The Cult Hero

Jun 9, 2007
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The cult hero - a part of our game that we simply must embrace with more vigour.

Watching Tippa tonight I was motivated to create a thread to celebrate our much loved cult heroes. I’ll consider a poll thread based on the nominations in this thread to see who is our most cherished cult hero.

And what makes a cult hero? Fan embracement? Quirky footy personality? Doing the impossible? Unyielding stalwart? Being a bit talentless, yet succeeding? Who, from your team or others, rates highly?


Some off the top of my head in my time watching are;

Adelaide: Betts, Modra, Weideman, Burton, A Jarman

Brisbane: Akermanis, Zanotti, Gastev

Carlton: Bosustow, Perovic, Christou, Madden, Doull, Wow Jones, Fevola

Collingwood: Daicos, Manson, Monkhorst, Millane, Davis

Essendon: Tippa, D Rioli, VanDerHaar, Buhagiar, Kickett, Fletcher, Long, Bewick

Fitzroy: Conlan, Ironmonger,

Footscray: Hawkins, Southern, Stringer, Liberatore, Morris

Fremantle: Waterhouse, Sandilands, Burton,

Geelong: Ablett Sr, Brownless, Ling,

Gold Coast: ??

GWS: Folau, Mumford

Hawthorn: Dipper, Brereton, Rioli, Knights, Franklin, Platten

Melbourne: Jakovich, Jackson, Robertson, Farmer, Davey, Howe

North Melbourne: J Krakouer, P Krakouer, McAdam, (Fridge) Roberts, Archer, Pickett

Port: Dew, Wingard

Richmond: Bartlett, Richardson, Jess, Martin, Grimes

St Kilda: Barker, Milne, Hayes, Everitt, Winmar, Gehrig

South/Sydney: Capper, Foschini, Hall, LRT

West Coast: Matera, Matera, Keene, Lewis, Ryan
 
Mar 11, 2018
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F3A62395-8957-4406-9CA2-0F2594C19A83.jpeg
 

Substance

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 6, 2012
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The cult hero - a part of our game that we simply must embrace with more vigour.

Watching Tippa tonight I was motivated to create a thread to celebrate our much loved cult heroes. I’ll consider a poll thread based on the nominations in this thread to see who is our most cherished cult hero.

And what makes a cult hero? Fan embracement? Quirky footy personality? Doing the impossible? Unyielding stalwart? Being a bit talentless, yet succeeding? Who, from your team or others, rates highly?


Some off the top of my head in my time watching are;

Adelaide: Betts, Modra, Weideman, Burton, A Jarman

Brisbane: Akermanis, Zanotti, Gastev

Carlton: Bosustow, Perovic, Christou, Madden, Doull, Wow Jones, Fevola

Collingwood: Daicos, Manson, Monkhorst, Millane, Davis

Essendon: Tippa, D Rioli, VanDerHaar, Buhagiar, Kickett, Fletcher, Long, Bewick

Fitzroy: Conlan, Ironmonger,

Footscray: Hawkins, Southern, Stringer, Liberatore, Morris

Fremantle: Waterhouse, Sandilands, Burton,

Geelong: Ablett Sr, Brownless, Ling,

Gold Coast: ??

GWS: Folau, Mumford

Hawthorn: Dipper, Brereton, Rioli, Knights, Franklin, Platten

Melbourne: Jakovich, Jackson, Robertson, Farmer, Davey, Howe

North Melbourne: J Krakouer, P Krakouer, McAdam, (Fridge) Roberts, Archer, Pickett

Port: Dew, Wingard

Richmond: Bartlett, Richardson, Jess, Martin, Grimes

St Kilda: Barker, Milne, Hayes, Everitt, Winmar, Gehrig

South/Sydney: Capper, Foschini, Hall, LRT

West Coast: Matera, Matera, Keene, Lewis, Ryan

You've left out the biggest of all: Ted Whitten.
 

HolyWars

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Apr 8, 2008
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I went last night and couldn't believe in the third quarter just before the ball was going to be bounced in the middle that he was 30m on his own in the goal square. This was down the Punt rd end. Only as the ball was bounced did someone drop back on him.

He was fantastic to watch in person.
 

FastLane

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Jul 15, 2012
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He was the only thing keeping bombers in it last night- was involved in almost every goal they kicked- they better pay him and do it soon!
 
Mar 2, 2015
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Hawthorn: Dipper, Brereton, Rioli, Knights, Franklin, Platten
None of these were "cult" heroes. They were superstars of the comp.

(Dipper was a cult hero before he turned his career and became senior regular in 1983/84)

Hawthorn cult heroes: Paul Puopolo, Luke Breust, Matt Spangher, Stuart Dew, Mark Williams, Johnny Barker, James Morrissey, David Polkinghorne and Ian "The General" Paton
 
Jun 9, 2007
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None of these were "cult" heroes. They were superstars of the comp.

(Dipper was a cult hero before he turned his career and became senior regular in 1983/84)

Hawthorn cult heroes: Paul Puopolo, Luke Breust, Matt Spangher, Stuart Dew, Mark Williams, Johnny Barker, James Morrissey, David Polkinghorne and Ian "The General" Paton
This is the reason I’m putting it out there to people - to ascertain who their cult heroes were and who was worthy. I raised these names because they all had specific quirky traits that made them all the more loveable to their fans; Platt’s hair, Dipper’s beefy numbskullery, Dermie’s theatrics, Rioli’s cameo inspirations etc. Depends on how you see it. I did pause and question whether or not to name outright stars like Daics but at the end of the day they probably did reach cult hero status during their career at some point.
 
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