She has never played a game of football but you can guarantee every person to don a Centrals Trinity Bulldogs guernsey would know of Norma Cratherm.
The heart and soul of the club, whose late husband Kevin was a founding father of AFL in Cairns and at Trinity Beach, is as devoted a Bulldogs fans as she was decades ago.
The oval that bears her family's name at Trinity Beach remains her second home and it is little wonder that she can think of no other place she'd rather celebrate her 90th birthday tomorrow afternoon.
Not one to usually blow out the candles in advance (her 90th is actually next Monday) she has allowed a premature party to coinicide with the team's battle with the red-hot Port Douglas tomorrow afternoon.
And the party will serve as another chance to celebrate AFL Cairns' year of women in footy, which will culminate in Cazalys hosting the Australian Women's Championships next month.
Norma's daughter Carmel has organised a celebration that includes a few surprises, while grandson Baden wears his grandfather's number 10 and continues the Bulldogs' on-field legacy.
A Far North product, Norma was the inaugural president of the Ladies Social Club and literally helped create the facilities played on today.
"I helped Kevin mark the fields at Trinity Beach and he mistook yards for metres, so the field ended up much bigger than it should hav been," she mused.
"They only shortened it the other day and I thought 'how dare they'."
Norma was the Bulldogs' time-keeper for 20 years, but did not drift into the wilderness once retiring from that role. In fact, she has remained a key figure; last season she was called into the change rooms to inspire the out-of-form team with words about the club's history and what it means to play for them.
"All the current and former players always ask how she's doing and are interested in her, she is just such a big part of the club," Baden said of his energetic grandmother.
"She has a great memory and has plenty of stories to tell." It is lucky he enjoys the game too, because his grandmother said he had little choice in the matter. "The kids and grandkids were bascially born into the game," she said.
"They would all come down to the football on Saturday and then church on Sunday. I suppose they thought there was two religions and I suppose in a way, that kind of was the case."
The loyal fan has backed her side to put up a fight tomorrow against the second-placed Crocs while she enjoys a Midori.
Crathern, who acted as interim coach while injured last season, said they were capable of an upset.
With just one win to their name after six games they have hardly turned a corner, but Crathern said the camp was much happier this year and under new coach Peter Seymour they were sure to improve.
"He's a great coach with good connections and the feeling is good this season; we'll give it a good crack."
Last Modified on 31/07/2013 15:41