Name some players like Jason Heatley (one season wonders)

Aug 17, 2006
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Spot on about Shannon Byrne's. What was it about those 2 years where he suddenly became a good player? Did he just work harder? Maybe teams just didn't focus on him and he slipped under the radar for 2 years.

I feel like it was sort of a similar thing to a journeyman ruckman who finally gets in a position where he's told "You're our number one, you're not getting dropped, so just get out there and play."

Come to think of it, that sounds awfully like Dawson Simpson for the month or so before he broke his leg in 2013 (people will scoff, but every bit as damaging to Geelong's premiership campaign as Hawkins' injury troubles that year for me).

Anyway, I'm glad Byrnes stuck around. One of the really good guys and he has a lot more stories to share now than if he'd been axed in his early 20s.
 

Catsace

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Yes, that is why he was so memorable - he wore those black rim glasses. Still I think the only player I ever saw wear glasses on the field.

Pretty sure for at least a few games in the early 80's Peter Kiel wore glasses for St.Kilda, and i think Greg Towns for Carlton may also have worn glasses for a time. This seems to have gone the way of the playing coach, of whom Blight in '81 was the last I think.
 

Gainzo

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Pretty sure for at least a few games in the early 80's Peter Kiel wore glasses for St.Kilda, and i think Greg Towns for Carlton may also have worn glasses for a time. This seems to have gone the way of the playing coach, of whom Blight in '81 was the last I think.

As someone who is old I don't remember glasses on players but I do remember Phil Narkle wearing his stackhat back in the day.

VYGfaiZ.jpg
 

MarcusP2

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Sep 21, 2009
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Chris Knights was another solid player from the Neil Craig era wasnt he?

Another 2 blokes I could think of was Bernie Vince and Trent Hentchel.

Trent Hentschel Kicked 94 goals from 71 games. Kicked 43 goals and 23 behinds in 2006. He got injured late in the season vs Port. Crows struggled with an average forward line in 2006, despite getting top 2. His next best was 26 goals.

Bernie Vinces best year was 2009 I think. The year he won the Best and fairest for the crows.
Hentschel's knee was completely destroyed, he was lucky to ever get back to play (and it forced his retirement eventually). Not quite the same.
 
May 5, 2016
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Wouldn't call Craig Turley a 1 season wonder. Runner up in the Brownlow in 91 and premiership player in 92. His six or 7 years at West Coast were good.

he held his spot ok but his 91 season he was getting 22 touches and a goal a game. He never averaged more than 18 touches in a season again, or more than 0.3 goals a game again. he had 20 votes in the Brownlow in 91 - his next best effort was 5.

I guess he wasn't a Jason Heatley style one season wonder where he just disappeared off the face of the planet afterwards but he certainly had 1 great season and nothing else of any note
 
Oct 16, 2003
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Jade Rawlings 2003

One great season out of eleven

Nah.

Jade was a very good CHB at Hawthorn (our best key defender for a number of years). The one season wonder part comes from the fact he was thrown forward periodically in 2003 and looked decent, kicking 34 goals (rotating between CHB and CHF) and picking up 11 BL votes.

He then wanted a fat contract and to join his brother at North but the Bulldogs were so desperate for a forward that they got him in the PSD through the "Veale deal".

Started real well too (kicked 13.18 in his first month) before fading badly in a poor side that won 4 games. Was definately average after that, even when tried back in defence.
 
Oct 16, 2003
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Trav Colyer had a really good season in 2014 I believe? He looked to have a bit of potential then, hasn't done much since

Nah - Colyer is more of a 0 season wonder.

He's never won any AFL related award, never finished high in a B&F, never picked up a Brownlow vote and never averaged more than the 18 touches he managed in his debut season (2010).

He was fast and that's about it (and often his speed was counterracted by how fumbly he was) - lucky to play 87 games really.
 
May 5, 2016
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Where did I say that?


Apologies, it was another poster who's name starts with B that I was engaged in discussion with. As you were.

I'm fully aware of the flags thing, it doesn't mean a thing in a player's quality. The original comment I was responding to was that Ablett would never have gotten a game anywhere if not for his name. Which is simply not true.
 

Belnakor

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Wouldn't call Craig Turley a 1 season wonder. Runner up in the Brownlow in 91 and premiership player in 92. His six or 7 years at West Coast were good.

he never got over the level of hype and celebrity he was getting. i remember them even doing a big give away where they had a cardboard cut out of his face given to everyone. it was madness. iirc he did his ankle in 1993 and was pretty much cooked.
 

Private Hudson

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Mar 31, 2011
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Not only did Heatley kick 73 goals in '97 (from just 20 games- including 3 finals), but he kicked 7 (straight) in the prelim (on a wet night), and 3.3 in the grannie.

Did kick 48 from just 20 games the following year as well though, so that was still very decent.

A 2 season wonder.


He used to destroy North. I reckon he even kicked 6 against us in 2000 when he was clinging to his career by a fingernail.
 

Private Hudson

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Mar 31, 2011
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Sean Charles was amazing in 1994 but then faded soon after.

He really was great in 94. Loved watching him play. Savagely broke his leg in his first game for Carlton and ended up at the Saints for a season. Massive wasted talent.
 

BruceTempany14

Calling out Geelong supporters
Aug 4, 2016
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Don't know if he has been mentioned but surely Geoff Blethyn owns this thread?

In and out of team and first 4 years kicks 1/12/33/21. Then kicks 107. Then goes back to 30 the following year then never plays again.

So he goes 1/12/33/21/107/30.

Winner


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