AFL RIVERINA TV – GRANT LUHRS
Sex, drugs and rock’n’roll at Tamworth’s country music festival. And Griffith’s 1952 premiership victory… There aren’t too many Riverina football identities who could successfully work both of those topics into a conversation.
Okay – the first was tongue-in-cheek (and, come to think of it, the second was too!) – but former Swans players and coach, Grant Luhrs, does know a bit about football and music festivals.
The well-known singer-songwriter played 94 games for Griffith – and was the league’s leading goal kicker in 1973, with 79 goals. Luhrs also coached the Swans for a year in the early 80s. In an interview for the Riverina AFL TV Show, he declares his time in charge a (qualified) success.
“Depends how you measure success, ,” he says with a laugh. “It was my one and only year… and they were talking about a relegation regime. We didn’t have a very good side, or maybe I was a bad coach, I don’t know, but we avoided relegation. That was our triumph that year.”
Luhrs has very fond memories of his time at the club. But as Griffith celebrates 100 years this weekend, Luhrs doesn’t envy the panel charged with naming the club’s Team of the Century.
“Being part of a selection team or panel is always the hardest, most painful experience you can have when you’re involved in football – it’s so difficult, who do you bring in, who do you leave out. To have a team of the century, I think it’s impossible… there’s just so many good players when you think about it … Anyone who gets anywhere near being considered for selection – I think it’s an honour.”
Griffith has developed an unwanted tag for underachieving when it comes to premierships, with just three flags in more than 60 years. Luhrs says it still hurts to think about the ones that got away, but working out what went wrong isn’t easy.
“Why it happens? I don’t know. It’s just one of those elusive things… When you start to lose a few grand finals and games – vital games like semi-finals and grand finals – I think that starts to build up a doubt. It’s very subtle psychologically, but it can be quite profound…
“But we’ve won some. I mean, the year I was born – 1952. I remember it well … I was three months old at the time, but I remember that grand final win!”
Music has been Luhrs’ life for many years, and he’s recorded 13 albums over three decades in the industry. “I’ve always been lucky that my hobby’s been my job. I think that’s probably the most important thing.”
He’s not missed a Tamworth country music festival in 30 years either – that’s the sex, drugs and rock’n’roll part. For more on Grant Luhrs, country footy and country music, don’ t miss this week’s Riverina AFL Footy Show.
To view this week’s episode featuring Grant please click on link below:
