Demons best rover ever

[daisycutter 28,722]

Stuie and Tiger must have been a lethal combination when playing together.

yep

but they only overlapped for 1954-1956

3 GF's, 2 Flags

Edited March 4, 2014 by daisycutter

[DeeZee 6,905]

Greg Wells was pretty good

[Ted Lasso 17,308]

Nathan Jones might have a pretty handy record by the end of his career.

[gsmith12 491]

Loves her Demons. I suspect La Fontaine was her first "schoolgirl crush". Even though he was North coach at the time, a newspaper photo of a shirtless Barassi adorned our laundry wall for many a year. Born & bred in the Benteigh / McKinnon area she was getting on the train to the footy from a young age. She used to go to most games except Geelong (distance) & Essendon (Windy Hill) but rarely attends games now - crowds & cold have become two of her pet hates (along with interstate footy teams) - but she'd have clocked up a fair few over the span. She got to see the golden era, obviously got to see a fair bit of crap as well. She still retains a membership though

She's now embraced technology and gets most of her footy fix from Foxtel. She has IQ and with an arsenal of remote controls at her disposal, doesn't miss much. She also got herself an iPad & has discovered the club website on that.

I might give her a yell & pose the question in the OP

Wonderful story Biff, you must be proud.

[old dee 23,256]

Henry Coles.

Henry must have been close the longest kick in competition during his era.

Certainly the best kick pound for pound I have seen at the MFC.

[picket fence 15,735]

Paul Callery was a true rover and had a very impressive AFL/VFL Record! 198 games 200 goals. Morrish Medalist , Leading goalkicker in 1971 A man of principle, when Tiger Ridley was sacked, in a show of loyalty he went to St.Kilda and played exceptionally well!

[hardtack 10,186]

Greg Wells was pretty good

as was John Townsend.

[corowa 216]

I'm proud to say that Tiger Ridley was a close friend of mine.

With 130 games (until cut down with a knee injury) including 5 grand final wins, his record is one that few players will ever match.

In relation to great rovers at MFC, I would suggest that Frank (Bluey) Adams would have been as good as any. Des Healey and Collingwood fans might not agree.

[gsmith12 491]

I'm proud to say that Tiger Ridley was a close friend of mine.

With 130 games (until cut down with a knee injury) including 5 grand final wins, his record is one that few players will ever match.

In relation to great rovers at MFC, I would suggest that Frank (Bluey) Adams would have been as good as any. Des Healey and Collingwood fans might not agree.

Adams was a class footballer withn exceptional pace, playng in 7 grand finals for 6 wins.

He did however play a lot of his footy on a wing both at the start and finish of his career.

[stingrays 24]

The other thing about Ridley is that he had terrible eyesight. Just don't know how he did it!

[gsmith12 491]

Spencer according to mum. Better than Ridley she reckons.

Also you can add Laurie Mithen to the list of her favourites Smithy. Apparently he was a fair looking rooster as well as a great footballer

Good looking rooster all right -

[monoccular 16,595]

My earliest memories were of Ian Ridley and Frank "Bluey" Adams roving to the likes of Bob Johnson Jnr, Trevor Johnson and Terry Gleeson through the '55-60 Premiership era.

Then came John Townsend roving to Graeme Wise in '64 (he was our leading goal kicker in our Premiership team with as I recall just 35 goals! Sure spread the goals around those days. Never had a dominant FF in all those Flags).

[Moonshadow 16,572]

It would be great if in 10 years time the names Nate Jones, Jack Viney, Jimmy Toumpas and Chris Salem could be added to the list of credible options. Jones probably is already.

[old dee 23,256]

It would be great if in 10 years time the names Nate Jones, Jack Viney, Jimmy Toumpas and Chris Salem could be added to the list of credible options. Jones probably is already.

Finals football is what creates reputations .

Robert flower was hardly every seen during H and A games because in those days there were only two games televised and the Dees did not feature too often.

Add in only a couple of finals games and his reputation is half of what it should be.

For the guys above to reach more than good average players they need to play finals and winning gf's.

Only then will they be classed in the same way as the people mention on this thread.

[Tim 3,000]

Stuey Spencer without a doubt. Tiger Ridley was great too but didn't have Spencer's class. Stingrays, you can't remember Stuey's long raking drop kicks propelling us into attack time after time? Percy must have been great but he was before even MY time! Never saw him play.

Both well before my time, but I have always been impressed by the fact that SS won back to back B&F's in one of the great teams (1956 version recognised by Sport Australia Hall of Fame award), while also being club's chief goal kicker in one of those years, and missing the same award by one goal in the other year - as a rover!

One thing that did surprise me when I looked at PB's record on the stats site is that in both of his first 2 years he came 5th in the Brownlow, although only playing 11 games in his first year. Undoubtedly a terrific player to whom the umpires took an early shine!

[Maldonboy38 6,093]

My mum's in her 80's and is 3rd generation MFC follower. She has Stuie Spencer and Ian Ridley as the 2 best rovers we have produced. She can still recount all the great players and finals through the late 40's - mid 60's.

She rates Flower very highly, but never rated Neitz.

She loves Nathan Jones and reckons he would have a got a game in the 50's under Norm Smith.

[chook fowler 18,555]

Paul Callery by a short half head!

[Harrisonrules 273]

Neil froggie Compton deserves a comment. He actually began his career in a roving role, (also played a few games of cricket for Vic) but ultimately too slow. Found his real role in the back pocket and thankfully in that famous grand final he still had some of those roving skills on hand. His one famous rovers kick has indelibly place him in demon folklore.

[Harrisonrules 273]

In the good old days when we could watch the reserves, Robbie Dowsing played for a few seasons as rover before following Norm Smith to South. Don't know if too many would have accomplished this but did anyone remember his 13 goals for the reserves against the hawks at glenferrie oval. We could be forgiven for thinking we we had found the next Bobbie Skilton

[Bobby McKenzie 2,266]

Adams was a class footballer withn exceptional pace, playng in 7 grand finals for 6 wins.

He did however play a lot of his footy on a wing both at the start and finish of his career.

Yes, that's right. You beat me to it Smithy. There was no faster footballer than Bluey. He was the Australian Pro sprint champion. Ralph Lane also was quick and an amateur sprint star.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,266]

My mum's in her 80's and is 3rd generation MFC follower. She has Stuie Spencer and Ian Ridley as the 2 best rovers we have produced. She can still recount all the great players and finals through the late 40's - mid 60's.

She rates Flower very highly, but never rated Neitz.

She loves Nathan Jones and reckons he would have a got a game in the 50's under Norm Smith.

How did she rate me Maldonboy?

[old dee 23,256]

How did she rate me Maldonboy?

Average

[Dockett 32 1,213]

Yes very true, but ill go with Percy marginally in front of Stuie, with apologies to Ian Ridley who was also a fantastic player for us.

[Bobby McKenzie 2,266]

Average

Only average? Ask Ron Barassi what he thought of me. He called me a 'bloody magician'. The late Bob Davis and John Coleman rated me highly also. Anyway. Old Dee, I asked for Maldonboy's Mum's rating not yours.

Good on you mate.

[Harrisonrules 273]

Yes, that's right. You beat me to it Smithy. There was no faster footballer than Bluey. He was the Australian Pro sprint champion. Ralph Lane also was quick and an amateur sprint star.

Actually I thought he held the world pro 400 record, but that's hearsay from my dad in the 50's