Riding horses one day, ‘riding’ football packs the next.
A group of international visitors to Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival received a crash course in Australian rules with players from Werribee Football Club at Chirnside Park last Monday.
The carnival contingent – from Japan, England, Germany and France – were guided through drills, including marking, handballing and kicking, with some even showing a natural flair for our national winter sport.
Hiroshi Ando, an assistant with the stable of one-time Melbourne Cup hopeful Bande, said his introduction to the game was this year’s grand final.
“It [watching the game] was the first thing I did when I arrived in Melbourne,” he said.
“I didn’t understand the rules, but it’s very tough. Not many people know about it in Japan.”
