Universal Love Down Memory Lane

[Robbo's my hero]

As Randall P McMurphy said, not giving up, just warming up!!

I travel interstate twice a week for work so the weekend is my normal gateway, look for a big weekend from me....

Well I like McMurphy. Just a regular guy like me. I'll raise you an Elwood P Dowd "Well I've wrestled with reality for 35 years Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it".
I should never have doubted TL15!

 

[Robbo's my hero]

While I was home last month... my mum pulled out one of her prized possessions.

Way back when, she was book hunting in Melbourne and brought a second hand book she liked. When she got home and was reading it, she found amongst the pages a letter written by one Ronald Dale Barassi to a Melbourne supporter... from when he was playing for them.

I am trying to convince my mum to send it on loan to Melbourne as part of their heritage.

I think that it was written sometime back in the 60's

Good idea. I have a program my grandfather gave to me over 40 years ago. He thought I might like it. It's an Ashes program from the 1928/29 series which features a debutant by the name of Donald Bradman! It's in fair condition. Certainly worthy of conservation. I've often wondered whether I should lend to the MCC.

 

[Dramoth]

Good idea. I have a program my grandfather gave to me over 40 years ago. He thought I might like it. It's an Ashes program from the 1928/29 series which features a debutant by the name of Donald Bradman! It's in fair condition. Certainly worthy of conservation. I've often wondered whether I should lend to the MCC.

I reckon that they would love it... I was in the MCC part of the sports museum and they had all sorts of stuff in there... including a collection left to them by a pom... paintings, plates, cups... all sorts of shit. There was even a painting there of the 'Sussex Regiment playing cricket at Seaford' dated 1850. I talked to the curator on duty about it and showed him where the martello gun tower and where, just off the edge of the painting, I actually live.

Told him that I wished that I had my camera and that people were allowed to take photos in there... he just smiled and said 'Well, I am going to go on a walk up and around the corner here... and if someone was to take a quick photo out of my view, I wont know about it'... so I got a pic of the painting and when I got home from holidays, I was showing all the guys in the pub and they were suitably impressed.

 

[The old campaigner]

I recently gave my old Dad a copy of The Bloodbath (after I had read it of course).
He is a long time Swans supporter.
He proceeded to tell me that he had been at the game with his dad and that the book was an accurate account of the game, huge crowd, tough, uncompromising footy from both sides, Swans should have won etc. etc.
He then went on to tell me that after the game he and his dad got separated from one another in the throng and dad subsequently missed his train home to country Victoria.
Dad eventually got home by convincing a taxi driver to give him a ride with the promise of PETROL TICKETS, he worked for the local shire.
Now that is some memory IMO.

 

[mediumsizered]

I recently gave my old Dad a copy of The Bloodbath (after I had read it of course).
He is a long time Swans supporter.
He proceeded to tell me that he had been at the game with his dad and that the book was an accurate account of the game, huge crowd, tough, uncompromising footy from both sides, Swans should have won etc. etc.
He then went on to tell me that after the game he and his dad got separated from one another in the throng and dad subsequently missed his train home to country Victoria.
Dad eventually got home by convincing a taxi driver to give him a ride with the promise of PETROL TICKETS, he worked for the local shire.
Now that is some memory IMO.

It was only after reading The Bloodbath that I became aware that one of the South Melbourne players involved, who was among the many to get reported, was the caretaker at my primary school. Even though this was a quarter of a century after the 1945 GF, he still looked fit enough to play at VFL level. The narrative about him in The Bloodbath was quite amusing, with part of his pre-match routine being a trip to the pub for a few beers before arriving at the ground.

 

[The old campaigner]

At the time, the crowd of over 63,000 was the biggest for any game outside The G.
After talking to my old man about the game, I was at a friends place and talked about how I had given my dad the book and that he had been at the game, my mates Father in Law popped his head up and said that he too had been at Princes Park that day (also a Bloods supporter).

 

[thylacine60]

Maybe a touch of the tied Test match of 1960? Most Australians were there apparently.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Okay I committed top breathing some life back into this thread without images so here goes...

I am going to challenge everyone to reminisce about past players who were our biggest teases. This is not to turn into a player bashing thread but rather one that looks back on players that may have been good but we feel could have been better.

I am going to offer up one that is obvious and one that may surprise some.

Frank Marchesani - The Blues poached this guy and it seemed the sky was the limit, never worked out and went from hero to zero quickly.

Lance Whitnall - don't get me wrong, this guy was a great player for us but to this day I still wonder if we saw his absolute best consistently. Injuries towards the end cruelled him but I believe he had a lot more to give.

I look forward to your feedback!!

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

I think the thread should be renamed 'Down Memory Cul-De-Sac'. The controversy of Blueseumgate has caused TL15 to lose interest in the postings. So many stories....

I have not given up on this thread Robbo even though it may seem due to the Blueseum controversy that it is on life support.

In true Vic Roads style I have acquired the house at the end of the cul de sac, levelled it and made the road extend into a ****ing freeway......

 

[thylacine60]

Angwin. The only time I ever said I'm going to the game to watch this bloke.

 

[mediumsizered]

Okay I committed top breathing some life back into this thread without images so here goes...

I am going to challenge everyone to reminisce about past players who were our biggest teases. This is not to turn into a player bashing thread but rather one that looks back on players that may have been good but we feel could have been better.

I am going to offer up one that is obvious and one that may surprise some.

Frank Marchesani - The Blues poached this guy and it seemed the sky was the limit, never worked out and went from hero to zero quickly.

Lance Whitnall - don't get me wrong, this guy was a great player for us but to this day I still wonder if we saw his absolute best consistently. Injuries towards the end cruelled him but I believe he had a lot more to give.

I look forward to your feedback!!

Marchesani was the victim of being belted out of the game. It was fairly common knowledge he didn't like the tough stuff & opposition players would regularly give him a belting around the head after he disposed of the ball, mostly with the approval/ignorance of the officiating umpires. It was a shame this happened because he was such a good player to watch. He covered the ground like a gazelle & despite an unorthodox kicking technique, mostly used the ball well. His game in the '82 PF will always stick in my memory. On a day when most players struggled with the blustery wind at VFL Park, Marchesani used the ball well & his consistent run played a big part in breaking open a game which was quite dour in the first half.

Whitnall's career started to go pear-shaped after he missed most of the 2002 pre-season due to OP. He stacked on a lot of weight during this time & from then on, except for 2006 when he had a massive pre-season, struggled to keep the weight off. This obviously affected his mobility, which prior to 2002 surprised many an opponent. Whitnall was AA at 20 years of age & at that stage was the 2nd best CHF in the AFL, with only Wayne Carey ahead of him. His work in the forward line, not just with his marking & goalkicking, but his ability to bring others into the game with a deft little tap or using his body to block opponents & clear a path for teammates, was always a pleasure to watch. He is the smartest player I have seen at Carlton (& we have had some good ones) & I do wonder just how highly he would have been rated if not affected by OP when he was in the peak years of his career. I have fond memories of his 9 goal game at the Gabba in 2000, when he totally touched up Justin Leppitsch. It was an absolute clinic & one of the best games of football I have ever seen played by a forward.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

I am going to throw in the bush Coleman, Stephen Oliver and Brett Backwell. Oliver I reckon could have been anything but just did not have the appetite and Backwell I really thought had the tools to be first rate but never went on with it.

Another who I reckon at Carlton was a huge tease was Troy Bond, went on with it more at the Crows but could have been a super star with a greater work ethic!

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Angwin. The only time I ever said I'm going to the game to watch this bloke.

No doubt a massive waste of talent. Recall him playing a blinder at Princes Park one day, kicked a super goal on the run!

 

[mediumsizered]

No doubt a massive waste of talent. Recall him playing a blinder at Princes Park one day, kicked a super goal on the run!

Angwin's agility for a big bloke was quite surprising. He could certainly match it at ground level with smaller, running types. In fact Angwin was a very similar player (not person) to Stephen Oliver. It is a shame that neither of them properly utilised the gift of talent they were given, both of them had the ability to revolutionise the game in a similar way to what Kouta did.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

I have not given up on this thread Robbo even though it may seem due to the Blueseum controversy that it is on life support.

In true Vic Roads style I have acquired the house at the end of the cul de sac, levelled it and made the road extend into a ******* freeway......

Not out of step with the current State Government.

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Frank Marchesani is the only bloke (I know of) who kicked four goals in a quarter on Bruce Doull. Super quick and skilful. I'd have been happy to have his career. I am an unashamed Lance Whitnall fan. When they talk about the great CHFs of the modern era his achievements in his first five seasons would place him near the top. It was a joy to watch his footy brain swing into action. His ability to run the angles made up for his lack of speed. It's a credit to him that he turned into a 'swingman' and won a best and fairest playing in defence. Ratts treatment of him at the end was ordinary.

 

[Blues in 3 yrs.]

I was too young to get an idea on these players but just remember them.
Brett Sholl, David Kernahan, Tom Alvin, Brent Heaver.

Didn't Troy Bond leave coz he got dropped for the '95 Gf for Hogg?

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

I was too young to get an idea on these players but just remember them.
Brett Sholl, David Kernahan, Tom Alvin, Brent Heaver.

Didn't Troy Bond leave coz he got dropped for the '95 Gf for Hogg?

I would have thought Alvin got the most out of his talents, Heaver unlucky with injury but the other two pretty true.

Bond left because he got dropped for the GF for Camporeale who missed the Preliminary due to injury, I reckon that was the only game he missed all year so it was a heck of a debut season.

 

[Keyza]

I would have thought Alvin got the most out of his talents, Heaver unlucky with injury but the other two pretty true.

Bond left because he got dropped for the GF for Camporeale who missed the Preliminary due to injury, I reckon that was the only game he missed all year so it was a heck of a debut season.

Yes, Bond did leave because he got dropped for the 95 GF.
I recall in interview later and he said he only heard about it on the news and noone told him, pretty poor if true.
I think he went on to win a premiership with the Crows.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Yes, Bond did leave because he got dropped for the 95 GF.
I recall in interview later and he said he only heard about it on the news and noone told him, pretty poor if true.
I think he went on to win a premiership with the Crows.

He played a ripper last quarter the year they beat the Saints.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Remember when Geoff Southby decided he was gunna be a full-forward??

Would have been around 1976, saw him kick a handfull against Fitzroy at VFL Park.

Reckon it lasted til near on mid season.

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Remember when Geoff Southby decided he was gunna be a full-forward??

Would have been around 1976, saw him kick a handfull against Fitzroy at VFL Park.

Reckon it lasted til near on mid season.

Unfortunately Stig there were no place for 'swingmen' back in the 70's, it was considered weird and down right unmasculine!!

 

[Stig O'Hara]

Unfortunately Stig there were no place for 'swingmen' back in the 70's, it was considered weird and down right unmasculine!!

Every year him and Swan McKay (bored with training), were going to South Melbourne.

Can remember Rod Ashman sat out half a year trying to get a clearance to North???

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Every year him and Swan McKay (bored with training), were going to South Melbourne.

Can remember Rod Ashman sat out half a year trying to get a clearance to North???

How good was Rod Ashman!

 

[Robbo's my hero]

Unfortunately Stig there were no place for 'swingmen' back in the 70's, it was considered weird and down right unmasculine!!

On the footy cards the player was called a Utility. I'm racking my brains and the only Utility I can come up with is a Ford or a Holden