Congratulations to former Demon Ray Groom on being awarded the Order of Australia (AO) for services to politics and the community. This article explains why he received the award - http://www.watoday.com.au/breaking-news-na...00126-mupy.html.

It doesn't mention that he won the AO for being a Melbourne player (1963-68) who missed the 1964 grand final through injury or for being a good bloke so I will.

I was part of a group of people celebrating a friend's birthday one weekend at the Launceston Casino and Country Club and, being non gamblers and non smokers, Redleg and I went off for a swim in the indoor pool where we met Ray Groom and his young son. Now, most people who stay at a Casino don't go there with the intention of having a dip in the pool so the four of us had the place to ourselves for about 2 hours. Ray was premier of Tasmania at the time but we spent 1% of our time discussing politics and other matters and the rest on our beloved Demons.

During his first two years at the MFC, Groom wore the number 15 but when Ron Barassi broke our hearts and defected to Carlton at the end of 1964, he was given the #31. He gave terrific service to the club as a key position player (mainly CHB) and returned to Tassie when he still fairly young. Still, as you can see from the article he had other things in life to achieve.

The bloke who took Groom's # 15 was a fair footballer too (Stan Alves) and I trust that the current custodian of the number 31 guernsey will also be a high achiever both in his sport at Melbourne and in life as well.

I was part of a group of people celebrating a friend's birthday one weekend at the Launceston Casino and Country Club and, being non gamblers and non smokers, Redleg and I went off for a swim in the indoor pool where we met Ray Groom and his young son. Now, most people who stay at a Casino don't go there with the intention of having a dip in the pool so the four of us had the place to ourselves for about 2 hours. Ray was premier of Tasmania at the time but we spent 1% of our time discussing politics and other matters and the rest on our beloved Demons.

I remember that weekend very well WJ and have always thought it funny that we were asked to call a current premier by his first name and we sat there in our bathers talking about the MFC. He was very interested in current developments and was longing for more success. That night he made an appearance in the bar with his family and I told a mate (our family doctor) to play Grand Old Flag on a nearby piano and as soon as he heard it Ray came over and sang the club song with a few of us Dee supporters. He stayed with us for a while and then went off for dinner. A really nice down to earth bloke.

I add my congratulations on his award.

PS. I hope he gets to see us play in the finals again very soon.

More congratulations!

On the other side of the political spectrum, Greg Sword was awarded an AM for services to unions and the community. The former ALP national president is also a Demon supporter who stood with Joe Gutnik for election on the losing Melbourne First ticket in the club's fiery 2001 elections. After the demise of Gabriel Szondy, he worked to bring about a reconciliation of the various factions at the club.

He gave terrific service to the club as a key position player (mainly CHB) and returned to Tassie when he still fairly young.

I'm hesitant to challenge your profound knowledge, Jack, but I 'm pretty sure I remember Ray as mainly a CHF, with an awkward, but effective, kicking style.Wasn't Bob Miller usually our CHB in Ray's time?

Can anyone else confirm or deny Ray's main position?

Jumpin' Jack, certainly when he came to the club Ray played mainly at CHF (with a couple of early games on a HBF), the CHB being "Doc" Roet. After '64, he had a lot of competition for CHF from the likes of John Lord, Graeme Jacobs, Ross Dillon and Greg Parke and he eventually moved to the backline. By 1968, which I thought was his best year for the club*, he was playing most of his games at CHB and he starred there.

Unfortunately, Tassie and his other profession called but I thought he had a lot more good football in him when he left at the end of 1968.

* so did others because he won our best & fairest.

Source: my own notes of every team selected for the MFC from 1961 to 1982.

Thanks, Jack. It's amazing how one's memory plays tricks. Come to think of it......I think he also played some good games as a "ruck-rover" as we desperately sought to replace RDB. Do you remember his funny kicking style?

Thanks, Jack. It's amazing how one's memory plays tricks. Come to think of it......I think he also played some good games as a "ruck-rover" as we desperately sought to replace RDB. Do you remember his funny kicking style?

That's right. When Barassi left I think the idea was to groom him (no pun intended) as a ruck rover but it didn't work out because he was injured. He also had to fill in at times in the ruck in a team that lacked strength in that division. He did surprisingly well for someone who was not that much over 6 feet tall.

I'm hesitant to challenge your profound knowledge, Jack, but I 'm pretty sure I remember Ray as mainly a CHF, with an awkward, but effective, kicking style.Wasn't Bob Miller usually our CHB in Ray's time?

Can anyone else confirm or deny Ray's main position?

Like you I remember him as a CHF, I guess the mind plays tricks after so many years.

Fond memories of Groom who was very underated player

Didnt stay long before going to Tassie just like Stuart Spencer

Funny, I remember him as the former Premier of Tasmania. I had no idea he played for MFC until recently.

Funny, I remember him as the former Premier of Tasmania. I had no idea he played for MFC until recently.

Has that changed your opinion of him, one way or the other?

Has that changed your opinion of him, one way or the other?

Heh, no. I had no real opinion on him anyway, I was too young to understand what was going on when he was premier; he finished up when I was 13.

Funny, I remember him as the former Premier of Tasmania. I had no idea he played for MFC until recently.

Think we all fall into that catergory dependant on age

I do vividly remember collecting the last 2 footy cards in the scanlens tv series where i got John Ibrahams from North and Ray Groom in the one pack thus completing my set

Geeze thats when Kevin Bartlet had hair