Rudest/Nicest player you've met?

[Reg Grundy35]

Never met the bloke but have heard some poor stories about Barry Stoneham. Supposedly a vile piece of work.

he actually stopped in Ballarat once to ask me directions to a gig he was running late for. Seemed nice enough bloke - very friendly but hey it was 3 minutes.

 

[Shell]

Leigh Colbert and Luke Breust are easily the best of (many) footballers I've met.

Colbert was at 'old' Arden St and saw me and my 2 kids waiting for autographs on their North Melb jumpers.

They were only 9 & 10 and really nervous about going up to these massive guys and asking for a sig.

Leigh comes over, asks their names (lets say Tom and Harry) and asks me if it's ok to take them into the dressing room area.

I follow and LC stands there holding their hands and says 'hey guys - this is Tom and Harry, keen young North supporters, but a bit shy, come and say hello'

He then walked them around, got all the guys there to sign - even made sure they wrote their numbers next the sigs - and made my boys feel really special.

They are grown adults now, but each still has that shirt.

Leigh Colbert is just an outstanding human. He didn't have to do that - he did it because he wanted too.

Luke Breust is the same, met him a couple of times and every time he genuinely seems to value the conversation. Top top bloke.

David King gets a bit of stick - I've met Kingy 3 times now and every time we ended up chatting for ages about Footy / players / life. Always seemed a good guy.

The worst by a country mile - Brad Hill

He was so obnoxiously drunk at Jackpot Bar in Crown Casino. Barging into people, knocking drinks out of punters hands, and just wanting to fight the world.

A fair few Hawks players were there - club minders 'escorted' Hill out of Crown, and told the rest to leave as by that point Hill was pretty much certain to be filled in.

But yeah - Leigh Colbert and Luke Breust - deadset legends.

I was courtside at a Melbourne Tigers game once and look to my immediate left and Leigh Colbert was standing right next to me. Just bizzare. I was in love with him and much much too scared to actually speak to him

In terms of friendliest Geelong player I've encountered probably Garry Hocking, and I did talk to him lol. Gablett and Nablett are both also very polite boys too. Got my photo with them at a VFL game.

 

[Hydatina Physis]

I have plenty to do with the Swans and Giants pretty much every week up here in Sydney.

Yet to meet one of them who isn't a good a good bloke - shout out to Tom Green (very outspoken but very good guy), Errol Gulden, Callan Ward and Finn Callaghan (cracking bloke).

Adam Kingsley, Dean Cox and Brett Kirk (unsurprisingly) also really easy to talk to and happy to chat.

Thanks Fatrollo. I just want to give you a bit of an insight into the Saturday afternoon team. We’re a bunch of unique individuals – Malthouse, Harley, Zempilas, McLachlan and myself. We’re gonna engage with our minds and our hearts. We’re gonna exchange ideas, thoughts and even our energy. And to speak from your heart you need to have courage. You need to be honest and authentic. We’re not always gonna get it right. And sometimes, you’re not going to agree with us. But that’s okay, because just like you we care. Just like you, we’re passionate about the game. So if you want to come along for the ride, join us on Saturday arvos, because we just love the footy.

 

[Ads734]

Mentioned it before but I was a young kid getting my orthotics. Anyways Russel Robertson happaned to be there. I was a bit nervous and he came up to me and asked me what team went for and was honestly the nicest person. He then signed his autograph with ‘go Deez’ even though he knew I was saints. Anyways it has honestly made a lasting impression to this day. Champion person.

 

[jakefooty23]

Met a few of the swans team 15+ years ago in surfers paradise on the Gold Coast, i was only about 8 or 9 at the time. Kirk and Goodes were the 2 that stood out, Kirk was incredibly inviting and gave me his signature without hesitation, Goodes (who was drunk at the time) was seemed incredibly arrogant. Although he signed the bit of paper , he then passed it to another team-mate and whilst doing that dropped it on the ground, laughed and didn't pick it, just stared at me. I didn't think I was going to get the piece of paper back until Darren Jolly

Darren Jolly

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44

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200cm

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108kg

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9.4

2star

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5.2

2star

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4.2

3star

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2.3

4star

HO

21.0

5star

No current season stats available

D

3.2

1star

K

1.6

1star

HB

1.6

2star

HO

3.2

5star

grabbed it, passed it around the table and gave it back to me. Such a random experience

 

[mikey127]

Met a few of the Lions AFLW who were all lovely, Dakota Davidson abd Bre Koenen the stand outs.

Did speak to an Uber driver back in 2017 who said he had AFLW players from one 5 the Melbourne clubs and they were 'bitchinh about their team mates' the whole ride

 

[_Mike_]

• James Cook was a rude prick in public
• Kernahan was very polite in public
• Fraser Brown was an arrogant shit
• Jake Stringer was rude/arrogant
• Dale Morris was an absolute legend and nice all round bloke
• Matty Loyd was a little flog, just kidding, I know his family and he was a good kid/bloke outside of footy

 

[Andyy]

• James Cook was a rude prick in public
• Kernahan was very polite in public
• Fraser Brown was an arrogant shit
• Jake Stringer was rude/arrogant
• Dale Morris was an absolute legend and nice all round bloke
• Matty Loyd was a little flog, just kidding, I know his family and he was a good kid/bloke outside of footy

Used to work with his wife, so met him at least once at a work Christmas do.

Absolutely lovely dude and his wife was an all round gorgeous human, inside and out.

 

[PerthBoy86]

A mate of mine has been to Hawthorn footy clinics for the kids in 2023 and 2024.

During the first session in 2023 he said all the Hawthorn blokes were friendly and polite to everyone except Jai Newcombe.
He assumed Newcombe was just having a prick of a day and didn't think anything of it.

The following session in 2024, he once again noted that all the Hawks blokes were absolute rippers to the kids and parents, aside from...you guessed it...Jai Newcombe.

He seems belligerent and intimidating on field, but I figure that is his on field persona. I guess he's also like that in public? Chad Wingard came across like that on field, brooding, never smiles etc, but in that show he's in he actually seems pretty approachable and amiable.

 

[theprospector]

Patrick Dangerfield won't talk to you unless there's a camera there

 

[PerthBoy86]

Andrew Philipps the nicest. Saw him in Essendon having a coffee by himself and popped over to say gday and thank him for his time at the Blues. Talked about the day Cripps and him dismantled the Crows with Cripps having 19 clearances or something insane. Just seemed to love footy and love the fans despite not being a household name to most.

Rudest was Bailey Smith by a mile. Walked in on him doing a In Electric's bathroom probably 4-5 years ago and the bloke went berserk. Assaulted me and two of my mates and got himself booted out of the joint. Hopefully for his sake he's settled down a bit these days.

Maybe he never win a Brownlow. More like a blow low.

 

[Jane Doe]

He seems belligerent and intimidating on field, but I figure that is his on field persona. I guess he's also like that in public? Chad Wingard came across like that on field, brooding, never smiles etc, but in that show he's in he actually seems pretty approachable and amiable.

Went to a sportsman night a few months back Jai Newcombe was very polite and friendly having photos and singing autographs

 

[PerthBoy86]

Jimmy Bartel is apparently plain dumb so he can sometimes be quite positive and kind hearted and other times he’s a total self obsessed prick. one of those people who just acts like the people around who are around him.

Lots of those sorts always end up with wives who rinse them. Ryan Crowley very similar on all fronts to young James.

He's a good footy analyst, but he does have that annoying immature sense of humour at times

 

[Bostonian]

Never met the bloke but have heard some poor stories about Barry Stoneham. Supposedly a vile piece of work.

Yup, remember back in the day going out in Geelong this guy was known as a total flog.

Saw it first hand once.

FIGJAM ****wit of the highest order.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Went to a sportsman night a few months back Jai Newcombe was very polite and friendly having photos and singing autographs

Yeah you can't judge someone from one interraction, though a recurring pattern might suggest something.

I think many players celebs also feel they have to put on a good face in public, especially nowadays.

 

[Bostonian]

Met Aaron Naughton

33

Aaron Naughton

Age

26

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196cm

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92kg

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Last 5

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10.7

3star

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7.0

3star

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3.7

3star

M

4.9

5star

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1.8

4star

G

0.8

4star

D

6.3

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

2.3

2star

M

2.5

3star

T

0.8

1star

G

0.5

4star

D

12.8

4star

K

8.8

4star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.0

1star

over the summer. Seemed like a really nice young man.

 

[Morro]

Yup, remember back in the day going out in Geelong this guy was known as a total flog.

Saw it first hand once.

FIGJAM ****wit of the highest order.

Same here, I was 18, skinny little runt, he said I looked at him funny and wanted to bash me. Got held back by multiple blokes, he carried on like a lunatic, then 2 massive units from Melbourne belted him.

Absolute scum bag.

 

[iameviljez]

Have to admit, a lot of this thread makes me feel sorry for AFL players. Plenty of times I've been out and about and not wanted to actually interact all that much with broader humanity, let alone be judged as Naughty or Nice every time I do so, while having all kinds of randos saying hi, wanting to strike up a chat, etc.

 

[Partridge]

This is true. Got a mate that's a mad Cats fan and through people he got to go to the B&F in 2009. The knob said he chewed Gaz's ear off for about 10 minutes about footy and had a 3 or 4 selfies with him and he was happy to chat rather than brush him like most people would. Shannon Byrnes another ripper

I'd agree with this experience. Quite randomly I bumped into him at the 2008 B&F (both of us coming back from the Gent's facilities). While we were waiting to go back in something caused a delay ahead. We chatted for about 10 minutes. Very easy to chat to and he would have a laugh at anything.

Confirmed his legend status.

 

[Bostonian]

Same here, I was 18, skinny little runt, he said I looked at him funny and wanted to bash me. Got held back by multiple blokes, he carried on like a lunatic, then 2 massive units from Melbourne belted him.

Absolute scum bag.

Yup, sounds similar to my mates experience in a nightclub in Geelong too.

 

[kickazz]

This is true. Got a mate that's a mad Cats fan and through people he got to go to the B&F in 2009. The knob said he chewed Gaz's ear off for about 10 minutes about footy and had a 3 or 4 selfies with him and he was happy to chat rather than brush him like most people would. Shannon Byrnes another ripper

Yeah I've heard that about Gaz jnr from others.

They saw him at the pub in Portsea I think, and he was happy to chat, selfies, etc. His only stipulation was no photos with him and beer or something like that.

 

[kickazz]

Have to admit, a lot of this thread makes me feel sorry for AFL players. Plenty of times I've been out and about and not wanted to actually interact all that much with broader humanity, let alone be judged as Naughty or Nice every time I do so, while having all kinds of randos saying hi, wanting to strike up a chat, etc.

Yeah we need to be careful with equating "giving me, ie, a stranger, the time of day" with being a "good bloke"

All good if they are at a proper thing like a footy clinic or something - if you phone it in there that's pretty shit.

But out and about? Yeah being noticed is the proce of fame and all, but they don't really owe us anything in that scenario.

 

[Bostonian]

The guy I would give award to for "greatest bloke" is Tony Hall (Hawks). For a while I spent a lot of time with him and he was just a cracker.

I know a woman who worked for him for a while.

She had a big crush on him. Said he was the loveliest person she'd ever worked for.

 

[Gough]

Have to admit, a lot of this thread makes me feel sorry for AFL players. Plenty of times I've been out and about and not wanted to actually interact all that much with broader humanity, let alone be judged as Naughty or Nice every time I do so, while having all kinds of randos saying hi, wanting to strike up a chat, etc.

I'd imagine there's some pretty funny stuff doing the round of WhatsApp club groups about fans.

 

[Proper Gander]

I met Nic Natanui at the airport once around 2013 and he was really nice. Especially given I crashed into him, ran the wheels of my suitcase over his foot and when he tried to step out of my way I stumbled and trod on foot again

I was amazingly embarrassed and he was really nice about it and chatted for a bit, asked where I was travelling etc. I passed him again in the airport going to gate and he waved which made me feel special.

All a bit concerning was that he then missed the next 6 rounds with an ankle / foot injury.

In my defence, the guy has huge feet.