A attempt in the Age to be humerous .....March under pump as Tigers want action from September CAMERON NOAKES
March 12, 2010 A SEETHING Richmond Football Club has angrily denied rumours it is looking to replace president Gary March with a man called Gary September in its ambitious bid to triple membership and see more finals action.
A media spokeswoman told Mongrel Punter yesterday that the club had not even heard of September, let alone spoken to him.
''Gary March is doing an outstanding job. He's not going anywhere. Who the hell is Gary September anyway? If September told you he was coming here, he's lying,'' she said.
But Mongrel Punter understands club insiders have spoken to September and are keen to lure him to the club, believing a president with the same name as the month of the AFL's ''real'' finals series would generate a positive image at Tigerland.
''We spoke to Gary March and explained to him his surname was a problem. It was suggested he could change his surname to September but he declined. Actually, he said he would change his name to Gary May. I think he thinks that sounds cool, but we told him it was September or nothing,'' a source said.
''We also asked [chief executive] Brendon Gale to change his surname to September but he thought Brendon September sounded ridiculous.''
The source said March insisted that there was nothing wrong with the month of March even though it had been explained to him ''at length'' that no one wanted to be associated with it.
He said if the $1 million was still on the table for the pre-season-premiership double perhaps people would view March with a little more respect, but unfortunately that was only offered in 2007.
''If they gave the NAB Cup a different sort of image, if they gave it FA Cup appeal, maybe people would view it in a far more positive light and this whole March thing wouldn't be a problem,'' the source said.
''But to do that they need to, first, give the cup an official name, rather than a sponsors' name that changes every few years. And they should also give the winner a carrot for the real season … maybe an invitation to play on Anzac Day; that would be something.''
Gary September would not comment on whether he had been approached by Richmond but said: ''My name is heaps better and if they had me at the bloody helm they wouldn't be bloody wooden-spoon favourites, I'll give you the tip.''
Richmond is wooden-spoon favourites with most bookmakers however Sports Alive's Gerard Daffy said Melbourne is closing and money came for the Dees after it was announced Liam Jurrah would be out for four months.
Interestingly, at Centrebet, 95 per cent of the money wagered on the spoon (nearly $20,000) is on Richmond and Port. The Power was backed in from $15 into $10 but have eased again and Centrebet's Neil Evans said those punters would be a little worried by Port's pre-season form.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/march-under-pump-as-tigers-want-action-from-september-20100311-q1je.html
