Just a quick distraction from all the speculation going on currently, I would like to ask the Demonland community a question that I have often wondered about but never asked.

How good was Robbie Flower?

I was born in 86, and didn't really take footy seriously until a teenager so missed him by a decade or 2. I have heard stories of how good he was but would love to hear from anyone who actually saw him play, what was he like? Is their anyone in the modern era you would compare him to?

Edited September 17Sep 17 by sam6172
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For me, he was about the only reason to consistently go to the footy, he was rarely beaten,

And he was probably the first picked in the Victorian sides when they played against SA or WA.

Silky smooth mover always balanced, Two Roberts both got him hard and badly, unforgiven !

I called him SOG, SON OF GOD. He was the best pound-for-pound footballer to ever play the game, both hands and both feet, a great mark. There will never be enough superlatives to say about him.

And a wonderful human being

Picture a player with a matchstick physique but with the grace of a ballet dancer and the skill to make the game's giants look like schoolboys. But his greatness lay not just in his extraordinary abilities, but in his humility and loyalty.

My stepfather was from Adelaide and he used to say he was the most graceful, well balanced player he'd ever seen. He was capitan on Victoria in the early 80s when the Dees barely won a game, and he was BOG in most of those. Unbelievable skills. Hard to tackle, just simply a gun.

My stand-up memories:

He could bounce the ball with either hand

He could take pack marks and even played CHF, I think in a state game against Ross Glendinning

He always excelled in The Big V

He couldn't be caught.

He came alight in the '87 finals series.

He was humble.

As much an artist as a footballer. No one has given me more joy watching. And a humble delightful human being.

Edited September 17Sep 17 by chook fowler

In a fashion you're almost asking the wrong people. Ask any Melbourne supporter who grew up watching Tulip and you will pretty much get a similar answer. Football poetry in motion.

Now, go ask supporters and especially players of teams who played against him. They will say essentially the same thing if not more particularly one of the hardest players to play against, one of the fairest adversaries to take the field.

Arguably one of the most unlucky to never to have won a Charlie as he personified it.

Deserved to play in more successful teams.

He was a gentleman, humble and still to this day the best player I've ever had the chance to watch. For many seasons the only reason I went.

An absolute champion. He wore 2... but he was number 1 in my book.

Sounds a champion in every sense of the word. Thanks everyone. I wish I could have seen him play.

3 minutes ago, sam6172 said:

Sounds a champion in every sense of the word. Thanks everyone. I wish I could have seen him play.

Check out his highlights on Utube

12 minutes ago, sam6172 said:

Sounds a champion in every sense of the word. Thanks everyone. I wish I could have seen him play.

There’s some great highlight reels on YouTube. I often find myself watching them.

I also missed him by a decade or so but sounds like an amazing footballer and human being.

Everyone says we were almost a one man team during his career. How on earth did he only win one BnF?

He's one player really wish I got to see in the flesh.

I sometimes think about how watching Max Gawn in his prime as a teen/young adult would have been like what it was like watching Flower growing up. Two very different players of course but probably a similar vibe.

I love that a thread like this comes up seemingly every year or even more often.

Clearly the legend is passed around and the 'young folk' get curious.

I love that none of the 'old folk' ever get tired of retelling the story of a player who went beyond excellence into some form of art.

Edited September 17Sep 17 by FarNorthernD

He had it all. 

Genuinely a lovely guy. As a kid, I used to love visiting him in his sports store at Forest Hill shopping centre. He was always very generous with his time and would be just as interested in hearing our stories as I was in his. Superstar ⭐️

Edited September 17Sep 17 by Heart Beats True

22 minutes ago, FarNorthernD said:

Tulip was imo the greatest MFC footballer ever, I was privileged to see him play many times. Sheer poetry in motion, the Rudolf Nureyev of Australian Rules with skills through the roof and so incredibly brave. The one shining light for our club through some dark and desperate years. Never met him but I am told he was incredibly humble and a true gentleman. Sadly missed.

6 minutes ago, Heart Beats True said:

Genuinely a lovely guy. As a kid, I used to love visiting him in his sports store at Forest Hill shopping centre. He was always very generous with his time and would be just as interested in hearing our stories as I was in his. Superstar

Did he have this store whilst playing or was this after?

1 hour ago, bush demon said:

My stand-up memories:

He could bounce the ball with either hand

He could take pack marks and even played CHF, I think in a state game against Ross Glendinning

He always excelled in The Big V

He couldn't be caught.

He came alight in the '87 finals series.

He was humble.

I forgot to include in my list that he always dominated in The WOS handball competition.

10 minutes ago, bush demon said:

I forgot to include in my list that he always dominated in The WOS handball competition.

https://youtu.be/VlZO6Fccr9Q?si=1U-HBA9x1no0_Yh3

So much to say about Robbie. Most of it has been said above. But to add one more thing I loved about him. When so many teams were thrashing us and making us look like an ongoing rabble, he would without fail annihilate his opponents and leave them either grasping at air or be out paced or easily sidestepped or he’d just sit on their shoulder and take screamers. Our brightest star came in our darkest years.

23 minutes ago, sam6172 said:

Did he have this store whilst playing or was this after?

He worked in there whilst he was still playing. He, Shane Zantuck and Arnold Briedis in 1983 joined forces to start up the Sportsco retail chain. I made sure I wore my demon gear whenever I visited.

Edited September 17Sep 17 by Heart Beats True

True class. The likes of which we haven't seen since - at any club.