Footy Legends

Went to see "Footy Legends" an Australian movie that will probably only be released in Sydney. It was awesome.

Low budget movie featuring a lot of footy fan set in Sydney's Western Suburbs. BTW - when I say "footy" I mean Rugby League. Big but somehow coordinated people running headlong into each other and trying to stop the other team scoring through the application of brute force. Made by the yong Australian of the Year - a title given to major do-gooders - its a feel good "the little engine that could" story about no-hopers who form a footy team and enter in the "Holden Cup".
The Young Aussie of the year plays a battler from Yagoona (where he grew up and I went to high school near here) who has been unemployed for months. He has looked after his asthmatic sister since their mother died. They're struggling, but very close. When he arrives home one day in high spirits, having caught a tortoise for her, Community Services is waiting. He has to show cause in court why the child should not be placed in care.

Anyway - the story is pretty lam-o, but struck a huge chord with me as it showed all the fucked-up-dom of where I grew up, the fibro houses, the messed up families, and features some awesome aussie slang. The team they form is called the Yagoona Schooners and have sponsors' logos stuck to their jerseys with tape. The locals from the pub down the road cheer them of with calls like: "Carn 'Goona, we love youse all"

In the cup they end up playing all the crazy footy greats - and even though I'm not a rugby fan now, I recognized Brett Kenny, Bradley Clyde, Cliff Lyons and Rod Wishart.