7 April 2001
Consider numbers worn by top footballers. Number 16 for example. Scott Camporeale, Paul Barnard, Travis Johnstone, Warren Tredrea, Ben Holland and Anthony Rocca when he played at coat hanger city.
Yet there is an individual that didn't get the fanfares or 21 gun salutes or speeches of appreciation from the Governor General. The man was Andrew McGovern who was remembered for being cool and steady. Sydney gave him the 16 guernsey when he was drafted from WAFL club Claremont with 1991 national draft pick number 4. Big Mac didn't have the classic Adonis physique a la Wayne Carey and Mick Conlan. Instead McGovern was generously built. He had the body shape that would have Don Scott extolling the value of definition. Andrew McGovern and Wayne Harmes were cast from similar moulds.
McGovern had a heavyweight surname. George McGovern ran for US President against Nixon in 1972. In the same year, Maureen McGovern sang The Morning After, the signature song from the ship capsize disaster movie The Poseidon Adventure.
The Andrew variety proved his worth early in 1992. During the round 2 game against the Eagles at the SCG, the big bloke had the ability to get rolling off half back and create goal scoring chances. He set up a major for Barry Mitchell in the third term. Minutes of tension ticked by in the last quarter when less than a kick separated both sides. McGovern broke the deadlock. Starting in the midfield, he threw extra coal on the fire and built up a full head of steam. Shrugged the tackles of Kemp and the lunging Peter Matera. Lined up the big whites and drilled the match winning six pointer. Swans home 14.14 to 14.11. Of course West Coast won the flag that year.
On to 1993. Round 3. St Kilda with a sonic boom of top form at the time gave the Swannies a nice old towelling at the stadium with a heritage listing. McGovern unhooked a 55 metre set shot goal halfway through the third but it was not enough. Saints victorious 20.12 to 13.16.
Round 13. Melbourne at the SCG. The Bloods started like they'd been shot from a shanghai. Richard Osborne 4 snags in the first and Synney 5 goals up at quarter time. It was a stroll in Centennial Park for the locals. McGovern played in the back half that day. When the Demons rallied after half time, their spirit was broken by two McGovern marks which prevented certain goals. His second catch was running back with the flight of the ball into the unknown. A Swans win by the length of Bell Street.
For reasons never explained, the red and whites delisted McGovern at the end of 1993 after 20 games for 7 goals. He returned to Claremont for '94. Gerard Neesham just happened to be in charge so when he became inaugural Fremantle coach he enticed Macca to the Dockers. The new guy in purple accepted the number 43 jumper perhaps the inspiration for Kouta and Dean Rioli and Guy Rigoni and Brett Moyle.
A. Mac took some gutsy marks in the 1995 round 2 game versus Essendon at the WACA. Freo lost by 9 points 11.16 to 12.19. Andrew showed disregard for his own safety during the 1997 round 21 Geelong game at Subiaco. He ran back into a pack and busted his ankle. The 1998 round 6 stone splitter against Port Adelaide at Footy Park. Macca collided with Shayne Breuer. Shayne's lights went straight out. And as in the movie the McGovern ship capsized. Round 12. The courageous Docker bounced back to boot a telling goal against the Dogs but not enough to stem a defeat 15.6 to 18.14.
Andrew McGovern called it a career at the end of 1998. At Freo he played a serviceable 44 games.
He returned to Claremont to continue his Poseidon Adventure.