Meet the ultimate footy mum
Jackie Epstein | May 11, 2008 12:00am
FAY Tuck remembers growing up in the Ablett household with football, football and more football. It was everything - and the game of choice for everyone in and around Drouin.
Fay used to terrorise her football-loving brothers, Len, Graham, Geoff, Kevin and Gary, until the age of 15 when they became too big and their path clearer.
"We were a family with eight kids who knew nothing else but football," she said.
"And everyone would come from miles away to play.
"It really wasn't a big deal to us. It's funny isn't it, how other people see it."
From modest beginnings the name Ablett has become ingrained in the football psyche.
Through the deeds of the brothers and through the next generation of Gary's children, Gary Jr and Nathan at Geelong, and Kevin's son, Luke, with Sydney.
Fay married Michael Tuck - who played a VFL/AFL record 426 games, for Hawthorn - and her sons, Shane and Travis, continue the genetic link, playing for Richmond and Hawthorn.
Through her family ties, Fay, in many ways, has become the ultimate lady of football.
"It hasn't always been an easy road," she said.
"With every kick in the butt, with every disappointment you become a stronger person. You learn more.
"I believe in being a realist. It's not all rosy like people think it is.
"It's been harder for our boys, the expectations. Clubs expect them to be as good as their father. They shouldn't compare fathers and sons or brothers.
"I'm just proud of our two boys because they've done it the hard way. They didn't get the silver spoon in their hand. People think, 'Oh because they're Michael Tuck's sons they get an easy ride', but it's been the opposite, actually."
Fay watches as many matches as she can with Michael and their daughter, Renee.
She is part of the Richmond Tiger Lilies group, which involves the women of Punt Rd and will include a special function at the MCG for the June 7 match against Adelaide.
She has an inherent knowledge of football, but has learned how to cope with its impact and consequences.
Since retiring as perhaps the game's greatest player, Gary has been embroiled in controversy.
"I can tell when people walk in the door (they think), 'Oh I'm outta here'," Fay said when people discover she is related to the Ablett clan.
"There are things you can't learn at school and you can't read out of a book. And how fickle people can be. It's the greatest learning experience, which you can't learn on the street.
"The sad part is some guys who play football, people say they're supposed to be role models. But why? They have the right to be treated like a normal human being.
"And our family are very earthy people.
"I know you get your smart alecs and your modest guys, but, really, at the end of the day it's very sad.
"Nobody realises how sad it is until something happens to them.
"They hit the top and they haven't done the steps in between and been given the words of wisdom. And then people expect so much out of them and they haven't learned how to handle that when they get to the top.
"I think that's sad. Most of them are like that. And then their hearts get ripped out because they can't lead a normal life."
Gary has returned to the fold for his sons and, as a family, they watched last year's Grand Final.
It wasn't until the final quarter that they acknowledged the long-awaited premiership was theirs to savour.
"My dad (Alf) was at home because he's been crook and my mum (Colleen) came with us. My sister, Julie, sat with Dad and at about the 20-minute mark of the last quarter, Dad said to Julie, 'Oh I think we've got it now'," she said.
"Geelong were that far in front. It was theirs, but you just never know.
"I get surprised by how people get mesmerised with the football.
"They'd change places with us tomorrow. We always want what we haven't got. But it never worried me, I don't think I'm any better than anyone else.
"A lot of people think they're somebody, but they're really no different."
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23675680-19742,00.html
