Dr Garry Fawcett MBE

Garry the original founder member and legend of Melbourne Rugby Football Club started his rugby at King Edwards School and went on to play for the Old Boys. His rugby career commenced at hooker with a short spell at fly half after he broke his kneecap. The teacher deemed this a suitable position in the circumstances. He went on to Newcastle University where he obtained his degree in mechanical engineering. Garry recalls an interesting statistic from when he was at Newcastle. The Newcastle Student Union consumed 6 times as much beer as any other Student Union in the UK. Garry has always been a strong believer in upholding traditions.

Garry later played for Davenport Rugby Club near Manchester until he came with wife Nell to her family home of Brook Farm in Wilson in 1979. Then played for Coalville Rugby Club and was 1st Team Captain at the time he was instrumental in setting up Melbourne Rugby Club.

Garry has held varied positions Committee and otherwise within Melbourne Rugby Club. They include:- Captain, Coach, Chairman of Selectors, Chairman (representing Melbourne at Disciplinary and other Panels, preparing the application to affiliate to the RFU), Club President, Chairman of the sub-committee for the proposed MSP.

1. First position you played in rugby: Hooker

2. Worst injury: Torn right elbow ligaments

3. Best player you played with at MRFC or elsewhere: Ken Goodall – Ireland No. 8 whilst I was at University

4. Best person for post-match drinks, fun and frolics: So many

5. What should your nickname be: The Doc

6. What bad habit do you have: Snuff - but it is a good talking point/icebreaker

7. Your sporting hero: Steve Redfern - so willing to help in the early Melbourne days

8. Your non-sporting hero: Nelson Mandela - willingness to forgive

9. Favourite food/meal: Any in good company

10. Favourite TV programme/film: Once upon a time in the West

11. Favourite book: Advanced Mathematics Handbook (don’t leave home without one)

12. Who dead or alive would you like to have a conversation with: Prince Philip

13. You can take either a book, music or a tool to a desert island. Which, and what would it be: Music – Elgar's Dream of Gerontius

14. Dream job: What I did

15. Tell me something about you that no one knows: I sprinkle salt and pepper on my cold baked beans straight from the tin

16. A phrase that reflects your life: To find contentment

17. What sport do you wish you’d tried: Trying any sport I’ve not done would be enjoyable

18. Who would you like to see interviewed for this article: Tom Williams and Dave Bonner

19. Your wish for the future of MRFC: For the Club not to decline while I’m still alive

20. Your Melbourne Dream Team of players past and present

"I, like others who were active in the early years of Melbourne RFC, have been asked to provide details of my "Dream Team". The definition of this has been left to the respondent. So, for instance, should this be a team made up of the best players in the world over one's watching lifetime? Or should it be a team of the best players one has played with at one time or another? Yet another interpretation might be a team made up of the best that one has played with or watched at Melbourne RFC.

I have been unable to instantly think how to answer this general question and have not a quick list of 15 names. But I thank Andrew and Jo, of Melbourne RFC's website, for the cleverness and complexity of the request. It has resulted in my having to sit and think hard about what it is that is so special about Rugby Union teams.

So, thinking of the words "Dream Team", and 18 years after concluding 45 seasons of playing the game, do I still have dreams involving rugby? Yes I do. These normally just involve me playing in a generalised match, when my fitness was at its peak, where a key role in my position as a hooker (as the laws of the game were at that time) was to get around the park making tackles and winning breakdown ball. In my dreams I did this!
But then, of course, there are our daydreams. A feature of age is that numerous great players and moments feature in one's memories. Who, of my era, could ever forget that 1973 Barbarians try against the All Blacks? Seeing that sequence live on television at the time, when the technology did not include action replays, left me stunned and hoping that it would be re-shown in the not too distant future. What made it great? Amongst other things, the answer is the number of pairs of hands the ball passed through on its way from a bit of individual skill in defense from Phil Bennet to the final pass when the great Gareth Edwards produced that final acceleration to score the points. Other daydreams involve games I played in and players who took part in them - the fantastic skills and moments I observed, the international and other great players that I was lucky enough to play with here and there, etc.

But let's get on to that other word in the question - i.e. "Team". It is my view that Rugby Union is the ultimate team game. As a lover of sport there are many admirable types of team game and I wouldn't wish to belittle them; but a Rugby Union team has a position for every shape and size of person and, indeed, could not work as well without that variety. Learning all those elements of teamwork which harness individuals' differences is perhaps the most important factor in producing a good team. But the benefits of being part of a team extend way beyond each week's 80 minutes on the field. The post match camaraderie seals relationships with teammates and makes friends for life - not just for the 1st XV but at all levels. The lower teams where older players pass on knowledge and experience to up and coming players are also great to watch.

So, for the first League match of this 2021-2 season I travelled with others to see Melbourne gain an away win against Coalville, a club of which I was captain before the foundation of Melbourne RFC. This relationship meant that I was amongst old teammates from two clubs on a glorious sunny day. Melbourne seemed to be playing as well as ever, both forwards and backs. This has now become a new daydream. There is a long way to go and who is to say how the season will end. But that day was one to remember and has led me to the conclusion that, at this point in time, my "Dream Team" is the current Melbourne 1st XV."

Melbourne RFC

23. Academy Most Improved Player