Before we get into the interview, I would just like to congratulate Mark Nicoski on another consistent performance on Friday Night. When the commentators start calling you “The Ice-Cube” because all you do is freeze, then you know you are struggling. I think it is time the Eagles selection committee got some of those new “Viagra” eyedrops, because they need to take a long, hard look at themselves.
Now to the interview with dual premiership coach Tom Wagner:
Troy Luff: Tom, you’ve been senior coach at WCC since 2005 and a colts coach before that. What are your fondest memories?
Tom Wagner: There have been many great memories, you know, with 2 premierships, but I think my best memory was from a few years back during a colts game when a young bloke got cleaned up. I raced out with the trainers and we discovered that a stretcher was required. Now you must realize that we were on the other side of the ground, a long way from the changerooms and the people on the bench couldn’t see us calling for the stretcher. I knew I needed to do something so I quickly took off my shirt and held it above my head with outstretched arms. The stretcher arrived quickly and we managed to get the young bloke off the ground in no time. I’m just so proud of the fact that my quick thinking helped avert a potential disaster by simply taking off my shirt.
Troy Luff: That’s moving stuff Tommy. Worst memories?
Tom Wagner: Probably last year when Clarkey and Todd Wisewould called me up at 3am to discuss god knows what.
Troy Luff: Who is your favourite player at WCC?
Tom Wagner: Oh that’s an easy one. Aaron Cooke by the length of Flemington Straight.
Troy Luff: Any superstitions?
Tom Wagner: Well, I always wear my footy pants on game day. They’re a pair of bone coloured chinos, very comfortable and easy to iron.
Troy Luff: I understand you played a little bit of footy as a schoolboy. Why didn’t you make the step up to senior football as a player?
Tom Wagner: I really enjoyed footy as a junior but unfortunately at the age of 15, I contracted a disease known as “Howardism”, a hereditary condition where your eyebrows grow out of control. I take medication for it, which has it under control, but the medicos say football is out.
Troy Luff: Favourite sayings?
Tom Wagner: There are a couple that spring to mind, which the guys in the league side will probably know all about. “Well done Cookie”, “This is an 8 point game”, “See you on the track” and “Guys!!! Lift!!!” are a couple of old chestnuts that get dusted off on a weekly basis.
Troy Luff: What does the future hold for Tom Wagner?
Tom Wagner: I’m looking forward to coaching the first “All – Hale” amateur football side. Realistically, I think we are only a couple of years away from it.
Troy Luff: I agree, you are certainly on your way. Thanks for your time Tommy, see you on the track!
Tom Wagner: (Laughs) No worries Troy, it’s been a pleasure.
As previously stated, I was lucky enough to sit down with Peter D’Alessandro during the week also, to try and get inside his brain and see what makes this driven young man tick.
Troy: Good morning Peter. Thanks for setting aside some time in your busy schedule. Readers of Luff’s Stuff will really appreciate it.
Peter: No worries Troy. More than happy to make time for the Luffmeister.
Troy: Peter, you are a passionate WCC person, where does this fire in your belly come from?
Peter: To be honest Troy, it all originated several years ago when I first came down to the club to try and get a game in the colts side. Nathan Spilcker was coaching the colts and I spent the first half of the year riding the pine for probably 80% of each game. I think it was here that I first developed interest in coaching. During my extended stints playing on David Mensch (the bench) I used to pass the time pretending I was coaching. I’d make imaginary changes on an imaginary match-up board, deliver half time addresses to myself and pace up and down the sidelines. I figured that if I was going to spend this much time sitting with the coaches, then I may as well become one.
Troy: A little birdy tells me that you did become a handy player and may have even played in a B grade reserves premiership in 2001?
Peter: That’s right Troy. We went through undefeated that year and highlight for me that year was lining up week after week next to big “Eggs” Benedict Boylson.
Troy: Who is your favourite player at WCC?
Peter: Oh, there have been so many. Can I give you a couple? Aaron Joss for one. He’s everything that I wasn’t as a player and as a second favourite, I would have to say Oliver Duncan.
Troy: What is your pre-game ritual?
Peter: When I wake up in the morning I like to fire myself up listening to a bit of heavy metal music, you know, Matchbox Twenty, Thirsty Merc, the real hardcore stuff. Then I have a tin of cold baked beans and warm my voice up by reading the dictionary out loud.
Troy: You have always been an overachiever Peter, what were you like at school?
Peter: I was like any other young, red-blooded male growing up in the 20th century. I was president of the Chess Club and the Debating Team and I used to spend lunchtime reading either medical journals or the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Isn’t that what everyone did?
Troy: I used to drink piss and have sex. Each to their own I suppose. Who has more hair on their bodies, you or Paul Isaachsen?
Peter: I’ve got Paul covered in the legs department, but he has me in the back and shoulders stakes for sure.
Troy: One of my regular readers has sent this question in. It comes from Lucas. Lucas asks “Peter, I am a big strong lad but I am very quiet and shy. I find it difficult to talk around larger groups of people. You talk more than anyone I have ever met. How do you do it?”
Peter: Thanks for the question Lucas. I don’t know where I get that from. I’ve always been a prolific talker. Sometimes I talk for so long that even Matty Elliot gives up waiting for an opportunity to add his two bobs worth in. I think that’s also what inspired me to become a doctor. As a young boy, I actually bored three people to death and so I said to myself, if I’m going to talk this much, then I had better know how to save people from the consequences.
Troy: You are such a busy person, cramming in so many activities. What does the future hold for Peter D’Alessandro?
Peter: I am aiming to become Perth’s leading orthopedic surgeon and I definitely want to get into politics as I would like to be Prime Minister. Then, after lunch…… Ha ha ha! I’m only kidding Troy.
Troy: Good one! Peter, thanks for you time. I must admit I was a bit worried about interviewing you but you managed to keep you answers relatively succinct. I’m sure the readers of Luff’s Stuff appreciate that.
Peter: I’ve really enjoyed the chat Troy.
Well there you have it folks. Luffy has done it again, securing the big names in the world of WCC footy. Next week, I catch up with Colts coach Mike Farmer and his sidekick Bluey. Stay tuned.
Luffy
