A contingent of ex-Blues including former captain and best and fairest Richard Furphy, Darryl Gust, Greg Taylor and Justin Jamieson headed to the Solomon Islands over the recent Queens Birthday Weekend to take on one of the local village teams.

Word had preceded their visit that “an Australian team” was coming and the locals rounded up the Solomon Island provincial champions to play instead of the expected local villagers. On a gravel outdoor court in front of most of the town of Gizo, the Blues' teamwork won them the first set before heat, age, ability and hangovers took hold and they were beaten in the following three sets. Special mention must be made of Blues Volleyball power hitter and ex-Essendon premiership utility Kevin Walsh who likened the crowd to that of the 1984 Grand Final.

The boys recovered at Oravae Cottage <www.oravaecottage.com> (which was up for auction at the recent Blues Ball), diving with sharks and on WW2 wrecks and downing plenty of cold Solbrew!