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Robbie Flower 8 years!

picket fence
picket fence
in Melbourne Demons

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Still seems like yesterday, Great player but even more so Great Mate! would have been 67 today!

And as Neil Diamond would sing ..... "Done too Soon" 

For those that haven't seen it! here is my eulogy of years ago!

 

Rob loved days like today.

He probably would have thought it a tad hot for footy, but would have played and dominated, anyway.

His greatest pastime on days like to day would be cooking a BBQ for family and friends, playing golf, or on his boat catching a few "Flatties" and maybe the odd "Schnapper" in Port Phillip bay, or just shooting the breeze on his sundeck at Sorrento.

Rob was at his happiest when you were happy, it seemed as if by some magical formula he had the "knack" of making you feel as if you were the most important person at that moment he was speaking to you. He loved his family and he loved and valued his friends!

Charismatic people have this gift. Some use it for gain, and power, Rob used his charisma because he was genuinely interested in you and your family.

Yes Rob was a "Superstar" footballer Bernie Quinlan so rightly said yesterday.

But Above and Beyond he was a "Mega Superstar" person! Is this not a better, more substantially satisfying legacy to leave?In private life he was a generous with his time and expertise, as he appeared in public life.

I have seen and been lucky enough to witness the way he gently and compassionately met people who at the conclusion of an interaction walked away much happier for the experience. Floating on air is as real as an experienceI have seen and been a part of, and just as euphoric! Just ask any who met him and knew him. I count myself extremely lucky and enriched by knowing him as a friend and mentor! The Euphoria stayed with you and lingered on and on.

Over the 35 odd years I have known the man, I have been extremely fortunate to have been welcomed into part of the fabric of his life.

He had many "Brothers" in arms and his own two brothers, Tom and Jim must have thought that they had won tattslotto every day of their lives having him as a brother. I can tell you he felt the same way about them!

A more gentle, humble, empathic, generous, self effacing, humorous, genuine person you could not find than Rob Flower.

I was at his funeral yesterday, and I will be at his public funeral tomorrow.

Each time I look up at the sky on a clear night I will seek out the brightest star. If all stars represent great people, then Rob's star will surely be the brightest! With more people like Rob Flower in the world, it would be a more sensational place to be!

Vale Rob Flower, a shining light in my life, never forgotten, always remembered

"No Regrets"

Thanks mate

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    • Demonland changed the title to Robbie Flower 8 years!
     
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    1 minute ago, Demonland said:

     

    Thanks Demonland, greatly appreciated1

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    Heart of a lion.

    Dad was lucky enough to see him play on the field and knew him off it (he went to the footy during the 70’s & 80’s just to watch Robbie play). Had we made the 87 GF, Robbie said he would’ve played in it despite the broken collar bone.

    A shame he didn’t get to see the premiership last year. The fact he never won a Brownlow and that DiPierdomenico did shows how farcical an award it has always been.

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    He was the sole reason I became an MFC member 43 years ago. The team was rubbish, but I just had to see Robbie play  live. Like Muhammad Ali, he turned his sport into an art form. There has never been, and I believe never will be, a player like him. 

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    8 hours ago, picket fence said:

    Still seems like yesterday, Great player but even more so Great Mate! would have been 67 today!

    And as Neil Diamond would sing ..... "Done too Soon" 

    For those that haven't seen it! here is my eulogy of years ago!

     

    Rob loved days like today.

    He probably would have thought it a tad hot for footy, but would have played and dominated, anyway.

    His greatest pastime on days like to day would be cooking a BBQ for family and friends, playing golf, or on his boat catching a few "Flatties" and maybe the odd "Schnapper" in Port Phillip bay, or just shooting the breeze on his sundeck at Sorrento.

    Rob was at his happiest when you were happy, it seemed as if by some magical formula he had the "knack" of making you feel as if you were the most important person at that moment he was speaking to you. He loved his family and he loved and valued his friends!

    Charismatic people have this gift. Some use it for gain, and power, Rob used his charisma because he was genuinely interested in you and your family.

    Yes Rob was a "Superstar" footballer Bernie Quinlan so rightly said yesterday.

    But Above and Beyond he was a "Mega Superstar" person! Is this not a better, more substantially satisfying legacy to leave?In private life he was a generous with his time and expertise, as he appeared in public life.

    I have seen and been lucky enough to witness the way he gently and compassionately met people who at the conclusion of an interaction walked away much happier for the experience. Floating on air is as real as an experienceI have seen and been a part of, and just as euphoric! Just ask any who met him and knew him. I count myself extremely lucky and enriched by knowing him as a friend and mentor! The Euphoria stayed with you and lingered on and on.

    Over the 35 odd years I have known the man, I have been extremely fortunate to have been welcomed into part of the fabric of his life.

    He had many "Brothers" in arms and his own two brothers, Tom and Jim must have thought that they had won tattslotto every day of their lives having him as a brother. I can tell you he felt the same way about them!

    A more gentle, humble, empathic, generous, self effacing, humorous, genuine person you could not find than Rob Flower.

    I was at his funeral yesterday, and I will be at his public funeral tomorrow.

    Each time I look up at the sky on a clear night I will seek out the brightest star. If all stars represent great people, then Rob's star will surely be the brightest! With more people like Rob Flower in the world, it would be a more sensational place to be!

    Vale Rob Flower, a shining light in my life, never forgotten, always remembered

    "No Regrets"

    Thanks mate

    Absolutely beautiful, Picket. 💕

     

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    That time has screamed by, remember vividly that night. Mark Fine was doing his night show on SEN and was in tears, not even a Melbourne fan. That's the effect that Tulip had on the wider football community. 

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    He was my only comeback to the kids I went to school with in the 70’s and 80’s, when they gave me sh&! for being a Dee’s supporter.

    The greatest Demon I have witnessed play.

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    A truly lovely man, the most skillful player I have seen in my 70 years, humble and modest and a great mate.

    Taken too soon, always missed by his family and friends.

    RIP. Robbie.

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    If you watch a highlight reel of Robbie, you'll notice how many goals he kicked on his left foot. He was a right footer but when it was appropriate to use the left he did so. And his non-preferred left foot was better than most peoples preferred. None of this awkward shifting to get on the preferred side that so many (most?) footballers today do.

    When watching youtube clips, I remembered another thing about Robbie. It was his state-of-origin games in the 1970's that announced him as a superstar. In the 1970's, the Demons were a lowly team for the most part and never got their games played on the Sat night replay (typically the last Qtrs of two games would be played, and a highlights of a third) so non-MFC fans never got to see him. When SOO games were played EVERYBODY got to seem him. As a little kid, I was very proud of him at the time - circa 1977.

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    8 hours ago, Big Col said:

    If you watch a highlight reel of Robbie, you'll notice how many goals he kicked on his left foot. He was a right footer but when it was appropriate to use the left he did so. And his non-preferred left foot was better than most peoples preferred. None of this awkward shifting to get on the preferred side that so many (most?) footballers today do.

    When watching youtube clips, I remembered another thing about Robbie. It was his state-of-origin games in the 1970's that announced him as a superstar. In the 1970's, the Demons were a lowly team for the most part and never got their games played on the Sat night replay (typically the last Qtrs of two games would be played, and a highlights of a third) so non-MFC fans never got to see him. When SOO games were played EVERYBODY got to seem him. As a little kid, I was very proud of him at the time - circa 1977.

    I got to see most of the games he played,was in the rooms before his first game,you would swear he was there for the under 16s game.You are right about his kicking,was easy to forget he was a right footer.What  a champ of the game and life.He never got awards he deserved .

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    Best player I have seen.

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