Phil Godde reflects on his time at Walla, Corowa-Rutherglen, Mulwala and Daysdale

BRENT GODDE: You were dubbed 'Harmes' during your time at Walla?

PHIL GODDE: I started my career in the back pocket at Walla and it coincided with when Wayne Harmes was back pocket for Carlton. Hopper coach Lance Cushion christened me that.

BG: Cushion had an unflattering nickname himself?

PG: The commentators on AMV4 dubbed Lance 'cream puff' because he wasn't known for his hard ball gets.

BG: You grew up on a farm at Alma Park?

PG: I left home when I was 11 to attend boarding school at Wangaratta.

BG: You went to school with Sydney Swans Team of the Century member Dennis Carroll?

PG: Dennis and I were good mates at school as well as the late George Mackinlay. We would often be kicking the football together at lunchtime and after school.

BG: You also played a bit of school football with Carroll and Mackinlay?

PG: Dennis wasn't a standout at school but obviously went on to have an outstanding career and captain Sydney.

BG: What year did you make your senior debut for Walla?

PG: I played a handful of matches in 1978 as a 16-year-old under Cushion.

BG: Walla played Walbundrie in the decider in 1978?

PG: I was named emergency and watched from the sidelines.

BG: The Hoppers choked in the big dance?

PG: It was tough to watch after we were 40 something points up to get rolled by nine points.

BG: Do you feel you should have been selected?

PG: Not really because I only played eight matches during the season. I did play one final but was dropped when somebody came back from injury.

BG: The following season in 1979 you broke your leg?

PG: It was a fairly innocuous incident really. Brocklesby's Neil Schilg was the smallest bloke in the league and I copped a kick in the shin and it broke my leg.

BG: It was a season ending injury?

PG: It was and it also gave me a bit of grief later in my career.

BG: You played in your first senior grand final the following season in 1980 against Brocklesby?

PG: I guess the 1980 grand final is best remembered for the Garry Mickan incident when he was knocked out early in the decider in an off the ball incident and didn't come back on.

BG: It was a huge talking point of the grand final. Did you see the incident personally?

PG: No but you are right it was a huge talking point. We had the 1981 premiership reunion a couple of weeks ago and it came up in conversation again.

BG: In your opinion the incident galvanised the group and was instrumental in the Hoppers winning the flag?

PG: It certainly spurred us on and backfired on the opposition.

BG: Your older brother John blossomed as a footballer early in his career and won the league medal in the thirds in 1970?

PG: I think history says that was John's moment in the sun. John likes to tell anybody that cares to listen that he beat Daryl Bakes for the medal but doesn't like to elaborate that it was in the thirds.

BG: The following season in 1981 the Hoppers made it back-to-back flags after Cushion stepped down and was replaced by Rob Morrison?

PG: Rob was recruited from Albury and was a big centre half-forward. We beat Osborne who had some handy players in Wayne Styles, Rod Culph and Barry Furness.

BG: Personally you had a standout season after claiming the Azzi medal?

PG: I would have never won the Azzi except for my team-mates in the last round when we played Rand.

BG: What happened?

PG: A few of my team-mates thought I was in contention to win the medal and decided to kick the ball to me at every opportunity.

BG: How many touches did you rack-up?

PG: Blokes were kicking it backwards and sideways to me. Every time I got a kick, my team-mates would yell out well done No. 6 so the umpires could hear. I ended up having more than 40 touches.

BG: The cunning stunt paid dividends for you?

PG: It was literally the difference between me winning the medal or finishing runner-up. I polled three votes in the final round to beat Garry Styles by two votes.

BG: Looking back at photos of yourself at the Azzi count, you're not too proud of your fashion sense?

PG: I can't explain why but I wore brown trousers with blue shoes which was a bit embarrassing when I had to get up and make a speech.

BG: You celebrated your Azzi victory with your team-mates in a big way?

PG: It was a Sunday night but we didn't finish up at Sodens Hotel until 4am in the morning. One of my team-mates, Garry Howard, was managing Sodens at the time.

BG: You chucked a sickie from work on the Monday?

PG: My boss at the time was Greg Rapsey who didn't really follow football. Anyhow he was whining to one of my work mates that I had chucked a sickie.

BG: Your work mate handed you up?

PG: My work mate showed my boss Greg a copy of The Border Mail with the headline 'Godde wins Azzi' and said 'this might have something to do with why Phil isn't at work today.'

BG: After winning the Azzi you decide to have a crack at the O&M the following season in 1982 and join Albury under coach Tom Doolan?

PG: Albury invited me to do the pre-season alongside Brendan Wenke who was another Walla junior who played in the 1980-81 flags alongside me.

BG: You played the opening two matches of the season before suffering a season ending knee injury late in your second game at the sportsground?

PG: One of the opposition players ran across my knee as I went to kick the ball.

BG: That was the last match you played at the sportsground?

PG: I spent the rest of the year on the sidelines before returning to Walla in 1983.

BG: You had an instant impact at Albury and polled a Morris medal vote in both games you played and kicked five goals?

PG: I often joke with my brother John who is a Tigers supporter if he can name any other player at Albury who polled votes in the Morris medal every game he played and averaged 2.5 goals.

BG: Albury won the flag that season under Doolan. Do you think your knee injury robbed you of being part of the flag?

PG: In my opinion I was in Albury's best side that season for sure.

BG: You salvaged something from the wreck and still went on Albury's trip away that season?

PG: I felt a bit guilty because I had only played two matches but Jay McNeil talked me into going. But I went and we hired a houseboat on Lake Eildon.

BG: Any particular reason you decided to return to Walla in 1983 instead of staying at Albury?

PG: My other brother Pat was coming back from Culcairn to play with Walla and John was president of the Hoppers.

BG: Any reason why Pat played for Culcairn instead of Walla?

PG: Pat was good mates with a lot of the Culcairn players like Andy McLeish and Trevor Gardiner. Pat played in a flag at Walla in 1976 alongside Dallas Kotzur under coach Bill Barton.

BG: In 1983 Cushion was back as the helm of the Hoppers?

PG: We lost five of our first six matches and had no hope of playing finals.

BG: The Hoppers produced a stunning turnaround?

PG: We only lost one match for the remainder of the season.

BG: Walla met Brocklesby again in the decider?

PG: We ended up winning by six goals.

BG: It was a golden era for the Hoppers who won three flags in four years?

PG: We were the hunted and most hated side in the competition. Similar to what Osborne is like at the moment. I would love a dollar for every time an opposition supporter yelled out 'square heads' during that era.

BG: You used to use the 'square head' and 'box head' sledges as a bit of motivation?

PG: We were a bit like Collingwood and thrived on the opposition despising us.

BG: The following season in 1984 you re-ignite your O&M career with Corowa-Rutherglen?

PG: I had shifted over to Corowa for work midway through the previous year and was motivated to have another crack at the higher standard.

BG: Jack Clancy was coach of the Roos?

PG: Jack dubbed me 'Goodsa' when I first arrived at John Foord Oval and that nickname has stuck since.

BG: Neville Hogan and Norm Minns also tried to recruit you to Wangaratta in 1984?

PG: I got a huge shock when they walked into the Corowa Hospital and wanted to have a chat with me about joining Wangaratta.

BG: You said 'thanks, but no thanks?'

PG: I was living and working in Corowa and didn't want to play for a rival club. I have lived in Corowa since.

BG: Corowa-Rutherglen were struggling during that era?

PG: Looking back Corowa-Rutherglen was a bush club playing in the O&M who cared about having a good time more than whether they won or lost.

BG: The club slowly started to turn things around?

PG: In 1987 we made it to the preliminary final which was a huge achievement at the time. The first semi-final was the first final the club had won since merging in 1979.

BG: A 16-year-old John Longmire played his only season in the O&M before joining North Melbourne?

PG: John had an unbelievable season for a 16-year-old and everybody knew he was destined for bigger things.

BG: Longmire's father, Fred, thought you were a 'pothole' that kept getting in the way of John when he was on the lead?

PG: It's fair to say Fred was a vocal supporter and yelled out on numerous occasions 'get out of his way for heaven's sake.'

BG: Was Longmire targeted by the opposition much?

PG: He was once the opposition realised how talented he was. But Corowa used to have a few recruits from Melbourne in Peter Hall and Paul Hennebury who made you feel bullet proof.

BG: 'Psycho' Carroll was also one of your team-mates that had a reputation of being able to handle himself?

PG: I never crapped myself so much when we were playing a game of rugby one night at training when we had the bye and we were trying to mix things up a bit.

BG: You were stupid enough to hit 'Psycho' with a stiff arm tackle that caught him high?

PG: It got him right across the nose. Luckily his brother, Dominic, was there and held 'Physco' down on the ground because he literally wanted to kill me at the time.

BG: You were genuinely intimidated by 'Psycho'?

PG: Let's just say he had the nickname for a reason.

BG: Any other favourite stories about 'Psycho'?

PG: I don't know why but every time we played North Albury, 'Psycho' would tangle with Rodger Peters. 'Psycho' got Peters one match that I have never forgotten.

BG: You played on some champion rovers during your era?

PG: I often joke I was responsible for at least four blokes winning Morris medals because they were guaranteed six votes a season when I played on them. Blokes like Terry Burgess, Rudy Yonson, Ralph Aalbers and John Brunner.

BG: In 1989 you joined Mulwala with Peter 'Steak' Seymour playing coach?

PG: I was good mates with Danny Erickson who was appointed assistant coach under 'Steak' and decided to follow him to the Lions. The Ednie brothers in Gus, Garry and Peter were also at Mulwala.

BG: Phil Beams was also at Mulwala and is the father of Dayne?

PG: Phil was nicknamed 'Teapot' and won seven best and fairests at Mulwala. I finished runner-up behind him in the vote count in 1989. 'Teapot' and 'Psycho' are cousins and 'Psyscho' was thinking of joining Mulwala at one stage.

BG: You were appointed assistant coach of Mulwala in 1990?

PG: I was lucky enough to win a fourth premiership and also won the medal for best on ground in the grand final.

BG: Your mate Erickson thought he was robbed of best on ground honours?

PG: Danny did play a sensational match. I've never heard of this before but Danny got his stats engraved on his premiership medal and had 27 kicks and 12 handballs.

BG: You like stirring him up about it?

PG: I quite often ask him if he had 27 kicks and 12 handballs and didn't get best on ground, how many stats must of I had?

BG: Erickson loved his stats?

PG: I got knocked out cold when playing for Mulwala one day and still had the footy underneath me. My team-mates told me later Danny rolled me off the footy so he could get another stat.

BG: You still have an annual fishing trip with some of your Corowa-Rutherglen team-mates?

PG: There are nine of us who go away on a fishing trip and catch-up once a year.

BG: After winning the flag at Mulwala you return to John Foord Oval as playing coach of the reserves?

PG: Jim Silvestro was coaching the seniors who I knew a bit through work.

BG: There were some talented teenagers emerging through the club's junior ranks?

PG: Players like Carl and Clint Dickins, Travis Mills and Damian 'Hose' Houlihan.

BG: Similar to Longmire, Houlihan played seniors at a young age.

PG: Damian made his senior debut for Corowa-Rutherglen as a 16-year-old.

BG: Can you compare the pair at the same age?

PG: Longmire and 'Hose' were very similar but John had a brain. I guess that was the biggest difference.

BG: It's fair to say Houlihan was a different cat?

PG: I remember after one match while he was still 16 he said to me in the club rooms 'if I don't get drafted next year Goodsa, I'm giving it away.'

BG: How did you reply to that comment?

PG: I just said 'I think you will be right 'Hose', you have got all the talent to make it at the elite level.'

BG: Have you got any favourite stories about Carl 'Ocker' Dickins?

PG: I had to laugh when I read in his Q&A with you that he used to smoke bongs before matches. We used to joke when he turned up to play later in his career that we could tell if he was going to have a good game or not by his eyes.

BG: You decided to take the coaching gig at Daysdale in 1993?

PG: I was looking for a bit of a challenge and Daysdale were on the bottom of the ladder. I don't think 'Darkie' Collins was too happy when he found out because he had been pestering me for years to go to Coreen.

BG: Did you land many recruits?

PG: I remember at a chicken and prawn morning several years earlier at Corowa about half-a-dozen of us agreed to finish our careers in the Coreen league together. But when I came knocking four years later everybody seemed to have forgotten about it.

BG: So you attracted minimal recruits?

PG: We finished with the wooden spoon in 1993.

BG: 1994 was the club's centenary year in the Coreen league?

PG: It was and even though we finished with the wooden spoon in 1993 we were ultra competitive and only lost one match by more than six goals.

BG: In 1994 you targeted getting as many locals as you could back to the club for the centenary?

PG: We just tried to target guys who had a previous connection to the club. Blokes who had played previously or had family.

BG: Daysdale scraped into the finals series and staged a Houdini-like escape in the elimination final against Rand?

PG: I thought we were dead and buried when we were 38 points down late in the third quarter. Two late goals gave us a pulse though.

BG: Rand's Scott Curphey gave a few of the Daysdale players a mouthful as the three-quarter-time siren sounded?

PG: Curphey basically labelled us a bunch of losers on his way to Rand's huddle.

BG: You produced one of your most inspirational speeches of your coaching career?

PG: I tried to appeal to the players' emotions. I grabbed Terry Mardling who was a club official by the tie and dragged him into the huddle and said 'this bloke thought he would play in another flag after winning the grand final in 1977. Well guess what, he never played in another final.'

BG: Your emotion charged address worked a treat?

PG: We went gangbusters in the last quarter and ended up winning convincingly.

BG: The stirring win sparked a barnstorming run throughout September which culminated in a drought breaking flag?

PG: We got over Jerilderie easily by 80 points in the preliminary final.

BG: How did the grand final unfold?

PG: We played Coleambally and scores were basically level at the main break but history says we were able to break the drought and win the flag.

BG: Undoubtedly one of your finest achievements throughout your career?

PG: Being coach and what it meant to the locals and the community - it's certainly hard to beat. Just the emotions after the win and seeing the long suffering supporters with tears of joy in their eyes was a special moment that I cherish. Nigel Norman still can't believe it.

BG: That was the last match of your career as a 34-year-old?

PG: I broke my ribs in the decider and sat in the forward pocket and kicked five goals. But I was having trouble with my back and hammies all season. I thought why not go out on the ultimate high?

BG: How many matches did you play throughout your career?

PG: Probably about 300. I know I played 92 at Walla and nearly 90 in the O&M and 40 at Mulwala.

BG: You niece Lyndelle is married to Brownlow medallist Paul Kelly?

PG: I remember not long after Paul won the Brownlow medal we were at a wedding and John, Pat and I all got our photo taken with Paul and the Brownlow medal. Pat went to get the photos developed and realised he forgot to put film in his camera.

BG: You have got a photo of Kelly with his Brownlow, Tim Scott with his Morris medal and yourself with your Azzi.

PG: We were having a few beers and thought it would be a laugh to have a photo with the three different standards of league medals. I offered to swap mine but not surprisingly didn't get any takers.

BG: You were a big fan of footy trips away?

PG: We had some memorable trips at Corowa in those early days.

BG: There was a funny incident at the strip bar in Adelaide?

PG: We went to this strip bar and there was a bloke on stage who the girls stripped naked and did a few party tricks with. The bloke looked familiar and then we realised it was the bus driver who we had hired to drive the bus.

BG: Did you say anything to him?

PG: The funny part was he volunteered to drive the bus the following year and said he wouldn't charge us, which he did.

BG: Another trip the Corowa players including yourself caused a scene at a Chinese restaurant in Kings Cross?

PG: There were about a dozen of us that went out for tea and $50 went missing from the tip jar which caused quite a commotion.

BG: The head waiter suspected it was the Corowa players who stole the money?

PG: Nobody owned up to flogging the money which led the head waiter to producing a knife and threatening us.

BG: No doubt a frightening experience?

PG: We all threw in $5 each just so we could get out of the restaurant unscathed?

BG: One of your team-mates later revealed that he did steal the $50?

PG: He confessed to us later that night that he did take the money. But it was only the beginning of him telling lies because he went on to be a successful used car salesman on the Border.