Cresswell autobiography

[dimelb]

Yesterday The Age's Good Weekend ran an extract from Daryn Cresswell's autobiography, mostly about the events leading up to his trial and imprisonment. I expect the SMH did the same. It's a very disturbing story, if fairly well known by now, about getting hooked on betting (racehorses - apparently the favoured mode for AFL footballers) and the dire consequences including the breakup of his marriage and reduced contact with his children.

Today's Age had an extract about doing time: Doing time: one man's journey through disgrace and back

I'm not sure how far he is rehabilitated - the extracts don't go that far - and while I'd want to see him reconstruct his life and make some sort of reparation, it's hard to get past the damage done.
And two bits of trivia:
1. I've often seen him referred to as Cressa; in the papers it seems to be Crezza, which I've never previously seen.
2. I don't think it's going to appear in the automated RSS feed, but I personally feel it would be a mistake to simply ignore it.

[woo]

He was a great player and still holds one of the best onfield moments in my memory ( knocking his knee back in place ) but his life post footy doesn't need a book written surely ?

[GoSouth33]

Yes, I thought it was always spelt "Cressa".
This is a terribly sad story for someone from the Swans family. I think the club should make the book compulsory reading for all the players at the club just to help them avoid similar pitfalls in life.
As for Cressa, I hope he can sort his life out and maybe turn things around. It'll be hard for him but maybe someone will give him a chance to do something with football even though his track record hasn't been good in that regard. From memory his tenure with the Tassie Devils in the VFL ended badly.

[Swansinger]

It's not my place to judge him for his non-football life. So I will take this opportunity merely to remember my favourite DC moment , when he milked the free from Motlop v North Melbourne at the SCG and got us over the line , after the final siren :

AFL- Daryn Cresswell goal after the Siren - YouTube

I was very close to the spot and expressed considerable exuberance after the goal. Or should I say , I went bloody nuts !!

[dawson]

He was the man in 1996. First of all there was his goal against Hawthorn in the first week of the finals. Second, there would have been no Plugger's Point had Cresswell not leveled the scores beforehand.
He came to the team in 1992 when we were a mess. It took him 18 games until he played in a win. In his first 40 games he only played in 2 wins. From this he would go only to play in a Grand Final.

Off the field his life may be a mess but on the field he was one of the Swans' best ever players.

[MightyBloods]

He was the man in 1996. First of all there was his goal against Hawthorn in the first week of the finals. Second, there would have been no Plugger's Point had Cresswell not leveled the scores beforehand.
He came to the team in 1992 when we were a mess. It took him 18 games until he played in a win. In his first 40 games he only played in 2 wins. From this he would go only to play in a Grand Final.

Off the field his life may be a mess but on the field he was one of the Swans' best ever players.

I agree. I lived in Sydney in the mid 90's and I was very close to the Swans players. Reading this makes me feel guilty as I was giving Crezza money for drinks at the Bondi club. I've never thought much of it but when I heard about his money problems I always would think about that night. A great player in the red and white but sadly lost over the boundary line.

[BillyRayCypress]

Somehow I don't think Matthew Scarlett will be buying a copy.

I didn't like the tone of the way it was written and won't be bothering in buying a copy. From memory, he did a few more things than just gamble the money.

Wait for it to get to the 99 cent bin.