View Full Version : Who were the Hawthorn ruckmen of the 80s?
who where they and where they any good?
Paton, Byrne, Dear, Dear.
All solid, if unspectacular, like almost all our Rucks have been. Apart from some of the re-cycled ones.
thatswhatimtalkinabout
10 Oct 2007, 00:31
Greg Dear was probably the very best of the eighties, played in four premierships before moving to Richmond in the nineties.
Michael Byrne, Paul Abbott, Ian Paton, Mick McCarthy and Paul Dear were all premiership players who played in the ruck during the eighties. Not 100% but also reckon Don Scott was still going around in 1981.
Not our biggest strength but they weren't too shabby either considering they were playing against some of the best ruckmen of all time.
hawk3R_4lyfe
10 Oct 2007, 01:01
...and Paul Harding
The Cryptkeeper
10 Oct 2007, 10:05
Didn't Rod Lester-Smith spend some time in the ruck also? I know he was a tall, mobile type and have an idea that he was used as a backup ruckman at times.
Didn't Rod Lester-Smith spend some time in the ruck also? I know he was a tall, mobile type and have an idea that he was used as a backup ruckman at times.
Na, nowhere near big enough...
Paton, Byrne, Dear, Dear.
All solid, if unspectacular, like almost all our Rucks have been. Apart from some of the re-cycled ones.
Paton - very similar to our current day Robbie Campbell.
Paul Dear - 91 GF - Awsome.
Stephen Lawrence - First played 1988.
Kicked 5 goals on debut from CHF.
Dominated the latter part of 91, he flogged WC at Subi and then in the GF, looked set to become a star, didn't happen.
Jane Doe
10 Oct 2007, 11:23
What about Michael McCarthy? 2 time premiership player. Not a bad bloke as well.
Paton - very similar to our current day Robbie Campbell.
Paul Dear - 91 GF - Awsome.
Stephen Lawrence - First played 1988.
Kicked 5 goals on debut from CHF.
Dominated the latter part of 91, he flogged WC at Subi and then in the GF, looked set to become a star, didn't happen.
Imagine if we'd had a truly great Ruckman in those days? We'd have won every flag from '82 to '91....
Imagine if we'd had a truly great Ruckman in those days? We'd have won every flag from '82 to '91....
Hawk onballers became great at Roving to the opposition Rucks during the 80's.
Didn't Rod Lester-Smith spend some time in the ruck also? I know he was a tall, mobile type and have an idea that he was used as a backup ruckman at times.
Yes he did
HawthornFC
12 Oct 2007, 22:24
There were many quality ruckmen of the 80's. One that sticks in my mind is that of Ian Paton, the Tasmanian Fellow, who was not only a smart player but also a very physical one who broke down the effects of the opposing ruck combinations. Of my time of watching the game from the stands in the 80's, from what i can remember he was a great footballer- smart, fast and fairly nimble for a man of his build.
Mervyn Beasley
13 Oct 2007, 12:12
What about Michael McCarthy? 2 time premiership player. Not a bad bloke as well.
Did you know that McCarthy is one of only 5 people to play in a VFL/AFL premiership and an A Grade district cricket premiership???
Kinghts 24
13 Oct 2007, 12:48
I do rememebr a young Chris Langford spending some time in the ruck ('85 grand final?) and confirming that he would one day make an outstanding full back!
I think Steve Lawrence found God in the early '90's...Hallelujah!
Adelaide Hawk
13 Oct 2007, 21:07
Did you know that McCarthy is one of only 5 people to play in a VFL/AFL premiership and an A Grade district cricket premiership???
No, who were the others?
LennyLeonard
13 Oct 2007, 21:13
Imagine if we'd had a truly great Ruckman in those days? We'd have won every flag from '82 to '91....
If Simon Madden was playing for hawthorn you would have won every flag from 83 - 91. He was the difference in 84-85
Mervyn Beasley
14 Oct 2007, 12:53
No, who were the others?
Sorry for Delay AH. Sorry also for original incorrect info. Its actually 6 not 5.
Other 5 players to play in Vfl/Afl flag and District 1sts cricket premiership were
Ian Law(Hawks), D Polkinghorne(Hawks), Craig Bradley, Adrian Gallagher, G Brown (Ess '65).
It's a good trivia q for the older sports buff.
Funnily enough it was Ian Law who told my bro-in- law the info!!