What we learned from Silk's autobiography

A cheat sheet from 'Football, Family, Respect'

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Firstly, let me clarify that I am not much of a book reader. Unless it has a tinge of brown and gold associated with it, my reading is generally limited to newspapers as opposed to paperbacks.

But in recent years we have been blessed, and therefore I have been well read – think Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead together with Crimmo, 1989 and even Michael Gordon’s book about the 2013 Premiership Playing to Win. (Relentless by Sam Mitchell and Playing to Win are my personal faves.)

Not all of them have hit the chord though and often I’d find myself wondering how much of the reading was the work of the author versus the authentication of the player/people in question.

So it was with uncertainly I sat down to read the Shaun Burgoyne book – with the aim to review it for the Hawks Insiders legion of fans.

But rather than do a traditional book review – we’ve decided to give you our favourite takeaways from the book. For the rest, you’ll just have to read it yourself.

When you know, you know

It is fairly easy at the early junior levels to watch a game of footy and know who the players with the most potential at that point in time are. Especially in the young age groups, they are the players that aren’t scared to go in hard, win their own ball, and generally dominate all over the ground.

For most AFL stars, there are stories of clear domination at junior level (think Crawford playing senior school footy for Assumption in Year Nine, and kicking over 100 goals from the midfield).

Shaun had some stories of his own – he played Under 17 footy for Mallee Park at 11 years of age, under-19s at Port Adelaide in the SANFL when he was 15, and seniors footy at 17. He was a rare talent as a junior, and always looked like he’d make it.

The incredible Prelim moment – no not against Geelong

In what he describes as a “watershed moment'“ and the “first really huge moment that I had ever been involved in during a footy game”, Burgoyne launched the Power into 2004 Grand Final – which they went on to win.

The Prelim was against St Kilda at Footy Park, and in front by a goal with 29 minutes on the clock, Shaun literally launched across Brent Guerra’s boot (who had an open goal in front of him) forcing the ball out of bounds and effectively keeping the Power in front.

The way that Shaun describes his injury and fatigue leading up to the moment, and his desire to contribute in a clutch moment is written perfectly – and he notes that Port supporters still talk to him about that passage of play.

A dirty day

The 2007 Grand Final flogging at the hands of Geelong goes down as one of the least favourite days of Shaun’s career. The way he describes the 119-point thumping certainly resonates as you read it.

After going into the game full of confidence, the loss was hard for Shaun and Port to cop. He describes it as completely demoralising, the worst single shift he put in on the field and wanting to dig a hole and crawl inside – despite all the post-match commitments that needed attending to.

“As a football club, we tried to put it in the rear vision mirror,” he writes. “But we failed, because we were fatally wounded.”

A build-up of discontent

There are a number of passages throughout the first half of the book that indicate Shaun’s discontent with Port Adelaide as a club – a build-up that ultimately made his decision to leave fairly straight forward.

These included the trading of good mate and Norm Smith Medalist Byron Pickett to Melbourne, the decision to give Dom Cassisi the captaincy of the club (a title he craved), the treatment of brother Peter in his later years, and the treatment of his injuries (which will be elaborated on shortly).

It’s a tremendous insight into the frustrations of an AFL footballer that the general public don’t get to see, feel or understand  - until we read about it in their books at the end of their careers.

Extraordinary Injury insight

In round three of 2009, Shaun did his knee. He knew it too and pleaded with the medicos the next day to go for scans to determine the extent of the injury. However the medical department were convinced it was just bone bruising, that scans weren’t necessary and that he should keep playing.

The club flew him to Melbourne for the round four game against Hawthorn – he was a late withdrawal, and the next day, his knee had gone purple from the fitness testing he was put through.

Finally he got his scans, surgery to repair joint damage and cracked bone, and was forced to rest on the sidelines.

Around seven weeks into rehab Burgoyne was told he needed to start running again or he would be placed on the long-term injury list and be forced to miss another eight weeks minimum. The club encouraged him to take painkilling injections and assured him there would be no long-term ramifications for taking the jabs before every session – he was eventually on up to six needles a week.

It did do more damage, and was in stark contrast to the advice he was given when he got to Hawthorn – patience, rest, time to recover. The resentment directed towards the medical team at the Power was immense.

Sydney heartbreak – but for other reasons

Shaun went into the 2012 Grand Final in the worst possible way – nursing an injury that should have ruled him out. The ankle syndesmosis he suffered in the second quarter of the Prelim against Adelaide was serious and in normal circumstances would have ruled him out for three to four weeks. He had it drained, multiple cortisone jabs, and didn’t train in grand final week.

The Grand Final against the Swans is a game that Shaun said left him and the team with regrets. He couldn’t feel his foot, doubted his ability as a result and was barely able to walk the next day – scans later revealed he ripped all the ligaments in his ankle, had surgery straight away (two days after the game), and spent six weeks couch bound except for when he needed to go to the loo.

Six weeks later after getting the all clear to drive back to Adelaide he got a lump in his calf giving him discomfort. It ended up turning into an emergency trip to hospital as he had three blot clots including one that was seven centimetres long. Home hospital for another three weeks – and Shaun was itching to get back to right the wrongs of 2011 and 2012.

The iconic game / moment versus Geelong

Best just to use his exact words for this one:

“I think that’s what inspired me in that preliminary final – those do-or-die games really got my juices flowing. I had been playing down back for a portion of the match, but by the time that last quarter came around, I was playing forward because I’d copped a slight knock in a tackle. And it sounds silly, but I remember as clear as a bell thinking I need to do something to turn this around!”

“My running goal had given us the lead. It was my third for the game and would become one of the best-known moments of my whole career.”

“We won by five points. Finally we had conquered Geelong, and I was about to play in my fourth grand final.”

Grand Final Redemption

There was a sense of relief in Shaun’s words writing about the 2013 flag, and despite having to wait a fair while to celebrate as he needed to provide urine samples for ASADA, he did have a great night with his family and friends.

Interestingly, Shaun gives a fair piece of space to praising the selfless, team role that now coach Sam Mitchell played on the day, sacrificing his own role for the betterment of the team.

Shaun was also happy with his own game on Hayden Ballantyne - keeping him goalless, and noted how good it was to sing ‘Horses’ led by Brent Guerra and to win a flag with the likes of Max Bailey and Brian Lake.

Bye bye Buddy

Interesting to read about the turn of events of Buddy leaving for Sydney, from the point of view of one of his teammates. Shaun clearly held no grudge towards Buddy taking up the huge offer, and in fact suggested most players would take the deal.

He also revealed he had no idea about it throughout the season, or even in the celebrations in the aftermath of winning the flag that Buddy was gone.

It wasn’t until the day after when celebrating at someone’s house, he realised that Franklin was absent so called him to come down and have a few beers. Buddy declined saying he had stuff to do, and later he got a text from someone saying that Buddy had signed.

The playing group was totally blindsided by the Sydney element of the deal – much like the rest of the footy world.

The perfect game

“I think the 2014 Grand Final is the best team performance I have ever been involved in.”

On the eve of the finals the team went for a bonding weekend to Damian Monkhorst’s farm, where they finally eyeballed the hype around winning back-to-back flags and what it meant. Jason Dunstall presented there which left lasting effects on the playing group.

Shaun recaps Grand Final day talking about how everything went the way they had planned, discussed Hodge, Clarkson and how Dunstall was right discussing how special defending your crown is.

It also had him reflective on the move from Port, the injuries, and his family who helped him along the journey.

It had me reflective too – what a day.

Essendon and drugs

Absolutely no sympathy – Shaun made it very very clear that he had no sympathy for what the Essendon players were going through – that as professional athletes, what happened to them was their own responsibility.

He contends there are no short cuts for hard work, and at the end of the day you are responsible for what goes into your body.

Shaun was sick of the attention the subject got and was tired of all the media reporting – it was very much a black and white issue and he grew tired of it, tuning out from the whole saga.

Three-peaters

Best summed up in dot points – there is toooooo much:

• The whole world was against Hawthorn after losing the first final to West Coast in Perth to open the finals campaign in 2015, with Luke Hodge firmly in the spotlight.

• Shaun recalls how backs-to-the-wall was how we liked it – Hodge was best on ground as we thumped the Crows the next week, and headed to Freo for a prelim full of confidence. (He even has a crack at the Dockers and their defensive brand of footy.)

• After the Freo win, Shaun knew we were up for the challenge. And we revelled in the underdog status once again heading to the big day.

• Teamwork modelled on the unselfishness of the San Antonio Spurs was the theme for the game, and the team headed into the game with a share the ball mantra.

• Written on the whiteboard before the game was a single line: “Time to go hunting.”

• Absolute homage paid to Cyril – how brilliant he was and the incredible ‘Cyril’ chants from the crowd raising the hair on his neck.

• In the post match celebrations, Daryl Braithwaite performed ‘Horses’ – recalling the whole threepeat dynasty as “great, wonderful times”.

Premature retirement

Interesting that after we lost to Gold Coast for the first time in history – during the first four losses of 2017, Shaun called up his wife Amy to tell her he decided to retire.

Andrew Russell basically talked Shaun out of it, advising him to go home, talk it out with Amy, take some extra time out if needed, but to consider the decision before making it.

Shaun expressed his delight at having listened to the advice – to continue his career playing for Hawthorn.

The indigenous connection

The indigenous theme flows throughout the entire book and you feel connected to Shaun, his journey, and his people. However, the most powerful connection is how Shaun describes events around the Adam Goodes fiasco seeing him pushed out of the game, as well as other incidents of racism levelled at indigenous players (notably his description of how Eddie Betts was often vilified).

“We all know what that looks like and sounds like. It’s racism. By the time any officials representing our game stood up and tried to do something about it, it was way too late.

“Some of the people I’m talking about are the most powerful people in the game. The presidents and the coaches, for starters. They could have called it out – we could have stopped it had we all acted when we needed to. A strong message of support for Adam needed to be sent. And we didn’t do that at the outset.”

Winding down

The final few chapters of the book delves into a number of interesting matters – to many to go into detail. But we are provided with a wonderful glimpse into:

• The three year playing / administration offer from the Gold Coast which ended up being a legitimate 50/50 decision in terms of staying;

• Amy having mini-strokes and the long road to recovery;

• The 400-game milestone;

• Alastair Clarkson; and

• Retirement.

Silk. Football. Family. Respect is out now through Harper Collins Australia (RRP $45.00).

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