Gorden “Milo” Milosevic has been a familiar voice of Limestone Coast football over the last three decades, but his media journey was preceded by a successful playing career.
His crusade started as a 13 year old in the River Murray Football League, where he played in Tailem Bend’s Under 15s.
After a few years in the RMFL and two seasons with North Adelaide, Mr Milosevic married his wife Helen and made the move to Mount Gambier in 1974.
He then started a Western Border campaign which spanned 10 years and 189 A Grade games, played at North Gambier, Penola and East Gambier.
While Mr Milosevic spent a similar length of time at each club – with three years at both North and Penola and four at East – the stint with the Bulldogs is closest to his heart.
He played in back-to-back premierships at “the kennel” in 1982/83, something he had waited his entire career to be involved in.
“I was 17 at Tailem Bend when I won the league goal kicking, but we lost the grand final after only losing one game during the year,” Mr Milosevic said.
“I had to wait from 1971 to 1982 to play in another grand final and I was lucky enough to win two in a row.”
Speaking of the WBFL in the glory days, Mr Milosevic said it “was the best standard of footy outside of Adelaide and one of the strongest leagues in country Victoria”, with a long list of SANFL and VFL footballers in its midst.
As reported in The Border Watch sports section every Thursday over the last month, columnist Graham Greenwood has detailed his personal opinion on the best players to grace the WBFL in the 1970-80’s era.
Mr Milosevic himself earned a mention in the first article as “one of the best tap ruckmen in the league” from Greenwood’s perspective.
“Milo” said he was pleased to be named among the greats of that era, but described himself as a workhorse ruckman and “middle of the road” calibre of player.
Football was not the only sporting code he dabbled in, also enjoying playing tennis for Saints United.
He said he was a fringe A2/ B1 player, but looks back fondly on his one appearance in the top grade, where he won both his singles and doubles matches.
In that singles clash he defeated prominent football umpire identity Terry Walters 9-8 in a “slugfest” singles match.
Now long since retired as a player, Mr Milosevic has made a career out of his passion for sport, with three decades of service in the media industry – a passion which was sparked at an early age.
“I reckon the scene is set when you’re younger – I can remember calling footy on black and white on the ABC when I was a youngster,” he said.
His first media role was as the Mid South Eastern Football League media officer, where he would write the articles for The Border Watch at the time, while also voicing his opinions on the MSEFL radio segment.
“As they say, the rest is history,” Mr Milosevic said.
In 2018 “Milo” was recognised for his contribution to radio with induction into the Commercial Radio Quarter Century Club, following 25 years of service.
With plenty of accolades along the way, Mr Milosevic said he could not have done it all without support.
“I am especially thankful for the support and understanding from my wife of 46 years Helen throughout my footy journey,” he said.
