It is the end of an era as Mount Gambier veteran sports commentator Gorden “Milo” Milosevic has hung up the microphone after 32 years in the industry.
He started with what was formerly the 5SE radio station in 1990, now known as Triple M up until his final show late last year.
In that time Milosevic has interviewed anyone and everyone in the Limestone Coast sporting community from eight-year-old cyclist Jack Opperman to 100-year-old 1949 Glencoe Football Club premiership coach Bill Wundersitz.
“I only had two people who declined to be interviewed and that was because they were genuinely shy,” he said.
After wrapping up his illustrious football career as both a player and coach in 1990, Milosevic approached Mid South East Football League (MSEFL) president Keith Sneath and executive member Reg Jones about taking on the role of the league’s media liaison officer.
“I virtually took over their media promotion which led to me doing the Mid South East football coverage on ABC radio and 5SE and I also wrote match coverage for The Border Watch,” he said.
“I virtually instigated it and it went from there and then progressively with changes at the radio I inherited the total football coverage and the total sports coverage where I ended up,” he said.
“Then manager Steven Whelan offered me the football coordinator coverage, covering all the football, calling select games and putting together a football team.
“Via the sponsorship of SA Brewing Company representative Russell Noack I created the Hahn Ice Know-it-Alls Football Team in 1995.”
The designated team covered the three leagues in the Limestone Coast; MSEFL, Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League (KNTFL) and Western Border Football League.
In the years following, the Know-It-All’s Football Team has had various sponsors and changes in commentators but fellow original member The SE Voice journalist and self-proclaimed “one league man” Fred Smith remained.
“I have obviously seen a lot of changes because the football show used to be on Thursday night, it was an institution and then it got changed to Friday and Saturday mornings,” Milosevic said.
“From 2006, with the departure of sports commentators Jim Buckley and David Case, I co-hosted the Saturday Morning Sports Show with Ewan Grant then solo hosted it.
“In 2012 with changes to our network’s format and policies, the Saturday Morning Sports Show ceased and was replaced by dedicated sports segments on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.
“Meanwhile the traditional Thursday night football/netball show moved to Friday then Saturday mornings until I retired.”
Milosevic said Triple M was the only regional radio station in the Southern Cross Austereo group with dedicated sports segments.
“The 5SE sports and football coverage had been a tradition in Mount Gambier and the South East right back from the start so I just came in and had my turn which happened to be 32 years,” he said.
“Sport brings the whole community together and the other overriding factor is the team aspect sport teaches youngsters.”
Milosevic said he liked to think he played a small part in the journey of some of the local Limestone Coast sportspeople who ended up being successful on the national stage.
The radio stalwart interviewed AFL players such as Adelaide Crows’ Jordan Dawson, 2020 Brownlow medallist and Brisbane Lions player Lachie Neale, reigning Geelong premiership players Brad Close and Jeremy Cameron, and former AFL Women’s competition player Jenna McCormick.
“Most of those people I did their first ever interview and I followed it up so basically I probably did their first media training,” he said.
“I interviewed them from when they were under 18 and it was a nice little buzz just to be part of their journey.
“I used to overaccentuate it because it highlighted to the other country kids that you can do it from the back blocks.
“Lachie Neale was always small, and he got told all the way through ‘do not get your hopes up, you are too small’ and he ends up the best player in the country one year.”
Milosevic said his most cherished interviews had been with the “Father of Modern Football” VFL/AFL Legend Ron Barassi and West Indies cricketer “Master Blaster” Sir Viv Richards.
“Ron Barassi was always special to me as a North Melbourne supporter, who I interviewed on a couple of occasions, and I am probably a disciple of his football philosophy,” he said.
“On the world stage Viv Richards came to Mount Gambier and he was very easy to interview.
“I have also interviewed a lot of leading lights in AFL/VFL football.”
Milosevic, now 70, said he was just enjoying “me time” on the eve of his retirement.
“I have worked since I was 13 as a paper boy at Tailem Bend,” he said.
“The time was right for me, and I have teenage grandsons, so I want to enjoy seeing them and of course spending time with my wife.
“I did not do it out of the blue, I had it in mind.”
Milosevic said he had always regarded it as an “honour and privilege” to be on air covering South East sport, something he never took for granted.
“Without the support of the management for coverage of local sport from previous manager Steven Whelan right through to current manager Pat O’Donnell it would not have happened,” he said.
“This would not have been possible without local sponsors and the participation/cooperation of players, coaches and officials along with my valued co-commentators.
“It is very enjoyable in terms of work to do something you have a passion for.”
