Jump to content

Featured Replies

 

I think Norm Smith was more responsible for that era - and was probably undervalued as a player. 

directly involved in all but 2 of our premierships. 

without him our history would look more like st Kildas. 

Hard not to pick Robbie Flower. 

We have had some greats, when in form.

1. Flower

2. The Ox

3. Hardeman

 

Norm Smith & RDB up to 1964 and David Neitz post ‘64.!!!!!!


Reckon he is spot on with RDB with Robbie close up his backside.

These things are always subjective and relative to particular eras but in my time following the club it's clearly Robert Flower. 

 

How about Allan La Fontaine or Jack Mueller from the glorious 1939,1940, 1941 premiership side.


I saw RDB play a fair bit of footy first with us then with Carlton who were very often televised in the mid to late 60s, then at Port Melbourne.

He was my favorite player as a kid and because I really didn't understand the reasons he left MFC until much later, it hurt to see him play at other clubs.

Much as I wanted to have his endeavour and spirit and attitude (and a little did rub off), as a footballer he was not quite in the talent class of Darly Bulldock, Kevin Murray or Ted Whitten his peers of the day. RDB was guts and determination and he pushed himself to his limits.

As a player who was able to read the play to find the ball, miraculously create time where no time for decision making existed and then to CONSISTENTLY execute the required skill, by hand or foot, in my view Robert Flower was without peer. His slim physique should have been an impairment to his durability as a player, but it wasn't. Rob could carry injury and fans were often not aware of it, such was his graceful ability and timing to get the ball and avoid being tackled by the opposition.

There are plenty of other players who had a bigger impact for us, but they played in a different time or could not last the journey of a full career. Rob played when we were rubbish.

He was the only reason I went to the G for a decade to see us get flogged. In his interview with Mike Sheahan he said he always felt we had a chance, that was hard for me to understand as a spectator but easy for me to understand as an observer of a player who lived and breathed red & blue. He could see nothing else but the spirit that was the club at that time, knocking back money and finals to be true to himself and his club mates.

May he rest in peace and from a good place,  soon see his club finally secure his football life's dream.

 

 

 

 

11 minutes ago, Hot as Hell said:

Darly Bulldock

I don't care if it's intentional or not, that's a hilarious misspelling!

3 hours ago, Demonland said:

Do you agree with Plough?

Who is the best ever player at your club?

Terry Wallace selects his number 1s | https://t.co/IQhOuz9OBY

Melbourne club banner

Ron Barassi

“I had Barassi and Robbie Flower. 

“I just think that everything Barassi was created a powerful and successful era for the Melbourne Football Club.”

Only because Kosi hasn’t played yet.

These lists tend to get pretty warped but with Plough being a boyhood Melbourne fan you could do a lot worse. 


Can’t go Past RDB and Robbie

Frank “bluey” Adams, Stuie Spencer and Tiger Ridley close behind

honourable mention to Brian Dixon 

Allen Jakovich could have been our greatest, but his back was suspect before he came to us

Two Brownlows don't get Ivor Warne-Smith a mention? It's the cult of recency.

Just now, Demonised said:

Two Brownlows don't get Ivor Warne-Smith a mention? It's the cult of recency.

Ivor Warne-Smith was a door at the entrance of the old MCC. 

An excellent meeting point i used for years. 
“see you at Ivor at Half Time....”

his Playing career was a few decades before me and i am not young anymore....

Pound for Pound  Robbie Flower.  He was just a marvel. I always gave us a chance when he was playing and not injured in our dark days.

RDB  helped to give us a successful era on and off the field a legend way ahead of his time.

I would have loved to have seen Jack Mueller play 4 premiershis and 3 b&f's lost 2 fingers in a timber accident early in his career.

Up there with the best of them.

Stan Alves.Would dominate his wing but also bring half the side into the game at the same time .We didn't have many victories during his time but he was so responsible so often in setting up those wins .


4 hours ago, Demonised said:

Two Brownlows don't get Ivor Warne-Smith a mention? It's the cult of recency.

I've not heard of that cult before. Is it new?

11 hours ago, Hot as Hell said:

I saw RDB play a fair bit of footy first with us then with Carlton who were very often televised in the mid to late 60s, then at Port Melbourne.

He was my favorite player as a kid and because I really didn't understand the reasons he left MFC until much later, it hurt to see him play at other clubs.

Much as I wanted to have his endeavour and spirit and attitude (and a little did rub off), as a footballer he was not quite in the talent class of Darly Bulldock, Kevin Murray or Ted Whitten his peers of the day. RDB was guts and determination and he pushed himself to his limits.

As a player who was able to read the play to find the ball, miraculously create time where no time for decision making existed and then to CONSISTENTLY execute the required skill, by hand or foot, in my view Robert Flower was without peer. His slim physique should have been an impairment to his durability as a player, but it wasn't. Rob could carry injury and fans were often not aware of it, such was his graceful ability and timing to get the ball and avoid being tackled by the opposition.

There are plenty of other players who had a bigger impact for us, but they played in a different time or could not last the journey of a full career. Rob played when we were rubbish.

He was the only reason I went to the G for a decade to see us get flogged. In his interview with Mike Sheahan he said he always felt we had a chance, that was hard for me to understand as a spectator but easy for me to understand as an observer of a player who lived and breathed red & blue. He could see nothing else but the spirit that was the club at that time, knocking back money and finals to be true to himself and his club mates.

May he rest in peace and from a good place,  soon see his club finally secure his football life's dream.

 

 

 

 

Top post, Hot.

 
20 hours ago, daisycutter said:

no love for juice newton?

where's fence when you need him?

That MOTY in 2007 should have been enough.... Surely!!!!??

17 hours ago, kallangurdemon said:

Stan Alves.Would dominate his wing but also bring half the side into the game at the same time .We didn't have many victories during his time but he was so responsible so often in setting up those wins .

Such a pleasing rap for Stanley the Alves. He may not have actually been one of our echelon 'greatest' but by hell, he was a fantastic footballer, a fantastic wingman, a great Captain, a beautiful kick and 'on-the-run' disposer of the ball, a speedster, too. He had the best baulk and blind turn routines one could ever see (and has ever seen - absolutely impeccable) and knew better than most what it took to kick a goal from a long way out. Even Bartlett got a few from the Southern Stand wing - and these were commendable: Stan got all of them, everytime. I always hoped that he would coach the Dees ... his stint at the Saints as coach was marred by a very sick club and limited talent within the footy department/majority of players. Stan, to me, remains a playmaking icon of our Club and certainly, one of the great characters of our Club.


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

Featured Content

  • PODCAST: Essendon

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 14th April @ the all new time of 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect another Demons loss at Kardinia Park to the Cats in the Round 04. Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

    • 14 replies
    Demonland
  • PREGAME: Fremantle

    The Demons return home to the MCG in search of their first win for the 2025 Premiership season when they take on the Fremantle Dockers on Saturday afternoon. Who comes in and who goes out?

    • 49 replies
    Demonland
  • VOTES: Essendon

    Max Gawn leads the Demonland Player of the Year ahead of Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Kade Chandler and Jake Bowey. Your votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

    • 20 replies
    Demonland
  • POSTGAME: Essendon

    Despite a spirited third quarter surge, the Demons have slumped to their worst start to a season since 2012, remaining winless and second last on the ladder after a 39-point defeat to Essendon at Adelaide Oval in Gather Round.

    • 236 replies
    Demonland
  • GAMEDAY: Essendon

    It’s Game Day, and the Demons are staring down the barrel of an 0-5 start for the first time since 2012 as they take on Essendon at Adelaide Oval for Gather Round. In that forgettable season, Melbourne finally broke their drought by toppling the Bombers. Can lightning strike twice? Will the Dees turn their nightmare start around and breathe life back into 2025?

    • 723 replies
    Demonland
  • PREVIEW: Essendon

    As the focus of the AFL moves exclusively to South Australia for Gather Round, the question is raised as to what are we going to get from the  Melbourne Football Club this weekend? Will it be a repeat of the slop fest of the last three weeks that have seen the team score a measly 174 points and concede 310 or will a return to the City of Churches and the scene where they performed at their best in 2024 act as a wakeup call and bring them out of their early season reverie?  Or will the sleepy Dees treat their fans to a reenactment of their lazy effort from the first Gather Round of two years ago when they allowed the Bombers to trample all over them on a soggy and wet Adelaide Oval? The two examples from above tell us how fickle form can be in football. Last year, a committed group of players turned up in Adelaide with a businesslike mindset. They had a plan, went in confidently and hard for the football and kicked winning scores against both home teams in a difficult environment for visitors. And they repeated that sort of effort later in the season when they played Essendon at the MCG.

    • 0 replies
    Demonland