Specky Magee and a Legend in the Making Read online

  Puffin Books

  By the bestselling authors of Specky Magee, Specky Magee and the Great Footy Contest, Specky Magee and the Season of Champions, Specky Magee and the Boots of Glory and Specky Magee and the Spirit of the Game.

  www.speckymagee.com

  PUFFIN BOOKS

  Published by the Penguin Group

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  Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  First published by Penguin Group (Australia) a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd, 2006

  Text copyright © Red Wolf Entertainment Pty Ltd and Gamel sports Media Pty Ltd, 2006

  The moral right of the authors has been asserted

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  puffin.com.au

  ISBN: 978-1-74-228141-4

  G'day, all!

  Well, here it is…thenext mega-action-packed Specky adventure.

  If you've read all four previous Specky books it's great to have you back If this is the first time you've picked up a Specky novel, then welcome—and don't worry that you haven't read the others yet, you can always check them out later.

  Since writing the series many people have asked me what it's like knowing a real live legend of Australian Rules Football. And I usually answer, ‘Well, I've only met Eddie McGuire a couple of times and…oh…you meant my old school mate Garry Lyon? Oh, yeah, he's all right. He still hasn't admitted that I took an awesome ‘specky’ over the top of him back in primary school…but, yeah, he's okay.’

  But seriously, the one thing that all legends possess is passion. And Garry has bucket-loads of it. He's passionate about whatever he puts his mind to. Footy, writing…And that's what makes it brilliant working with Garry.

  In this latest novel a few people will find that their passion is tested as they're torn between the things they ove. So if you have a passion for something (you might even have a few), then my advice is be the best you can be and go for it! You might become a legend along the way.

  Cheers!

  Felice

  Hey there!

  I can't believe that we're up to the fifth Specky Magee adventure already. It seems like only yesterday that Felice approached me with an idea to write a story about a young boy with a love for footy and a dream to play in the AFL one day.

  Well, as you will discover, Specky continues to take small steps to make that dream a reality. It's not always easy, though, and he continues to confront new hurdles along the way. But in doing so he begins to understand that not all people share the same goals and ambitions, and that what is important to one person is not necessarily important to another. Life is all about respect: respecting your family, your friends, your teachers, your coaches and, yes, even your adversaries.

  As you may know, Felice and I grew up in the same country town. We both ended up here, in Melbourne, but for entirely different reasons. While football took me away from home, Felice pursued a career in acting. He turned that into a very successful career, and it eventually took him around the world. While you now recognise him as a famous author, I respect him enormously for following his heart and taking a chance on what he was passionate about.

  Now an old footballer and an old actor are writing kids books together. Who would have thought?! It led to the first Specky Magee book and, now, to Specky Magee and a Legend in the Making. I'm pretty happy about that. Hope you are too.

  Enjoy

  Garry

  1. derek ‘screamer’ johnson

  ‘Derek!’ growled Mr Johnson from his armchair. ‘While you're there, get me another one, will ya?’

  Screamer shuffled into the lounge room and handed his dad a can of beer.

  ‘Can you believe this joker?’ Mr Johnson continued, pointing at the TV.

  Screamer looked over at the screen as he dropped onto the couch in the corner of the room. He and his dad were watching Sensational Stuff, the most popular footy show in the country.

  ‘I can't believe the clowns they have on this program—going on about how much the umpires need stress-free weekends away, and how the league should pay for it. What a load of bull!’

  Screamer watched his dad swig a huge gulp from his can, then belch loudly.

  ‘Don't tell me! Look who they've just brought out on the panel. It's bloody Michael Michaels. Craig used to call him Mickey Mick. Hell! The kid's made the big time.’

  Screamer's dad shook his head sadly.

  ‘You all right?’ Screamer asked.

  ‘Yeah, I'm fine,’ his dad snapped, looking back up at the telly.

  Screamer knew he wasn't.

  ‘Bloody Mickey Mick,’ Mr Johnson mumbled again. ‘AFL's newest young-gun player talking to Teddy McMahon on Sensational Stuff. He was your brother's rival, you know that?’

  Screamer nodded, suddenly feeling anxious. He didn't want to talk about his brother, Craig.

  ‘He and Craig used to have some tough battles at school. They both fought to play in the same position—like you and Magee last year. By the way, did he turn up for training this arvo?’

  ‘Nup,’ answered Screamer, hoping his dad would get the hint that he wasn't in the mood to talk.

  ‘So, the great Simon “Specky” Magee finally got the hint, did he?’

  ‘Yep—when we told him on Tuesday night we didn't want him on the team anymore.’

  ‘Good on ya, lad! I'm glad you convinced those mates of his—that Roberts kid…’

  ‘Robbo,’ corrected Screamer, rolling his eyes.

  ‘Yeah, Robbo, and that little Italian rover, Castoni…’

  ‘Castellino. Danny Castellino.’

  ‘Yeah, him, and the speedy Indian lad and the kid who commentates everything, and that geeky, brainy one…’

  ‘The Bombay Bullet, Gobba, and Einstein,’ corrected Screamer again, annoyed that his dad couldn't be bothered getting his teammates’ names right.

  ‘Yeah, well, all of 'em. They owe you for setting them straight about Magee. Well done.’

  Screamer was surprised. Had his dad just said something nice about him? Screamer grinned proudly. It was rare for him to get a compliment from his father.

  Mr Johnson finished off the rest of his beer. And burped again.

  ‘Serves Magee bloody right, ya know. Blowing it with a great footy school like Go
smore Grammar. What an absolute idiot. Only idiots get themselves expelled from school.’

  ‘I was expelled,’ said Screamer, his moment of pride suddenly over. ‘From Ridley, remember? That's why I'm at Booyong High.’

  An awkward pause followed. Then the telephone rang.

  Mr Johnson picked up the hand-held from the coffee table.

  ‘Hello?’

  ‘Derek?’ Screamer's mum appeared at the door and motioned him to join her in the kitchen. Screamer left his father to take the call.

  ‘Yeah?’ he said.

  Even at fourteen, Screamer towered over his mother. She reached up to ruffle his hair.

  ‘He mentioned Craig, didn't he?’ she asked.

  Screamer brushed her hand aside.

  ‘Yeah, like about a hundred times in the last hour,’ he replied flatly, opening the fridge door.

  ‘Well, it is his birthday next week.’ His mum paused, then said quietly, ‘I went to visit Craig today, you know.’

  Screamer slammed the refrigerator shut. He settled for an apple from a bowl on the kitchen table.

  ‘Did you hear me?’

  ‘Yeah, I heard you,’ mumbled Screamer.

  ‘So?’

  ‘So, what?’ Screamer shrugged his shoulders as he chomped into his apple.

  ‘Maybe we can stop by to see him after—’

  ‘What d'ya mean, see him?’ Screamer said angrily.

  ‘Derek, please…’

  Screamer looked away from his mum and continued to bite at his apple.

  ‘Fine, then,’ she said, after a pause. ‘If you're going to act like that, maybe I shouldn't tell you about my chat with Mr Li this afternoon.’

  ‘What? When?’ Screamer's tone had suddenly changed.

  ‘Now you want to talk to me all of a sudden!’ said Mrs Johnson, pulling a face.

  ‘Come on! What'd he say?’

  ‘Well, he said that you're definitely ready to go on to the next level.’

  ‘Seriously?’

  ‘Yes, seriously. He said on Sunday he wants to talk about something that might interest you.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘He wouldn't say. He said he'd tell us when we see him.’

  ‘Cool! Anything else?’

  ‘Well, not really—he's still asking me if I want to pay every six months rather than every week. I don't know why he keeps asking me—I've been paying him this way for the past four years. He knows your father will find out if I pay a lump-sum fee and—’

  ‘Fee for what?’ said Mr Johnson, walking into the kitchen.

  ‘N-n-nothing,’ stuttered Screamer's mum.

  ‘Who was on the phone?’ asked Screamer, quickly changing the subject.

  ‘Can you believe it? It was your coach—if she can call herself that! Coach Pate.’

  As Mr Johnson brushed past Screamer to grab another can of beer from the fridge, the phone rang again.

  ‘I'll get that,’ said Mrs Johnson, hurriedly leaving the room.

  ‘So what did Coach Pate want?’ Screamer waited as his dad shook his head, popped the can and took a gulp before answering.

  ‘She had the nerve to call me to see if I could talk to you about your influence on your teammates—and to find out how they've reacted to Magee's return.’

  ‘What d'ya say?’ asked Screamer.

  ‘I told her to mind her own bloody business!’

  ‘Derek, it's for you.’

  Screamer's mum returned with the phone in her hand.

  ‘Who is it?’ asked Screamer. He rarely got calls.

  ‘It's Christina.’

  2. booyong high life

  ‘Oh, terrific! Now the whole school knows why I'm back,’ Specky said under his breath, embarrassed.

  Specky was seated next to his good mate Johnny Cockatoo at the back of the classroom. There were only five minutes of English class to go before the lunchtime bell.

  ‘What?’ Johnny asked.

  ‘This!’

  Specky was reading an article in his school's newspaper, The Booyong High Bugle.

  He shoved the paper across the desk, so that Johnny could read it.

  HOW SPECKY-TACULAR IS YEAR 9 FOOTY CHAMP?

  It was only last month that former Booyong High student Simon ‘Specky’ Magee led the Gosmore Grammar Knights to victory against our courageous Lions (and Magee's former teammates) in a thrilling Diadora Cup elimination match.

  But now he's back!

  Four days ago the Year 9 football champion, who had left us to take up a sporting scholarship at the private college, returned to Booyong after being expelled (something about ‘borrowing’ a pair of prestigious old boots).

  Well, we at The Bugle would like to welcome Simon back, but now we can't help but wonder just how ‘Specky-tacular’ Magee really is.

  Specky re-read the last line of the article out loud in a whiny, sarcastic voice.

  ‘But now we can't help but wonder just how “Specky-tacular” Magee really is.’

  ‘I wouldn't worry about it. They're just trying to hook in more readers.’ Johnny shrugged.

  Specky had had a bit of exposure to the media in the last few years. There had been a couple of small mentions in the local paper about his football exploits, and the school-league scores and best-player lists were printed in the paper on Monday mornings. Every week, the first thing Specky did was to check whether or not he was featured. It wasn't that he had a big head or anything—Specky never once bragged about the fact that he was almost always named in the best two or three players—but he couldn't help getting excited about the recognition.

  This article in The Bugle, though, was something new altogether. It was the first time that something had been written about him that was anything other than positive. If anyone had been in any doubt about what happened at Gosmore Grammar, then they sure knew the truth now.

  ‘ It happens to the best of 'em, Speck,’ continued Johnny. ‘Jason Akermanis always has stuff written about him, and not all of it is good. If your footy career keeps going the way it is, you better get used to it, man. The biggest stars in the AFL can't even let one rip without making it onto the back pages. Maybe I could be your publicity officer. I can just see it now…Mr Magee has no further comment to make on this matter and he would appreciate it if you respected his privacy.'

  Specky mustered half a grin.

  ‘And besides, they have nothing else to write about,’ added Johnny.

  ‘Yeah, I s'pose,’ nodded Specky, notching it up as just one more weird thing to add to one of the weirdest weeks of his life.

  He couldn't believe that on Monday he had been a student at Gosmore and now, midday Friday, he was back at his old school. And to make it even more surreal, life at Booyong High was very different from the way it had been when he left it.

  ‘Specky, man?’

  ‘Hmm?’ said Specky, looking back up at Johnny.

  ‘What are you thinking?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I said, I'll be able to play again next week. The doctor said my injury has healed nicely, and you didn't say anything.’

  ‘Oh, sorry, mate. I was just thinking how bizarre everything is, you know, with you living in Melbourne and Tiger Girl back from overseas and in our year. It's cool, but…’

  Specky looked to the front of the classroom to see Danny, Robbo and Screamer sitting together.

  ‘But Danny and Robbo are acting like total knobheads and giving you the silent treatment—which isn't cool,’ added Johnny, finishing Specky's sentence.

  ‘Yeah, that,’ mumbled Specky, as Screamer turned around and sneered at him.

  ‘Well, stuff 'em! That's what I reckon. If anyone should be giving you a hard time, it's me. I'm the one you cleaned up—that broken collarbone put me out for six weeks.’

  Specky nodded in agreement. Johnny continued.

  ‘And they're just idiots if they believe that you thought you were better than them. It's only because Screamer's been baiting them like barramundi to a c
roc!’

  Specky smiled again. He liked the way Johnny worded things, and he could tell that his friend was still adjusting to his new surroundings— Booyong High was a million miles away from his beloved Outback.

  ‘Yeah, I know,’ replied Specky.

  ‘And one more thing,’ added Johnny in a loud whisper.

  Both boys noticed that their teacher was staring in their direction. They were supposed to be working quietly on a review of a book or newspaper article.

  ‘If I were you, I'd turn up tomorrow and play. Who cares what the team thinks? Coach Pate would put you in, in a second.’

  ‘Nah, that would be too weird. Besides, I don't wanna be somewhere I'm not wanted,’ Specky whispered back, just as the bell sounded.

  Specky's classmates hurriedly packed up and shuffled out of the room. Specky and Johnny were the last ones to leave and join the chaotic stream of students in the corridors.

  ‘But footy's your life. What are you gonna do?’ Johnny said, raising his voice and trying to keep up with Specky in the lunchtime rush.

  Specky heard Johnny, but didn't know how to answer him. He had asked himself that question over and over all week. And he didn't have an answer—just some vague idea about maybe checking out the local footy clubs. Specky promised himself he would just concentrate on getting through the next couple of days before making any definite decisions.

  ‘Hey, Speck!’

  Specky had almost walked past the Year 12 common room when he noticed his sister's boyfriend, Dieter McCarthy, motioning him over. Specky told Johnny he'd catch up with him outside where they usually had their lunch.

  ‘Hey, Legend, I need your help,’ said the Great McCarthy, pulling Specky inside.

  Specky felt a little uncomfortable about being in the room the senior students of the school called their own. It was a huge area decked out with couches, a TV, stereo, and even a small kitchen.

  ‘What's up?’ asked Specky, noticing that some Year 12s were glaring at him.

  ‘Well, there's two things—this week's footy tips, and your sister.’