Drop Kicks

[Demons3031 375]

This is probably one for some of us more mature Demons-but what are your memories of players skilled and proficient with drop kicks.? I have wonderful memories of the great Tassie Johnson kicking out from goal and consistently landing them around the centre circle. And the roving Ian Ridley seems to relish the drop kick as well. I have a feeling Trevor Johnson maybe?? Keen to hear others memories. With other clubs, I remember Billy Barrot for Richmond and perhaps Fred Swift at Full back and Geelong CHB named Walker?

Edited December 30, 2020 by Demons3031
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[waynewussell 5,377]

'Have a good weekend Mr Walker' wasn't a bad drop kicker! Phil Rhoden, as well.

[waynewussell 5,377]

Aerogard insect repellant TV commercial Max Walker - YouTube

[daisycutter 29,604]

got a couple of drop kicks live up the end of the street.....

.......add bob skilton and  donny williams to your list

......are you sure about big max walker, can't remember him kicking a drop kick?

[Master Deebater 490]

58 minutes ago, waynewussell said:

'Have a good weekend Mr Walker' wasn't a bad drop kicker! Phil Rhoden, as well.

Phil was/is a left footer as well. That's skill.

Unfortunately he was mostly FB in the Ressies, due to Tassie Bob's dominance in the seniors.

[rjay 24,889]

When I first read the title I wondered what Gil and his AFL mates had done now????

It was a great kick and wonderful part of the game but when you look at some of the old replays and see some of it's great exponents grubbing the ball, you can understand why coaches banned it.

[Demons3031 375]

Yes I remember Phil Rhoden kicking out in the Reserves at Glenferrie oval one day...and Don Williams on the half back flank-what a great  attacking footballer. When our lera years started his career was i sunset time - I remember in one game he was switched into the centre from half back. Am I correct in thinking Ronald Dale B as coach was a prime mover  behind the drop punt replacing the drop kick?

[Hampton 22 519]

Good topic for this time of the year. We could augment it by trying to track the most recent drop kick deployed in a game. I recall Bill Nettlefold gleefully kicking one in what I think was his final game for the Dees in 1982 at the MCG. It was probably in the reserves curtain raiser. 

[Demons3031 375]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv5jel79vRQ

Some nice drop kicks  from both sides in the early minutes..and some great ruck work from Polly Farmer. Gotta love Ian Cleland's Clelo's) commentating error between the 3-4 minute mark when he stumbled over his words and claimed Gary Young was "fricked" An understandable error when trying to say "free kicked"  too quickly! LOL :)

 

 

[Demons3031 375]

4 minutes ago, Hampton 22 said:

Good topic for this time of the year. We could augment it by trying to track the most recent drop kick deployed in a game. I recall Bill Nettlefold gleefully kicking one in what I think was his final game for the Dees in 1982 at the MCG. It was probably in the reserves curtain raiser. 

Good memory there Hampton...wonder what Barassi's reaction would have been if he had done that in the seniors. I reckon RDB was so madly into team discipline and rules he might have dragged him even if he had goaled from full back! :)

Reading both the Norm Smith biography and RDB's biography they both were so maniacal about team rules. Barass used to cop it from Norm for trying to do too much to turn things in a game instead of following directions. I think Norm reportedly told off Neil Crompton for  disobeying rules and following his rover down from the back pocket when he kicked the winning goal in the '64 Grand Final-no doubt Norm also gave him a pat on the back too. :)

 

 

[Willmoy1947 4,081]

Ian Stewart another drop kick placer of the ball along with another BM, Clarke from TWSNBN'

[Wells 11 5,381]

27 minutes ago, Demons3031 said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv5jel79vRQ

Some nice drop kicks  from both sides in the early minutes..and some great ruck work from Polly Farmer. Gotta love Ian Cleland's Clelo's) commentating error between the 3-4 minute mark when he stumbled over his words and claimed Gary Young was "fricked" An understandable error when trying to say "free kicked"  too quickly! LOL :)

 

 

That footage of the 1963 GF is SO  much better than anything Ive seen from our 64 win. Chalk and cheese. Wish we had something that vaguely resembled that from 64! 

[Timothy Reddan-A'Blew 5,074]

Don't forget the equally relic subset, the stab pass! Any in the posted footage? I haven't checked.

[Demons3031 375]

Didn't notice any Timothy but I haven't yet watched the whole quarter. I do remember Billy Goggin in an earlier final that year-several times taking taps from Polly Farmer on the runat full pace and executing superb stab kicks and hitting Doug Wade on the chest in front of goal.  He was brilliant.

As an an aside, I was talking with someone at Christmas about our old street in Ashburton where we would practice leading and stab kicks and take chest marks running full pelt toward our brick fence- fond memories of marking at the same time as throwing out the front foot to step onto the fence and over into Dad's garden!

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,693]

What adds to the interest in this topic is that in today's game, if a player is tackled and then kicks a drop kick to dispose of the ball, it's considered to be an incorrect disposal because it hits the ground before the boot.

I always remember Barry Davis (Essendon and subsequently North) as a wonderful exponent of the art.

[Meggs 595]

Meggs loves to execute the drop kick and show his kids.   He recalls Paul Goss, Norm Goss’ brother, kicking a drop kick goal from a free or mark about 15m out from goal at the G.  It was really odd at the time as no one did drop kicks in 1976.  Paul only kicked 2 goals in 4 games for the Dees according to Wikipedia and I didn’t see the other goal.

[Demons3031 375]

9 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

What adds to the interest in this topic is that in today's game, if a player is tackled and then kicks a drop kick to dispose of the ball, it's considered to be an incorrect disposal because it hits the ground before the boot.

I always remember Barry Davis (Essendon and subsequently North) as a wonderful exponent of the art.

Yes Barry Davis-No 32-I agree La Dee. he had the ability to give himself time and space to execute a drop kick from half back-usually to Essendons Ken Fraser at CHF! :)

[Cranky Franky 2,031]

2 hours ago, Hardley Benial said:

Phil was/is a left footer as well. That's skill.

Unfortunately he was mostly FB in the Ressies, due to Tassie Bob's dominance in the seniors.

Thats not quiet right HB. Phil was 178cm & played back pocket while Tassie Bob was the full back @ around 190cm.  Phil played 3 senior games & while he was a great kick he wasn't quiet up to it as a senior player rather than Tassie keeping him out of the team.

[Demons3031 375]

10 minutes ago, Meggs said:

Meggs loves to execute the drop kick and show his kids.   He recalls Paul Goss, Norm Goss’ brother, kicking a drop kick goal from a free or mark about 15m out from goal at the G.  It was really odd at the time as no one did drop kicks in 1976.  Paul only kicked 2 goals in 4 games for the Dees according to Wikipedia and I didn’t see the other goal.

Keep on keeping up the traditions Meggs! Thats a real memory of the Paul Goss kick. A really good VFA player (Port Melbourne like Norm?) but just didn't quite cement a spot at VFL.

[Demons3031 375]

Just now, Cranky Franky said:

Thats not quiet right HB. Phil was 178cm & played back pocket while Tassie Bob was the full back @ around 190cm.  Phil played 3 senior games & while he was a great kick he wasn't quiet up to it as a senior player rather than Tassie keeping him out of the team.

Yes he played Back Pocket (no 41?) but because of his kicking skill he often would kick the ball out from full back after a behind. I was lucky to see him in a few  games as in those days we got to the footy early and watched the Reserves before the firsts - a feast of footy on a Saturday! :)

[Call Me What You Will 751]

Paul Rowlands, from memory was pretty handy, high white ankle guards and all!

[Demons3031 375]

Yes I remember Paul. Number 20. Played full back. I was reading up on him recently on Demonwiki. I think injury might have cut short his career? Here is the link http://www.demonwiki.org/Paul+Rowlands

[nosoupforme 3,085]

The best drop kicks consistently  was a centreman who played for Collingwood called Barry Price. He was  very accurate for passing the ball chest height especially to Peter McKenna.

 Bob Skilton  as was Max Papley  grandfather  of young Tom Papley were  great exponents  of the drop kick.  However Tassie Johnson was a terrific  long kick when kicking out.   The drop kick was rarely used in the early 70s it faded away.

 In the early 6o,s If you didn't have the Ron Barassi footy boots  it was hard on your big toe to drop kick a leather footy as a 10 year old.  Don't l know.

On the muddy grounds the drop kick was hard to manage as you would mostly end up with grubber kicks.

[Cranky Franky 2,031]

2 hours ago, Call Me What You Will said:

Paul Rowlands, from memory was pretty handy, high white ankle guards and all!

Ah Paul Rowlands another one of a long list of players over the years who looked like they could be anything but who sadly fizzled out : David Code, Stephen Bickford, Michael Reynolds, Glen Swan, John Clennett, Darren Cuthbertson.

Memories

[kev martin 9,810]

What myths and memories are made of.

I remember the longest goal I saw as a youngster, it was a drop kick from the wing, sailing high and going straight through the middle.

 1968, a Minyip (Wimmera district) player, all were in awe. 

It was the talk of the town that week.