News Past Players Thread

[Marcus DuQuesne]

Among the Geelong FBs I've seen he's second only to Scarlett, and not by much, either.

Roy West was a good one and I think people probably forget JOHN Scarlett was a dam good FB. Had a very good record on Hudson and others. A big barge arse solid mark and a dasher. Yep his son may shade him but only because of the Premierships and the toe poke. I also like Malarky great FB in his era.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

I remember Bright at Geelong west, mainly Joe Radajovic though. As a 13yo, I played for their u16 and u19s and looked up to Joe a fair bit. He was a gun, even in his later years.

You could have a whole thread on the Geelong/Geelong West saga of the 70's Many players at Geelong were disenchanted and Goggin as coach of GW got plenty of them to leave Geelong and head out to play at West. Gordon Hynes had plenty of North Shore juniors that would not go down to Geelong either one of the reasons for their dominance of the Geelong FL. Local juniors got told NOT to go down to Geelong as they would basically be used and churned back out the other end. Some of these sentiments are displayed on the YOU Tube Rooster Interviews.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

I was at that 105 game.
He'd get slaughtered today.

Might have been laughing Larry initially but towards the end it was Larry the Lamb. Given this nickname as he tended to duck his head going for marks. I guess when FB were aloud to punch the back of your head instead of the ball it is understandable. Donohue was a magnificent kick and I can remember him practicing from outside 50 and dobbing goals one after the other. He was a good lead also.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

That I guess was during his time coaching?

Numbers don't play Football...Players Do.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

I thought we were robbed but clearly, we would still have lost by a point had Goggin's goal been 'adjudged" correctly

We were robbed by the *ing umpire. Farmer was free kicked out of the game almost.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Roy West was a good one and I think people probably forget JOHN Scarlett was a dam good FB. Had a very good record on Hudson and others. A big barge arse solid mark and a dasher. Yep his son may shade him but only because of the Premierships and the toe poke. I also like Malarky great FB in his era.

JScarlett was good, West was better, and Malarkey was a fair bit better than either. All-Australian back when it actually meant something he was for a substantial part of his career quite rightly regarded as the best full-back in the country.

 

[FredLeDeux]

C'mon man Hynes was built nothing like Wade or did I miss a joke. Rubbed out for kicking a bloke who was behind him probably screwed his career somewhat. Retired at 24 and legend in GFL where all who played against him admired his skills.

That gadget signifies irony; the comment adverted to a long earlier thread discussion.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Clarke a centre man I don't think so. Had a very hot start to his career and extremely fit and single minded man. Career tailed off as injuries took their toll. May have played in the centre as onball type ruck rover etc..but was handy around the goals. Would not be in my team of the century but certainly in the Pyramid Hall of Shame. Just a tad behind William Farrow. Unfortunately kept his fortune and according to some who know not worked in the real sense since 1991.

Clarke played a lot of his football as a HFF.
He also played a substantial part of it as a "roaming" centreman, one of the first of the breed.
He never played as a ruck rover, even if he did average one hitout every 10 games.
He also played a little bit at CHB, including one notorious finals debacle.

 

[The rabbi]

s**t Fred, you are an old b*st*rd.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

Clarke played a lot of his football as a HFF.
He also played a substantial part of it as a "roaming" centreman, one of the first of the breed.
He never played as a ruck rover, even if he did average one hitout every 10 games.
He also played a little bit at CHB, including one notorious finals debacle.

I think you will find that ALL centremen "roamed" far and wide...often goal kickers and handy helping down back. The centreman was the lynchpin of a football team going way back and covered plenty of the ground. Some considered the centreman the best footballer in the team. Usually they had impeccable kicking skills ala Barry Price, Ian Stewart, Billy Barrott, Denis Marshall Wayne Closter, Alistair Lord etc. (short List) Clarke certainly was not the first of any breed but I remember him running around the Barwon River and he certainly was a very fit player of that time.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

JScarlett was good, West was better, and Malarkey was a fair bit better than either. All-Australian back when it actually meant something he was for a substantial part of his career quite rightly regarded as the best full-back in the country.

This is not a "pissing" contest Fred. They were all good full backs. I actually lived out of Victoria during most of Malarkies career so missed a bit of the week to week action. He was a very good. Pity he was not there in the late 80's to mid 90's. Timing is everything.

 

[FredLeDeux]

This is not a "pissing" contest Fred. They were all good full backs. I actually lived out of Victoria during most of Malarkies career so missed a bit of the week to week action. He was a very good. Pity he was not there in the late 80's to mid 90's. Timing is everything.

Then do up your zipper.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

Then do up your zipper.

Bit below the belt..I would say. I could be nasty back but you follow Geelong so I will leave it that..But your ignorance of how a centre man played back in the day tells me enough.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Bit below the belt..I would say. I could be nasty back but you follow Geelong so I will leave it that..But your ignorance of how a centre man played back in the day tells me enough.

Quite right, my apologies for following you down there.

 

[Marcus DuQuesne]

Quite right, my apologies for following you down there.

You are really funny not particularly smart however.

 

[David the Cat]

Oh stop it......

Do I need to reiterate the topic?

 

[cats_09]

After making the shift to football for the past 4 years, Michael Luxford has returned to his previous life in basketball and will be spending his winter playing with the Geelong Supercats in the SEABL comp.

I was watching one of their practice matches a few weeks ago and along with others we were trying to work out who was wearing the #5 singlet because they looked quite impressive and I felt there was something familiar about them. Last weekend I finally saw footage that showed someone wearing a singlet with Luxford on the back and according to the SEABL site Michael Luxford is a registered player with Geelong.

He may not have played competitive basketball the past 4 years while he tried his hand at football, but it's clear he hasn't lost too much of that basketball nous he had.

 

[Willo_]

This is as good a thread as any for this...

For any podcast listeners out there I listened to this yesterday at work and found it fascinating

Howie isn't everyones cup of tea but his chats with Aussie sports stars are great IMO, very laid back, very much how a fan would ask questions and talk to someone if they got the chance.. He had a 2 part ep with former Cats skipper Ben Graham, not a huge amount about Geelong but still interesting, when he gets onto the NFL it is really interesting stuff as it is just a completely different world they way players are signed and cut within days, the money involved etc etc

https://www.podcastone.com.au/The-Howie-Games

 

[Spearman]

This is as good a thread as any for this...

For any podcast listeners out there I listened to this yesterday at work and found it fascinating

Howie isn't everyones cup of tea but his chats with Aussie sports stars are great IMO, very laid back, very much how a fan would ask questions and talk to someone if they got the chance.. He had a 2 part ep with former Cats skipper Ben Graham, not a huge amount about Geelong but still interesting, when he gets onto the NFL it is really interesting stuff as it is just a completely different world they way players are signed and cut within days, the money involved etc etc

https://www.podcastone.com.au/The-Howie-Games

thanks for the post, very interesting listen.
US pro sports are such huge industries its not surprising its so impersonal and ruthless. One of the fascinating things for me about Aussie Rules is its basis in 'clubs' and local communities. I think a fair amount of the decisions made by AFL clubs still reflects some of that DNA. One quote by Brayshaw about why North was a good destination club was that there was a solid core of players with young families etc. It struck as so different from a US pro team. I also honestly think that some players are moved on or not due to how well said player fits in or how his family does. For the record, I admire the lack of 'owners' in the AFL, EM not withstanding, though there are good ones as well as bad. Paul Allen could serve as a template. I'd like to see more Green Bay type situation in US sports.
BTW there are some good vids about the Seahawks Aussie punter Michael Dickson online.

 

[cats_09]

 

[dazbroncos]

Pops doing Pops things

Assistant coach James Kelly departs Bombers to be stay-at-home dad

Essendon assistant and former Geelong premiership player James Kelly is stepping away from Essendon to focus on family.

www.theage.com.au

Would not mind seeing him around the Cattery again

GO Catters

 

[Live in hope]

JScarlett was good, West was better, and Malarkey was a fair bit better than either. All-Australian back when it actually meant something he was for a substantial part of his career quite rightly regarded as the best full-back in the country.

Bit late to this discussion -

Only saw Malarkey beaten once - by Templeton right at the end of his career (and after a year away, I think). Rarely more than a goal or two to the opposition FF (and there were some damn good FFs in mid, late 70s). Scarlett just edged him IMO, due to his counter attacking. (Gary’s 55- 65 metre kick-ins were nearly as effective, IMO).
Both better than SOS (who was obviously very, very good but not as counter attacking and managed to get away with blatant grappling that would be free’d for most others and every time now).

 

[David the Cat]

Bit late to this discussion -

Only saw Malarkey beaten once - by Templeton right at the end of his career (and after a year away, I think). Rarely more than a goal or two to the opposition FF (and there were some damn good FFs in mid, late 70s). Scarlett just edged him IMO, due to his counter attacking. (Gary’s 55- 65 metre kick-ins were nearly as effective, IMO).
Both better than SOS (who was obviously very, very good but not as counter attacking and managed to get away with blatant grappling that would be free’d for most others and every time now).

I rate Malarkey just in front of John Scarlett, but both were fine players. As you rightly pointed out, Malarkey was rarely beaten. Your reference to his long kicking reminded me of Paul Vinar, also an effective full back/utility, whose kicking was legendary. His drop kicks were a sight to behold, and I recall him winning the World of Sport long kicking comp with an effort over 70 metres.

Perhaps not quite in the same class as Scarlett or Malarkey but a very effective full back when used there. Pretty effective in the kick outs too !!

PS: Nick named "The Swede" even though he was Czech by birth...go figure.

 

[Vdubs]

I always rated Ben Graham as an excellent FB. Rarely beaten, except when manned up on Carey perhaps.
Excellent mark, kick, but after he dislocated his elbow, took a little while to regain his authority.
Main problem with Ben Graham was that we needed 2 of him- one at FB, one at CHF.

 

[Vdubs]

Clarke played a lot of his football as a HFF.
He also played a substantial part of it as a "roaming" centreman, one of the first of the breed.
He never played as a ruck rover, even if he did average one hitout every 10 games.
He also played a little bit at CHB, including one notorious finals debacle.

Clarke actually did play as a genuine ruck rover, and centreman, and hff, one of our best ever players. He was a great kick for goal, and very fit. Did a lot of off-season speed and distance running, for his on ball roles.
I know, because I used to run with him over summer off-seasons at Landy Field and along the Barwon river tracks.
One of my favourite Clarke memories was a game v South Melbourne, iirc, at Lakeside Oval, or maybe KP, and Clarke was matched up on John Pitura. It was a fantastic duel, 2 brilliant and skilled players, each BOG for their teams.