Thirty years later, Elle and ‘spunky’ Ettingshausen reunite

Back in the early ’90s, when Elle Macpherson was a world-renowned supermodel and Andrew Ettingshausen was the dashing captain of the Cronulla Sharks, she was snapped presenting him with an award for his 200th game.

It was a shot that really got the nation buzzing; Australia’s most beautiful woman with footy’s most handsome bloke. “I just remember thinking he was a real character,” said Macpherson, whose old man was the boss of the Sharks. “And he still is.”

The duo re-created the photo in Las Vegas on Friday, local time, where the Sharks are set to play in the NRL’s season opener the following day. Instead of a golden boot, Macpherson gave Ettingshausen a helmet.

They were nearly 30 years older but just as photogenic. Macpherson, now 60, hadn’t lost her touch; her hair fell perfectly, her smile was just as bright, and she posed with ease. Ettingshausen, no stranger to being in front of the camera, looked stiff by comparison.

By the end of the short photo shoot, Ettingshausen, now 59, had wandered off and Macpherson was alone, tossing a footy in the air. “Come on Sharks,” she said.

Ettingshausen blushed at her “spunky” remark. “That’s a fair dinkum honour,” he said. “I’ll put that one on the wall.”

Macpherson’s dad, Peter Gow, was the top bloke in charge of Cronulla in the 1990s, guiding it through a tough time financially. She had a photo taken with Ettingshausen back in 1993, supporting the Sharks, and re-created it in Las Vegas for the same reason.

Gow’s relationship with the club has had its share of highs and lows; he was forced to resign as chief executive after an incident on Anzac Day in 1999, when he ripped up a jersey of rival club St George and had a punch-up with a former player who tried to get it back (he later said it was a joke that went haywire).

While Gow was getting attention on the back page, his daughter getting the headlines on the front page. The early 1990s were the peak of the supermodel era, when a small group of models, including Elle “The Body” Macpherson, became international celebrities.

Due to her father’s connection with the club, she agreed to present Ettingshausen with a gold-plated boot to mark his achievement in 1993.

“He said she was the goddess of models in Australia back then,” he said. “We were at that stage in the game where it was very much a bloke’s sport … the league wanted to attract people to the game and what a perfect person for us to have as an ambassador.”

Macpherson also remembers that day. “Everyone was jealous of me having me photo taken with him, and here I am doing it again. He’s a true legend.”

Macpherson, who now lives in Florida, is still a Sharks supporter. “Being a huge fan of the Sharks since I was a kid, it’s a real thrill to be here because my old man is such a die-hard supporter of the Shire and the team,” she said.

We’ve been chipping away at this for a year. As soon as we heard they were coming here, we started making plans for this trip, so I’m really stoked for him, I’m stoked for us, and I’m stoked for the team, and I’m stoked for the country.

“It’s fantastic for us to be able to share our cherished league with the people of America.”

Macpherson surprised Gow, who’s been fighting illness for a few years now, with tickets to Las Vegas so he could watch Cronulla take on Penrith in the season’s opening game. She flew to Las Vegas to meet him, but won’t be able to make it to the match.

The author travelled to Las Vegas as a special guest of the National Rugby League.

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