What qualities do we want in our Australian athletes?

In the wake of the ball-tampering fiasco involving the Australian cricket team, it’s become popular to talk about what type of athletes we want representing us on the national stage.

As a country that prides itself not just on its sporting accomplishments, but the manner in which our athletes conduct themselves, the fallout and shame from what happened in South Africa has been intense.

The much over-used term ‘un-Australian’ has been bandied about, as has the equally worn out ‘hard, but fair’ line, both indicating that there are a certain set of values that Australians like our athletes to exhibit, or indeed, that the athletes themselves want to exhibit.

Yet to be brutally honest, both those phrases – and these ‘values’ in general – are a little vague and ambiguous.

Though it’s become abundantly clear, if it wasn’t already, that ‘not cheating’ is a non-negotiable.

AP Photo/Halden Krog

I obviously can’t, nor should I, talk for the entire nation. What can I outline is the characteristics, qualities and behaviours that I like to see in the sportspeople that represent our great country.

As ever, it’s always best if you have actual examples, and for me, the (green and) gold standard when it comes to representing Australia is the 1999 World Cup-winning Wallabies.

Have a quick look at the squad that defeated France in the final at Cardiff:

Matt Burke
Ben Tune
Dan Herbert
Tim Horan
Joe Roff
Stephen Larkham
George Gregan
Toutai Kefu
David Wilson
Matt Cockbain
John Eales
David Giffin
Andrew Blades
Michael Foley
Richard Harry

Jeremy Paul
Dan Crowley
Mark Connors
Owen Finegan
Chris Whitaker
Jason Little
Nathan Grey

Now that’s a collection of players I’m proud to call Australian. What a line-up.

AAP photo Dean Lewins

As team, and as a bunch of individuals, I couldn’t ask for more when it comes to embodying our national spirit. Those 22 men provide everything I’m looking for.

Respectful, classy, hard, talented, and with a just little bit of cheek.

Respectful: I want individuals that show respect. Respect for the opposition, referees and officials, rules, traditions, history, fans, past players, the sport itself, and – above all – for the nation they’re representing.

Classy: I want individuals who exude some class. Those that behave as if they’re not above the game or the fans. Those that exhibit sportsmanship. And yes, ‘not cheating’ is certainly an attribute of those that are deemed ‘classy’.

Hard: I do enjoy when Australians show toughness, especially in the face of adversity. Playing through injury or fatigue – or overcoming some type of hardship – is not always all that smart in the long run, but it still impresses me. I like the opposition to know they’re in for a fight, no matter the circumstances or the score, and I especially love it when Aussies get called ‘scrappy’ or even ‘rough’. As long as it’s not ‘dirty’.

Talented: I don’t think there is a fan anywhere in the world, in any sport, that doesn’t want their athletes to be talented, so this isn’t a uniquely Australian thing. But yes, I do want to see skilful and gifted practitioners of their particular sport, who are ultra-competitive, and put themselves in the best place to actually win.

A little bit of cheek: Lastly, but no less important, I do want to see people that echo our national personality. Australians, by and large, enjoy a laugh, often at their own expense. They are larrikins. They are cheeky. They do enjoy a little bit of banter. Ensuring such ‘talk’ doesn’t cross the line into abuse, or isn’t incongruent with the previously mentioned values, is vital, but I also don’t want to see robots that lack personality.

On that last point, there is one classic example that highlights how you can have a little bit of cheek, without being a dickhead (although I freely admit these things can get a little subjective).

In the waning minutes of the 2003 World Cup semi-final against the All Blacks, with Australia in control of the scoreboard, halfback George Gregan reminded New Zealand that they would – once again – have to wait to taste World Cup glory, by uttering the now-famous words at rival halfback Byron Kelleher: “Four more years, boys! Four more years, boys!”

I loved it. I still love it. Yes, it is sledging, but I don’t think it’s abusive, and I don’t think it’s personal or crosses any ‘line’. It’s a well-aimed barb, it’s bloody cheeky, and it’s very much Australian.

Another Aussie who ticked all my boxes was basketballer Lauren Jackson.

Athletes certainly don’t come more talented, as evidenced by her recently being named by ESPN as the 13th most dominant athlete in the world over the last 20 years. That’s a truly incredible achievement, but it’s thoroughly deserved.

‘LJ’ was tough as nails, but always maintained a wonderful humility. She also certainly had some of that famous Aussie cheek.

An incident that perfectly encapsulated all of Jackson’s tremendous qualities occurred in the women’s basketball gold medal game at the Sydney 2000 Olympics between the Australian Opals and Team USA.

Proudly representing her country and squaring off against fierce rival Lisa Leslie, Jackson’s hand got caught in Leslie’s hair extensions, and she ‘yanked’ (boom tish) the American’s fake hair out.

The feud between the two lasted for years, and Leslie never forgave Jackson for the incident. Not that Jackson cared. Here is what she said in 2003:

“She needs to get over it… talk about girly. I still haven’t had a conversation (with her). I don’t think I would, as a normal person anyway. If you’re going to wear fake hair… it’s going to fall out at some stage.”

Legend.

There are many other examples, across many other sports, that epitomise everything I value in Aussie athletes, and I’m sure Roarers will have their own, but if everyone who donned Australian colours could be like the 1999 Wallabies and Lauren Jackson, I’d certainly be proud to have their represent this great country.