As part of an ongoing peek back into Uni Blues history, we recall how the current senior coach landed at the club…

In 1985, John Kanis made the All-Australian Amateur team and the next year, at 26 years of age, he was put on Hawthorn’s senior list.  After the 1987 season, having returned to Caulfield Grammarians, Kanis decided on a change. 

Old Trinity offered him the playing coach’s position while Old Scotch believed they would gain his services.  Blues committeeman Anthony Schlicht began hounding Kanis at pubs, barbeques and parties in an effort to persuade the coveted rover to join the Blues.  Kanis’s decision to join Blues angered Old Scotch, whose players later sought to punish him whenever the Blues played the Cardinals, but it also began a great on-ball partnership.  Kanis and Michael Yeo were an unlikely pair, with Kanis as extroverted as Yeo was a man of few words.  To get to know each other, Kanis suggested they go to the boxing.  One of their excursions to the ring was to see a title fight featuring Jeff Fenech.

This is an extract from “Black & Blue – The Story of Football at the University of Melbourne”, available for purchase here: http://www.melbunifootball.com/news.htm