Demonstone

Doubt it, he is blessed with divan inspiration to give the onballers an armchair ride. ?

Pretty close, radar. It was round 4 1970 at the MCG against Fitzroy (remember them?).

A case of sofa, so good?

That was in 'The Coodabeen Champions Big Bumper Footy Book' from 1990, which is still in my footy library. The Pretoria Proteas team in full: B: White Mann Bos H/B: Wight Furey Allday Centres: Judge Blake Fellowes H/F: Wittey Harmes Black F: Weightman Byrne and Kickett R: Moore Payne and Law I/C: Pyke and Mace Coach: Alan Killigrew In: White Law Out: Love and Good

I can tell you with certainty that there have been countless D!cks who have umpired the game!

Yes, that John/Jack thing did occur to me as well and I can only assume that the boys were christened "Jack". Check out these first names, which have appeared just the once in VFL/AFL history: Hurtle, Mort, Emery, Christy, Heber, Hollington, Garmah, Ingy, Alvan, Urban, Hamilton, Park and Rino. From more recent times, we also have Enrico, Gerrick, Mabior, Kayle and Majak.

Further trivia for anyone interested: In a game between Essendon and Richmond in 1909, there were no fewer than 12 players called Bill/Billy. From the modern era, a game between St Kilda and Richmond in 2018 had nine blokes called Jack.

With pleasure. All the following take into account variations/spellings of particular names (eg. John/Jon, Bill/William etc). Most common is Jack, followed by Bill, John, James and Michael. The top ten is completed with Bob, Peter, David, Matthew and Stephen. There is a standout name group in every era, with Bill from 1897 to 1929, Jack from 1930 to 1959, John from 1960 to 1989 and Matthew from 1990 to present. If you're looking for middle names, I can't help you there! ?

Curiosity got the better of me, so I looked it up. You're correct - Smith has been the most common, followed by Williams, Brown, Jones.and Ryan. Rounding out the top ten are Taylor, Johnson, Wilson, Anderson and McDonald.

Cheers tilly, not just first-hand observation but documentary evidence as well. I wonder if @Supermercado is aware of this?

He used to do the stats on a radio station that called the footy, so it might have started there (counting the kicks, marks etc.).

"The Claw"!

Absolutely correct, Norm. Here's a stunning example: The game in 1947 in which Fred Fanning kicked a league record 18 goals (still a record) against St Kilda was the last game for the season and Fred's last appearance for Melbourne. His final kick was the sole behind in his day's tally of 18.1. He had kicked 16 until three-quarter time before being quietened somewhat in the last. The following season, he was lured to coach at Hamilton because of the extra money on offer, which worked out to be six times what Melbourne could pay. That situation would be totally inconceivable these days.

There is some controversy about Greg Wells and if he wore the no. 50 in his debut at Princes Park in 1969, even though that was first allocated number and he wore it while playing in the seconds. This topic came up on the old Demonology years ago and people who were there that day swore that wore the no. 11 in that game and henceforth, but the matter has never been resolved AFAIK. The above list has the recently departed Tony Anderson as the wearer of no. 11 in 1969, but he retired that year after only three games, which makes it entirely possible that Wellsy did indeed don that number in his first senior game.

Is is true that, when metrication was introduced, he considered changing his name to Killer Jewell?

Good point about the French and the protection of their wine names, Diamond Jim. You can't even say "champagne comedy" any more, but instead have to use the phrase "sparkling wit".

Before I contribute to this thread, just let me go and put on my hair shirt.

Sorry Moony. I'd love to oblige but lack both the technology and the know-how to do so. I can provide the proposed team song, but make sure you've got a bucket handy: We're the Melbourne Hawks We're the high-flying Hawks We're the mighty Melbourne Hawks We play each game and we play to win Watch us, we play it with a grin Every heart beats true for the gold red and blue As we sing this song for you One for all and all for one Two will make you stronger Keep your eye on the mighty Melbourne Hawks.

Were those questions directed at me? 1. Just a play on words - dorks/dawks. 2. The new entity may well have won premierships, but it wouldn't have been my team any more and would feel hollow. At the time, I was working with a former Fitzroy supporter who just gave up on AFL when his team was screwed by the league into forcing to merge with Brisbane and followed his local team instead. I think that's I would have done as well.

I've kept the literature we received from the club at the time, including a brochure with the new jumper designs and new theme song. There's also a proxy vote for the merge option, but not the other proxy. I sent that one in, but to no avail as it turns out. Horrible time in my supporting life and I said back then I'd rather finish bottom every year than merge and become The Dawks. It's funny to look at now, but apparently we had the players and Hawthorn had the money.

If you're looking for Vardy's goals, he kicked three in a row in the last quarter when it was raining cats and hounds.

I looked it up and turns out he was from Tassie - a true Van Demon, but I never realised that. Lou Richards described him as "Biffin by name and biffin' by occupation"! One day at Moorabbin when it was blowing a gale to the Nepean Hwy end, Biff spent the entire game in the same goal square, playing as full-forward when we had the wind and as full-back when kicking against it. One of my all-time favourites.

Where was Biffin from, spirit? Nice list, BTW.

Despite the numbers on Demonland, Tingay prevailed (just) by 368 votes to 364.

I've voted for Davey, but have the utmost respect for Febey. Odd trivia: Steve was the only Demon to play in our losing Grand Finals in 1988 and 2000.