Brook aid

by ANTHONY & MICHAEL MADIGAN

CRYSTAL BROOK is famous for its pasties and being the home town of former South Australian Premier Rob Kerin, who lined up for the Crystal Brook Roosters in the 1970s. They called him "Silo" because of his bulky build and also because his family ran the local grain-handling business.

"The Brook" has hosted some memorable footy matches over the years, but none more famous than the Merriton versus Wandearah grand final in the 1930s.

In that legendary match, Wandearah's Bob Jacobs broke his leg in a marking contest with Max Crouch. There was no such thing as first aid or trainers in those days, so when Bob went down, a team-mate pulled two fence posts out of the ground to use as splints for Bob's broken leg.

Another team-mate went over to the dressing room shed and ripped the door clean off its hinges and used it as a stretcher.

With tender-loving care, the Wandearah boys lifted Bob onto the door and then loaded him onto the back of Harry Roberts' two-ton truck, which rushed him to the Crystal Brook Hospital.

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