Not to be deterred by the events of 2020, the Coodabeen Champions have produced a new book chronicling 40 football seasons on the airwaves.
Ordinarily a highlight of the Melbourne Cricket Club’s (MCC) Grand Final week celebrations, Brownlow Night with the Coodabeens will unfortunately not go ahead in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.While the team are disappointed that the 15th edition of the popular members function will have to wait another year, they have been hard at work in 2020 producing a new book which is now available to purchase.
The Coodabeen Champions: 40 Footy Seasons celebrates the history of the unique broadcasting team – from their beginnings on community radio to national success on the ABC. It features highlights from some of the Coodabeens’ most popular segments including Covey’s Quiz, Guru Bob, Greg’s songs, bush footy stories and Torch’s Footy Talk Back.
Inducted into the MCG Media Hall of Fame in 2003, the Coodabeens’ ties run deep with the MCC.
“In the process [of writing this book], we realised how many links we have to the MCC and the MCG,” the Coodabeens’ Ian Cover said.
“Apart from Brownlow night, we’ve done countless outside broadcasts [at the MCG], as well as appearing at two Grand Finals and the State of Origin match when Ted Whitten made his emotional farewell to football.”
“We also did a national broadcast from the old Long Room the night before the wreckers moved in to start work on the new Northern stand,” Cover said.
As for the eventual staging of the 15th edition of the Brownlow function for MCC members, Cover and the team are optimistic.
“As the old footy saying goes, there’s always next year,” Cover said.
The Coodabeen Champions: 40 Footy Seasons is now available to purchase via the Coodabeen Champions website.