The Robbie Flower Education Thread

[DEE fence 4,530]

What the film footage (as wonderful as it is) cannot convey is the whole-ground impact he had. When he got the ball, or was moving to where he would get it, even as the roar went up your eyes would leap 80 metres down the ground. You didn't want to miss a thing he did, but no way would you get any sense of it if you just watched him. Forwards (Biffin especially) would take off, defenders must've felt panic, everyone changed gear in the instant and the whole game would split open. To see this stuff is what TV cannot give you, and it is the best.

Cameras follow the player with the ball, but the really great players instantly impact half the ground when they take possession - and while everything suddenly moves faster, at the same time they seem to have all the time in the world.

My chief grumble about footage, well identified, with the large screen HD tellies we have now days i really think the studios could do some more work with how they show the game. Some sort of spider cam sitting above the boundary so you see the player with the ball and where the play is likely to go so that you can see more of the tactics and leads etc. I notice how useless most of the footage is when I try and explain the game to people with You Tube videos, while they like the pack mark and bumps etc, they do not get the sense of how it is played out.

[low flying Robbo 979]

My chief grumble about footage, well identified, with the large screen HD tellies we have now days i really think the studios could do some more work with how they show the game. Some sort of spider cam sitting above the boundary so you see the player with the ball and where the play is likely to go so that you can see more of the tactics and leads etc. I notice how useless most of the footage is when I try and explain the game to people with You Tube videos, while they like the pack mark and bumps etc, they do not get the sense of how it is played out.

you mean the sort of thing they do with the spider-cam when a player is shooting for goal? I think something moving around above the boundary line might be too much of a distraction or get in the way too much, but surely they could place a few cameras at the bottom of level 2 looking down the ground (similar to the one directly behind the goals), and these could be used well for following a player moving down the ground and watching the play unfold in front of him

[dpositive 1,555]

What the film footage (as wonderful as it is) cannot convey is the whole-ground impact he had. When he got the ball, or was moving to where he would get it, even as the roar went up your eyes would leap 80 metres down the ground. You didn't want to miss a thing he did, but no way would you get any sense of it if you just watched him. Forwards (Biffin especially) would take off, defenders must've felt panic, everyone changed gear in the instant and the whole game would split open. To see this stuff is what TV cannot give you, and it is the best.

Cameras follow the player with the ball, but the really great players instantly impact half the ground when they take possession - and while everything suddenly moves faster, at the same time they seem to have all the time in the world. Diesel Williams was slow and rooted to the spot in the centre, but he opened the game dramatically with his lightning-fast and creative handballing. The original "distributor" of the ball (as far as I ever saw) was Polly Farmer - he fired the ball out by hand to runners 15 metres away and cut the game open every time. But Robbie was without question the most spectacular I ever saw in his capacity to regularly make 80 metre moves - and he did it with such lightness and pace.

As extraordinary as anything about him was the degree of improbability of him as a footballer. To look at him or listen to him speak, he was so mild and inoffensive and slight, you just could not imagine him out there with the tough guys. He was the ultimate proof that our game is more than just numbers - it has at its very pinnacle players who defy all the rules and use imagination, vision, desire and almost certainly a sixth sense to transcend the great struggle. It is its ability to showcase such rare, almost mystical capability that for me makes football the greatest sport I know. Beyond the slog and the drills and the set-plays, the gym work and the game-plans and all that stuff lies a zone that is pure art - it is both poetic in its slowing/intensifying of time, and breathtaking - the world of Daicos and Ablett Snr and unlikeliest-looking of the lot, Robbie Flower.

Jack Dyer once commented that Robbie Flower knew by instinct exactly where everything around him was, even what was behind him; he said this capacity had been identified in gridiron players, where it was reckoned there might be half a dozen players at the most who has any sense of it - and watching Robbie Flower, Jack Dyer realised what it was the Americans had been telling him.

Tiger Crosswell once said that if you ever beat Robbie Flower you might as well hang up your boots - there would be nothing left to achieve in football.

To watch him play - nothing has ever compared. Now and then you see something that reminds you a little of it...

Wow r13

That is one of the best pieces I have read. Very "Flanagan"ish

Deserves to be repeated every now and then to fulfill the title pof the thread

The parrallels are apt. RF sits easily with the champions of the game.

The lightness and space even a giant like Lockett or a slug like Williams could display and the master of all missed on DL post K Grieg the only one who came close to Robbie

Maybe even Aker (who we like to forget) had it

The best story I know (which I have repeated ) is the Footscray Elders (women) who in the midst of Melbourne supporters stated the best backhanded compliment I have ever heard.

The trouble with Robbie Flower (repeated for impact several times) IS he cant kick it to Robbie Flower

(although if there was any one possible of doing that it was RF

[DEE fence 4,530]

LFR , I could live with fixed cameras if the spider cam was a problem, my main point is the production managers need to pull their fingers out, coverage can improve. Especially with the definition available on our televisions, btw what's up with HD in Oz, whenever I watch a match on ESPN It's fairly grainy compared to the other content.

[nutbean 8,837]

There's a lot of love for Robbie here but I was too young in the 80's to really remember him.

I was hoping some of you guys could share some Robbie Flower memories so I can bask in the love as well.

What was he capable of? What was he like? How awesome was he on a scale of 1 to Chuck Norris?

Educate me (and the younger dees)!

Thankyou in advance

everyone said it all before me - my fondest memories would be the strategic move by his then coach ( my memory of who that was is hazy - could have been Skilton) to move everyone to one wing for the kickout from fullback - and in those days it was in our backline alot - except he would leave Robbie one out on halfback against his opponent and the fullback would kick it on his head- 11 times out of 10 Robbie would outmark his opponent. I always thought that opposition coaches really should ignore everything else and just put most players around where Robbie was for the kickout - that was where we always went with good reason.

He was poetry in motion and just oozed magic.

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

The trouble with Robbie Flower (repeated for impact several times) IS he cant kick it to Robbie Flower

Brilliant

[Bossdog 2,002]

Brilliant

Try to get an old video of the 87 first and 2nd semi finals........Against Nth and the swans........Watched them a few days ago when this topic came up........Just great to watch.....

[robbiefrom13 877]

the master of all missed on DL post K Grieg the only one who came close to Robbie

Maybe even Aker (who we like to forget) had it

The best story I know (which I have repeated ) is the Footscray Elders (women) who in the midst of Melbourne supporters stated the best backhanded compliment I have ever heard.

The trouble with Robbie Flower (repeated for impact several times) IS he cant kick it to Robbie Flower

(although if there was any one possible of doing that it was RF

1. Melbourne could never get Flower playing on Grieg - Greig would change sides as soon as Robbie came over to his wing. Make of that what you like, but I know what the outer always said when it happened.

2. As a kid, Robbie often had to be a one-man team against his brother and the neighbour: "When I got kick, I had to make sure it went high enough to give me time to run down the yard and mark it again. Looking back on it, I think that was great training for developing ball-handling skills." ( - Robbie, page 68.)

Edited December 12, 2012 by robbiefrom13

[dpositive 1,555]

1. Melbourne could never get Flower playing on Grieg - Greig would change sides as soon as Robbie came over to his wing. Make of that what you like, but I know what the outer always said when it happened.

2. As a kid, Robbie often had to be a one-man team against his brother and the neighbour: "When I got kick, I had to make sure it went high enough to give me time to run down the yard and mark it again. Looking back on it, I think that was great training for developing ball-handling skills." ( - Robbie, page 68.)

You're right about point 1 I remember comenting on that myself

I did purely mean that kg matched rf for that lighness of movement and ability to be moving in his own space and time

They were both truly wonderful to watch.

I also thank you for that quote which does remind me that I havent picked up that book ( or any other ) for some time

[loges 6,137]

Try to get an old video of the 87 first and 2nd semi finals........Against Nth and the swans........Watched them a few days ago when this topic came up........Just great to watch.....

Yes he was great in his only finals series. Could never work out why he retired when he did

[robbiefrom13 877]

Yes he was great in his only finals series. Could never work out why he retired when he did

Body was broken - only just held together with pain-killers. He said he wanted to have some life left after football.

And as good as he still was, he was not even close to what he had been in his prime.

Edited December 13, 2012 by robbiefrom13

[stinga81 210]

Try to get an old video of the 87 first and 2nd semi finals........Against Nth and the swans........Watched them a few days ago when this topic came up........Just great to watch.....

Being only 6 years of age when he played his last year, I went out an purchased the 87 first two finals too, just for the soul reason of seeing Flower in action. I wasn't dissappointed, and the roar when he went near the ball was something else....

[Miles from Nowhere 199]

The joy Robbie could raise in MFC supporters and the groaning admiration he drew from the opposition were highlights of a long but ultimately unfulfilled career.

One game against the Toigs, well into the RDB era sticks in mind. Ron had tried to make Robbie play off the half back flank but after a few years of this torture he did let him off the chain occasionally. Around 1983, naturally at the MCG, Robbie lined up on the wing on David Palm. From memory he had 35+ touches and Palm had about 5. The Dees won but my Toig supporting mate clapped the champ off the ground and muttered "David Palm should give his match payments to Flower. He's just had the greatest footie lesson he'll ever get".

[norwood_demon 196]

I am a 52yo MFC supporter. Robbie Flower is the greatest footballer that I've had the pleasure to watch. And my God, it was a pleasure! His agility, exquisite skills & awareness were unsurpassed. The attached video, while bringing memories flooding back of Robbie's left-handed bounces, do little justice to his ability. The snippet of him baulking two opposition players on the boundary line gives younger MFC supporters just a glimpse of what Robbie would do regularly 10-15 times per game. The Members would rise expectantly if he was within 20m of the ball. Then he'd do something unbelieveable. And the cheer would go up, "Robbieee!!!"

He's the single reason that any of my generation became or remained MFC supporters. The Club & the supporters who "survived" the 70-80s are eternally indebted to Robbie for his skill & his loyalty.

PS. I have mentioned on another thread that I have just seen someone vaguely reminiscent of Robbie. Jesse Aish (Michael Aish's nephew) at Norwood going in next year's draft. Similar skills & awareness, same left-hand bounce, same evasive skills while teasing the opposition holding the ball cocked in his left wrist with a straight left arm ready to send a handpass. It has only taken 25 years for even a shadow of Robbie to re-appear on the AFL stage. That is how good R Flower was!

Edited December 13, 2012 by norwood_demon

[dee-luded 2,958]

I am a 52yo MFC supporter. Robbie Flower is the greatest footballer that I've had the pleasure to watch. And my God, it was a pleasure! His agility, exquisite skills & awareness were unsurpassed. The attached video, while bringing memories flooding back of Robbie's left-handed bounces, do little justice to his ability. The snippet of him baulking two opposition players on the boundary line gives younger MFC supporters just a glimpse of what Robbie would do regularly 10-15 times per game. The Members would rise expectantly if he was within 20m of the ball. Then he'd do something unbelieveable. And the cheer would go up, "Robbieee!!!"

He's the single reason that any of my generation became or remained MFC supporters. The Club & the supporters who "survived" the 70-80s are eternally indebted to Robbie for his skill & his loyalty.

PS. I have mentioned on another thread that I have just seen someone vaguely reminiscent of Robbie. Jesse Aish (Michael Aish's nephew) at Norwood going in next year's draft. Similar skills & awareness, same left-hand bounce, same evasive skills while teasing the opposition holding the ball cocked in his left wrist with a straight left arm ready to send a handpass. It has only taken 25 years for even a shadow of Robbie to re-appear on the AFL stage. That is how good R Flower was!

I recently saw a video of aish prior to this years draft... I agree, I thought he looked preetty good.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

I first met Robbie in 1973.

I was introduced by an ol mate Gary Hardeman.

It was at the Western Oval ( Whitten Oval for the newbies)

Gary said to me watch this boy, he will captain Melbourne one day mark my words.

Truer words were never spoken.

I saw most of his games and he amazed me every time he ran onto the ground.

[Hannibal 5,814]

The joy Robbie could raise in MFC supporters and the groaning admiration he drew from the opposition were highlights of a long but ultimately unfulfilled career.

One game against the Toigs, well into the RDB era sticks in mind. Ron had tried to make Robbie play off the half back flank but after a few years of this torture he did let him off the chain occasionally. Around 1983, naturally at the MCG, Robbie lined up on the wing on David Palm. From memory he had 35+ touches and Palm had about 5. The Dees won but my Toig supporting mate clapped the champ off the ground and muttered "David Palm should give his match payments to Flower. He's just had the greatest footie lesson he'll ever get".

You are indeed correct. It was 1983 and on the Sunday WOS Crackers Keenan said that Palm would have nightmares about Flower that night. Flower kicked 40 goals from a wing in 1983. Has any other player ever kicked 40 goals from a wing ?

In the match you refer to Flower had 38 disposals, 15 marks and 2 goals. 38 disposals in those days was far different to 38 disposals today. Palm had 10.