On Tuesday morning, a mural celebrating Jamie Maclaren becoming the greatest scorer in A-Leagues history was unveiled in Melbourne. DAVID DAVUTOVIC explains how the mural came to life and pays tribute to Maclaren’s record.
As a football fan, one of the highlights of travelling to many European and South American cities is observing the volume of murals celebrating local clubs.
Varying from club icons, present stars or supporter groups, the detail and quality of these works of art are often seriously impressive.
Melbourne City and Socceroos fans will have the chance to celebrate their own public piece of art, with a giant tribute painted in one of Melbourne’s most iconic locations.
In honour of his record-breaking goal scoring feats in the Isuzu UTE A-League, a Jamie Maclaren mural has been unveiled at Richmond Station, a short three-minute walk from AAMI Park, where the goal poacher has netted so many of his 144 goals.
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It was also designed and painted by his Melbourne City women’s counterpart, Hannah Wilkinson, who in addition to being a prolific goal scorer for club and country, is a gun artist.
Uncovering Hannah’s artistic talents, it seemed a really authentic and lovely fit which represents the alignment between the men’s and women’s games since the W-League was rebranded, becoming the Liberty A-League.
Jamie selected his favourite image and Hannah got to work, sketching it onto a page with her characteristic comic-book, superhero theme, which she felt was entirely appropriate, paying homage to his record.
“It is an honour to feature on this mural at such a famous Melbourne location. I was born and bred in this city and have attended many sporting events around there so this is really special,” Maclaren said.
“When I signed for Melbourne City in 2019 I had ambitions of breaking records. I acknowledge Besart Berisha, who held the record before me. Now I am focused on winning another trophy with Melbourne City in the A-League Men’s finals series.”
With the design done, Hannah was far more hands on than originally envisaged, with Melbourne City’s women’s season finished – unfortunately for her after a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out loss to Melbourne Victory, after her late goal at Casey Fields took the match to extra-time.
Her painting skills impressed educated observers, including artist Adam, who was drafted in to lead the painting with uncertainty around Hannah’s schedule.
In the end, it was a genuine collaboration, as the duo raced through the painting inside three days, even factoring in Melbourne’s typically unpredictable weather.
Hannah’s talent and humility shone through during this project, and City and New Zealand have an extraordinary asset, who I’m sure will make a mark on the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup and continue her extraordinary scoring form next Liberty A-League season (she has 20 goals in 28 games for City).
Working with Jamie throughout, his enthusiasm for the project was also top-notch. Having honed his goalscoring craft in his Sunbury backyard, it is fitting that he is immortalised in his home city and one he has again chosen to call his footballing home after stints with Darmstadt and Hibernian.
Maclaren has polarised opinion in this country where cultural cringe remains prevalent.
But it should be known that he has rejected offers from abroad, and good on him for prioritising family and his wellbeing after going through some really challenging times abroad.
It has translated into career-best form and his most prominent role for the Socceroos, where he’s scored eight goals in 29 games and came within a whisker of scoring at Qatar 2022 for a team that reached the Round of 16.
If Maclaren follows the likes of Paul Trimboli, Damian Mori and John Markovski in calling Australia home for most or all of his playing career, then good on him.
Maclaren, whose dad Donald arrived in 1979 to play for Canberra City and went on to play 241 games in the National Soccer League, also acknowledged those who came before him in the NSL.
He surpassed Rod Brown, John Kosmina, Archie Thompson, Pablo Cardozo, Francis Awaritefe, Bobby Despotovski, Marshall Soper, Ivan Kelic, Vaughan Coveny, Markovski, Gary Cole, Ante Milicic, Con Boutsianis, Warren Spink, Frank Farina, Andy Harper and Shane Smeltz (all of whom have scored at least 100 domestic goals) in the past two years, en route to the A-League Men’s record and number two on the all-time domestic list.
Mori will still take some catching, holding Australia’s all-time Australian domestic record of 240 goals, scored between 1989-2008, most of them for Adelaide City and Perth Glory.
The added significance of the location is that Maclaren is the greatest goal scorer (ahead of Socceroos great Cole) at the famous AAMI Park/Olympic Park precinct, which was the spiritual home of the NSL and Victory in their early years.
I saw quite a few of Mori’s goals at the ground, including a long-range scorcher to beat Mark Viduka’s Melbourne Knights in the 1994 NSL grand final.
And Markovski, who commemorated Maclaren after City’s final regular season game alongside his dad Donald, a teammate of four years at Sunshine George Cross, also scored some great goals at the precinct, on the patch of grass which is now the training base of AFL club Collingwood.
Jamie also happens to be a passionate Collingwood supporter, so hopefully Magpies fans also get around it.
In a country where football (soccer) is broadly under-represented when it comes to street art and pop culture, the Jamie Maclaren mural should be celebrated.
The Maclaren mural will remain at Richmond Station for a month. So City, Socceroos and football fans, I hope you enjoy this temporary but fitting commemoration.
