MITCHELL JOHNSON: I will never forget singing the Australian Test team song to honour Phil Hughes

West Australian

9 hours ago

Australia's next generation of spin bowlers might have got excited this week when they saw headlines about Nathan Lyon 'calling it a day'.
As it turns out, the veteran off-spinner wasn't retiring, but rather handing over the cherished job as the Australian Test team's song master.
Lyon spent 12 years leading the song – Under the Southern Cross I Stand – and chose wicketkeeper Alex Carey as his successor.
I was there when Mike Hussey passed it on to Lyon and remember how nervous he was to be taking over from Huss. They were two close mates in the team, and Hussey had loved being the one to get the boys going for the song.
Huss was a big believer in celebrating your victories because you never know when your next one will come and he chose Lyon to take that role.
The song master is a job that's special for many reasons and one that's crucial to the team and its culture. There has been some mystique around the Australian team song because for a long time it was largely kept behind closed doors.
Lyno would occasionally ask players during post-match celebrations if they thought it was the right time, but ultimately, it was up to him.
Before the team song, we would have music playing in the background while enjoying a refreshment or two, then the song True Blue by Aussie legend John Williamson would come on. That was the signal for us to get together in a huddle in preparation for the team song.
Lyno would ensure we had a drink in hand and would address the group about the Test match. Usually, it would be about how each individual had performed, and he would say a few words on what we did well as a team.
The boys would then get a bit rowdy and pour beer on top of their baggy green and move on to the next person, and so on. Then it would be into the song and everyone belting it out at the top of our voices.
Most of the time it was sung once after a win, but on a few occasions, it was sung twice or more, depending on the series or victory.
For me, every single time we got to sing it was special. But a few were extra special.
In 2014-15, there was an emotional rendition at Adelaide Oval for our mate Phil Hughes. Out in the middle of the ground, on his Test number 408 which had been painted on the grass. We all felt Hughes was with us in that moment, celebrating with us, as we sung it loud and proud.
While the song was mostly done in private, the 2013-14 Ashes whitewash set a new standard for celebrating. Lyno got us all together straight after we won that last Test match, and we stood in the middle of the SCG pitch and sang it loud in front of the crowd and with the TV cameras right there.
That's the duty of the song master – to choose the right time and place and that moment was it. We did sing it a few more times that night, but Lyno made that decision to do it in the middle for all to see and celebrate together.
On two occasions during my time, Williamson even came into the SCG dressing room to sing True Blue with his acoustic guitar. We would listen the first time and then he would sing it a few more times with the boys singing along.
It's a memory I cherish to this day and will never forget the feeling it gave me. The impact the performer had on all of us in that room was just special.
The Australian team song, credited to former wicketkeeper Rod Marsh, is a very special tradition.
Lyon has seen that spirit in another keeper in Carey and he now has the chance to put his own unique stamp on it.