Winners are grinners

The likes of Ben Cousins, Adam Goodes and Aaron Sandilands were all eclipsed by one particularly special local footballer’s guernsey at the Proudies Foundation auction fundraiser on Saturday.

Picture by Katherine Mountain: Winning bidders Linlee and Trevor Proudlove with their nephew Warrick’s Claremont guernsey.

While a 2002 West Coast Eagles guernsey signed by Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins went under the hammer for $1200, Warrick Proudlove’s 2011 Claremont guernsey fetched the highest price on the day, with the winning bid placed by the footballer’s uncle and aunt Trevor and Linlee Proudlove for $1400.

Mrs Proudlove said they had been determined to buy their nephew’s guernsey and unknowingly went into a bidding war against family friends.

“We were going to go to whatever it took to buy that, and down the track we will be giving that to Kevin and Trish as a memento for them,” she said.

The auction fundraiser attracted bidders from across with Great Southern, with Broomehill man Esso Delaney making a special trip to Albany for the event to pick up an autographed 2011 Dockers guernsey for $650.

Meanwhile, an autographed guernsey signed by cross-town rivals the West Coast Eagles, was bought by Claude Gliosca for $700 who said he was happy to support such a good cause.

“We know the Proudlove family quite well, Warrick played with my son Aaron in the Landmark Carnival last year,” he said.

“We all just hope he gets better.”

Got a story? Email katherine.mountain@albanyadvertiser.com