You are Essendon or you are Hawthorn. And never the twain shall meet. Unless you are the Gunstons, a family divided this week, with Ray, a former VFA footballer, longtime Bomber supporter and former board member, now the club’s interim chief executive, and his son Jack, an emerging star forward for the Hawks. Will this make for a frosty Friday night at Etihad Stadium? Father and son are not so sure. 

Ray Gunston
‘I played VFA footy, which was pretty rugged, but a good level that I really enjoyed. With my build, that’s why I was quick. I had to get out of the way.

Jack was small for his size when he learned to play the game, but now that he has grown taller, he has the attributes to play as a marking forward while he’s also good around his knees and his ankles. That makes him a tough opponent. And he plays smart.

I taught him to kick when he was younger, but I certainly didn’t teach him the way he holds the footy now, or take any credit now for his accuracy (Jack has kicked 15.3 from set shots this year). He’s done that all by himself.

The role of parents in (AFL) footy is to always be there and be supportive and last year’s Grand Final was no different. We got down to the rooms afterwards and had a chat to Jack, but it was a real credit to Hawthorn and what they did. It was a heartbreaking loss, but Alastair Clarkson was terrific the way he spoke to the group. It helped everyone deal with what was a pretty crushing loss.

My favourite goal might be his first for Hawthorn, in the opening game of last year against Collingwood at the MCG in front of 80,000. He came on in the final quarter as the sub and kicked one from outside 50 on the boundary, which went straight through. Under that sort of pressure, it was a quality goal.

Jack had no choice when he was a kid. He had an Essendon jumper on him pretty quickly and we’d go along as a family.

It would have been nice for him to be at Essendon, but it was his decision to leave Adelaide and join Hawthorn. We were there for advice and input when he asked. I was really proud of the way he did all that, but he did make his mother (Mandy) happy when  he came home.

We normally talk a couple of times a week, but I reckon there will be less discussion with Jack this week.

I go to every game he plays – even interstate – but I’m a very nervous father who can’t sit in one spot when he’s playing. I haven’t worked out what I’m going to do on Friday night, but  I know it’s going to be very difficult.

I like to be by myself and to wander about when he plays. I have done that all the way along since he played in the juniors at Beaumaris.

I concentrate on his play and we’ll talk about bits and pieces afterwards. It has always been important for me to give Jack some perspective if he is interested in my thoughts.

As the chief executive of Essendon, I’m supposed to be looking after our guests on Friday night, but the people I’ve invited know what I’m like. I’ve been negotiating with Mandy about whether I can sneak off and find some space for myself.

I don’t think James Hird would ever ask me who should play on Jack, but he has been playing at a level where he has been getting plenty of exposure, so I’m sure the coaches will put the work into him.

It will be a terrific night. My hope is that Jack will have a good game and that Essendon will have  a good win. If that happens, then  I’ll have no complaints.’

Jack Gunston

‘Dad was a good handy player for Brunswick in the VFA and for Strathmore in the EDFL (Essendon District Football League). I hear from people  that he was a hard-running half-forward flanker who kicked a lot of goals.  I’m a bit taller, but in  that respect we are  a bit similar.

My kicking is a mixture of watching other people and what I have taught myself. I try to make my routine as simple and as easy as possible, go back to my mark, know how many steps I need to take and where I want the ball to go.

I was an Essendon supporter and I ran out with the team once on a Friday night as the mascot. My first ever jumper had Ryan O’Connor’s number, but then I progressed to Matthew Lloyd. He was my favourite, but I also looked up to James Hird as well.

It was never an option to play  for Essendon when I decided to come home from Adelaide. I never even spoke to them. It just worked out really well that I was able to  get to Hawthorn.

I usually talk to Dad before and after each match. I’ve been doing that ever since I have played footy and I’m sure that this week we’ll have a family dinner on the Wednesday or Thursday night and there’ll be a bit of banter, which will be good.

The thing about getting Dad a ticket is that it has to be somewhere up on level three so he can get up and wander around the whole game. He doesn’t want to sit with anyone else.

I talk to my coaches every week, but I love getting Dad’s advice because there might be things he has seen that someone else hasn’t. He probably knows my game better than anyone. He knows the patterns I run and the way I play so anything he tells me,  I’m more than happy to take on board.

Hawthorn-Essendon are always big games. I’ve only been there for two years, but we still have a couple of boys who played back in the days when it got a bit willing.

I didn’t get too caught up in the rivalry when I was an Essendon supporter. I never hated Hawthorn, but many Essendon fans do and  I know that for Hawthorn supporters, these games are always a big deal.

Mum is a Geelong supporter and she’s never jumped across to Essendon, so I think she’ll be on my side on Friday night. I hope my sister, Kate, will be as well.

I think if Dad played for Essendon, I would get extra pleasure out of beating them. But it’s a bit different when he’s behind the scenes. I’m not allowed to bet on the game so perhaps the wager will be that if we win, he has to wear a Hawthorn scarf the next time we go out for dinner.’