Big Nick

[thylacine60]

That's 6 weeks + today.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

They would say that, wouldn't they? No, he was very intimidating with his steely stares and was all business on the field, but he wasn't a thug. Much like Schwarzenegger's terminator, he seemed to have absolutely no sense of humour and was completely focussed on the ball and winning games, and if that meant running through or over an opposition player to help achieve that, so be it. I don't remember any dirty, behind-the-play stuff at all. I don't know whether I could say that about a few of his team mates, though (e.g, Vin or Wes). Maybe the reason I can't recall any behind-the-play stuff, is that he wasn't often behind or out of the playl

Terrific player and a character off field.

He was a sneaky dirty player though not to the extent of Footscray's EJW. Copped his comeuppance one day from South's hard fella Ken Boyd after Big Nic had repeatedly ran through Skilton. Thereafter Big Nic left Skilts alone.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

lol I had forgotten Boyd was twice suspended for striking Big Nic. Bpth were in the one season. The first was the Skilts episode. I had forgotten the second when Boyd copped 12 weeks for laying Nicholls out.

Boyd invariably admitted his guilt but would usually come up with some explanation. Found this from his lawyers. Boyd was actually a talented big bloke but did have a bit of a vigilante mentality (and a short fuse!).

Keogh and Co - Ken Boyd

Keogh and Co strive to maintain excellence in the provision of legal advice and services, and to do so in a timely manner, extending due courtesy and respect to our clients.

www.keoghlegal.com

 

[Robertio]

Terrific player and a character off field.

He was a sneaky dirty player though not to the extent of Footscray's EJW. Copped his comeuppance one day from South's hard fella Ken Boyd after Big Nic had repeatedly ran through Skilton. Thereafter Big Nic left Skilts alone.

A lot of tough men in those days, poor Bobby Skilton, got knocked over every week only because he was a star.

 

[chipzac]

Terrific player and a character off field.

He was a sneaky dirty player though not to the extent of Footscray's EJW. Copped his comeuppance one day from South's hard fella Ken Boyd after Big Nic had repeatedly ran through Skilton. Thereafter Big Nic left Skilts alone.

He ran through a lot of players who were around the ball (see clip above) and that was part of the game in those days. Sure he threw his weight around, no denying it, but I never saw any sneaky, off-ball stuff. To me, the above clip (nothing sneaky about that) typifies how the game was played and how tough and uncompromising he was.

 

[chipzac]

lol I had forgotten Boyd was twice suspended for striking Big Nic. Bpth were in the one season. The first was the Skilts episode. I had forgotten the second when Boyd copped 12 weeks for laying Nicholls out.

Boyd invariably admitted his guilt but would usually come up with some explanation. Found this from his lawyers. Boyd was actually a talented big bloke but did have a bit of a vigilante mentality (and a short fuse!).

Keogh and Co - Ken Boyd

Keogh and Co strive to maintain excellence in the provision of legal advice and services, and to do so in a timely manner, extending due courtesy and respect to our clients.

www.keoghlegal.com

Now this is a guy who really deserves the 'dirty' and 'sneaky' adjectives.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Now this is a guy who really deserves the 'dirty' and 'sneaky' adjectives.

nah. He was straight up enforcer. Never went the squirrel grip or groin kick.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

nah. He was straight up enforcer. Never went the squirrel grip or groin kick.

Boyd was never sneaky - he would lay out players in front of the ump.

 

[chipzac]

Boyd was never sneaky - he would lay out players in front of the ump.

Okay, let's just call him dirty and dumb, then.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Okay, let's just call him dirty and dumb, then.

hahaha. True. He and Big Nic shared a mutual enmity. Nic I think was scared of Ken and would have celebrated the latter's retirement when he typically told the VFL to get fkd.

Of the big name players at that time Whitten was by far the filthiest. History has treated him unbelievably kindly. When Boyd was playing, EJW was on his best behaviour in games v Sth.

Anyways ta for allowing an intruder to post.

 

[chipzac]

nah. He was straight up enforcer. Never went the squirrel grip or groin kick.

You make it sound like Boyd was the more honourable guy of the two.
Big Nick was obviously competing for the ball at the centre bounce when Boyd was kicked in the groin (accidentally or on purpose).
Boyd's actions were clearly worse because they done were off the ball. And yes, sneaky, too. I'm sure he didn't give any prior warning to Big Nick that he intended to lay him out.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

My last word on the debate is there was little sympathy for Big Nic from other Clubs or fans at the time. Plenty thought fair enough.

The only parallel I can think of involving my Club was years ago when Sths Stewie Gull threw his one and only punch. It was flush on Rotten Ronnie Andrews jaw and retaliated after Andrews had repeatedly whacked him. Andrews was a famous filth 'hard man'.

Essendon and the Sun squealed like stuck pigs about Gull's boxing background. Gull got weeks.

By contrast I would have banned Hall for a season for his infamous effort.

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

hahaha. True. He and Big Nic shared a mutual enmity. Nic I think was scared of Ken and would have celebrated the latter's retirement when he typically told the VFL to get fkd.

Of the big name players at that time Whitten was by far the filthiest. History has treated him unbelievably kindly. When Boyd was playing, EJW was on his best behaviour in games v Sth.

Anyways ta for allowing an intruder to post.

Welcome and thanks for sharing.

 

[thylacine60]

stupid thread lacks depth and is poorly umpired.......

 

[egalite]

That's 6 weeks + today.

Nah the field would be empty knowing a player was out there trying to do that.

 

[Blueballs38]

Never saw him play but its obvious we need his spirit in a few of our players at the moment.

 

[KohPhi]

Could play..
Could throw a punch..
Could sell a TV...

 

[AlecDuncan]

If someone under 6’2” could be called a colossus, he was one. Legs like tree trunks meant noone could move him off the ball, and even if an opposition ruck got first hands it would be where Nick wanted it to go. Elite reading and understanding the game. A reliable kick for goal in an era of “the resting ruckman” meant he was dangerous at all times. Surprisingly for such a solid bloke, he could get airborne as wel.

Ruckmen became more athletic and rangy in his later career. Dempsey, Thompson, etc. so we relied on Perce more. Nick showed in the 72 GF he was still very dangerous as a full time forward though.

Above all, it was his presence. You didn’t whack Gags if you valued your safety. The steely blue stare was famous.

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

If someone under 6’2” could be called a colossus, he was one. Legs like tree trunks meant noone could move him off the ball, and even if an opposition ruck got first hands it would be where Nick wanted it to go. Elite reading and understanding the game. A reliable kick for goal in an era of “the resting ruckman” meant he was dangerous at all times. Surprisingly for such a solid bloke, he could get airborne as wel.

Ruckmen became more athletic and rangy in his later career. Dempsey, Thompson, etc. so we relied on Perce more. Nick showed in the 72 GF he was still very dangerous as a full time forward though.

Above all, it was his presence. You didn’t whack Gags if you valued your safety. The steely blue stare was famous.

Cheers Alec.

 

[Dramoth]

Running past the ball and through an opponent was part of the game in those days. It was a skill to inflict and another to avoid.

Big Nick was a peerless inflictor.

His team mate tried to drag him upright for the free kick, but Big Nick had knocked him spark out!

 

[ianh]

Thanks mate for sharing and value adding

Polly was exceptional and rightly gets lauded for his revolutionary use of handball. Perhaps gets too much credit for changing the way ruckmen went about it in other respects, but no doubt a great ruckman. Couldn't beat Big Nick though, never and no-how. Polly could only tap left handed - his right wasn't any good, so Nick would always come at him from the left and body up taking the left hand out of the equation. Nick could tap brilliantly either hand so the tactic could not be used in reverse by Polly or anyone else. As a result Nick regularly owned Polly. There are genuine arguments to rate Polly the best ruckman ever, but if you follow the principal that the man who beat the man becomes the man then Nick has to stand above Polly. Head to head no contest.

 

[BLUEALLTHRU]

Polly was exceptional and rightly gets lauded for his revolutionary use of handball. Perhaps gets too much credit for changing the way ruckmen went about it in other respects, but no doubt a great ruckman. Couldn't beat Big Nick though, never and no-how. Polly could only tap left handed - his right wasn't any good, so Nick would always come at him from the left and body up taking the left hand out of the equation. Nick could tap brilliantly either hand so the tactic could not be used in reverse by Polly or anyone else. As a result Nick regularly owned Polly. There are genuine arguments to rate Polly the best ruckman ever, but if you follow the principal that the man who beat the man becomes the man then Nick has to stand above Polly. Head to head no contest.

Great Post and thankyou