Our Indigenous History

[MarkMacca 133]

The MFC website has put up a lovely video acknowledging the indigenous players who have represented the club. It starts with footage of Jeff Farmer, rolls through Jurrah, Davey, Wonaemerri, Jetta and Garlett. It closes with acknowledging (no footage) some of the less spectacular or well known players- Whelan, Bennell, Charles, Pickett, JKH and Newman (female). All in a minute and a bit. Well worth a look. A focus on their football presence, refreshingly.

[JTR 2,846]

2 hours ago, MarkMacca said:

The MFC website has put up a lovely video acknowledging the indigenous players who have represented the club. It starts with footage of Jeff Farmer, rolls through Jurrah, Davey, Wonaemerri, Jetta and Garlett. It closes with acknowledging (no footage) some of the less spectacular or well known players- Whelan, Bennell, Charles, Pickett, JKH and Newman (female). All in a minute and a bit. Well worth a look. A focus on their football presence, refreshingly.

Wash your mouth out!!! 

 

 

[Bobby McKenzie 2,385]

3 hours ago, MarkMacca said:

The MFC website has put up a lovely video acknowledging the indigenous players who have represented the club. It starts with footage of Jeff Farmer, rolls through Jurrah, Davey, Wonaemerri, Jetta and Garlett. It closes with acknowledging (no footage) some of the less spectacular or well known players- Whelan, Bennell, Charles, Pickett, JKH and Newman (female). All in a minute and a bit. Well worth a look. A focus on their football presence, refreshingly.

And add Eddie Jackson to that list. A dashing wingman in our golden years.

[praha 11,240]

How could they *not* show Charles' goal vs West Coast in 1994?

[Deespicable 2,726]

Is there a link to video please.

My recollections only go back to the early 70s, so some of the ultra-old DLers may have more tales of indigenous greatness but for what it is worth:

Colin Graham played in the 70s and was a beautifully balanced left footer who usually lined up on a forward flank - I can't remember him being that speedy but he was mega classy.

Little Lally (Les) Bamblett was mid-80s and was a stringbean wingman (for us) in just a handful of games before he got sent to the Dogs where he became a porky, but handy, small forward in the Aussie Woenamirri mould.

We haven't really been a club with that many indigenous greats.

Andy Lovell played well over 100 games in the John Northey era as a very handy and skilled small forward/midfielder before being traded to West Coast.

Sean Charles was by far the fastest and most gifted IP and was huge in the 1994 final series with Schwarter and Garry Lyon. But a broken arm ruined his career soon after.

We wasted a couple of early draft picks in the mid-90s on Donald and David Cockatoo-Collins, who were super fast schoolboy stars, but never had the physicality to make it, nor the kicking skills. 

Then came the Wiz came along - a livewire goalsneak, who was huge in 2000 when we made the GF, and in most people's eyes would rank as our No.1 IP. His nine goals (all after half time I think) against the Pies on QB still rates as one of the club's all-time amazing individual performances.

Matty Whelan, with 150 games, is the IP club record holder with Aaron Davey I think (historians can verify). Whelan was an amazingly courageous small defender flying back across packs and had pace to burn - a bit like Neville, not quite as good man-on-man, but better offensively. Davey, it can be argued, altered the game with his chase-down tackles.

Under Dean Bailey we tried to replicate Port's indigenous class and recruited heavily (Aussie, Pickett, Jurrah), but once he left we've followed more the Matty Rendell school of thought and after seven years in NT, we are yet to unearth or draft a single indigenous NT AFL talent - although a few other clubs have drafted with success - eg: Steven May and Nakia Cockatoo. Aussie was our last NT success story and he was incredibly gifted - albeit a bit lazy.

My top 3 all-time IPs for us would be:

1 Jeff Farmer, 2 Aaron Davey, 3 Matty Whelan - Nev is getting close to passing Matty Whelan now.

Sean Charles and Liam Jurrah were the most talented, but being light-bodied, suffered broken arms (and a couple of other family-related issues) that ruined their careers.

 

 

[daisycutter 29,619]

maybe i'm thick but i can't find the video on the mfc site
 

link please

[praha 11,240]

14 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

Is there a link to video please.

My recollections only go back to the early 70s, so some of the ultra-old DLers may have more tales of indigenous greatness but for what it is worth:

Colin Graham played in the 70s and was a beautifully balanced left footer who usually lined up on a forward flank - I can't remember him being that speedy but he was mega classy.

Little Lally (Les) Bamblett was mid-80s and was a stringbean wingman (for us) in just a handful of games before he got sent to the Dogs where he became a porky, but handy, small forward in the Aussie Woenamirri mould.

We haven't really been a club with that many indigenous greats.

Andy Lovell played well over 100 games in the John Northey era as a very handy and skilled small forward/midfielder before being traded to West Coast.

Sean Charles was by far the fastest and most gifted IP and was huge in the 1994 final series with Schwarter and Garry Lyon. But a broken arm ruined his career soon after.

We wasted a couple of early draft picks in the mid-90s on Donald and David Cockatoo-Collins, who were super fast schoolboy stars, but never had the physicality to make it, nor the kicking skills. 

Then came the Wiz came along - a livewire goalsneak, who was huge in 2000 when we made the GF, and in most people's eyes would rank as our No.1 IP. His nine goals (all after half time I think) against the Pies on QB still rates as one of the club's all-time amazing individual performances.

Matty Whelan, with 150 games, is the IP club record holder with Aaron Davey I think (historians can verify). Whelan was an amazingly courageous small defender flying back across packs and had pace to burn - a bit like Neville, not quite as good man-on-man, but better offensively. Davey, it can be argued, altered the game with his chase-down tackles.

Under Dean Bailey we tried to replicate Port's indigenous class and recruited heavily (Aussie, Pickett, Jurrah), but once he left we've followed more the Matty Rendell school of thought and after seven years in NT, we are yet to unearth or draft a single indigenous NT AFL talent - although a few other clubs have drafted with success - eg: Steven May and Nakia Cockatoo. Aussie was our last NT success story and he was incredibly gifted - albeit a bit lazy.

My top 3 all-time IPs for us would be:

1 Jeff Farmer, 2 Aaron Davey, 3 Matty Whelan - Nev is getting close to passing Matty Whelan now.

Sean Charles and Liam Jurrah were the most talented, but being light-bodied, suffered broken arms (and a couple of other family-related issues) that ruined their careers.

 

 

Pickett was a Daniher, erm, pick about 6 years earlier, Dee.

[Demon Jack 6,921]

Here's the video.

 

[Skuit 10,031]

I've thought about this a few times recently: there's an odd lack of recognition for Aaron Davey as one of the true champions of the MFC. Off the rookie list to vice-captain the club. 178 games (roughly 25th on our all-time list). The Bluey in 2009, and one of the few players to provide any joy during that period. A former fan favourite with a huge highlights reel.

Are we all just collectively trying to forget a tainted era (see also Brad Green)? Or is there some lingering effect from (I think it may have been Leigh Matthews vs. Saints 2011?) being called-out in the commentary for not going hard enough - although it was revealed later that Davey was injured. This reputation sort of followed thereafter, especially once Davey has lost his pace.

Or, are my perceptions just off?

[praha 11,240]

58 minutes ago, Skuit said:

I've thought about this a few times recently: there's an odd lack of recognition for Aaron Davey as one of the true champions of the MFC. Off the rookie list to vice-captain the club. 178 games (roughly 25th on our all-time list). The Bluey in 2009, and one of the few players to provide any joy during that period. A former fan favourite with a huge highlights reel.

Are we all just collectively trying to forget a tainted era (see also Brad Green)? Or is there some lingering effect from (I think it may have been Leigh Matthews vs. Saints 2011?) being called-out in the commentary for not going hard enough - although it was revealed later that Davey was injured. This reputation sort of followed thereafter, especially once Davey has lost his pace.

Or, are my perceptions just off?

It's hard to hold players up where they've played in really poor sides. Jones will be remembered but his 3-peat Bluey years will be forgotten if he guides us to a premiership...or doesn't. Not to understate the significance there but there's definitely weight to fans simply forgetting or choosing to forget. I have vague memories of 2008-2009 outside of a few good wins, and individual performance doesn't really stand out. He was a champion of the club though, no doubt. A gentleman and true clubman. 

Does he still reside in Melbs?

[monoccular 17,432]

We have had some beauties though I cannot remember any from the glorious Smith era.

Sadly I also remember three who were brilliant at their best, but sadly couldn't run out the full race.  

Sean Charles - the club put a lot of hard work into him, and he was fantastic at times but as I recall he went off the rails whilst out of the game and never really played again after his scaphoid injury. 

Wona - cut short again I think by injury (?hamstring or quad) and never really got back in the groove.  I guess he was never the fittest man on the list but oh some exciting times   The game I most remember was a stunning comeback Freo.

Jurrah - awesome talent and jumped huge hurdles to even come to the city. Didn't we snatch him from Collingwood's rookie list in some way?   Again some sort of wrist injury meant he went back home for an extended period....and the rest, sadly, is history. 

Without those injuries, who knows what they could have achieved.