Port Adelaide Stories

Aug 30, 2004
36,051
64,736
Kaurna Land
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Vikings, Canadiens, Sharks
I've always wondered how Milan Faletic got his nickname.
One of my brothers was at school with Milan Faletic. The school had a strict "must play for the school" policy and didn't have soccer as a sport. The story goes that Milan so much wanted to play soccer and not Aussie Rules that he left and went to Theby Tech (IIRC). Ended up playing SNAFL juniors for West Torrens and the rest, as they say, is history.

My youngest brother was in the same year as Greg Anderson who moved to Woody High because of the same policy. Greg's dad, Wally, was coaching the 1st XVIII at the time so the school lost him as well.
 

Ebert80

Premiership Player
Jan 6, 2008
4,847
1,439
South Oz
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
I was just a kid, but I used to call him "Pathetic" Faletic.

Was quite unjustified in hindsight, as he was quite a handy player.
 
I was just a kid, but I used to call him "Pathetic" Faletic.

Was quite unjustified in hindsight, as he was quite a handy player.

I think everyone called him "Mild and Pathetic" at some stage of his career.
 

Ebert80

Premiership Player
Jan 6, 2008
4,847
1,439
South Oz
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
I wonder what his family background is? Croatian perhaps?

A lot of ex players we see in the media at least once after their careers are finished - I havent heard anything about him since he stopped playing footy, so have no idea what he's up to these days, perhaps not even in Adelaide anymore.
 

blackdiamond

Norm Smith Medallist
Dec 7, 2000
8,437
825
Melbourne, Victoria
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
New Orleans Saints, Detroit Tigers
When I was younger I used to cop s**t from my cousins for following footy, the would call Wanganeen Wankaknee - really pathetic stuff.

The eldest of these cousins then married Darryl Poole's sister and then attended every Power game from 1997 onwards, even cheered for Wanganeen.

How the wheel turns.
 

Sheeds

Premiership Player
Oct 8, 2004
4,663
2,968
Adelaide
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Everton
My old man was good friends with a few Port players. I still have a lace up Bomber Clifford guernsey floating around somewhere.

When my Dad married my mother there were a couple of Port players for memory in the wedding party. I think David Baker was one of them. Anyway at the reception my dad introduced "Bakes" to a guy who played for West Torrens, the name escapes me but he was married to one of my mums best friends.
Turns out the 2 of them had met previously...... the day before in a game at Alberton and had a nice punch on with each other.
 
Oct 7, 2004
11,650
15,095
Adelaide, South Australia
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
I have never been to a winning Port Adelaide GF :(

you would just about be the only long term Port supporter who hasnt

ive been to several... (1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2004)
unfortunately didnt go to any early 80s ones (cheers dad). In saying that my old man is a South supporter and used to take me to Alberton to watch Port even though he didnt support us.
 

adjaza

Debutant
Mar 26, 2008
99
214
adelaide
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
chelsea
I wonder what his family background is? Croatian perhaps?

A lot of ex players we see in the media at least once after their careers are finished - I havent heard anything about him since he stopped playing footy, so have no idea what he's up to these days, perhaps not even in Adelaide anymore.
Lives in Adelaide. My sister played netball with his daughter. Ran a cleaning business from memory. At least he did back then. My sis also played with Randall Gerlachs daughter, who I took to my year 12 graduation.
 

SYDpower

All Australian
Apr 8, 2004
655
188
At the end of the Rainbow
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Other Teams
Port Adelaide
The connection to Savings Bank of South Australia are quite strong with a few Port People.
I actually worked with Eric Freeman back in the early late 80's/early 90's (before the bail out) . We were in Head Office in King William Street working for the Marketing Department. Loved working with him. Lots of fun and our passion for Port used to p*ss off everyone around us. It just used to fuel us even more!
Russell Ebert also worked for the Bank - but a bit before my time. However when I was only a junior I used to work at the Royal Park branch (which is no longer there) and there was an old guy we called Stretch who lived next door. Russell used to come weekly, help Stretch out, bring him food, do his banking (so yes, we were graced with the presence of God). Russell had got to know Stretch from having worked at the branch a long time ago (and yes there was still some documentation that had his signature on it!). It was such a revelation to me, that not only was he an amazing footballer, but what an incredible person he is.
There is also the stories of how Russell helped David Granger out when DG fell on hard times and everyone shunned him. Russell always felt DG was misunderstood and really stepped into the breach to assist.
 

Ebert80

Premiership Player
Jan 6, 2008
4,847
1,439
South Oz
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
My dad worked for the State Bank.

He used to chat on phone to Freeman and Abernethy, from time to time.
 
Back in the olden days banks closed at 3pm so they were the ideal employer for footballers. No problems getting to training on time.

Probably still are ideal seeing as they prefer you to do every bit of banking online or through ATM's. No need for pesky customers inside the bank.
 

stanmack

Cancelled
Jul 29, 2009
813
728
Mitchell Park
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Ran in the Port fun run in 85 and had a ball. Bomber Clifford was halarious with his antics but the highlight for me was running next to Russ for a couple of Ks. I was keeping pace the great man while he pushed his daughter along who was on roller blades. Along the way we noticed a fella who we would run past in the field only to have appear in front of us only to have us to run past him again without once seeing him run past us. He did this a few times before I panted out ' how does he do that?' to which the champ replied 'buggered if I know' . Of course this was nothing to Russ but a great moment for me.
 
Bomber, Gilesy and Grave must have shown him the shortcuts well known among Port senior players. ;)
 

70sDinosaur

Premiership Player
May 16, 2011
4,645
13,900
Melbourne
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Back in the olden days banks closed at 3pm so they were the ideal employer for footballers. No problems getting to training on time.

Probably still are ideal seeing as they prefer you to do every bit of banking online or through ATM's. No need for pesky customers inside the bank.
I've still got Russell's autograph from the time my grandma took me into the SBSA branch at Port Adelaide, when I was a little kid in the early 70s.

She was there to do some banking but I was there just to get the autograph, so I guess she was a "pesky customer" and I was something even worse! In those days, most of my banking was done through the reps the SBSA used to send to the schools. I guess there's a few people on here who would remember that.
 
I've still got Russell's autograph from the time my grandma took me into the SBSA branch at Port Adelaide, when I was a little kid in the early 70s.

She was there to do some banking but I was there just to get the autograph, so I guess she was a "pesky customer" and I was something even worse! In those days, most of my banking was done through the reps the SBSA used to send to the schools. I guess there's a few people on here who would remember that.

I remember that. :oops: (and 11am milk)
 

Power Girl

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 30, 2012
7,888
27,169
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
I've still got Russell's autograph from the time my grandma took me into the SBSA branch at Port Adelaide, when I was a little kid in the early 70s.

She was there to do some banking but I was there just to get the autograph, so I guess she was a "pesky customer" and I was something even worse! In those days, most of my banking was done through the reps the SBSA used to send to the schools. I guess there's a few people on here who would remember that.


School banking still happens ... which with internet banking surprises me
 
A couple of players have been associated with the rumour that they broke ankles bustin' moves on the dance floor and the club later claiming they slipped on steps leading down to the beach for pre-season training. Bomber and Rohan I'm looking at you. :p

Tony Giles missing the 1980 grand final after breaking his jaw in a Monday lunch time punch on with Woodville player Ian Rainbird after Port won the second semi final on the weekend.
 
A couple of players have been associated with the rumour that they broke ankles bustin' moves on the dance floor and the club later claiming they slipped on steps leading down to the beach for pre-season training. Bomber and Rohan I'm looking at you. :p

Tony Giles missing the 1980 grand final after breaking his jaw in a Monday lunch time punch on with Woodville player Ian Rainbird after Port won the second semi final on the weekend.

Wasn't Ian Bradmore involved in that incident?
 
Wasn't Ian Bradmore involved in that incident?

He might have been there. That's the thing with footy rumours, everyone's heard variations on a theme.

Heard Brucey Light once took up Phil Carman's invitation to sort out an on field incident in the car park. Phil never asked again. ;)

Remember Denis Errey once telling the story of how Bruce Nyland's eyesight was so bad Bruce tackled Denis one day during a game.
 
He might have been there. That's the thing with footy rumours, everyone's heard variations on a theme.

Heard Brucey Light once took up Phil Carman's invitation to sort out an on field incident in the car park. Phil never asked again. ;)

Remember Denis Errey once telling the story of how Bruce Nyland's eyesight was so bad Bruce tackled Denis one day during a game.

I thought Bradmore had been moved on to Woodville by then and that's why Giles was there???

Apparently Phil didn't even turn up to the "Golden Gloves" showdown under the grandstand at Norwood Oval. Bruce waited patiently for Mr Tough Guy but it wouldn't have mattered how long he waited Carman was never going to front.
 
I thought Bradmore had been moved on to Woodville by then and that's why Giles was there???

Apparently Phil didn't even turn up to the "Golden Gloves" showdown under the grandstand at Norwood Oval. Bruce waited patiently for Mr Tough Guy but it wouldn't have mattered how long he waited Carman was never going to front.

I heard Bruce sorted him out. There you go.

I'm fairly sure Bradmore was at Port 1979-80, he played in the 1979 premiership then fell out of favour. Interestingly he stood out of football for 3 years as a junior to get a free transfer from Woodville to Port.
 

Ebert80

Premiership Player
Jan 6, 2008
4,847
1,439
South Oz
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Talking of R Ebert - a few years ago at Norwood Oval, for an SANFL game, I noticed a bloke standing closeby with a 5aa cap - soon realised who it was, and when he asked to look at my Budget to identify one of the players, I realised I had just been speaking to the great man
 
Back