This is a great read from Demonwiki. there are some big names on that list.

http://demonwiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=Nearly+Men

Spose we could also have call this "Should have been a Demon"!

Ollie Wines would have made this list! Another lazy 33 possession game yesterday "Sigh"

Doug Wade - 1960
https://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=A68UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=grYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3134,2684283&hl=en

The Peter Matera was probably the biggest hit.. At the end of 97 he verbally agreed to joining us and I remember he basically said he was looking forward to getting stuck into pre season and all. Only to do a Mitch Clark and backflip.

This is a big call but if he had joined the Dees and I reckon we would have won the flag in 1998.

The Peter Matera was probably the biggest hit.. At the end of 97 he verbally agreed to joining us and I remember he basically said he was looking forward to getting stuck into pre season and all. Only to do a Mitch Clark and backflip.

This is a big call but if he had joined the Dees and I reckon we would have won the flag in 1998.

Remember it well Dazzle, i was so excited at the time, the news reported he had agreed to join Melbourne and will wear no.8 for us in 1998. The very next night he had changed his mind.

Where's Darren Jarman? We actually did draft him but the SANFL were paying big bucks to retain top players.

Brad Sewell and Shaun Burgoyne. That hurts.

Still would've been carp though.

I think Michael O'Loughlin mentioned during his speech at the awards the other night, that he was met and interviewed by MFC people in the lead up to the draft.

Where's Darren Jarman? We actually did draft him but the SANFL were paying big bucks to retain top players.

Jarman was drafted and refused to come and play at Melbourne, Stood out of footy for a year and was drafted by the Dorks. The rest is history...

Another "hair shirt" thread.

Spose we could also have call this "Should have been a Demon"!

Ollie Wines would have made this list! Another lazy 33 possession game yesterday "Sigh"

Why have you never mentioned this before?

The Peter Matera was probably the biggest hit.. At the end of 97 he verbally agreed to joining us and I remember he basically said he was looking forward to getting stuck into pre season and all. Only to do a Mitch Clark and backflip.

This is a big call but if he had joined the Dees and I reckon we would have won the flag in 1998.

another one that got cold feet. we would have won 98 flag with Matera on board

Remember it well Dazzle, i was so excited at the time, the news reported he had agreed to join Melbourne and will wear no.8 for us in 1998. The very next night he had changed his mind.

Basically the whole eagles side turned up at his place to convince him to stay. Interestedly he had a really crap season with the eagles that year. I think mentally he wanted to be elsewhere, hence the interest in doing to us.

Another is: Kevin Bartlett - I remember reading somewhere he lived in the Melbourne zone. I'm a bit hazy but I think he met norm smith who wasn't impressed by him. Anyone sure on the details.

Where's Darren Jarman? We actually did draft him but the SANFL were paying big bucks to retain top players.

All the players who we actually drafted/signed have their own page - http://demonwiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=Darren+Jarman. They're all listed in the Other Players, and if anyone can add anything to those profiles let me know. Even better if you are one of the people listed.

See also Darrel Baldock and as mentioned above Doug Wade.

If my memory is correct Wayne Johnson would have been a Dee if Jezza had not been appointed Carlton coach. Pretty sure Johnson was playing at Prahran but was tied to Carlton. Jezza put a freeze on clearances and the rest is history.

If my memory is correct Wayne Johnson would have been a Dee if Jezza had not been appointed Carlton coach. Pretty sure Johnson was playing at Prahran but was tied to Carlton. Jezza put a freeze on clearances and the rest is history.

Correct. He was sitting in WJ's car outside the MFC offices while I was inside talking to the CEO about how best to get him.

Correct. He was sitting in WJ's car outside the MFC offices while I was inside talking to the CEO about how best to get him.

Clearly you should have been in the car and the Dominator in the MFC offices with WJ.

Playing career[edit]

After playing junior football in Wandin, Johnston attracted the attention of Victorian Football Association recruiters; in 1975, after being rejected byOakleigh because it already had a number of rovers on its playing list, he signed to play for Prahran.^[3] Johnston played for Prahran from 1975 until 1978, and was part of their 1978 premiership winning team.

Under VFL zone laws in those days, in 1979 Johnston asked to be cleared to play for the Melbourne Football Club; but he was part of Carlton's zone, and coach Alex Jesaulenko wanted to see him play before axing him. He debuted in Round 3, playing against the Essendon Bombers. Johnston impressed, and became a vital member of the 1979 premiership side. He could play either across the half-forward line or in the centre. He was the recipient of the Carlton Best and Fairest award, the John Nicholls Medal (at that time called the Robert Reynolds Trophy), first in 1983 and then in 1986, when he tied with Craig Bradley.

Johnston was made captain of the Blues from 1984–1985, and his presence was critical in high-pressure games and especially finals. He played in the Carlton premiership sides of 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1987.

For 1991, Johnston was signed by struggling SANFL club Sturt and was regarded as a key recruit in the hope of improving the Double Blues from only two wins in 1990, but injuries meant he played just three games for the Double Blues before injury ended his playing career and he was sacked ten weeks before the SANFL minor round ended.^[4]

Spose we could also have call this "Should have been a Demon"!

Ollie Wines would have made this list! Another lazy 33 possession game yesterday "Sigh"

Who's OIllie Wines?