From the desk of Roland Rocchiccioli

It was 1993 when the AFL Footy Show with Ed McGuire and Sam Newman first screened across the county on Channel 9. It was a phenomenon. People stayed-in on Thursday to night watch.

I WAS lucky enough to be a small part of it for ten years, and when it was at its zenith.

I had returned from living in England. I remember, when Ed first asked me to be a part of the regular team, I said, “yes”, in a nanosecond. He cautioned, “Think about it overnight. You may have more to lose than we have to gain.” I said, without hesitation, “Ed, I couldn’t give a fat rat’s clacker what anyone thinks about!” The rest is television history.

It was the best decision I made, ever. In the cannon of my work, which includes a number of ground-breaking theatre productions, it is one of the most rewarding jobs I have accepted. I would do it again, in a heartbeat.

Of all those who appeared on the Footy Show, I am the greatest beneficiary. It cured me of performance nerves; allowed me to spend time with many of Australia’s finest athletes; and introduced me to a whole new audience whom I never would have met in the theatre. For the most part, they had no interest in Ibsen, Shaw, Chekov and Shakespeare; however, that is not to suggest they were unaware of my creative life outside of the Footy Show.

The experience taught me I had more, rather than less, in common with the audience; and conversely, they had more, rather than less, in common with me.

I did the splits. Sam looked at me, then looked at Ed, and said, “To get Roland up off the floor, we going to have to rock him to break the suction!” Ed laughed so hard he couldn’t speak. The audience were shrieking! Image: SUPPLIED

It is a privilege to have done something which people remember fondly years after the event. It does not happen in everyone’s creative journey, and I am grateful; however, ‘fame’ is transitory. It must not be taken seriously. Sam said, many times, “We’re just filling-in until they sack us!”

Often times, people remember the face, but struggle with the name. A fan of the show will approach and say, “I know you. You used to be famous! What’s your name?” Sometimes I say I am Barry Crocker; or John-Michael Howson; or John Blackman. Other times I say I am Kamahl! Often I hear someone say as I pass, “There goes what’s his name. You remember. He used to be famous. He was on the Footy Show!”

I use public transport, and one of the great joys was meeting fans on the tram. They would catch my eye and call-out, “Hello, Roland.” I’d ask them to sit next to me and, invariably, they told me the most wonderful stories – sad and happy, about themselves. I was genuinely interested. Dare I say, this little act of friendship – one to another, helped, for a moment, to change the colour of someone’s day. Some paid me the greatest compliment, “You know, Roland, you’re exactly the same as you are on TV.” That made my soul sing!

A dollar for every time I passed a building site and tradies shouted: “Hey, Roland. We love ya!” or “Roland, we love it when you stick-it-up, Sammy!”

Most importantly: Ed McGuire’s decision to have someone of my bold personality on a primetime television, football variety show, paved the way for others to follow in my wake. I am proud of that achievement; knowing I have made life a little easier for a creative colleague.

It is only one of the many things the Footy Show achieved.

Roland can be heard with Brett MacDonald on 3BA on Mondays at 10.45am and can be contacted via [email protected].