Compiled by Michael Roberts • • Dean's 200:p JO• Under the hammer:pll • Translating Rex:pI? Inside the Teal Cup treasure

ast your mind back ing each other so well ten years. Eagles was a big advantage," he Cwere something you says. "Woosha, Bluey dreamt about on the golf and myself are still course, Dockers were together on the backline allies of Painters, and like we were then." almost every decent 'Bluey' McKenna was young player in Western ruled out of the Teal Cup AustraHa headed east to Grand Final with an find his footballing for- ankle injury but spent all tune. night with his foot in an In 1985 something icy swimming pool and happened that didn't convinced the selectors attract too much atten- he could play. tion outside , but The coach was Grant which would later be Dorrington, now Special revealed as a truly signif- Projects Manager at Fre- icant moment in WA mantle. "What set them football. Western Aus- apart from most junior tralia won the Teal Cup teams was they gelled for the first time, beating unbelievably as a team. the cocky Victorians in YESTERDAY'S HEROES, TODAY'S CHAMPIONS: The team photo of the 1985 They were a unique group Perth. Teal Cup Premiership side includes some great WA talent of guys, with an almost Look through the WA eerie strength of character. side from that year and you can think we were still down at No-one else can be the first, "Their 'no-one's-going-to- see why they went so well. half-time, but we kicked away and now that Victoria has split beat-us' spirit was the same , , in the second half. It was a bit into two — Country and Metro spirit that took the Eagles to Guy McKenna, , of a fairytale. — no-one can beat the full Vic- two premierships in three , Paul Peos and "We still talk about it now. torian team again. Victoria had years. I don't consider one were all part of Myself, Suma and Chris Water- Barnesy, , Geoff player from that team more that ground-breaking side. man were in a restaurant the Parker, Peter Budge, Monk- important than another. I regu- They were dubbed 'The other night and we could still horst, Considine, Mick Martyn larly look at the video of that Magnificent Seven' by the name the whole side. Apart amongst others, so they were a game. They were just great Perth media after becoming from the blokes who went on good side." boys." stars for West Coast. Peos, to the Eagles, virtually every- Eagle Chris Waterman re- Waterman agrees. "You just Worsfold and Lewis debuted in one played WAFL seniors, plus members the '85 carnival as wished you could stay there 1987, Waterman and McKenna Allen Jakovich who went to the spur for his football careei. and play with that team for the in 1988, and Watters and Melbourne. "We formed the nucleus of the rest of your life." In a way, he Sumich the following year. "It was our bit of history. first Eagles squad, and know- has. Docker midfielder Watters describes the 1985 Teal Cup ALL ABOUT THE COMMONWEALTH (TEAL) CUP victory as "maybe my biggest thrill in football. We were just The Teal Cup was first land and NSW. It wasn't split into two sides — country 20 young guys dedicated to played in 1953 when the Teal until 1978 that all the Aus- and metro. In 1993 the Teal achieving something. That's family of NSW donated a tralian states and territories Cup became the Common- why it was so special. trophy for an annual chal- were part of the under-17 car- wealth Bank Cup and the "I remember before the final lenge match to be played be- nival. In 1989, after eight grand final is played this we'd never beaten Victoria, so tween, of all places, Queens- years of domination, Victoria weekend. the boys were really nervous. I FOOTBALL RECORD, ROUND 15, JULY 14-16, 1995