Craigy then sent us back out to do lane work like Timboon B Grade and was in stitches as he watched the variety of precarious kicking styles on show from the boys. This became his “go to” move throughout the pre-season when we needed a little break from the slog. No offence to Timboon B Grade, but it was bloody funny and it doubled as a much-needed few minutes to catch our breath.

On reflection of these memories it is a shame that most didn’t get to see the Craigy that we got to experience every day in the locker room. Often portrayed in the media as very straight and serious, he was in fact, a diverse and very well rounded man and leader. Craigy, among a lot of other things, was caring, inspiring, had a sincere love for what he did and was very humble. Well, most of the time ... he certainly wasn’t shy in telling us how good a footballer he was in the “bow and arrow days”!

He would be the first at your bedside after an operation. He was never slow to put blokes back in their place with a sharp sledge. Don’t bother sledging Craigy, it will be returned with interest. He is one of the best motivators I have ever met - I have certainly achieved things I would have never thought possible. His humility and dignity have been on display for all to see with the way he has conducted himself his entire coaching tenure - a true role model.

His decision to put the team first a reflection of his character and sums him up to a tee.

Kurt Tippett