Playing in front of 85,000 at the MCG on Friday night and then heading to Albert Park on Saturday to watch one of your former schoolmates tear around the track in a Formula 1 car is not a bad 24 hours for a Melburnian.
That was how emerging Tiger Hugo Ralphsmith spent last weekend as he checked out his old Haileybury schoolmate and current McLaren driver Oscar Piastri in qualifying for his first F1 race in Australia, the day after Ralphsmith played his first senior match for Richmond this season.
Haileybury schoolmates and racing partners, Piastri and RalphsmithCredit:Getty Images
Ralphsmith is in a unique position to assess Piastri’s rapid progress through the fiercely competitive sport. Not only did he attend classes with Piastri, he actually raced with the young driver during their primary school years.
The pair was on the same team racing human-powered vehicles in the Energy Breakthough series in 2013, testing their design skills and racing ability against those from other Victorian schools, in a 14-hour challenge in country Victoria.
Ralphsmith was as alert to Piastri’s ability as former F1 driver Mark Webber and McLaren CEO Zak Brown have been recently when he watched him hare off in the contraption they had designed as part of a subject focused on conserving energy. Ralphsmith told Snap Shot the vehicle was basically a “lie-down bike”, before praising Piastri.
“He was our best rider. He just did the turns and everything else better,” Ralphsmith said.
Which doesn’t say much for the rest of Haileybury’s team, because they could not get to the chequered flag first despite having Piastri – who also happens to be a Richmond supporter – and Ralphsmith – who has a fair set of wheels too – in the team. In fact, Ralphsmith won the grand final sprint last year.
The Tiger who raced alongside Formula 1’s Piastri is a racer from way back.Credit:The Age
Piastri left Haileybury in year nine to pursue his motorsport crew in the United Kingdom reducing Ralphsmith’s contact with him but since he hit Formula One he has been as interested as anyone in his progress.
On the buses
Carlton’s Lochie O’Brien has had to fight for his career every step of the way, but he must have felt more than a little concerned when he had to make his own way to Giants Stadium on Saturday after the team bus left without him on board.
The runner needed some creativity to get to the game on time.Credit:Getty Images
But O’Brien was industrious enough to get to the ground in time to be the substitute and found himself in the game early in the second quarter when he replaced teammate Matt Owies, who hurt his hamstring.
O’Brien’s dilemma reminded Snap Shot of the great dashes to the ground that become part of football folklore. Gary Sidebottom missing the bus to VFL Park for the 1981 preliminary final is the most famous, but not necessarily this column’s favourite.
Snap Shot loves the police escort that former North and Collingwood spearhead Saverio Rocca was given to make it to Docklands in time to play in the 2005 elimination final after the birth of his child. The police later apologised to the public for assisting him to the game, although the apology was probably better directed to North supporters, as “Big Sav” only had four touches and kicked two goals.
Former Magpie and Demon Ben Kennedy had to run two kilometres to get to a game against St Kilda at the Docklands in 2013 and another Magpie, Josh Smith, did the same three years later after finding himself stuck in traffic. Former Crow and Demon Bernie Vince abandoned his car had to catch a tram and then run after being caught in a gridlock on the way to the Docklands for a pre-season match in his first season at Melbourne.
On the coach’s whiteboard
Before you go, here are …
Five key lines Snap Shot suggests Giants midfielder Stephen Coniglio could have used that may or may not have been considered dissent by umpire Craig Fleer:
- Com’è che non è un calcio di punizione? (Snap Shot is bravely backing the Google translation of “How is that not a free kick?” in Italian)
- Is that decision an April Fool’s joke, Fleery?
- Well, there’s a big, big sound, from west of the town, it’s the sound of the mighty supporters yelling “how’s that not a free kick?”
- Great call Fleery, you’ve been making them all day and that’s another one.
- Normally when I’m asked about the umpires, I say: “No comment”. Today, I say: “Absolutely no comment whatsoever”.
They said
“I’m big on that mid-season trade. I think it would be great for the game within the right parameters.” – Collingwood coach Craig McRae
But they forgot to say
“Can we have Brodie Grundy back, just for a bit, pretty please?”
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