Celebs pull on their boots for charity

There comes a time in every celebrity’s career when they get that lucky chance to break a stride and show they are more than just a personality – but a potential sports star in the making too.

Radio funny men Merrick Watts and Adam Spencer are no exception, and will be captaining the white and red teams in this Sunday’s Redkite celebrity AFL game, the curtain-opener for the Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide match.

As the teams gathered at the SCG on Wednesday for a training session with the Swans players before the big game, Watts was confident he could win back-to-back titles, live up to the famous number four on his back and even beat Spencer’s team on his own.

“Every year I look forward to it, in fact for twelve months I just sit around and do nothing with my life at all, planning the strategy for those two five-minute-halves that I’m going to play vigorously in on Sunday,” Watts said.

“I’m in peak fitness, I only ate three or four pies this morning for breakfast. I’m actually trying to replicate when Plugger came back in his comeback to the Swans and managed to put on an extra 20 kilos, that’s what I’ve done.

“It’s a fantastic charity, I’ve been involved with it for years, it’s a great organisation that helps out many, many families that are battling the adversities of children affected by cancer, so it is a very important day and very important awareness campaign that we’re involved in.”

For the past nine years the Swans have proudly supported Redkite, a leading Australian charity that supports children, young people and their families through the difficult journey of cancer by providing essential emotional support, financial relief and educational services.
 
The match will feature some of Australia’s favourite personalities including Tom Williams, Peter O’Brien, Angus McLaren and Humphrey B Bear.

The families supported by Redkite will be attending a lunch prior to the big game and will watch the Swans match afterwards, courteously donated by the Club.

As is always the case in the lead up to the year’s big game, Adam Spencer and Merrick Watts go head-to-head in talking up their side’s chances.

“As the holder of the Swans Club record for consecutive Redkite charity games [seven], I can't wait to extend my tally by one,” Spencer said.

“The Swans are a great Club, the SCG is a superb arena and most importantly, Redkite are a magnificent group of people who help brighten the lives of kids who are doing it very tough.

“It's an honour to be involved so please get along and show your support. Oh, and Merrick, you're going down!

“Merrick and his team have been riding on the coat-tails of last year's win for just about long enough. A year is a long time in celebrity AFL and no one will realise this more than Mr Watts and his Underbelly mates come 24th May.”

The Redkite Celebrity AFL game will be held at the SCG on Sunday May 24 at 12.40pm, just before the Sydney Swans vs. Port Adelaide match which commences at 1.10pm. To purchase tickets, head to www.ticketek.com.au.

Team lists

Red team
Adam Spencer (captain), Mel Spencer, Cyggy, Dr Chris Brown, Peter Phelps, Harry McAsey, Rob Carlton, Angus McLaren, Scott Hay, Ellyse Perry, Lehmo, Tim Rogers, Scott Dooley, and George Houvardas

White team
Merrick Watts (captain), Les Hill, Vic Lorusso, Humphrey B Bear, Kevin Duffy, Tom Williams, Tony Squires, Peter O'Brien, Andrew Daddo, Mark Beretta, Tania Major, Lillian Crombie, and Francis Awaritefe