celebrated the AFL’s Multicultural Round on Thursday night, with another all-star guest list, live on NITV.
Marngrook hosts Grant Hansen and Gilbert McAdam welcomed special guests Western Bulldogs premiership coach Luke Beveridge, Richmond’s Jason Castagna, Geelong’s Sam Menegola and Fremantle AFLW star , along with panelists Kevin Bartlett, Doug Hawkins, Leila Gurruwiwi, Shelley Ware and Rohan Connolly.
Castagna, 21, joined the show to a typically unique Marngrook welcome.
“Now I understand, in Italian, that name means chestnut. Is that right?,” Hansen asked.
“That’s correct,” Castagna said.
“He runs like a horse,” McAdam noted, to much enjoyment from the live studio audience.
“That’s a horse,” McAdam tried explained of the term chestnut, with confused shrugs of resignation.
Castagna went on to explain how he had to work hard to establish himself among Richmond’s best, having started his AFL career working off the rookie list.
“It’s been good this year to kind of have that permanent role down forward and get my spot there,” he said.
Richmond Tigers, Jason Castagna joins the Marngrook Footy Show panel Source: NITV
Talk then turned to Multicultural Round in the AFL.
“You said before that you’re of Italian heritage and this week is Multicultural Round and of course you’ve got Daniel Rioli and Shane Edwards there during Indigenous Round,” Gurruwiwi said.
“How does it feel being able to celebrate Multicultural Round being from a multicultural background?”
“Yeah, pretty good,” Castagna said.
“I guess to represent my family and their background, my Nonno doesn’t know a heap about footy but he’ll still come along and cheer. So yeah, it’s good to represent them.”
Among other interesting anecdotes, Castagna explained how he ended up with teammate Dan Butler’s initials, as well as a table tennis paddle, tattooed on his backside.
McAdam was also interested to find out how former St Kilda and Brisbane AFL player and ex-NT Thunder NEAFL coach Xavier Clarke was going at Punt Road.
Rohan Connolly asks Richmond's Jason Castagna if he'd leave the club for a hefty pay increase Source: NITV
“I’m really proud when I see an Indigenous person go into the coaching role and the coaching capacity,” McAdam said.
“And I know Xavier Clarke’s out at Richmond at the moment and it’s great Xavier, you’re flying the flag, keep it up brother, it’s great to see you doing it.
“I’m really proud when I see an Indigenous person go into the coaching role and the coaching capacity - and I know Xavier Clarke’s out at Richmond at the moment and it’s great Xavier, you’re flying the flag, keep it up brother, it’s great to see you doing it."
“What’s your relationships and how’s he going with it and is he enjoying it?,” McAdam asked Castagna.
“Yeah X has been awesome. He’s kind of fit in really well and really quickly when he came down. He’s got that role with the mids.
“He’s been really good. A great personality and great around the club.”
Bentley then joined the panel as the match expert, helping analyse the bulk of this weekend’s AFL games, as well as giving an insight into where her AFLW pathway is at with Fremantle after the inaugural season.
“Yeah we had a few major injuries but 18 players have been retained and at the moment we’re in pre, pre-season so not under contract but training under, I guess passion,” she said.
Hansen congratulated Bentley on being picked in the Allies squad for the AFL Women’s state of origin match to be played at Etihad Stadium on September 2.
Dockers player, Kirby Bentley joins the Marngrook Footy panel Source: NITV
“It’s expected to be 40,000 to attend the game,” Bentley said.
“I was a bit taken back to be named in the team after my performance (in AFLW). I was underdone and it wasn’t what I was expecting but yeah, I’ll look forward to the game.”
Hansen then made the announcement that NITV will be broadcasting the WA Women’s grand final in 2017.
Bulldogs premiership coach Beveridge joined the panel next, allowing them to revisit a show from earlier in the year, when Kevin Bartlett playfully suggested Beveridge wasn’t far away from being on Hansen’s coaching chopping block.
“The grocery bill needs to come down then,” Beveridge said. “You’ve got to understand, it’s not just my family that need bread on the table, it’s all those charities I donate to, there’s a lot of knock-on effect here,” he added, playfully.
Bentley says she was 'a bit taken back' to be named in the State of Origin team after her AFLW performance. Source: NITV
Beveridge gave a detailed and honest insight into where the Bulldogs are at, that they haven’t been good enough this year and where they are improving as a team, but also individually.
Hansen then celebrated Beveridge being a part of the Greek team of the century, much to the surprise of Doug Hawkins.
Menegola joined the show to help close the episode, following regular segments Footy Fanatics, with Shelley Ware getting to know Jamie Pi, who has been a part of the AFL’s multicultural coaches program at St Kilda, and Connolly’s Rounds of our Lives.
For more football news and to be a part of the conversation, head to The Marngrook Footy Show’s Facebook and Twitter pages, or watch Thursday’s episode in full catch up service.
