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Richard Champion. Photo supplied: Richard Champion
Two sporting greats will swap the footy for the microphone when former Brisbane Bears and Lions player Richard Champion and rugby league legend Eric Grothe bring live music to Airlie for two huge Grand Final celebrations.
The AFL and NRL Grand Finals will bookend the final stretches of the season with celebrations at Airlie Beach Hotel, beginning with the AFL decider on Saturday 26th September before the NRL Grand Final rounds out the action on Sunday 4th October.
With the AFL up first, Richard Champion will take the stage for the decider afterparty before returning the following Sunday.
Richard “Champs” Champion played 183 AFL games with the Brisbane Bears and Lions across a decade-long career in the 90s, with the dependable defender becoming part of the club’s inaugural side following the merger.
Champion retired at the end of 2000 with 80 career goals and was awarded Brisbane Lions Life Membership for his decade of service.
Of all his memories from the game, playing finals football for the first time remains a favourite.
“Playing finals for the first time was always a highlight,” he said.
“Unfortunately, I retired the year before the Lions won their first premiership, so my timing has never been great.
“But it was a great opportunity to play at the top level and as a kid growing up in the country, it was a dream come true.”
Richard’s interest in music has always run alongside his football career, with team trips often ending in his mates pushing him onto stages at bars across Bali, London and beyond.
Those impromptu performances helped build his confidence, but it was not until several years after retiring that he began singing publicly, after being approached to front a band around four years ago.
Richard went on to become the original lead singer of cover band The Filthy Animals before later forming Stadium Lights, balancing performances with his AFL commentary work for Triple M.
His Cold Chisel show began when Dellacoma Rio, frontman of The Australian INXS Show, invited him to join the production.
“Dell is the one who got me involved in doing the Chisel show,” Richard said.
“He’s a fantastic artist, a terrific guy and we’ve become good mates.”
The pair will transform Airlie Beach Hotel into the AFL Grand Final after party, performing favourites from Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes and INXS.
“We’ll just continue the party,” Richard said.
The following weekend will see the focus turn to rugby league, with Parramatta Eels great Eric Grothe leading the entertainment across NRL Grand Final weekend.
Known to fans as “The Guru”, Grothe was part of the famous Parramatta side that won four premierships in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1986, while also making nine State of Origin appearances for New South Wales and played eight Tests for Australia, including the undefeated 1982 Kangaroo Tour.
Music had been part of Grothe’s life long before football finished. He received his first acoustic guitar from his parents at 10 and taught himself to play by listening to records. After retiring, he finally had the time to form a band with his sons, Eric Jr and Daniel, called Three Day Broth.
He now fronts Eric Grothe & The Gurus, a 5-man band who will begin the weekend with their Great Southern Land ICEHOUSE tribute show at Airlie Beach Hotel on Saturday 3rd October.
The following afternoon, the band will return with a high-energy mix of Australian rock and party favourites before the NRL Grand Final.
“We play pretty heavy,” Eric said.
“We play bands like The Angels, INXS, Dragon, Hoodoo Gurus, Models and The Radiators.
“It’s a good variety and everybody will know the songs.”
Following the performance, Eric will remain at the hotel for a meet and greet before watching the Grand Final with fans, hoping the music leaves everyone ready for the game ahead.
“Some of the Australian rock is pretty heavy and it’s got a lot of energy,” he said.
“Hopefully we can get them in the right mood to enjoy the game.”
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