Greatest AFL nicknames of all time and background on how the nickname came about.

Dee Train

Celebrating superiority since 2021
Aug 17, 2017
1,243
2,169
AFL Club
Melbourne
Not footy but one of the cleverer nicknames was one of my high school mates. He played cricket and was a bit rotund and didn’t like to run between the wickets much. We called him ‘Tunga’ after the Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga. One day he called for the runner, so it evolved from ‘need a runner’, rhymes with Arjuna….to ‘Need a Ranatunga’, shortened to Tunga. We thought it was clever in year 11 anyway 🧐
 
May 5, 2016
43,464
48,496
AFL Club
Geelong
Again these aren’t from AFL but some of the better ones among my mates:

Gary - became Gawrence after someone made the observation that ‘If Larry is short for Lawrence Garry has to be short for Gawrence doesn’t it?’ So that’s what he is to this day.


Around the time Chris ‘Buddha’ Handy was a major part of 7’s rugby coverage one of my mates during a drinking game confessed to getting a wristy - or a handy - off one of the girls in our dorm who we never would have suspected so he became Buddha for the ensuing years.
 

Robroy22

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 24, 2012
8,519
15,129
Jindabyne
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Central Broken Hill (Magpies)
Rowdy = Gavin Brown
Pants = Darren Millane
"Charlie" = James Manson
"Cement head" = Craig "Ned" Kelly
Scooter = Tony Francis
Neon Leon Davis
Boof = Craig Davis
Cotton = Billy Picken
Monkey = Damien Monkhorst
Jerker = Graham Jenkin
Bubba = Barry Price
Daisy = Dale Thomas
The Macedonian Marvel= Peter Daicos
Leroy = Leigh "the Anvil" Brown
Tuddy = Des Tuddenham
Buttsy = Stan Magro
Rusty = Steele Sidebottom
The Blanket = Michael Gayfer
Flash = Wayne Gordon
Heater = Heath Shaw
"Perfect Pete" = Peter McKenna
Twiggy = Ross Dunne
Thommo = Len Thompson
Racehorse = Ricky Barham
Teaser = Graham Teasdale
Chocco = Mark Williams
"The Weed" = Murray Weideman
Bobby = Bob Rose
Rotten = Ron Andrews
Jimmy = Robert Dean
Billy = Jamie Elliot
Jonno = Ben Johnston
Dids = Alan Didak
"Cho" = Michael Richardson
Banksy = Dennis Banks
Chrisso = Michael Christian
Mores = Shane Morwood

I'll leave it here....I've gotta cook dinner!
 
Aug 27, 2014
38,196
41,193
spacetime
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
there are no other teams worthy
I will get the players names wrong but I was at a Carlton game where the crowd yelled the nicknames "elevator" for madden, "dominator" for wayne johnson and "masturbator" for dorotich after he was caught knocking the top off in his car outside of training
Yeah, I think you are a bit off. Think Doro was caught in different circumstances as Jo Pearson and Dominator were.....
So the story goes...
 
Aug 27, 2014
38,196
41,193
spacetime
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
there are no other teams worthy
Louie the Lip basically was the master of this. Wanna be's like Rex Hunt tried to copy with Special Fried Rice and The Cranium but we all knew he was trying to copy the master nickname creator.
Galloping Gasometer almost my favourite by Louie.
Flying Doormat and Lethal Leigh he known for more.
 
Feb 5, 2018
13,936
33,319
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Other Teams
Chicago Blackhawks Melb Renegades
Brett Heady - 'Jobby'.

Brad Sewell's nickname was 'Pretzel' because that's what it sounds like it you say it really fast.
 

sandeano

Premiership Player
Oct 7, 2001
3,259
2,337
Melbourne
AFL Club
Richmond
Other Teams
Space
Brett Heady - 'Jobby'.

Brad Sewell's nickname was 'Pretzel' because that's what it sounds like it you say it really fast.

Its genesis may be apocryphal but it has been said that that it was Merv Hughes who gave the name of "Bubbles" to ABC cricket commentator Neville Oliver. Because, if you say his name quickly several times it sounds like someone farting in a bath.

(Try it)
 

Robroy22

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 24, 2012
8,519
15,129
Jindabyne
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Central Broken Hill (Magpies)
Louie the Lip basically was the master of this. Wanna be's like Rex Hunt tried to copy with Special Fried Rice and The Cranium but we all knew he was trying to copy the master nickname creator.
Galloping Gasometer almost my favourite by Louie.
Flying Doormat and Lethal Leigh he known for more.

Rene Kink = The incredible hulk
 
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