‘Opposition clubs come to watch Tippa’
Malcolm Kalms was working flat chat behind the bar at the ground on grand final day, and had umpired the under 16s grand final earlier in the day. The new-look Imperials headlined by McDonald-Tipungwuti had drawn the community to their games this year.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti celebrates Imperials’ premiership in Mildura on Saturday.Credit: Ben Gross/Sunraysia Daily
“On match day, we see the little kids down one end where Tippa is, and they sprint down the other end at quarter-time because they want to be down the other end where Tippa is,” said Kalms.
“It brings in a lot [of a] different crowd, brings back more members and opposition teams come to watch Tippa.”
11-year-old Charlie Dunn and former Essendon player Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti.
Kalms also used to play for Wentworth, so he claimed “neutral” status on Saturday, just wanting a good game. But one thing he’d be happy about was the steady stream of people pouring in for a cold beverage, despite the wind and the cold.
“Our sales have been unreal. Like our Draft sales, due to the older crowd that come along to watch Tippa, we’ve already outsold what we did last year in Carlton Draught and that was before the senior game started,” Kalms said.
“He doesn’t get many touches but every time he gets near the ball, something happens.
“So, if you miss one second, you might miss an awesome tackle he lays [or] he grabs the ball and he ducks and weaves, then spins around and kicks one over his head.”
Not everyone was a fan of Imperials’ resurgence
Wentworth fan Dallas Kalms – Malcolm’s cousin – was hoping that Imperials would be “flogged”. But he admitted that McDonald-Tipungwuti’s addition to the club was hard not to like.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti jumps for joy in Imperials’ premiership win in the Sunraysia Football League.Credit: Ben Gross/Sunraysia Daily
Imperials are by far the most successful club in Sunraysia league history, regularly featuring in the grand final and boasting AFL talent in their ranks, including Josh Hunt (Geelong), Matthew Croft (Footscray), Dale Weightman (Richmond) and Matthew Knights (Richmond) and Hannah Priest (St Kilda for netball).
Did Dallas like seeing “Imps” down the bottom of the ladder last year?
“Yes,” said a defiant Dallas.
Loading
“Because the Imps have been so successful for such a long period of time, I think everyone has a rivalry with Imps and they love seeing them down the bottom.
“I really don’t like them. They’re a really good club, very successful, but not my favourite team up here. I’ve only watched the games we played against them and Tippa has been quite good on them, but I have seen even like our juniors will actually go and find out Tippa and get autographs and photos, meet with him.
“He’s been very welcoming of the kids.”
This is illustrated by the first trip Charlie and his parents made to Mildura to watch McDonald-Tipungwuti play, in April. They had hoped for a photo at the most.
Instead, Charlie was welcomed by Imperials into the clubroom to meet his idol and run out with him. McDonald-Tipungwuti gave him his game-day jumper, along with his old training shorts and socks that he used to wear when he played for Essendon.
“We’ve met him a few times now and he’s just been wonderful with him [Charlie]. Very humble, kind, generous person. He was so thankful that we’d come up earlier in the year to initially meet him,” said Dunn.
“And last fortnight ago, we came up to watch the semi-final and of course, when Imperials won, he went into the clubrooms, he got to sing the song in the circle with Tippa. So, it’s been really, really beautiful experience.”
It was this kit that Charlie wore on Saturday, a good luck kit for the player who helped lift a club from the bottom of the bush league, to premiership glory.
