Collingwood's great centre half backs

[twaters]

Well, yes, in the team of the century there's Albert Leeter Collier. But if there was a "B" great team, who next comes to mind for more than a cameo few years rather than historical status?

Way back, Machine Team time late 20s, George Clayden did a couple of years there; Neil Mann played everywhere 25+ years later.

Who is my befuddled brain not remembering as our great centre half backs?

 

[Pedro]

Billy Picken is one that springs to mind

 

[Mike33]

Billy Picken is one that springs to mind

Wasn't he more of a runner than a KPP?

 

[Murray]

Picken was CHB for years, great mark but average kick.

My old man talks a lot about a guy called Ted Potter who alternated between FB and CHB, apparently he was something special

 

[twaters]

Billy Picken was named on a half back flank, with Nathan Buckley named on the other HBF! (wonder if he'll actually play there this year). Thanks, apparently Potter did play nearly 200 games as a back KPP, so can't have been too bad.

 

[Cyclops]

Ted Potter regularly beat Whitten, Royce Hart, Baldock (weird but he played CHF sometimes), and towelled up Robbie Walls every time (Walls was dragged in the 1970 GF from memory and that was the turning point). Jezza went onto to Potter and ran him around, but aside from that blot he was a fantastic performer for us.

Kelly and Christian were both excellent CHB's. Kelly was a thug who worried most forwards, and despite his short jump could outmark most packs. He could shut down his man and frighten the rest at the same time.

Chrisso was taller and fairer, and an even better stopper. He did well on opponents like Brereton, Kernahan (some great duels there), Salmon, Carey, only Loewe worried him. He was quicker than most big blokes, had a big leap and long arms. I remember him marking everything at Waverly in round one 1989 to pinch a rare win over the dominant Hawks.

Greg Phillips was a Port boy we recruited under the New Magpies-he was a big lump with a good footy brain and strong mitts. Typical of Port, he looked just OK but played excellently. In Shawies "auto"biography he reckons Flipper turned up to a match with a few (maybe more than a few) crownies under his belt and still played a blinder.

Picken wasn't a running player, he was a top CHB, and a truly great finals performer who dominanted big games with huge marks and insane courage. He used to yell out "here comes Billy!" or "Billy Picken! Yes!" when he took a grab, he was fair dinkum a nutcase, but one of the most popular blokes ever at Collingwood.

 

[Johnson#26]

Lets hope Nick Maxwell can be added to this list.

 

[Mike33]

Lets hope Nick Maxwell can be added to this list.

Don't speek too soon mate. But i suppose we can hope ey...

 

[Stakerz]

Don't speek too soon mate. But i suppose we can hope ey...

yes we can hope.