Rhino Richards

Once again, 10 out of 10 to Mark and Ash for their efforts. And those with mailed copies send the bucks in now. Its for the Club and Mark's and Ash's efforts have been voluntary. I think they deserve your support and diligence.

I've said it before but top effort to Ash 30 and markc. Your selfless acts have given me alot of joy and memories of the best MFC footballer I was priviliged to see. Many thanks. Come on guys you dont realise what you are missing out on!!! If you have ordered a DVD, liaise with markc to pick it up soon and make your financial contribution to MFC!

Hear Hear Water. Good summation and reflection

I tend to recall Schimma spending the greater part of his career in the midfield than Grieg did. I thought Greig dropped back to the HBF in his later years. Interesting stat that in 294 AFL/VFL games, Grieg only kicked 48 goals. A suprisingly low figure for some one fettered as the best wingman in the past century.

Bob Skilton was named in the Team of the Century as first rover (30 years after he retired) so he is hardly forgotten. With three brownlows he was highly decorated and deservedly so. I do not believe Flower received then or now the accolades that he undoubtedly deserved from a long and high quality career in some truly woeful sides.

Totally Agree Trav. Greig was a very good footballer in a very good team that enjoy unprecedented exposure following the appointment of Barassi as Coach and the attraction of then star players like Wade, Davis and Rantall. Flower was buried away in some truly ordinary (read pathetic) MFC sides and then as I do now I always thought Flower was the better player at their respective peaks and over the course of their careers.

While I have a soft spot for Robert Flower, I think Leigh Matthews has been widely judged with that title. There was one year in the 1970s where he won every VFL football award and was unbackable for the Borwnlow. Fickle thing, it was the only award he did not poll tops in. And when you look at the AFL Team of the Century there was some players with equal if not better claims that Flower. Players bolded won at least one Brownlow. I still think he was better than Keith Greig! IMO opinion, SOS, Doull, EJ at his peak, Hart, Jezza, Polly, RDB and Ablett all give Flower a real run for his money. I would even add Wayne Carey to the list AFL Team of the Century B: Bernie Smith, (Geelong) , Stephen Silvagni, (Carlton), John Nicholls, (Carlton). HB: Bruce Doull, (Carlton), Ted Whitten, (Footscray), Kevin Murray, (Fitzroy). C: Keith Greig, (North Melbourne), Ian Stewart, (St Kilda, Richmond), Francis Bourke, (Richmond). HF: Alex Jesaulenko, (Carlton, St Kilda), Royce Hart, (Richmond), [censored] Reynolds, (Essendon). F: Leigh Matthews, (Hawthorn), John Coleman, (Essendon), Haydn Bunton, (Fitzroy). Followers: Graham Farmer (Geelong), Ron Barassi (Melbourne, Carlton) Rover: Bob Skilton (South Melbourne), Interchange: Gary Ablett (Hawthorn, Geelong), Jack Dyer (Richmond), Greg Williams (Geelong, Sydney, Carlton) Great stuff Richard Reynolds had his first name censored! Finks must be in a bad mood!

From bottom of page 1 of this thread. shop address is abc/network video 21 church st brighton 3186 9592 8898 Mark is asking all reciopients to make a "donation" that will go towards another MFC membership to swell numbers. Once again, great stuff Mark for all your hard work. U- Based on your post, remember to say please and thank you.

I think you are right with this one Sage Monkey. Fair inclusion there Ash. A revamped team. B: Ken Roberts, Diamond Jim Tilbrook, Darren Kowal HB: Graham Molloy, Ross Dillon, Paul Hurst C: Les Bamblett, Glenn Lovett, Steve Tingay HF: John Fidge, Kelvin Templeton, Warren Dean F: David Corder, Mark Jackson, Sean Charles R: C Ditterich, Gerard Healy, Adrian Battiston Int: Paul Prymke, Glenn Swan, Glenn McLean, Glenn Elliott In Tilbrook, Charles Out: Gilbert, Norsworthy A team that would combine promise potential and pathetic in the same amounts!

A team of disappointments: B: Ken Roberts, Phil Gilbert, Darren Kowal HB: Graham Molloy, Ross Dillon, Paul Hurst C: Les Bamblett, Glenn Lovett, Steve Tingay HF: John Fidge, Kelvin Templeton, Warren Dean F: David Corder, Mark Jackson, Barry Norsworthy R: C Ditterich, Gerard Healy, Adrian Battiston Int: Paul Prymke, Glenn Swan, Glenn McLean, Glenn Elliott Apologies to those that did not make it. There was muich depth in this list!

They came to us as fringe players and never made the grade. I think the one's that disappoint were those that were either high draft picks or players with a high reputation that bombed at MFC. Unfortunately MFC's history is riddled with them.

Good one Don. First time I saw them against Geelong in 1996, I thought we could not have recruited two undersized out of their depth footballers. Let alone one.

*Guilt*

Was going to mention his son but he did not disappoint because I had no expectations about him. Molloy senior came with track form in the SANFL and in the State Carnival. He flopped. Ended his days Capt Coach thug at Vermont Finks I think Grgic always had a slack demeanour about him and other Clubs exploited it.

Great Post WJ. I was there that day in the wet at Waverley in truly shocking conditions. Ball was a like a bar of soap. So much was expected of Tilbrook an ex SA decathalon champ. I recall MFC paid an astronomical $38,000 to Sturt to secure him. Deal was arranged just before the cut off time for new recruits(half way through the season). Legend has it that he could kick 80 metrs right foot 70 metrs left foot. Came into the game off the bench and I remember that first kick. When everyone was kicking 35 -40 metres in shocking conditions, Diamond Jim thumped it 70 metres. Our hope was well and truly false. I remember that day that Barry Bourke kicked 5 behinds from six shots at FF. DJ was the biggest receiver in SA footy and never won much contested ball. Found his niche in footy with Old Melburnians after 5 years at MFC. Over the years I have been disappointed in the following: Ross Dillon - Knee injury cruelled a capable player. John Clennett - Tasmanian star that was too much of party boy. Graham Molloy - SA Tassie medallist who did little at MFC. Glenn Swan - Kicked 8 in a game in the dark days against Geelong. Thought we had found a star. Realised we had not. Kim Smith - Prahran VFA goal kicking machine who could not touch the leather in VFL. Carl Ditterich - As a player and a coach did not live up to the hype. Ken "Bomber" Roberts - Recruited him and thought in the dark 70s he might give us a spark. First in a long line of Essendon duds that cruelled us. Paul Hurst/ Michael Young - In the 70s 2 ex Carlton premiership players who proved that some footballers are in the right team at the right time. Ron Barassi - As a coach a false dawn again. Kelvin Templeton - Best football behind him. Already had achilles problems. Gary Baker - one fantastic year then did a knee and was never the same. Many of Ray Jordan's early 80's U19 stars who never lived up to the hype. John Fidge- Saw him play a blinder at HBF at Waverley. Thought this guy had everything. Later realise application and attitude was not one of them. His brother was a dud. Adrian Battiston - Hard ball rover who after his first year could not win the hard ball Les Bamblett - Lally was a ball magnet but did not have the application for VFL/AFL. Swapped him for Strawbs. David Cordner - Blond 6'4' from a most famous family kicked over 100 goals in the U19. Then oppositions noted that he heard footsteps and it was good bye white hope. Glenn McLean- Could play but then just didn't. Lucky we dudded Collingwood with him. Mark Jackson- Could play but just an out and out nutcase. Flicked from three clubs for his antics. Makes Chopper Read like an altarboy. Well almost! Gerard Healy - Shattered at the time he went to Swans. Brownlow there vindicated my sense of loss. Glenn Lovett - Dodgy hamstrings killed a skilled player Steven Tingay- Back/hamstrings robbed MFC of his brilliance for many years. When fit in 1994 an 1998, it was no co incidence that we made the finals.

Mark, I will get mine this evening. Cheers!

Well done Ash and Mark on your efforts. :D

Buckley has been one of the best players in the past decade. Agree he is also a very good captain. Players like Kouta and Rocca have been injury prone and coming to the end of their career. At their prime they are match winners. The Press and the footy public realise this and do not overrate them. Unsophisticated posters just dont understand the impact and presence a fit Hamill meant to Carlton in the past and St Kilda now. A fierce competitor with a good football brain and team orientated.

Too true Ash. He was exceptional in the air and many people forget that when they think of Flower as just a good wingman. The closest I seen to Flower is Hird. IMO their judgement in aerial skills is similar. Many thanks for your collation skills.

Cheers Mark. Is payment in loot or lager though? :D

Ash and Markc, If you can do that. I would happily pick up a DVD from Mark's shop in Brighton and would happily cover the cost in lucre or lager! PM with any details. Cheers

People on this site too often use the term "superstar", "legend" and "champion" and just as often severely overrate the player they are applying to. In nearly forty years of watching MFC and VFL/AFL closely, Robert Flower was all of those. MFC have produced champions of the past Warne- Smith, La Fontaine, Mueller, Barassi, Norm Smith and the galaxy of top players during the 1950s and 1960s. I was never old enough to have seen those players although I have spoken too many MFC supporters and a couple of players of those days and got a good understanding of how exceptionally good those players were. Since the late 1960s we have had only one out and out champion. The saddest thing is that he made some truly awful MFC sides seem competitive. For those of you who missed this guy's career you missed an absolute marvel. We have not had a player of that high quality and skill since.

Nasher and Trav raise sensible points. Further I would hate to see MFC players injured in such games. They are risk enough during the year without this side show. Nasher, Supporting the Allies is as meaningful as playing them. Just means nothing. After the debacle of the of the hybrid International Rules circus, you would think people would have learned more.

Ordinary ground players are common stock at MFC. I rely on CAC to detemine that.

Finks and Nasher, I am starting to get some comfort with this site and you should be congratulated on your efforts. If only MFC can make a similar quantum jump in 2006!