50 years of watching the Demons

[Prof 15]

I first started going to the footy regularly in 1961. Melbourne were the only side that played at the MCG (not the 'G in those days), Ronald Dale was captain and Norm Smith coach. Many greats were very near the end of their careers. Ian Thorogood, Bluey Adams, Laurie Mithen etc. This is my best team from the last 50 years. Some explanation will be required.

B: A Johnson, Tassie Johnson, A Ingerson

HB: B Lovett, D Neitz, G Hardeman

C: S Alves, H Mann, S Tingay

HF: R Flower, D Schwarz, Gerard Healy

F: G Lyon, A Jackovich, J Farmer

R: J Stynes, R Barassi, T Viney

Inter: G Wells, C Ditterich, J McDonald, B Bourke

A Johnson was a highly skilled, very attacking, long kicking player.

Other great back pocket players include: F Davis and L Fowler. Fowler, Ditterich and Viney rank as the three toughest Demons I have watched.

Tassie Johnson was the quintessential fullback. Highly skilled, composed and a great kick.

Other handy ones include: R Biffin and D Hughes

Anthony Ingerson was sensational for us around 1998 to 2000. This position was the hardest to decide.

Brett Lovett was a wonderful half back flanker. Smart, creative and brilliant with his hands.

David Neitz was a natural at CHB. Tall, tough, attacking and a thumping kick. A better CHB than FF.

Gary Hardeman was the CHB in our team of the century. He could just as easily star on the flank. Fast, attacking, fabulous in the air. He could also kick 60 metres on his left foot.

I desperately need to include 3 wingers. So, the best (RF) will play on the half forward line. If you're not happy, view a tape of the 1987 finals series.

Stan Alves was a standout player and leader for a decade. Fast, skillful, passionate.

Hassa Mann What a player! Experts rate him as very good. What a joke. He was much better than this. Hassa was top shelf.

Stephen Tingay A great player. Super skilled on both sides of his body.

Now for the forwards...

Robbie Flower was simply the best Melbourne player I have seen. Sublime skills. When injury free, no one ever nailed him.

David Schwarz would have been scary but for 3 knee recos. Even so he was still very good.

Gerard Healy was a very good player who became an outstanding one at the Swans. Clever, creative and damaging.

Garry Lyon A superb player. Very competitive, great kick, genuine leader.

Allen Jackovich Freakish skills, magnificent kick, capable of kicking 6+ goals on a regular basis.

Jim Stynes What more needs to be said.

Ron Barassi I only watched him play for 4 years, but that was long enough. The most fierce competitor I have ever seen.

Todd Viney Tough, super fit and consistent.

On the pine:

G Wells Ball magnet, great mark for his size.

C Ditterich Aggressive, athletic. A real protector. I actually watched his famous first game at Junction Oval (1963)

J McDonald His last 5 or 6 years have been nothing short of inspirational.

B Bourke A bit of a favourite of mine. Could literally play anywhere. Skillful, fast, smart and courageous. Took a telling mark in the the defensive goalsquare with about a minute to play in the '64 grand final.

Coach Norm Smith No surprises there!

Stiff to miss out:

B Dixon Super competitive, great mark. His best footy was mainly behind him when I watched him in action.

F Davis Courageous, skillfull and reliable.

L Fowler Super tough, aggressive.

A Yze At his peak he was a genuine game breaker.

S Febey Reliable, consistent.

R Robertson Very effective as second string key forward.

Hope this is of interest!

Edited June 10, 2010 by Prof

[Go the Biff 3,414]

Thanks Prof. I enjoyed the read & the memories. Fair side you've put together. You mention you saw Big Carl's first game. Did you see his last as well ? Don't think I've ever laughed as much at the footy - there were 'Pies players ducking for cover left, right & centre.

[jayceebee31 759]

Thank you for memory lane however thankfully I can go back to the 50's where we also had great success.

Edited June 10, 2010 by jayceebee31

[Damo 3,344]

I was born in 56.

Almost Completely agree with your side, but would have Biann Dixon on the bench instead of Barry Bourke.

And Big Carl (God I loved watching him) as 1st Ruck instead of Jimmy. (how rude!)

Excellent work.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Great work Prof and some good picks up on Healy in that side.

I might have altered some positions but it is hard to argue with that side.

My only changes would be:

Ditterich - A great ruck in his prime but that was at St Kilda. His first stint at MFC was a case of too much money (10 year rule) and too much weight. As playing coach not much of a strategist but was serviceable. Due to his efforts up to 2004, I would have gone for Jeff White instead.

Fowler - Loved the guy. Tough, hard as nauls and played with a passion that would make Beamer blush. In there on the bench instead of Bourke. Only saw Bourke is his final years as he faded as player

[Sir Why You Little 36,977]

Thanks for that, a truly great side.

Pity there was no room for Graeme Osbourne (7) Greg Parke (26) John Gallus (5)

I was a huge fan of all 3 when i was a kid in the very early seventies..!!

Go Demons....

[jayceebee31 759]

Thanks for that, a truly great side.

Pity there was no room for Graeme Osbourne (7) Greg Parke (26) John Gallus (5)

I was a huge fan of all 3 when i was a kid in the very early seventies..!!

Go Demons....

Not up to the level picked by Prof in his team.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Not up to the level picked by Prof in his team.

Agree.

Graeme Osborne and Brad Miller share more than just a common number IMO. Long serving players that had individual days in the sun but never able to continually cut it at AFL level.

Greg Parke - Great mark on his day but an ordinary kick. Too inconsistent. Many better than him.

John Gallus- Couple of reasonable years then disappeared from AFL.

[Sir Why You Little 36,977]

Not up to the level picked by Prof in his team.

Ahh yes i gathered that, (just a little Humour jcbee

[Theo 272]

The one player growing up that I thought was a cut above the rest was Ross Dillon. Recruited from Kyabram he played 85 games before he did his knee. In 1969 he kicked 48 goals fom CHF and 41 in 1970. A beautiful mover who was a fantastic overhead mark. Represented Victoria and South Australia at Interstate carnivals.

Robbie Flower, Hassa Mann, Alan Johnson, Alan Jackovich, Brian Dixon, Ross Dillon, Garry Hardeman, Stan Alves, Garry Lyon, Todd Viney and Stephen Tingay were among the best I ever saw put on the red and blue.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

The one player growing up that I thought was a cut above the rest was Ross Dillon. Recruited from Kyabram he played 85 games before he did his knee. In 1969 he kicked 48 goals fom CHF and 41 in 1970. A beautiful mover who was a fantastic overhead mark. Represented Victoria and South Australia at Interstate carnivals.

Robbie Flower, Hassa Mann, Alan Johnson, Alan Jackovich, Brian Dixon, Ross Dillon, Garry Hardeman, Stan Alves, Garry Lyon, Todd Viney and Stephen Tingay were among the best I ever saw put on the red and blue.

Like Schwarz his best was cruelled by a knee injury. Not the same afterwards.

[no cigar 0]

Thanks Prof, agree with pretty much all of this except Brian Dixon would have to be on the wing in front of Stinga, good call on Neitzy - he was a sensational CHB and should have played there more often in my opinion. I remember seeing Schwartz kick 9 from CHF at the SCG before he started to do his knees - would have been better than Carey on that day's evidence. I was never sure about Jackovich, the guy was a freak but you wouldn't trust him to put the cat out at night! I only saw the last couple of years of Ronald Dale and I whilst I find it very difficult to disagree with you that Robbie was the best player I have seen , I suspect Barass was more important in providing the drive needed to win games. The other one I question is Big Carl, I know we all love him but he was past his best by the time he played for us. I think we are forgetting Peter Moore who won a Brownlow for us and deserved his place in here in front of Carl I reckon.

[Damo 3,344]

and then there was Warren Dean....if we are going to talk about cruel.

[Vagg 2,439]

Ah, yes, what memories. Some of my best memories are sitting in front of the old radiogram as a kid, listening to the exploits of Greg Parke pulling down screamer after screamer, and pumping the ball down Ross Dillon's throat! Great stuff!!

But, I am truly gutted that no-one has mentioned my namesake! Good old Barrie Vagg was a rather talented Half Forward Flanker who was one of my real favourites!

Nostalgia! Gotta love it!

Now, on to the next battle with the old enemy on Monday...!

Go Dees!!

[norwood_demon 196]

I turned 50yo this year and have therefore endured the same 5 decades of despair. Congratulations on this stroll down memory lane. Usually these exrecises result in large disagreements. I wouldn't change a player in your side!

I suspect (and dearly hope) that some of the current side will take a few of the spots in this side if the exercise is repeated in 5-10 years time.

Robbie stopped playing in 1987, 23 years ago (Ughhh!) There is therefore a generation (or two) of MFC supporters who did not see him play. Robbie was the greatest MFC player that I've seen by at least 2 orders of magnitude. Skillful beyond belief; brave considering his wiry frame; quick; ran all day. I loved watching him in state games in a side with other good players (a luxury that MFC unfortunately did not often have during Robbie's career). Robbie was routinely the best Victorian player linking with team-mates thinking as fast as him. If Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Morton ... end-up being even one-tenth as good as Robbie, MFC have at least three premierships on the horizon.

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

Surprised there was no mention of Donny Williams (HBF) or Geoff Tunbridge (HFF), both just squeeze into the time line. Donny Williams had 2 stints at the Dees and was a real dasher.

[Vagg 2,439]

Yeah, true. Don Williams spent part of the time between stints at the MFC running around as Captain Coach of our local Sale side in what was then the LVFL...

[Prof 15]

Ah, yes, what memories. Some of my best memories are sitting in front of the old radiogram as a kid, listening to the exploits of Greg Parke pulling down screamer after screamer, and pumping the ball down Ross Dillon's throat! Great stuff!!

But, I am truly gutted that no-one has mentioned my namesake! Good old Barrie Vagg was a rather talented Half Forward Flanker who was one of my real favourites!

Nostalgia! Gotta love it!

Now, on to the next battle with the old enemy on Monday...!

Go Dees!!

My favourite memory of B. Vagg was in 1968. We were playing Hawthorn at the MCG. It was unbelievably wet so I sat up the top of the southern stand directly behind the punt road goal. We were behind all day including about 5 goals in arrears at 3 quarter time. We started catching up during the final quarter. With less than 10 seconds to go, B. Vagg picked the ball up on the half forward line, about 35 metres out. He turned around and kicked it on his left foot. As the ball sailed towards the punt road goal, the siren sounded. Straight through the centre! The Demons won by 4 points.

[Prof 15]

Surprised there was no mention of Donny Williams (HBF) or Geoff Tunbridge (HFF), both just squeeze into the time line. Donny Williams had 2 stints at the Dees and was a real dasher.

I watched Don Williams from 1964 to 1966. He was a real dasher. His nick name was 'train'. Sad that he is no longer with us.

I might have seen Geoff Tunbridge play once or twice. I really can't remember him.

[joeboy 3,164]

Like Schwarz his best was cruelled by a knee injury. Not the same afterwards.

Yes I regard Ross Dillon as my favourite ever player , but he certainly doesn't deserve prime CHF status because his kicking for goal was always woeful - I have an old Sun newspaper clipping of him missing a goal with the man on the mark standing on the goal line .To this day I regard that feat as a miracle .

Edited June 10, 2010 by joeboy

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Yes I regard Ross Dillon as my favourite ever player , but he certainly doesn't deserve prime CHF status because his kicking for goal was always woeful - I have an old Sun newspaper clipping of him missing a goal with the man on the mark standing on the goal line .To this day I regard that feat as a miracle .

Good story. I have memory of Greg Parke with the yips when kicking for goal. In lining up for goal from directly in front say 35 to 50 metres, Parke would face and walk on a diagonal to the right side of the right behind post hoping to hook the ball back with his right foot comes across his body. Toss of the coin stuff. He did kick 7 goals against the Cats at the Cattery in 1973 in one of our rare wins. So he did have some good days..he had some awful ones too..

[titan_uranus 24,974]

I'm so young I've heard of virtually none of these players. I feel like I missed a lot.

My childhood memories of the MFC revolve around names such as Hopgood, Seecamp, Tingay, Ingerson, Beams, Lovett, you know, basically our 90s team.

[Vagg 2,439]

My favourite memory of B. Vagg was in 1968. We were playing Hawthorn at the MCG. It was unbelievably wet so I sat up the top of the southern stand directly behind the punt road goal. We were behind all day including about 5 goals in arrears at 3 quarter time. We started catching up during the final quarter. With less than 10 seconds to go, B. Vagg picked the ball up on the half forward line, about 35 metres out. He turned around and kicked it on his left foot. As the ball sailed towards the punt road goal, the siren sounded. Straight through the centre! The Demons won by 4 points.

Gold!! That's my man!

Thanks, Prof!

[iv'a worn smith 1,979]

I watched Don Williams from 1964 to 1966. He was a real dasher. His nick name was 'train'. Sad that he is no longer with us.

I might have seen Geoff Tunbridge play once or twice. I really can't remember him.

"Recruited by Melbourne from Ballarat when he was already twenty-five years of age, Geoff Tunbridge played his entire six season, 117 game, 128 goal VFL career as an amateur. (He had, in fact, commenced his senior football in the VAFA with University Blues, playing in that side's 1952 A Grade premiership side.) Not that there was anything remotely amateurish about his play: explosively energetic and quick, he was one of the most damaging half forward flankers in the game. In his debut season he contributed a couple of goals to the Demons' 17.14 (116) to 7.13 (55) grand final demolition of Essendon, while in 1958 he was one of the few Melbourne players justified in holding his head high after the shock grand final loss to Collingwood. Tunbridge went on to play in further Demon premiership sides in 1959 and 1960. He also represented the VFL."

[dee-luded 2,959]

I turned 50yo this year and have therefore endured the same 5 decades of despair. Congratulations on this stroll down memory lane. Usually these exrecises result in large disagreements. I wouldn't change a player in your side!

I suspect (and dearly hope) that some of the current side will take a few of the spots in this side if the exercise is repeated in 5-10 years time.

Robbie stopped playing in 1987, 23 years ago (Ughhh!) There is therefore a generation (or two) of MFC supporters who did not see him play. Robbie was the greatest MFC player that I've seen by at least 2 orders of magnitude. Skillful beyond belief; brave considering his wiry frame; quick; ran all day. I loved watching him in state games in a side with other good players (a luxury that MFC unfortunately did not often have during Robbie's career). Robbie was routinely the best Victorian player linking with team-mates thinking as fast as him. If Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Morton ... end-up being even one-tenth as good as Robbie, MFC have at least three premierships on the horizon.

Absolutely, & would burn it up today with all the skills necessary. He'd be better suited todays game than yesteryear.

Oh, I'd love to see him on the wing now in this team with Neitz in the goal square & the Ox in full flight with the Russian rucking.