Pies' good-luck charm - Herald Sun

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18 June 2002
By Michael Horan

NINE years ago Collingwood came to Darwin to find an angry Aborigine named John Kellycountry literally cursing.

The popular local identity was so offended by comments made by the then Magpie president Allan McAlister, he put a curse on the club.

The infamous McAlister comment about the Top End Aboriginal community was: "If Aboriginals behave like whites they'll be all right."

It caused a furore of such magnitude McAlister made two apologetic trips to Darwin in a bid to smooth things over, while Eddie McGuire flew Kellycountry to Melbourne to lift the curse on The Footy Show after the Pies lost four straight games and tumbled from near the top of the table.

Kellycountry was waiting for the Magpies again yesterday, but this time he ceremonially bestowed a good-luck charm on the club.

"I honestly feel like I owed them something. Since the Collingwood curse a lot of good things have come out of the AFL and at Collingwood," Kellycountry said.

"The AFL racial vilification rule has come in, the Magpies have recruited Territorians like Nathan Buckley, their champion, and Robbie Ahmat.

"There is now a really big awareness about Aboriginals in the AFL, which makes me feel good. Collingwood has been a big part of that.

"More Aboriginals are playing and more people are a lot more confident than they used to be."

Magpie Aboriginal pair Leon Davis and Richard Cole were received like heroes. Davis, in particular, was swamped by autograph hunters.

Kellycountry told the Magpies he had bestowed a good-luck charm on an AFL team only once before – to Adelaide in 1993 – a gesture he said set them towards premierships in in 1997-1998.

Although a fervent Kangaroos supporter, he said he genuinely wished his offering brought the same good fortune to Collingwood.

"This is all coming from the heart. I feel I've owed them something," Kellycountry said.



"Racetracks are for racing, roads are for getting there."