Demons3031

You are right about those players Hemingway- but they seem to have been effective-even Brian Dixon's awkward kicks seemed to be well placed. Thinking back, if he hadn't done that mongrel punt in 1964 that was too high for Barassi to mark, the ball might never have spilled the way of Neil Crompton. :) They were great days weren't that-Geoff Tunbridge-No 23-what a flanker...and Athol Webb at full forward We used to sit upstairs in Bay 13 with Dad. A guy with a hessian bag used to sell brown paper bags of peanuts-which people would shell and eat (and leave the mess). The boy yelling "Hot Dogs, Meat Pies" and another selling "Lollies and Potato chips". Dad used to park in Richmond off Punt Rd in one of the side streets-probabaly to save a bit of money. Men would buy or bring bottles of beer (in the days before cans) until Umpire Ron Brophy was hit in the back by a half empty bottle one day. At various grounds, men would bring wooden boxes/crates that used to hold soft drink and the like, to stand on in the outer-especially if you could only get Standing room tickets in the finals. Those were the days! What was your favourite spot to sit and watch Hemingway?

Was that near the railway line near Alamein Willmoy?

Great memories there Nosoupforme. Yes Barry Price, Skilts and Pax Papley-and in another post John Bonney was mentioned. WE were witness to a wonderful era. Yes the type of boot made a difference as did the condition of the ground. It those days it was often muddy!

Great versatile player Bryan Kenneally. Number 22

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

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! :)

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.

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! :)

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!

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. :)

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 :)

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?

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?

Wonder if ye olde Chook Fowler (Number12) is unconsciously egging people on to contribute these posts. No more from me..:)

I trust we wouldn't be accused of poaching?

Funny you mentioned him Ohio-I was only thinking about him a couple of weeks ago and wondering hy his career was so short..I still have a clear picture of him from Footy Replay (In Black and White of course!) rucking a boundary throw in near the members wing- and he never seemed to play a game after that.

Thanks for the memories Blair-both when playing against us and with us. :)

I would be keen to keep Hannan too Dr D.

Great post Farmer. I enjoyed the memories you share very much. We seem to have had quite a few players who moved on a bit too early. The days of low player payments meant that an offer of coaching interstate or a country club in Victoria must have been enticing. Hassa Mann was one amongst quite a few. Players also seemed to retire earlier than today too..like at 28-29. Maybe the medical expertise wasn't there back then to help them play on. I remember sitting with Dad in the old Bay 13 on the wing. INnthe early 60's they changed the numbering system and it became Bay 15. We sat upstairs. I remember Dad pointing out the members on the other side wearing their gaberdeen coats and hats. Boys selling unshelled peanuts from hessian bags ( and boy did they leave a mess) and men lining up at the bars and toilets. I remember I used to collect all the beer bottle tops to use as boundary markers for home games of penny footy! They banned beer bottles after the umpire, Ron Brophy, got hit in the back at a match one day by a bottle. Glad you lived through that era too Farmer and have those wonderful memories.

Yes you make a good point Moonshadow. I guess I was thinking that if Tom McDonald and maybe Jetta were part of the two way package trade , that might free up some $ in the finances.

Is Mason Cox an option..maybe as part of a two way package deal?

If the Pies are so desperate for a number of reasons, should we be considering Mason Cox? Could not only be a back up option if Max gets injured but free him up during games to go down back or forward where he can be very hard to match up on. Might be able to negotiate a package with some of the other players who are being talked about from both clubs?

There will be a few others on this site around the same age as me. I was born in 1950 and saw my first game around 1955-56. Dad pointed out Ivor Warne Smith and the Cordner brothers. I think it was a week or two later I wanted to go to the footy again but Dad (Jack) said no- so I decided to drive there myself- not that I had any idea of how to drive let alone how to navigate to the MCG from Ashburton!! Ha Ha ! I only succeeded in rolling Dads car down the driveway and smashing the front headlight on his car--not a Happy Jack! Despite the harshness of the last 56 years, I lived through the great era and am so grateful for the memories that provided. I would dearly love another premiership or even a great era again-but if it doesn't happen I will always have those great memories to carry with me. :)

Yes Bluey had a great career WJ- and didn't seem too damaged by the Des Healey crash. I loved the fact that he could play both wing, with Brian Dixon on the other, as well as roving/forward pocket swapping with Ian Ridley. Those were great days.

I can still see that Number 6 of Bluey Adams with red hair passing to Barassi or Big Bob Johnson-or a host of other great players Old memories die hard. Maybe my memories of the great Bluey Adams on the wing are colouring my view (and glasses) Roost It :)