Possum

When I played junior footy in Brisbane there was a kid on the team who was the best. His name was Dale Nolan. There were lots of strong players but Dale was class. Long but agile, lean but strong, skilful and smooth. I also remember him having a cool hair cut.


Don’t get the wrong impression though, Dale was the best, but he was quiet and humble. He stood out because he did the right things not because he said the noisy things.


Dale’s brother Ricky was a fair bit older and he played in the open age team, he was a gun too, swollen with strength. Their Dad though, he was shocking. Mick Nolan played over 100 games in the VFL in the 70s, he was the biggest person anyone at our club had ever seen. The biggest person we could actually imagine. He played at 194cm and 135kg. I shook his hand once, I still remember the crush.


It all added to Dale’s aura, one day he could be as mighty as his father. We kind of thought if anyone was going to make it far in footy it would be Dale.


On night before training a few of the boys were hanging around the fence next to the car park. Dale’s mum parked and as he was walking towards the team she called out the window “have fun possum.”


The name Dale was never said aloud at footy again. He was permanently and completely changed to Pos. On the field during play we called “Pos!”, at the end of training people said “see ya Possum”. When the coach showed us the team list and positions, the first magnetic name tag up in the centre of the ground was Pos. It almost took on a double meaning over the years, an abbreviation for Possessions, the number of times each player marks or passes the ball. Heaps every game in Pos’ case. He was still a gun, still humble, just with an adorable nick name. The best footballer I ever played with was a kid called Possum.


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In our U13 season we made the grand final. The club brought in Mick Nolan to talk to us before the game. He surged into the dressing room making every 12 year old, their parents and even the room itself feel small. He rumbled some phrases in a voice that shook my organs and we ran out in pursuit of our own little moment of glory.


It’s scary, the moments before a big game. Disaster and achievement come and stand so very close to each other. Little things you do tip you violently towards one or the other. On that day 30 years ago I felt good. Our team was going to be alight. We had Pos with us.




It’s Grand Final day. Up the Lions.

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