Sport
13 August, 2026
ADDLEMS IN ARMS
THREE generations answered the call to help Bears Lagoon Serpentine field a reserves side at Janiember Park on Saturday.
THREE generations answered the call to help Bears Lagoon Serpentine field a reserves side at Janiember Park on Saturday.
All Addlems and all wearing the No 8 guernsey made famous in the stellar career of patriarch Gordon.
It was game 648 for Gordon who turns 71 next month and what he described as a proud moment lining up beside grandsons Jaxson and Angus for the Loddon Valley league clash against Mitiamo.
Jaxson has become a regular in the senior side this year while Angus made his top level debut on Saturday but not before playing in the morning’s under 17 encounter for East Loddon Rams against Bridgewater at Calivil.
Angus and father Andrew, 50 and with 480 games to his name for the Bears and runner for the Rams, then made it back to Serpentine to complete the on-field Addlem quartet after quarter time in the reserves.
“The Rams are the junior club for Serp, Mitiamo and Calivil and I didn’t mind playing against Mitiamo in the reserves,” said Andrew.
“We even asked if it would be okay for us all to wear No 8 ... they’re a friendly club and agreed.”
Andrew’s previous game was two years ago, also against Mitiamo.
The weekend’s history-making line-up went one better than 2022 when Gordon, Andrew and Jaxson were in the same side.
Angus also played that day but not in the same side.
“It is something we had hoped could happen,” Gordon said.
Gordon was put at full-forward where he played almost two quarters of the game.
“I did a calf early in the game that restricted my movement a bit,” he said.
Gordon was the first of three generations of Addlems to wear No 8, being handed the number after Lionel Baber successfully stepped up to South Bendigo in the Bendigo league 50 years ago.
Andrew and Angus have followed playing in the famous number.
And in an extension of the family’s link, Angus plays in No 88.
“It was pretty proud all of us being out there today,” said Gordon who first lined up for the Bears as a 14-year-old. “We didn’t get the result we wanted but it was good to play together.”
Mitiamo snuck home to win the reserves match by a point.
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