Ronald Dale Barassi leaves the Dees for Carlton

[nutbean 8,838]

With all the angst and countless posts over Voldemort leaving for the Giants ( and yes I have been a contributor) - I am left to ponder, had Demonland been around in 1964, what the responses would been ( and how many posts !) to the news that RDB was off to Carlton

[Demonsterative 3,020]

According my dad it was huge at the time. A premiership captain who left to captain coach carlton and for money. I would say it would be bigger in todays age, i would think.

[Outside fifty 967]

Barrassi was and is a great servant of our club. We owe him far more than he ever owed us. I have no doubt that the forums would have been alight with indignation and venom. At the end of the day the universe was balanced in Karmic harmony when we gave them Johnstone and McLean. That i'll teach them.

[Guest Thomo]

It would be more like Ablett Jrn than Scully. I think fans would be more understanding because of what he had acheived, and he was starting to look at life after football, unlike Scully with his lies.

[rpfc 28,769]

What. The. Hell.

Barrassi left?

You know he was never that good anyway. We saw his best years. I will never welcome him back except for the times we welcomed him back. I hear he has a dodgy knee.

Outrageous.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

I wouldn't exactly say Johnson and Mclean are a balance for Ronald Dale...

[Roger Mellie 4,102]

He didn't have a father composed of lard as part of the deal.

[Sir Why You Little 37,125]

The discussion would have been very lively i have no doubt. But as it is said above far more live Ablett Jnr.than $cully. My Dad has told me it was Huge news at the time.

[rolly 149]

Get real!! RDB played in 6 flags, so not a good comparison.

this is the response that i got when making the suggestion in another thread, and now:

The discussion would have been very lively i have no doubt. But as it is said above far more live Ablett Jnr.than $cully. My Dad has told me it was Huge news at the time.

shouldn't be shocked at inconsistant posters but come on mate, take a good look in the mirror and be honest. i'm sure you would have been just as scything of RDB at the time and posted at least as many petulant comments about betryal and mercenary ethics. your continued inability to let go of the scully saga proves this but i look forward to your response as i'm sure it will be filled with monikers like "vlad" "voldemort" or the use of $ instead of S

[Sir Why You Little 37,125]

this is the response that i got when making the suggestion in another thread, and now:

shouldn't be shocked at inconsistant posters but come on mate, take a good look in the mirror and be honest. i'm sure you would have been just as scything of RDB at the time and posted at least as many petulant comments about betryal and mercenary ethics. your continued inability to let go of the scully saga proves this but i look forward to your response as i'm sure it will be filled with monikers like "vlad" "voldemort" or the use of $ instead of S

You are the one comparing RDB to $cully not me. He won us 6 flags. Sure i wouldn't happy but it is not the same at all.

[Demonsterative 3,020]

My dad also told me RDB playing stature grew after he retired. In his playing days dad rated him a very good tough player, not a champion player. Some of the older posters can clarify this.

A club premiership captain trumps a talented 30 game no 1 draft pick player every day. In level of importance to the MFC that is.

RDB is a club champion to 4 clubs, MFC, Sydney, Nth and Carlton. I consider him a VFL/AFL champion

[Macca 17,032]

My dad also told me RDB playing stature grew after he retired. In his playing days dad rated him a very good tough player, not a champion player. Some of the older posters can clarify this.

A club premiership captain trumps a talented 30 game no 1 draft pick player every day. In level of importance to the MFC that is.

RDB is a club champion to 4 clubs, MFC, Sydney, Nth and Carlton. I consider him a VFL/AFL champion

Ronald Dale Barassi was listed as our best player in the 1957 and 1959 Grand Final wins . He was also listed as our 2nd best player in our 1955 and 1956 Grand Final wins . The possible equivalent of 2 "Norm Smith's" and close to 2 more .

He was also All Australian in 1956 , 1958 and 1961 . He captained our Club to the 1960 and 1964 Grand Final wins . He was our leading goalkicker in 1958 and 1959 and he won our best and fairest in 1961 and 1964 .

Edited January 16, 2012 by Macca

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

My dad also told me RDB playing stature grew after he retired. In his playing days dad rated him a very good tough player, not a champion player. Some of the older posters can clarify this.

A club premiership captain trumps a talented 30 game no 1 draft pick player every day. In level of importance to the MFC that is.

RDB is a club champion to 4 clubs, MFC, Sydney, Nth and Carlton. I consider him a VFL/AFL champion

Sorry mate, but your dad is a hard marker! Barassi was a champion in all areas of the game. Skill, Guts, Determination, Courage, Team spirit, Leader, Match Winner. He had it all. Best I've ever seen and I didn't miss a match during his playing days. It's a real shame we don't have much footage available showing what a great he was.

Edited January 16, 2012 by Bobby McKenzie

[Harcourt 146]

Bara$$i.

[Olgreybeard49 242]

:-) and there was a really great headline in the Herald: 'Carlton Draft; Melbourne Bitter' ....or similar

[Demonsterative 3,020]

As usual its subjective. My dad isnt a Demon supporter. Not sure that means anything either way. In regards to accolades David Neitz reads well too

2 x all aust (one as CHF and FF)

1 x Coleman medalist

Club games record holder

Club record for most games as captian

Bluey Truscott 2002

7 x club goals record

Aust rep

State of origan rep

Club champion but not elite in the AFL

[3031 11]

Sorry mate, but your dad is a hard marker! Barassi was a champion in all areas of the game. Skill, Guts, Determination, Courage, Team spirit, Leader, Match Winner. He had it all. Best I've ever seen and I didn't miss a match during his playing days. It's a real shame we don't have much footage available showing what a great he was.

Agree with you Bobby. I used to go to nearly every Melboune home game in the late 50's and early 60's. There was great debate back then if I remember correctly, when Ted Whitten got the title of "Mr.Football". Some thought Barassi earned that title as well. A true champion and an exceptional leader. I think I know what you might mean Demonsterative about Barassi's playing style..he may not have had the same smooth, silky "ball on a string" style as a Baldock for example..but he was just as much a champion IMO.

[Supermercado 2,802]

At least he gave us good years, and he should have stayed around for another year or two and taken over as coach, but I hope he does his knee at Carlton and they finish last every year while we go on to smash about 15 more premierships.

As long as the board don't do anything stupid with our coach next year we should be good for another flag.

[monoccular 17,573]

The discussion would have been very lively i have no doubt. But as it is said above far more live Ablett Jnr.than $cully. My Dad has told me it was Huge news at the time.

There was certainly a lot of very heated discussion at the time, though of course more word of mouth, and considered correspondence and not the instant "hit the SEND button" stuff of today. There were some shouts of "Judas" when he first played against us but really he was recognised as a longstanding champion of the club and though there was great disappointment amongst members there was far less anger than in the current situation - of course Ron didn't ever come out in the media and blatantly lie about what was going on: he is a very honourable man and was very frank about his actions and reasons, which were not just money but also opportunity to coach as a captain.

Ronald Dale Barassi was listed as our best player in the 1957 and 1959 Grand Final wins . He was also listed as our 2nd best player in our 1955 and 1956 Grand Final wins . The possible equivalent of 2 "Norm Smith's" and close to 2 more .

He was also All Australian in 1956 , 1958 and 1961 . He captained our Club to the 1960 and 1964 Grand Final wins . He was our leading goalkicker in 1958 and 1959 and he won our best and fairest in 1961 and 1964 .

The guy was a rare being, a genuine champion / legend of the club - disappointing to lose him, very much so, but there were so many proud memories and he had given the club so much. He even played with a little knee soreness on occasions.

:-) and there was a really great headline in the Herald: 'Carlton Draft; Melbourne Bitter' ....or similar

Actually I think it was (no draft at that stage of VFL history) Carlton United - Melbourne Bitter.

[Sir Why You Little 37,125]

There was certainly a lot of very heated discussion at the time, though of course more word of mouth, and considered correspondence and not the instant "hit the SEND button" stuff of today. There were some shouts of "Judas" when he first played against us but really he was recognised as a longstanding champion of the club and though there was great disappointment amongst members there was far less anger than in the current situation - of course Ron didn't ever come out in the media and blatantly lie about what was going on: he is a very honourable man and was very frank about his actions and reasons, which were not just money but also opportunity to coach as a captain.

That is how i imagined it Mono....Totally different to the Farce we have witnessed since China 2010

Thanks for that.

[Macca 17,032]

Barassi was a champion in all areas of the game. Skill, Guts, Determination, Courage, Team spirit, Leader, Match Winner. He had it all. Best I've ever seen and I didn't miss a match during his playing days. It's a real shame we don't have much footage available showing what a great he was.

Would have loved to have seen him play but it's great that the likes of yourself and others can share these terrific memories . For many of us these types of stories are an education .

Cheers

Edited January 16, 2012 by Macca

[Range Rover 1,935]

As usual its subjective. My dad isnt a Demon supporter. Not sure that means anything either way. In regards to accolades David Neitz reads well too

2 x all aust (one as CHF and FF)

1 x Coleman medalist

Club games record holder

Club record for most games as captian

Bluey Truscott 2002

7 x club goals record

Aust rep

State of origan rep

Club champion but not elite in the AFL

The only bit that's missing from your Neitz-Barassi comparative analysis is the part where RDB dominates about 5 grand finals!!

In what universe does that alone not make him an undisputed Champion with a capital C?

Edited January 16, 2012 by Range Rover

[Sir Why You Little 37,125]

The only bit that's missing from your Neitz-Barassi comparative analysis is the part where RDB dominates about 5 grand finals.

That makes him an undisputed Champion with a capital C. How could one argue otherwise?

Must say i did think the same...and i was a huge fan of the big Neita, But.....

[Dee-Nee 91]

Ron Barassi was taken in and treated like a son by the Smith family in the 50s after Ron's dad died in WW II. After Norm was terribly treated by the MFC in 1965 it was hardly surprising that Ron left the club shortly after. I don't think it was a $cully $ issue. It was surprising to me that he came back.

[Demonsterative 3,020]

After some research i saw RDB was in the AFL team of the century. He must of been good and i will take my dad to task next time i see him!!! This makes me think (getting back to the OP) that his defection must have been bigger than i thought. An all time great! Scully pales in comparasin.

Despite the circumstances maybe its time to move on from Mr Moneybags Scullywag