FOOTBALL scouts scour the country, even the world, looking to discover a sportsman who stands out like Collie local Stephen Michael did 39 years ago.
The 19 year old had no idea his talent was about to take him to the highest rankings in the West Australian Football League when he left his family to join the South Fremantle Football Club in 1975.
He is famously known as the footballer who could win a game alone, this has been recognised with many awards the most prominent being acknowledged into the AFL hall of fame.
His skills on the field could have taken him to Victoria for $80,000 a year but his loyalty to Western Australia and his family saw him play 212 unforgettable games as ruckman and ruck rover at South Fremantle, a decision Mr Michael has never regretted.
"I didn't get paid a great deal, certainly not what they get today but I was happy at Fremantle," Mr Michael said.
"I wasn't after big dollars and I believe in my time the best footballers from 1976 to the mid 80s were in Western Australia so why would you want to play anywhere else?
"If I went to Melbourne, sure big money, big arena but that's because the population is so big and the state so small.
"In WA the state is big and population small but we played in front of bigger crowds here.
"We still hold the record at the Subiaco Oval for 54,000 people at a grand final game and I was happy to be a part of that."
Mr Michael has watched football change over the years, especially the pay packets footballers now receive.
Playing football was just one of Mr Michael's responsibilities, through the day he would drive trucks for nine hours and in the evening attend training.
"Footballers had to work otherwise they couldn't afford to live," he said.
"I think today's players get paid too much.
"I played footy for 11 years and that's a long time but all players know it's not going to last forever.
"Some of these kids at the moment are retiring a lot earlier now and if they haven't been smart with their money then it's tough for them."
Leaving home for Mr Michael was hard, especially moving to the big city where he didn't have any family or friends.
He had been playing for the Kojonup Football Club since being a junior, when he was asked to move to South Fremantle.
He remembers being excited but upset to leave his family.
"In the Aboriginal culture you are bonded to your mum and dad, brothers and sisters so it makes it hard for young Aboriginal kids to move away from home," Mr Michael said.
"For me it wasn't all that bad because I could travel two and a half hours back home if I needed to.
"South Fremantle was a very good move though. Fremantle has a number of different cultures so racism wasn't there at all, nobody to look down their nose at you.
"I think South Fremantle had the most indigenous people playing for them in WA."
Mr Michael looks back on his childhood fondly. He was the eldest but certainly not the tallest of his 11 brothers and sisters.
His dad worked long hours on the railways for a pittance but always managed to make a South Fremantle game on payday. "Mum and dad would catch the coach up. They were very supportive and I was fortunate enough to have strict parents who taught me discipline as a kid," Mr Michael said.
"I met some great people through the club and the games I played."
As a ruckman and ruck rover Mr Michael never missed a game and played against Western Australia's top players.
"The best ruckman I was ever up against would have to be Graham Moss who played for Claremont. He was the fairest guy and I had a lot of respect for him," Mr Michael said.
"Other great players were Barry Cable, Billy Walker and Noel Carter, they all stood out on the field. Mel Brown from South Fremantle would have to be my best coach."
Mr Michael moved to Collie in his late 20s and is a proud supporter of the Collie Eagles.
"It's a very good, strong club with a lot of great players at the moment, including the juniors."
