SANFL to make its Mark for Mickan

Team SANFL is gearing up to take part in a 24-hour charity bike ride to raise funds for South Australian Football Hall of Famer Mark Mickan and Parkinson’s SA.

From 4pm on Thursday until 4pm on Friday, 10 teams of riders will pedal stationary bikes at the Adelaide Oval’s Telstra Plaza in the lead up to the Adelaide v Essendon AFL match.

As many as 200 participants will be taking part in the event, with the list of those donning the lyrca reading like a who’s who of South Australian football royalty – including Neil Kerley, Russell Ebert, Peter Carey, Michael Aish and Andrew Jarman.

The teams are vying for the Mickan Cup, awarded to the team which covers the greatest distance across the 24-hour period.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease three years ago, West Adelaide premiership coach Mickan said he had been overwhelmed by the support he has since received.

”It’s been beyond my wildest imagination because I didn’t expect any of it,” the 58-year-old told The Advertiser.

”There is no known cause or cure for Parkinson’s, 80,000 people in Australia live with it every day and the diagnosis rate in Australia is about 37 a day … it’s about time a cure was found.”