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Orion Black was one of the most famous Australian Football players of all time.
After 53 years of not even making it to The Grand Final, in his first season, Orion led his team, the Essendon Bombers, to winning the premiership in 1978. A victory like that doesn’t go unnoticed.
Orion Black was named “The best player of his time” at just 19 years old. And for the first time, AFL fans didn’t just follow for the game, but for the people playing.
He was a star. He had a slyness to him that people felt drawn too, they perfectly complimented his beauty.
He was a role model, a heartthrob, and he changed the way that Essendon played forever.
However, just ten years after Orion was drafted, a tragedy occurred.
During a match in late May of 1989, Orion Black shattered his knee cap in a match against The Collingwood Magpies.
Orion had had many problems with his knee before, first injuring in in 1981, but after an opposing player collided with him too hard after Orion acquired the ball midway through the 3rd quarter, his life forever changed.
People noticed something was off straight away. As much as it was common for players to spend time on the ground, they would normally get up straight away. Orion Black included.
But Orion stayed down. He was still and cradling his head between his arms.
When fans found out that Orion Black would never be able to play again, they were furious.
He was their favourite, he led them to their victory each time they won, and now, this team had lost a valuable player.
The players who had crashed into Orion, leading to the fall, had continued to play, but due to backlash, he was forced to resign.
And Orion continued to live his days out in a very different way than he intended.
He was bound to forever use a walking stick to get places. His wedding day, any games he wanted to go to, and his children’s birth, he would be accompanied by a walking stick.
In the years to come, Orion Black faded from AFL fans memory. He was still a great player, and people knew of him, but he wasn’t what he would be if he continued to live out the years he would have been able to play if the incident didn’t happen.
Orion’s name wasn’t in the media again until the year 1999.
He was getting married.
That was the headline on the newspaper. Old fans were ecstatic to hear his name again.
Some people brushed it off, but if you read further on, you would come to know who he was getting married to.
Her face was featured alongside Orions on the paper. She was gorgeous. But she look young. And she was.
She was only 20.
She was a French model who had come to Australia for a runway event that Orion Black was invited to as a guest.
Walburga Crabbe was her name. She had a thick French accent, high cheekbones, pale skin, dark hair and light eyes. She was gorgeous.
They got engaged not long after meeting.
And they got married 3 months after the engagement.
Orion’s name faded out of the media again and only returned in November of 2003.
He had a son.
Sirius Orion Black. Child of Orion and Walburga Black.
People didn’t really care.
It had been years since Orion was a player, he was not popular anymore. People were interested in the new, young players.
And even 1 and a half years later when Orions second child came along, it wasn’t big news. No one cared that Orion Black’s second son, Regulus Arcturus Black, was born.
So, as soon as Sirius could walk, he started professionally training him to play football. And a year later when Regulus could walk, he began his training too.
The intention was simple, have his children grow up to be famous AFL players, and get the Black name popular again.
And this is where our story begins.
A 15 year old Sirius and a 13 year old Regulus training most days out of a week to become amazing.
Orion tried his absolute hardest in 2019 to get Sirius to be drafted. He was denied many times. It was prohibited after all. Players had to turn 18 before December 31st of the year they played. That was the youngest they could play.
And then something happened.
Regulus remembers it vividly. He woke up to load shouting from a voice he knew as his father’s.
Regulus got out of bed and walked towards the voice. It led him down the hall that was covered in different framed news articles and premiership posters all about his dad.
And the voice led him to Sirius’ room.
His dad was still shouting. Regulus could tell that everything he was saying was going round and round in circles.
The door to Sirius’ room was only slightly open. The glow of the light panned out onto the floor of the hallway.
Regulus stepped close to the door and peaked inside.
The first thing he spotted was both his parents. His father was red in the face, shouting nonsense, and his mother stood in the corner, silent.
Sirius was on his bed, but he wasn’t alone.
He was with a boy.
And it finally clicked in Regulus’ 13 year old head, he knew why his dad was shouting.
“Under my roof!” He repeated for what seemed the 100th time. “AFL players aren’t gay, they can’t be!” His voice roared throughout the house, pinging off of the walls like a bouncing DVD screensaver.
Regulus retreated back into the darkness, hoping to go unnoticed.
He almost made it out, but his mother caught his eye. Her face hosted a nervous look, one that he had seen many times before.
And Regulus knew what the face meant. His mother was scared of her husband.
Regulus doesn’t remember being close to his mother. Ever.
But he loved her nonetheless. And it wasn’t until he was older that he realised that Walburga Black didn’t deserve what her life had come too.
She shouldn’t have Regulus. It wasn’t fair to her.
She should be living out her days as a model in the French countryside with a gorgeous European husband, who was something well paying. Maybe a businessmen, or an actor. A fellow model or a designer.
And they would have children. And they would sit in the garden while their kids played and watch.
But no. Walburga was stuck with a scruffy, retired footy player who was almost 20 years older than her.
She was stuck with Regulus. A mediocre child.
Regulus retreated back to his room, and the shouting began to dim.
It wasn’t until the next night Regulus got the chance to talk to Sirius.
That conversation forever will be imbedded into Regulus’ mind.
He knocked on the bedroom door of Sirius’ room, and the door slightly clicked open.
Sirius was standing on the other side of the door wearing grey and blue checkered pyjama pants, and a white long sleeve pyjama shirt with a small hole in the sleeve. His hair was the shortest Regulus remembers ever seeing it. Long enough to tickle the back of his ears.
Regulus wordlessly stepped into the room and sat on Sirius bed.
It was silent. Not uncomfortable, not judgemental, just silent.
Sirius spoke first, in a voice that was almost silent. “I’m sorry.”
Regulus stared straight at Sirius. “Why are you sorry?”
Sirius stared at Regulus like he had just asked him an equation too hard to answer. “There are so many reasons for me to be sorry.” Sirius’ voice was louder, but still soft. “I probably woke you up last night. And I saw you in the hallway, so you know what happened.” Sirius went on. “And now father is going to rely on you to add to the Black name.” Sirius concluded.
Regulus always considered himself wise. Not in an egotistical way, but in a social and emotional way.
“First of all, father woke me up.” Regulus begun. “And if father relies on me now, that my problem, not yours.” He paused before he added. “I know you didn’t say this, but if you think that I would resent you for liking boys, you’re wrong.” Regulus stood and walked to Sirius. “I would never.”
Sirius’ eyes were watering but despite that, he smiled. Regulus embraced his brother in a hug, providing Sirius with some well needed comfort.
When they pulled apart, Sirius spoke again, wiping his eyes. “I just wish I could’ve come out to you on my own terms.”
Regulus let silence wash over them, before he came up with an idea. “You can!” And Regulus walked over to the bedroom door, opened it, stood on the other side, closed it, and knocked.
And that’s what led to Sirius coming out as gay to Regulus.
In the years to follow, Orion Black pretended like he had one son.
Sirius was fine with it. He grew his hair out, got piercings and started to wear some makeup. If this were to happen when Sirius was younger, Orion would loose his shit.
But he never did.
He did care, but he didn’t want it to seem like he did, so it left him with saying nothing.
For Regulus, watching his older brother be resented by his own father was heartbreaking.
The days were threading together like string, and it wasn’t long before Regulus was 17.
December 2022, Orion Black’s dream came true.
His child was drafted onto an AFL team.
Geelong Cats. Blue and white.
After the years of training, Regulus Black was officially a Footy player.
And Regulus’ name was all over the news. Along with his fathers.
Black Family Legacy Carried On
Orion Black’s son, Regulus Black, has been drafted onto the Geelong Cats for the 2023 season.
And it was all Orion had ever dreamed of.