Andrew Symonds son Will shares touching tribute as Riverway Stadium grandstand is named in his honor

Andrew Symonds’ eight-year-old son was visibly emotional as he cut the ribbon at a Townsville grandstand named in his dad’s honor. 

Townsville City Council said the grandstand at the local Riverway Stadium would be named the Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds grandstand in recognition of the late cricketer.

At the announcement Symonds’ young son Will choked up as he spoke about what the grandstand meant to him. 

Townsville City Council said the grandstand at the local Riverway Stadium would be named the Andrew ‘Roy’ Symonds grandstand in recognition of the late cricketer

‘It’s a bit unreal to have it named after dad. He’d take me to the cricket nets near here and we spent lots of hours teaching me how to play,’ Will told the media, reported the Townsville Bulletin.

‘I miss all of that. I just wish I could have said goodbye to him. I remember being here a lot with him.

‘It’s something really special. I really admire him and I’m going to remember this moment. I’ll always remember this. He’s always up there and he’s looking down on me.’

Symonds’ 10-year-old daughter Chloe said it felt good to speak about him and said she knew ‘he would be proud of us for doing that’.

Barbara, Symond’s mother, said Andrew would have been ‘so honoured’ to have a grandstand so close to his home named after him.

‘It’s a bit unreal to have it named after dad. He’d take me to the cricket nets near here and we spent lots of hours teaching me how to play,’ Will Symonds said

Ms Symonds – who lost her husband just two years prior to her son’s death – said the outpouring of community support and affection had helped her manage the loss.

‘I’ve lost too many of my family and I can’t say it’s easy, but it’s lovely that we can celebrate his life,’ she said.

Jenny Hill, mayor of Townsville City Council, said the final design for the plaque was not yet decided as it will depend on cyclone safety guidelines but that it would be a ‘fitting’ tribute once complete.

Australian cricket great Andrew Symonds died in a single-car crash at the age of 46 on May 14.

The retired Aussie cricketer died late at night in Hervey Range, 50km west of Townsville in far north Queensland, when his vehicle left the road and rolled. His two dogs were also in the car at the time, but survived.

The two cattle dogs were reportedly very protective and shaken when bystanders tried to help Symonds at the crash scene. 

From left to right: Will Symonds, his ex-partner Laura Vidmar, Symonds’ sister Louise, mother Barbara, best mate Jimmy Maher and daughter Chloe pay tribute to late cricket legend Andrew Symonds with his dogs Buzz and Woody

His wife Laura Vidmar voiced her grief at the news in the immediate aftermath, though she and Symonds had reportedly been separated for more than a year prior to his tragic death.

Primarily her concerns were with their children, who she said were the spitting image and personality of their larrikin father.

‘We are still in shock – I’m just thinking of the two kids,’ Ms Vidmar told News Corp in May.

‘He was just such a big person and there was so much of him in his kids.’

Symonds played 26 Tests, 198 ODIs and 14 T20Is for Australia, which included his central role in winning the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and a maiden Test century against England in the 2006-07 Boxing Day Test at the MCG. 

Chloe and Billy Symonds running drinks for the Aussie side while they were playing Zimbabwe