Fitting tribute for North Melbourne superfan Scott Hough as children run out with favourite Roos in Bunbury

A heart-warming and fitting tribute paid homage to one of Bunbury’s most loved North Melbourne superfans at the weekend with Scott Hough’s two children running out with his beloved Roos at Hands Oval.

Sunday presented a special moment for two local youngsters who got the chance to run out with the North Melbourne players ahead of the history-making Bunbury clash, with their late father a Roos superfan who never got the chance to see his beloved team in the South West city.

Mila and Liam Hough stepped onto the oval in a tribute to Scott, who died in 2023 after a three-year battle with motor neurone disease.

It came as the rest of the AFL community celebrated their annual Big Freeze for MND round, with celebrities taking cold plunges around the country as punters donned blue beanies for the Neale Daniher-led cause.

Hough, a 2001 league premiership player with Bunbury, lost his lengthy battle with motor neurone disease in 2023 and was well-known as a North Melbourne fan.

So, when the top-level club was looking for youngsters to be mascots for the players as they ran through the banner on Sunday, Bunbury Football Club’s Tom Busher and Jenelle O’Reilly knew just the kids.

Mila told the Bunbury Herald it was “really exciting” to run through the banner with the players.

“I thought I was going to be famous,” she said.

“It was really good.”

Her favourite part of the day was North Melbourne winning — fitting for a young player whose favourite part of AusKick is getting to kick goals.

Adele Hough, Scott’s wife, said it was heart-warming to see their children take part in such a fitting tribute to their dad.

“It was really heart-warming, they loved it,” she said.

“It was all heart-warming to watch them in front of the crowd.”

Ms O’Reilly said it was special to see the pair run out in honour of the club life-member, much-loved friend and well-missed premiership player.

Scott’s love of football has been passed on to the young pair, with Mila playing AusKick for the Bulldogs and both kids excited to don their North Melbourne gear and watch the game.