How good was Robbie Flower!

[highroller 112]

Hey all,

being in my early 20's i have little recollection of the great Robbie Flower other than a faint memory of him single-handedly bringing us back from the dead against the doggies to make the finals.

How good was he? is there some sort of equivalent to a player that is playing these days?

Was he a genuine superstar of the competition back then like your Hird,Voss & Buckleys?

Anyone got any stories about great games he played or great goals?

[Guest sydee]

Unfortunately there are no modern day equivalents, what I will say is that he is one of the very few MFC players (maybe the only one) during my 40 odd years of supporting the club that opposition supporters would without hesitation say is a champion.

You only have to look at his performances in Victorian teams to realise that he was a super player even amongst the games best.

Bottom line he was VERY VERY GOOD, sadly I don't think we have seen another player in red & blue of that elite calibre since his retirement

[highroller 112]

actually i have to agree with you on the comment about being the only player that always received respect from the opposition. Ive never heard anyone say he was no good or even overrated etc.

[Redleg 40,895]

Hey all,

being in my early 20's i have little recollection of the great Robbie Flower other than a faint memory of him single-handedly bringing us back from the dead against the doggies to make the finals.

How good was he? is there some sort of equivalent to a player that is playing these days?

Was he a genuine superstar of the competition back then like your Hird,Voss & Buckleys?

Anyone got any stories about great games he played or great goals?

IMO he was the best I have seen behind Leigh Matthews. Robbie played in poor Melbourne sides all of his career yet when he played State football he was usually BOG. what does that tell you. He was skinny, wore glasses and then contact lenses and was a true ball player. He was brave and had more skill than any player I have ever seen. He could take a great high mark and then baulk three players and kick a goal on his left foot. Incidentally he was a right foot kick but played table tennis with his left hand and I think that is part of the reason he was so skillful, as he could bounce with both hands and kick with both feet. he made goals out of nothing. I recall him running the entire ground at Windy Hill from the back pocket and kicking a goal and doing the same at Collingwood from the half back flank. He was a genius with a football and always remained modest. One of my saddest memories is him trudging off after the 87 Prelim Final which we lost controversially and he was injured and knew as he left the ground that it was his last game. We are allowed a hero in life and he is one of mine.

[Freak 100]

Voss and Hird not champions? I would say yes, every supporter from opposing teams would respect these 2.

[highroller 112]

nah what i meant was Robbie is the only Melb player i have never heard talked about as if he was no good. It seems even a collingwood supporter would speak of him as a true champion of the game. Of course players like Voss and Hird are in the same ilk just talking about Melbourne players though

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Excellent summary Redleg, nearly brought a tear to my eye.

Robbie Flower was and still is my hero, he is the only player that I have ever looked up to and I could not be more proud of anyone who represented our club.

He was not just a great footballer but is a great and very humble person as well, perhaps we could all learn something from him.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

People on this site too often use the term "superstar", "legend" and "champion" and just as often severely overrate the player they are applying to.

In nearly forty years of watching MFC and VFL/AFL closely, Robert Flower was all of those.

MFC have produced champions of the past Warne- Smith, La Fontaine, Mueller, Barassi, Norm Smith and the galaxy of top players during the 1950s and 1960s. I was never old enough to have seen those players although I have spoken too many MFC supporters and a couple of players of those days and got a good understanding of how exceptionally good those players were.

Since the late 1960s we have had only one out and out champion. The saddest thing is that he made some truly awful MFC sides seem competitive.

For those of you who missed this guy's career you missed an absolute marvel.

We have not had a player of that high quality and skill since.

[Hannabal 4]

Highroller, I can't imagine seeing a better Demon player in my life time. He's the only footballer that has made me emotional.

Imo, pound for pound the best footballer to pull on a boot. Not as explosive as a Gary Ablett but the personification of grace, class and artistry.

The best State player I saw. He shone amongst the cream of the crop.

The best goal kicking wingman of all time.

The best mark I've seen on a midfieder.

But alas, unfortunately, words aren't enough.

[astrodee 0]

[One of the most skilfull players I can remember since the early 60's. What Geoff Tunbridge did some of the time, Robbie did all the time. If he had a weakness, it was the set shot at goal in a real pressure situation. Otherwise he was the epitome of grace on a footy field.

[Slartibartfast 17,257]

It's an interesting thing trying to compare Robbie to anyone.

Personally, I think the best "fit" to any player today is James Hird. Similar build, Flower was quicker in his prime, opponents just couldn't touch him. Robbie wasn't as "inside" as Hird is now, but the game has changed a lot.

He played in an era when players tended to be "one position". But he played CHF for Vic against WA one year. Beat Glendinning pointless, and Ross was a fantastic player.

Robbie was a once in a lifetime player for me. He was 100% skill. He was the reason that the Dippers existed. You couldn't beat him, you had to neutralise him.

He's the reason I hate thugs on the field. For all we can admire the bravery of Archer, the determination of Kirk, we go to the footy to see the skill of Flower.

Make no mistake. He was, in his own way, the equal of any footballer I've seen since 1960. He just did things nobody else did. And he did it regularly.

[Prodigal Son 0]

Michael O'sullivan is a friend of mine and he once told me that as he played on the other wing to Robbie he had to man him up at training. After about 2 years of never getting a kick at training he said to Robbie how do you know where the ball is going and he said he could tell by the way it was falling to the boot. Mick was always gratful to Robbie because from that day on he'd say left or right to give him a head start to at least give him about a 20% chance of getting a kick!

[Old Man Rivers 326]

Robbie Flower , gosh where do we begin?????????????????

Absolute LEGEND in our lifetime!

2 great moments locked in the mind forever:

1. State Of Origin game about 1976, built as the clash of the 2 superstars of Aussie Rules

Brian Peake from W.A. V's Robbie Flower from Vic

Vic's win by 100 points & Robbie blows The Brian Peake is the best in the land theory out the window.

He was simply sublime that day, makes you wonder what he would of produced on the last day in September.

2. Dee's V Swans 2nd Semi @ The G in 1987. Pouring rain & still his skills where amazing.

The lights glowed brightly on The G & Robbie came off mid way through the last quarter with The Dee's about 80 points up & the crowd stood as one and acknowleged a true Red & Blue superstar. Sadly it was to be the last time he ever left The G as a victorious Demon.

Thanks for the memories Robbie Flower. :D

[Whispering_Jack 30,019]

I've been following the Demons since I was about five years old and Ron Barassi stands out as our greatest and probably always will. We won six premierships during his time as a Melbourne footballer and thanks to people like our coach Norm Smith, club secretary Jim Cardwell (in those days the secretary did just about everything at a club including recruiting), RDB and a couple of dozen fantastic footballers we were the kings of football.

After all that there has been nothing comparable but for Robbie Flower who was simply magnificent. He stood out in an era where the rest were ordinary. Everything he did was exquisite. When he took a mark time froze while he hovered above the other mere mortals below him. That was Robbie ...

I hope that perhaps there are others out there in the present side who can one day come close to matching him.

[Finks 19]

Question for Ash 30:

have you put together a Robbie Flower highlights video?

[markc 975]

regleg very well said

we havent had a player since robbie as good or upto his standard

he would have to be the best melbourne player i saw play live

how and why he stayed with us all those years.

he would be the on one to be classed as

"superstar", "legend" and "champion" at MFC in my time

and I agree Rhino Richards

People on this site too often use the term "superstar", "legend" and "champion" and just as often severely overrate the player they are applying to.

[John Dee 445]

I am old enough to remember Barassi, and Flower. The two of them were absolute champions, but, in very different ways. Barassi was a rock solid bruising footballer in the Matthews mould and as soon as you saw him you knew he was a footballer. You could meet Robbie in the street and your brain could not get you to realise that this skinny bespectacled kid was a footballer. Hird is a good comparison, but, even he is a bigger unit that Robbie could ever have been.

The game that sticks in my mind is against Carlton at the G. Robbie played the whole game on the wing against Rhys Jones, and that was the only thing the crowd was interested in. We git flogged, of course. Rhys Jones was thug, but, he was also a sublimely gifted footballer and they played just about the entire game on the members wing. As an exhibition of the skills of the game of AFL football, you could get no better.

Robbie used to play tennis at my club - He plays tennis left-handed.

[GRANGE HERMITAGE 64' 0]

I think the modern day equivalent to Robert Flower would be James Hird.Both very skillful with the ability to make opposition players look silly with evasive moves.

Both very accurate kicks for goal with the ability to do feakish things.I'd say Flower was more naturally talented and faster...but then again he was a lot leaner than Hird is.

Flower was the most exciting and skillful player I've ever seen play AFL/VFL.

[The Mikado 0]

I think the modern day

Flower was the most exciting and skillful player I've ever seen play AFL/VFL.

I agree, I am too young to see the glory days of the 50/60's but I did see the 87 finals series, including the Prelim at VFL Park. RF played sublimly that series, I can still remember a few of his marks and runs. Such a shame he only played 3 finals and not the big one. Best player never to win a Brownlow.....

The NSW Demons had a Legends dinner with Robbie a few years ago and I got a placemat signed that night. That is now a prized possession. He spoke very well. The highlights reel shown that night was awesome but a bit light on in the early years, not surprisingly.

The Mikado.

[TonyMelb 7]

I think the modern day equivalent to Robert Flower would be James Hird.Both very skillful with the ability to make opposition players look silly with evasive moves.

Both very accurate kicks for goal with the ability to do feakish things.I'd say Flower was more naturally talented and faster...but then again he was a lot leaner than Hird is.

Flower was the most exciting and skillful player I've ever seen play AFL/VFL.

I just want to echo the comments above on how talented Robbie was. I have been a diehard Demon since late 1950's and since those premiership days watching Robbie Flower weave his magic on the wing was wonderful. He is by some distance the most brilliant MFC player since early 60s. He also captained the Big V for 1 or 2 years I think!

James Hird is a lot bigger in the upper body. For those who didnt see Robbie play he was a bit like Hird but with Aaron Davey's evasive magic.

Robbie is just as much a champion off the field - as trully modest as he was tallented. Foxtel has been replaying the 1986 night premiership - the MFC's only trophy since 64 - and you see Robbie (who did not play through injury!) at the end insisting that Danny Hughes as acting captain take the accolades!

[Ash35 425]

Question for Ash 30:

have you put together a Robbie Flower highlights video?

Yes

[Slartibartfast 17,257]

Foxtel has been replaying the 1986 night premiership - the MFC's only trophy since 64 -

You need to look at the record books Tony. Brett Bailey will be disappointed you don't remember his efforts in 1988.

[Finks 19]

Yes

I thought you might have. Can I put a request in for a copy? Can you burn to DVD?

wicked!!!

[Dees Win 1]

Ash

Would it be possible to impose on you to make a DVD copy of the Robbie Flower tape for me. I would love to show it to my children who have only seen snippets but have heard a great deal about him.

Cheers

[Ash35 425]

OK, I'll whip up another Robbie Flower highlights video tape, but I don't have the machine that burns it onto DVD.

If anyone does has access to such a machine, let me know, and we'll work something out.

Comparing Robert Flower to a current day player is difficult.

Perhaps a much more consistent Travis Johnstone, but alot better mark, who kicked more goals, and was a super leader and captain might come close.