Opinion Biggest news story in VFL/AFL history

[Jascave]

Which news story do you think is the biggest in VFL/AFL history-whether it was on or off-field news?

 

[Damon_3388]

Has to be one of the following:

• September 1981 - Garry Sidebottom misses the bus.
• April 1983 - Silvio Foschini clearance row.
• Late 1987 - Brisbane Bears sign Warwick Capper to a $350,000, 3-year contract, making him the highest paid footballer in Australian history.

 

[CCrackers]

Nominations for Off the Field News Stories:

• The sacking of Norm Smith by Melbourne in 1965.
• Ron Barassi leaving Melbourne to become Captain-Coach of Carlton for the 1965 Season.
• South Melbourne moving to Sydney at the end of the 1981 Season.
• The proposed merger between Footscray and Fitzroy in 1989.
• The proposed merger between Melbourne and Hawthorn at the end of the 1996 Season.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Carlton's match-fixing in 1910, which led to the suspension of two players for five years.

The 1945 bloodbath grand final between Carlton and South Melbourne.

 

[Pancakes]

The Wayne Carey incident was talked about for weeks.

 

[AG]

The Wayne Carey and Ben Cousins incidents are the two biggest stories that I've seen.

 

[DVD Player]

Big news for the future would be when, or if Richmond win a game this year.

 

[Roylion]

Without a doubt the Fitzroy merger saga of 1996.

At the very least, it stretched from April - September 1996, involved at least three AFL clubs, the AFL commission, thousands of supporters and in the end saw a foundation club exit the competition via, in theory, the competition's first merger.

The after-effects were felt for quite a few years after the event in a number of ways and are still being felt today by many. In fact it's still making news, such as the current court battle over the new Brisbane Lions logo.

 

[CCrackers]

Without a doubt the Fitzroy merger saga of 1996.

At the very least, it stretched from April - September 1996, involved at least three AFL clubs, the AFL commission, thousands of supporters and in the end saw a foundation club exit the competition via, in theory, the competition's first merger.

The after-effects were felt for quite a few years after the event in a number of ways and are still being felt today by many. In fact it's still making news, such as the current court battle over the new Brisbane Lions logo.

That's a really good point.

 

[just_kick_it]

The Wayne Carey and Ben Cousins incidents are the two biggest stories that I've seen.

Yeh they're probably the two biggest stories Ive seen aswell.

 

[Jascave]

The Norm Smith sacking in 1965 is my choice. The Smith sacking has it genesis two years before, when Norm Smith criticised umpire Don Blew, calling him 'a cheat'. Umpire Blew sued Smith. But when Smith sought for help from the Melbourne committee, he was told, 'You said it; you are an experienced public figure, and don't come looking for help from us because we won't support you.' From that point, the MFC committee was looking for any excuse to get rid of Smith, and after a poor showing by Melbourne in an early season game against North Melbourne, got what they wanted. They sacked Smith. After Smith lambasted the committee on The Tony Charlton Football Show, and with the players and footy public behind him, the MFC committee reinstated Smith. The Demons were never the same after that.

 

[robertg22]

In my lifetime, unfortunately the death of Darren Millane.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Not that I remember it, but surely the move of South to Sydney would be the biggest. As for flow-on effects, we probably never would have had a national competition without something going into Sydney when it did.

 

[whoknows]

Bob Pratt would have to have been huge......

1935- Star full forward Bob Pratt was forced to withdraw from the Grand Final after he was hit by a truck in trying to cross the road the day before the game. Pratt had booted 362 in three seasons. Without him the Swans lost to Collingwood by 20 points, despite having as many scoring shots as the Magpies.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

After the 1982 season ended Melbourne pulled off one of the greatest recruiting feats ever. It was a bloody big story that is often overlooked.

They recruited 1980 Brownlow medalist and 100+ goal in a season CHF Kelvin Tempelton and 1979 Brownlow medalist Peter Moore within a couple of weeks. They were both approx 26 years of age when they were signed up by Melbourne. Barassi had just finished his 2nd year of a 5 year plan.

Could you imagine if Richmond at the end of this year recruited say a 26 year old Chris Judd and a 26 year old Adam Goodes in the same week. It would be massive news. If you wanted positional players that would be say Cox in his prime and Brown.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Carlton's match-fixing in 1910, which led to the suspension of two players for five years.

Always have to clarify this one. Not Carlton's match fixing. It was alleged that 3 Carlton players were approached to fix a match. Carlton got wind of it and they put a stop to it. Carlton as a club acted with honesty and integrity on this occasion. The bribes were alleged to have come from prominent South Melbourne supporter (identified by the players I think) but as there was no evidence, he headed to caught to get an injunction and threatened to sue anybody who accused him.

 

[Wallaby]

1. South Melbourne to Sydney

2. Fitzroy merger/death.

3. Richo 'Hands in the Back' robbery.

I think the biggest story about an individual is probably Jim Stynes. If we were in America there would have been a movie.

 

[raskolnikov]

Darren Millane's death
Carlton salary cap rorting
Melbourne Hawthorn near merger
Wayne Carey affair
Ben Cousins

 

[CCrackers]

The Norm Smith sacking in 1965 is my choice. The Smith sacking has it genesis two years before, when Norm Smith criticised umpire Don Blew, calling him 'a cheat'. Umpire Blew sued Smith. But when Smith sought for help from the Melbourne committee, he was told, 'You said it; you are an experienced public figure, and don't come looking for help from us because we won't support you.' From that point, the MFC committee was looking for any excuse to get rid of Smith, and after a poor showing by Melbourne in an early season game against North Melbourne, got what they wanted. They sacked Smith. After Smith lambasted the committee on The Tony Charlton Football Show, and with the players and footy public behind him, the MFC committee reinstated Smith. The Demons were never the same after that.

The shockwave that reverberated around Melbourne when this story was announced was unprecedented at the time and probably has never been exceeded since. Melbourne had won the 1964 Flag and (along with Collingwood) were the powerhouse Club of the then VFL. Smith was obviously one of greatest coaches of all time, having guided Melbourne to 5 Flags in the 1950's as well as the 1964 triumph. He had a seemingly unchallenged status at the Melbourne FC, as well as the respect of the entire League.

When Barassi left Melbourne for the Blues, it was also a massive shock to the football world. It was unusual at the time (but certainly not unprecedented) for big name players to leave Clubs that they had started with. However; it is arguable that no player in the history of the game in Victoria has ever been more associated with a Club, as was Barassi to Melbourne. To many he was the Melbourne FC. Although he was in the twilight of his playing career, he was lured to Carlton with big money and the opportunity to commence and develop his coaching career. This event is a significant one in terms of the game developing towards the professional era. The ramifications were felt well into the 1970’s, for example; the building of the North Melbourne Premiership team of 1975. The semi-professional era was now well and truly moving towards the professional era. Club loyalty was now seriously being threatened by money and other opportunities.

Source: Nothing specific to be honest, just my opinions. Please challenge me on any factual elements.

 

[ImaLetUFinish]

I've only ever seen 2 events take up more pages (~16-20) in one edition of the herald sun than the Wayne Carey saga in my lifetime...

September 11
The bushfires last year

I think that says a lot about the media really. Quite extraordinary.

Not suggesting it's the biggest news story in VFL/AFL history though. Biggest overreaction perhaps.

 

[james Dean]

Which club will Judd go to, was a bit of a circus

 

[The_Eagles]

In WA it'd be Ben Cousins when he was arrested in 2007 in without his shirt on. That picture of him with sunnies on getting escorted by police was in the paper for like 9 months straight.

 

[screech]

The Port Adelaide betrayal, resulting in the formation of the Adelaide Crows

 

[pazza]

Before my time, but, the ten-year rule in 1973 had everyone talking for months...and when you look at the results of it, you can understand why!

Big Carl went from finals at st. kilda to the leadership at Melbourne...WTF?
Wade, Davis and Rantall somehow all ended up at Arden St! A champion full-forward and the captains of Essendon and South...Davis would end up captaining North!

 

[Pariah]

Justin Charles - Steroids
Ben Cousins - Drug addiction
Wayne Carey - Affair