How good was Robbie Flower!

[iw_s 0]

Very grateful thanks to Mark and Ash for doing such a magnificent job.

Picked up my copy yesterday and also one for Brother of Ivor - having duly contributed to the Demonland and Demonology drive (which we should all try to do anyway).

We scooted home in the heat and sat down to watch a magnificent highlights package. Every few seconds we'd be saying: "How did Robbie do THAT? Amazing".

Much appreciated and it's now a very treasured DVD in my collection!

Ivor

[Holy Water 0]

Hi everyone. This is my first post here and I'll admit I'm not a Melbourne supporter, but my old man took me to see a lot of Demons matches in the seventies and early eighties so I thought I would add my two bob's worth. My main recollections are of Melbourne losing most weeks, but Robbie Flower was a ray of sunshine on those cold wintery afternoons. He made the game bearable to watch even if the Dees were getting trounced.

He was a phenomenal player out in the open spaces. He was tall and rangy, standing at least six foot, maybe six foot two. He was beautifully balanced, agile and fast. Watching him tear sides apart up and down the wing was like watching a gazelle, I kid you not. He was a sensational mover. Somehow he looked like he was moving in slow motion, yet no one could lay a glove on him. He had great hands and footskills. He never fumbled and every possession was the stuff of poetry: long raking drop punts and perfectly weighted stab passes.

He was impossible to contain, so opposition sides literally had to try and play in the other half of the ground to avoid his mastery. On numerous occasions, I remember him setting the crowd alight by kicking the goal of the day. This might have been from a long solo run, three or four bounces, then a forty five metre drop punt from the boundary that would split the middle. Or maybe he would lead out from the forward flank, gather the ball on the half volley like he was plucking an apple and then throw in a blind turn, bob and weave around three hapless defenders and nail the goal from thirty five metres by kicking it over his shoulder.

On countless occasions he would take the mark of the day, gliding in from the side of the pack, taking a massive leap and hanging in the air like an Olympic high-jumper. The comparison with Hird is fairly apt. They both had grace that set them apart from the rest. But whereas I think Hird is a shade better as a footballer than Robbie in terms of dominating in the clinches, Flower was twice the athlete that Hird was. Think of Brett Burton's freakish athleticism, but with infinitely more grace, then add a dose of Simon Black polish and you have some idea. I think he's a lot like Robert Harvey, not necessarily style-wise, but just in his elusive, tireless one-man-band brilliance. They both had the same humility and quiet demeanour.

A true champion; It's a crying shame he never won the Brownlow. He definitely deserved to win one. His performances in the state games were absolute works of art. Invariably he was a clear best afield in these games. Perhaps a little bit like Dale Weightman of Richmond, these contests were his own version of a Grand Final.

Don't worry about his Team Of The Century omission: in my opinion, he was better than Keith Greig. He had to wait longer than anyone to play in his first final and it was fantastic when he finally did so. That photo of him and Michael Tuck walking off the ground, with one arm draped around each other, at the close of play in the 1987 Preliminary Final should be enlarged five metres high and hung somewhere in the MCG.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Hear Hear Water. Good summation and reflection

[markc 975]

ok last update for me here

last lot of dvds mailed out today to everyone

so far we have $225.00 plus whatever anyone sends back from the mailed ones

I have recoreded everyones names and amount if anyone wants to check it

Every cent will be given to the club.

I still have 15 left for pick up if anyone wants one

Finks yours still here when you are ready

anyone else is welcome to others

Also Ash I have your video back too

And I should say without Ash this wouldnt have never happened So all thanks should go to him.

mark

[IWAP 168]

Thanks heaps Ash and Mark, for giving me the oppurtunity to see such comprehensive footage of a champion player, that i just wouldn't be able to find anywhere else. really enjoyed it

well done guys !!!!!

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I've said it before but top effort to Ash 30 and markc.

Your selfless acts have given me alot of joy and memories of the best MFC footballer I was priviliged to see.

Many thanks.

Come on guys you dont realise what you are missing out on!!!

If you have ordered a DVD, liaise with markc to pick it up soon and make your financial contribution to MFC!

[Dees Win 1]

MarkC

Would you please check your records to determine if one was sent to me. I haven't yet received one and the kids can barely wait.

Cheers

[markc 975]

MarkC

Would you please check your records to determine if one was sent to me. I haven't yet received one and the kids can barely wait.

Cheers

hey Mate

check your mail in the next few days if not I will send another one

mark

[John Dee 436]

OK, I will make a committment to get to your shop tommorror morning.

[Old Man Rivers 326]

hey Mate

check your mail in the next few days if not I will send another one

mark

A Big Thank You to MarkC

I got my disc today & raced home & threw it in the DVD player.

What absolute magic memories, my 11 son is blown away by the skill & poise of Robbie.

I'd forgotten how good an overhead mark he was also.

How the hell did we not win the flag between 1987 - 1990?

[Hannabal 4]

I'm interested in the thoughts of anyone who's seen the tape (CD) but wasn't old enough to watch Robbie 'live'. What did you think ?

[markc 975]

Trav i would be interested too. i guess we will wait till everyone has the dvds as all have been posted.

mark

[markc 975]

just a quick Note to Denise in Brisbane thankyou for your cheque I will send you a dvd this weekend. Robbie was such a great player in his day I am glad other supporters even the lions like yourself enjoyed his talent . Thankyou for your kind donation and interesting that your son is coached by Brad Millers dad.

[davey_magik 1]

After watching it (I was born in 89 so I didn't really see him) I agree with the Hird comparison. He was like Hird except with a lot more pace and was a freak baulk.

Would have been truly great to see him live .

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,636]

I'm sorry to keep asking, but is there anyone out there who can put the DVD online. If anyone can seed the DVD for torrents, it'd be appreciated more than I can say.

I'll keep checking in hope.

Thanks

[IWAP 168]

Of the very faint memories I have of him, I remember his pace and skill in evading players

Watching the dvvd it was his marking and his penetrating kicks that blew me away !!!

[Hards 2]

As I was telling Mark this morning when I picked up the DVD, before seeing this DVD I'd only seen the odd clip off fox footy and all of the 87 finals series.

Watching some of those older clips in particular on the DVD the baulking was the thing that stood out for me. I'd seen the one with David Rhys-Jones where they stood face to face and Rhys Jones couldn't get a hand on him, but some of those ones where he was caught on the boundary line were amazing.

Very Rob Harvey like in his ability to break tackles (they just seemed to slip off him every time), but his evasive skills were almost Davey like - twisting the body in a million directions to avoid being tackled.

Hird is the best comparison - though Hird is definately better in the middle of a pack - perhaps that's a legacy of the era that each played in though?

Some of those clips from 1987 were amazing, considering he wasn't completely committed to playing on after 86. I know he had all the injury problems, but you got the feeling watching some of those things that he looked like he could have played on for a few more years. It was like watching the last couple of years of Carey, where the body wasn't quite what it was but the ability and the awareness more than made up for it.

Thanks Mark and Ash for making the DVD available, am going to pass it around to some MFC supporting mates my age so they can witness what many of you were lucky enough to see first hand.

[Kumamoto_Ken 1,531]

Got mine in the mail last night...thanks very much Ash and Mark, great effort.

I'm interested in the thoughts of anyone who's seen the tape (CD) but wasn't old enough to watch Robbie 'live'. What did you think ?

Trav, I did get to see Robbie live but it was as a youngster with Robbie 2 Flower on the back of my duffel coat, so they're not the clearest of memories.

A couple of things stood out for me on the DVD:

- how sticky his fingers were on overhead marks, a lot of them seemed to be taken at full stretch, with arms completely extended. A lot of blokes drop those, these were all one-grabbers.

- he drilled shots at goal relatively low. Not Davey low, but real driving kicks.

Thanks again to Mark and Ash

[Demonic Ascent 0]

Thanks to everyone for their recollections of the greatest Demon since our last premiership and possibly ever. I was only 5 years old when Robbie hung up the boots so I cant remember any of his feats from first hand experience though my dad used to tell about them for years afterwards. I guess the closest I have come to seeing a Demon of this calibre was Garry Lyon in his early days. The ball seemed to be an extension of his body and the grace and effortlesness with which he played just amazed me as a youngster.

I was wondering if I have missed the boat with these dvds or is it possible to come and pick one up from your shop mark? It would be greatly appreciated and I would be more than willing to contribute to the donations made to bolster the Demon membership ranks. Brighton is a fair travel from where I live so I dont want to just rock up on the odd chance that you may have a copy for me. Please let me know, like others on here I would be extremely grateful.

And if I can get my hands on a copy I should be able to put it on BitTorrents, Limewire or iMesh for the Riot Squad to get his hands on before he goes Grinter on us.

Please let me know. Thanks.

[markc 975]

yes I still have some left

you are welcome to one

thanks

mark

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,636]

And if I can get my hands on a copy I should be able to put it on BitTorrents, Limewire or iMesh for the Riot Squad to get his hands on before he goes Grinter on us.

Mate if you could put it on torrents (just tell me which site) I'd love you forever!

Would be a great way to introduce my wife to the game! I'll keep watching this thread, let me know where and when.

Cheers

[Demonic Ascent 0]

Well, i'll try and get the dvd in the next week but not 100 per cent sure of how to upload it to torrents. Is it the same as using imesh or limewire where you just share folders? Lert me know & I'll try to get it up for you ASAP? Always willing to help a fellow demon.

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,636]

Can't say I know imesh or livewire, am pretty new to torrents, a friend recently put me on to it. But yeah it is sharing.

A quick and easy guide on how to create and seed a torrent:

http://www.unitethecows.com/forums/printthread.php?t=4253

The first is a bit of a tutorial about the whole thing and how to seed:

http://dessent.net/btfaq/

other sites are :

http://www.mininova.org

http://www.torrentspy.com

Sorry I can't be of more help. Will look into it more when I get the chance

Thanks again

[Rod Grinter Riot Squad 5,636]

Alternatively, send me some instructions and I'll use one of the networks you mentioned above. Anything to see that video!

Cheers mate

[markc 975]

Just to close the thread off

I have $290.00 here which I am sending into the club. At tihs stage I havent recieved any payments from mailed ones. when they turn up I will send these in also.

Finks Posted yours today with cheque Hards posted your extra one too and Rob in Mont Albert yours too.

any payments that turn up after today I will keep till I tick everyone off and then send into the club.

thanks everyone who has paid and well done

A big Thankyou must go to Ash as it was his VIDEO