A dream come true.
When Covid forced the country, states and territories into lockdown, the Australian Rules Football League moved the entire national competition to Queensland for the 2020 season, and it was announced that the Grand Final would be played at the GABBA, the first AFL/VFL premiership decider played outside of Victoria and the MCG, and also would be the first night game.
Tim jumped at the chance to sing the Australian National Anthem for the game he loved, a dream that he had had since he was a young boy, watching all of the amazing artists to sing that special song on that one day in September.
He threw his hat into the ring … well, centre circle, and pitched his case via social media, expressing why he would be the most appropriate person to deliver the spine-tingling final note of Advance Australia Fair … and after 48hrs of his post going viral worldwide, #tim2sing had produced the goods with a phone call from AFL CEO, Gil McLachlan, giving Tim the nod.
Tim’s performance was amazing, truly fitting for the Grand Final moment. Collaborating with the incomparable Chong Lim, together they produced a rousing rendition of the National Anthem, with a stirring and surprising repeat of the final phrase “in joyful strains then let us sing, Advance Australia Fair”. It was the anthem the nation needed, in a time of forced isolation and concern, Tim’s 1 minute and 30 seconds united the country and sports fans through his voice and passion for the great game of AFL.
Watch it here: