Toast 2025 PAFC Hall of Fame & Season Launch

[PowerLil]

Randall Gerlach was my favourite player

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Sad part is we have lost 4 of those 1977 heroes, first Randall Gerlach only in his 50's, Bruce Light and David Granger in their 60's and Russell was only 71.

Edit since last night's post I checked some dates, and Randall lived till he was 65, but when he was in his 50's there was an experimental kidney disease procedure that he was a test patient of, and he was featured on ABC's science program Catalyst. Russel was diagnosed when he was 71, and survived a year and was 72 when he passed away. All too early and below the expected life expectancy for a male in Oz.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Congrats to the Robbie Gray for your induction into the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Sing it loud and proud

Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray
Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray, Robbie Grayyyyy
Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray
Robbie Gray, ROBBIE GRAY


LOUDER AND FASTER

Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray
Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray, Robbie Grayyyyy
Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray, Robbie Gray
Robbie Gray, ROBBIE GRAY

 

[RossFC]

What a bloody superstar. Miss seeing Robbie play.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

 

[JUSTWORK]

What a bloody superstar. Miss seeing Robbie play.

 

[ClintEastwood]

Robbie Great. Absolute legend, now officially. He deserved to play under a better coach.

Looks fit enough to be back out there tomorrow ... I mean .... could we .... ?

 

[Janey]

Just love everything about Robbie, it’s criminal that he never got a premiership medal.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Randall Gerlach was my favourite player

If we had won the 1976 flag he would of retired after that game because the doctors had said you have to give the game away.

But he played an extra year to get a flag and sacrificed playing FF or CHF to play in the backlines and play on the oppo resting rucks.

I remember the day he kicked 11. In the games in the backyard when I first started playing footy and kicking those bloody old style plastic footies, like a game day simulation, it usually ended with - and a big strong mark from Gerlach, who goes back and goals.

 

[PowerLil]

If we had won the 1976 flag he would of retired after that game because the doctors had said you have to give the game away.

But he played an extra year to get a flag and sacrificed playing FF or CHF to play in the backlines and play on the oppo resting rucks.

I remember the day he kicked 11. In the games in the backyard when I first started playing footy and kicking those bloody old style plastic footies, like a game day simulation, it usually ended with - and a big strong mark from Gerlach, who goes back and goals.

Incredible player. The amount of times he would fly high and take the most incredible pack marks. Champion.

 

[Portmagpies36]

If we had won the 1976 flag he would of retired after that game because the doctors had said you have to give the game away.

But he played an extra year to get a flag and sacrificed playing FF or CHF to play in the backlines and play on the oppo resting rucks.

I remember the day he kicked 11. In the games in the backyard when I first started playing footy and kicking those bloody old style plastic footies, like a game day simulation, it usually ended with - and a big strong mark from Gerlach, who goes back and goals.

Only 24 when he retired, would have gone down as a great at Port Adelaide.

 

[Portmagpies36]

Sad part is we have lost 4 of those 1977 heroes, first Randall Gerlach only in his 50's, Bruce Light and David Granger in their 60's and Russell was only 71.

4 players I idolised as a kid, it’s very sad.
Bruce Light and Kym Kinnear are 2 players from that side that really should have been inducted previously.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Only 24 when he retired, would have gone down as a great at Port Adelaide.

Absolutely no doubt in my mind. I looked up the Vale Randall Gerlach thread from 2018. My bad i said he passed away in his 50's but he made it to 65, and he was in his 50's when he was featured in ABC's Catalyst program that he was undergoing a new form of treatment called plasmapheresis. I copied a part of the transcript from that program into that thread, and remembered he was in his 50's then, not that he kept on fighting another 12 years.

I wrote something in that thread, that 8.5 years later I wouldn't change a word other than to say before the kidney disease started to slow him down;

Imagine Charlie Dixon taking 80-90% of the marks he has attempted whilst playing for Port. That is the sort of player Randall was, a big, strong, physically imposing bearded man, who was able to dominate the opposition defenders.

 

[PowerLil]

Absolutely no doubt in my mind. I looked up the Vale Randall Gerlach thread from 2018. My bad i said he passed away in his 50's but he made it to 65, and he was in his 50's when he was featured in ABC's Catalyst program that he was undergoing a new form of treatment called plasmapheresis. I copied a part of the transcript from that program into that thread, and remembered he was in his 50's then, not that he kept on fighting another 12 years.

I wrote something in that thread, that 8.5 years later I wouldn't change a word other than to say before the kidney disease started to slow him down;

Imagine Charlie Dixon taking 80-90% of the marks he has attempted whilst playing for Port. That is the sort of player Randall was, a big, strong, physically imposing bearded man, who was able to dominate the opposition defenders.

My favourite number is 3 still to this day.

 

[bomberclifford]

Is it just me, or did this event feel like it was kept on the downlow?
Is it lack of interest from outside the club, or is the club deliberately keeping these events inner sanctum only?

 

[jac147]

This is my Randall Gerlach story as my most favourite Port Adelaide player.
I remember Randall coming on the scene back in the late 60’s as the younger brother of Geoff. At that time Channel 7 would always cover the reserves on a Saturday, or as we called them the second eighteens, before the league game starting around 11.30 am and the image coming to us on our old black & white TV’s. The commentary team consisted of Blair Schwartz, brother of the journalist Gordon, and a young Sandy Roberts, so you could always rely on a balanced commentary with any Port game. I’m of course being sarcastic because those two bled blue & red.
But surprise surprise they always had a soft spot for Randall and always talked him up as his class obviously stood out in the second eighteens. With his class he had a certain lackadaisical approach to his football as he seemed to make everything seem easy. Everyone loves a player with those skills. It was only time before he graced the first team and although he battled illness throughout his career between 1971 to 1977 he still managed to play 110 games. It was this dedication to the club that all Magpies supporters loved the bloke who wore that number 3 on his back. His pack marking was a treat to watch as was his kicking for goals. That 77 grand final was triumph to the team and also especially to Randall - he could retire with a premiership medal.

Our love for the bloke was such that when number 2 son came along, the wife & I had no worries in calling him Randall - it was all we could do to honour him. Many years later at a wedding reception we were at a table with a couple and after getting into conversation with them they informed us that Randall was a neighbour. We told them about our son and they said that they would pass that onto Randall and they reckoned that Randall would be honoured in knowing that we named our son after him.
It was a sad day when Randall Gerlach passed way after his long battle with kidney disease

 

[Doctor Feel]

THE COMEBACKS AND FAMILY MAN

 

[PJ Power]

Is it just me, or has Jarrod Walsh become increasingly intolerable at almost every level?

There’s a smart alecness about him which does not go down well with me at the best of times but especially when addressing revered Port legends.

He’s also so shallow in his football knowledge and makes too many faux pas for a night like last night.

There’s no substance to his radio work and the banter with Bickley and his guests is contrived.

I compare him to Andrew Hayes who had humility and was often self-deprecating with his humour.

The fact that Walsh has become the Mr Everywhere man in SA, especially for Port-related things irritates me as much as the Crows sycophant, Theo Doropoulos

 

[jac147]

Is it just me, or is Jarrod Walsh become increasingly intolerable at almost every level?

There’s a smart alecness about him which does not go down well with me at the best of times but especially when addressing revered Port legends.

He’s also so shallow in his football knowledge and makes too many faux pas for a night like last night.

There’s no substance to his radio work and the banter with Bickley and his guests is contrived.

I compare him to Andrew Hayes who had humility and was often self-deprecating with his humour.

The fact that Walsh has become the Mr Everywhere man in SA, especially for Port-related things irritates me as much as the Crows sycophant, Theo Doropoulos

Bring back the Raging Bull!

 

[Byrons Firen]

Is it just me, or did this event feel like it was kept on the downlow?
Is it lack of interest from outside the club, or is the club deliberately keeping these events inner sanctum only?

My bold

 

[NoddyHolder]

Is it just me, or did this event feel like it was kept on the downlow?
Is it lack of interest from outside the club, or is the club deliberately keeping these events inner sanctum only?

I had no idea about it until I saw this thread 5 minutes ago. Fits with the 'we only care about the opinions of those inside the 4 walls' ethos. What a club we've become. Couldn't be prouderer

 

[Enviable Tradition]

Is it just me, or is Jarrod Walsh become increasingly intolerable at almost every level?

There’s a smart alecness about him which does not go down well with me at the best of times but especially when addressing revered Port legends.

He’s also so shallow in his football knowledge and makes too many faux pas for a night like last night.

There’s no substance to his radio work and the banter with Bickley and his guests is contrived.

I compare him to Andrew Hayes who had humility and was often self-deprecating with his humour.

The fact that Walsh has become the Mr Everywhere man in SA, especially for Port-related things irritates me as much as the Crows sycophant, Theo Doropoulos

Yeah he came across as disrespectful. Tried to make it all about him and how witty he could be subtly putting everyone down.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Sad part is we have lost 4 of those 1977 heroes, first Randall Gerlach only in his 50's, Bruce Light and David Granger in their 60's and Russell was only 71.

All taken too soon. Dave Granger not even a year ago.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I had no idea about it until I saw this thread 5 minutes ago. Fits with the 'we only care about the opinions of those inside the 4 walls' ethos. What a club we've become. Couldn't be prouderer

I remembered hearing about it during the week but only in the context of Hinkley's announcement.

That's one of the reasons I enjoyed Carr making a point of how proud he is to soon be coaching this team and how much it means to him. Makes me hope we can all feel that pride again.