AFL cult hero Oleg Markov had “a Bunnings snag with the onion underneath” before he was a very late inclusion for Collingwood’s clash with North Melbourne on Saturday.
The 2023 premiership player was called upon by Magpies coach Craig McRae after Bobby Hill and Scott Pendlebury pulled out of the 23 in the hours before the game.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Collingwood utility’s Bunnings preparation for unlikely game.
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Markov wasn’t even listed as an emergency — which is a point of contention in itself — when he was jettisoned in to play against the Roos.
He came in and had an impact, kicking a goal from 13 disposals in 69 per cent game time.
Speaking to Triple M after the game, Markov said footy was the last thing on his mind when he got the call.
“This afternoon I was actually doing some renos on my house, so I was at Bunnings, and I got a call from Fly,” he said.
“I couldn’t really hear him, I thought he said we’ve got two out, this was at about 3.30pm, and I thought he just meant come as an emergency.
“Then I hear him talking about ‘you can play forward, you can play wing, you can play back, you’re very versatile, you’ve got a good head on you — just get down here’.
“And I hung up and I thought, I think he said sub, but I’m not sure.
“So, I said to my partner, I said, look, let’s just get in the car, I need to go home, I think I need to get ready, I might be playing.
“She goes, ‘Did you not ask?’, and I go, ‘Nah, I was too deep in the conversation to even ask, so I’m just going to show up and I’m hopeful that I’m playing’.”
Asked how the renovations were going, Markov laughed: ‘Yeah, good.
“I was meant to put the floor down in the kitchen and the living room today, and I’ll tell you one thing, it’s much better playing at Marvel, so I think we’ll get some experts to put it in tomorrow because I’m a bit sore.”
And though Markov’s pre-game preparation is a unique and funny story — similar to that of Brisbane premiership player Logan Morris when he made his debut last year — it has raised questions over how it was allowed by the AFL, and what the point of emergencies is, if not to replace late omissions.
“Surprised the AFL approved this,” 7NEWS Melbourne’s Mitch Cleary said of the late change.
“Understand the 2x late Pies changes bobbed up in the arvo, but you should have to exhaust the 3x emergencies before going outside the squad. Otherwise, why have emergencies?
“Parker replaced Pendlebury, one of DeMattia/West should’ve replaced Hill.”
In 2024, Morris famously made his debut in a night match for Brisbane after having played a full game in the reserves during the day, after which he had a bowl of soup and some McDonald’s for a post-match feed — not realising it would also end up being his pre-match fuel.
