Back in 1983, Bob Hawke was the Prime Minister of Australia – a bit of a larrikin, he held the record for sculling a yard of ale at one point.
That’s the type of Prime Minister a red-blooded male respected!
Hawke came across as a man of the people, and when John Bertrand, Alan Bond, and a boat called Australia 2, lifted the America’s Cup from the Yanks and Dennis Connor, the likeable Hawke was at his best.
“Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum!”
Those were the words he used as he sat at the Royal Perth Yacht Club, and watched the Aussies do us proud. Personally, I can’t believe the public gave a shit about a yacht race, but, like wearing an onion on your belt, it was the style at the time, I guess.
I found myself reminiscing about Hawke and his irreverent ways as I read the news that Brody Mihocek was leaving the Magpies after eight seasons, and five Gordon Coventry Medals, as the club’s leading goal kicker.
What would Hawke have said about the man who gave everything he had to the Collingwood Football Club, and came through the ranks the hard way?
I started wondering about the first time ‘Checkers’ fronts up against the old mob in 2026, and what type of reception he’ll receive… and for the first time since Gary Ablett Junior left Geelong to go and play for the Suns, I just couldn’t picture opposition fans booing him.
Hell, I can remember when Hawthorn helped Isaac Smith out the door, and to another flag with the Cats. When he played against his old club, my fellow Hawthorn supporters booed him. Bloody embarrassing stuff. They acted like bums.
How will the Pies fans react to a man who gave so much to the club, and helped them win a flag?
How many of them will opt to be bums?
Not too many, I believe. I was quite surprised by the reaction of the online Pies fans… though I am not privy to their own chatter in private groups, I guess.
They praised the man and wished him well. They knew what he gave to their team.
To truly understand exactly what Brody Mihocek meant to Collingwood, you have to look at the record books.
With five Gordon Coventry Awards to his name, the only players ahead of, or equal to, Mihocek are the man who the goal kicking award is named after (16 times), Dick Lee (8), Peter McKenna (8), Sav Rocca (7), Archie Smith (7), Peter Daicos (5), and Brian Taylor (5).
That is Magpie Royalty, right there, and Checkers sits amongst them.
I reckon I have worked with a handful of people who offered me, or the role I was in, the same level of support as Mihocek offered the Magpies. Always working hard, always doing the tough stuff, and even when something, or someone, was getting the better of them, they did the little things to make it easier on those around them. Team-first players, with those chasing personal glory feasting on that which the workhorse provided.
I’ve always described Mihocek as the most honest footballer in the competition. You always know what you’re going to get from him. During his time at Collingwood, there was never a contest he did not give his all in, and despite being beaten here or there, you could never doubt what he gave to his team.
And now, he gets to do a little of the same for the Demons.
Nobody is expecting Mihocek, who will be 33 by the time the 2026 season rolls around, to go out and carry the load of the entire Melbourne forward line. The days of him being The Man inside 50 are probably gone. That said, Mihocek provides exactly what the Dees have been lacking in recent seasons. They’ve relied on Jake Melksham to offer the grunt inside 50, and whilst Melk has performed admirably, he lacks the size and power of Mihocek in the contest. That has meant that Jacob van Rooyen has had expectations on him elevated.
The presence of Mihocek inside 50 for the Dees offers them something they’ve not had for a long while.
Several things, actually.
Trust.
Reliability.
A consistent target who refuses to be outmarked.
And the willingness to work for those around him, even to the detriment of his own performance.
Lovers of pure footy respect the hell out of Brody Mihocek. He worked his way through the VFL via the Burnie Dockers in Tassie, Maribyrnong Park in the EDFL, and finally Port Melbourne. He took the road far less travelled, but such was his desire to play league footy, and such was his belief in his own abilities, that he made it work.
And now, he gets compensated for the work he put in.
Melbourne have landed a gem in Brody Mihocek. Maybe a little rough around the edges, and maybe not as shiny as he once was (he would have been incredible for the Dees a couple of years ago), but he leaves the Collingwood Football Club in a much better state than when he arrived, and don’t think for a second that his work ethic and standards have not had an impact on that joint.
He is a premiership hero, and a player I have always admired.
And to paraphrase Bob Hawke, when the Pies and Dees meet on Kings Birthday in 2026, if you boo this bloke, you’re a bum!
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
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Image courtesy of Demonland on X. They also have a banging Melbourne website – one of the better club-based sites out there. Give it a read.
