Article Grand Final Sprint... time to end the debate

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

It's time for the annual debate over which long forgotten wingman once ran in the Grand Final Sprint for your VFL-AFL club. Of course everyone around the BBQ agrees that Ablett "won a lot of them" but nobody can remember if it was Gary senior or one of the other Abletts.

It's time to end the debate - I've just added a huge chunk of info with names of each clubs entrants, plus placings for each GF Sprint (and the GF Mile in 77-78)

http://www.hardballget.net/afl-grand-final-sprint.html

And no, it's not a typo... former ruckman Ben Hudson once ran for Brisbane in the sprint!

 

[LennyStarkiller]

Ha Fremantle's first ever runner was Troy Simmonds. I don't remember him being that fast.

 

[killer]

Never got into grand final sprints

but the best grand final race wasn't an AFL one
it was one they had at the NTFL grand final in 1980
6 guys in woolly football jumpers did 2 laps of the gardens oval boundary
It was won by a bare-foot, skinny, slightly built aboriginal fella named Rusty (in a Wanderers jumper)
who burned the entire field

Rusty was first dust was second

it was one of those moments that transcended football
- summed everything about living in Darwin

 

[bombersfan4000]

some clubs take it seriously, a few years ago the hawks or GCS had Cambell brown running.
Fevola ran in a couple of sprints as well
in past seasons Essendon has had Patrick Ryder running this year EFC has Patrick Ambrose running, an elite endurance athlete, but far from the quickest player on the list
the clubs treat the sprints as a bit of shits and giggles unfortunately

 

[Engimal]

some clubs take it seriously, a few years ago the hawks or GCS had Cambell brown running.
Fevola ran in a couple of sprints as well
in past seasons Essendon has had Patrick Ryder running this year EFC has Patrick Ambrose running, an elite endurance athlete, but far from the quickest player on the list
the clubs treat the sprints as a bit of shits and giggles unfortunately

Don't the participants get a couple of free tickets for the Grand Final? I think that's a reason why some club put their ruckman in a few years ago, because he wanted tickets for his family.

 

[Small Moves]

Don't the participants get a couple of free tickets for the Grand Final? I think that's a reason why some club put their ruckman in a few years ago, because he wanted tickets for his family.

The winner gets 5k prize money too I think. Not bad for 11 seconds of work.

 

[Some Idiot]

some clubs take it seriously, a few years ago the hawks or GCS had Cambell brown running.
Fevola ran in a couple of sprints as well
in past seasons Essendon has had Patrick Ryder running this year EFC has Patrick Ambrose running, an elite endurance athlete, but far from the quickest player on the list
the clubs treat the sprints as a bit of shits and giggles unfortunately

Fev won one. Also they did gps tracking in a carlton richmond game, Fev had a higher top speed than Matty White. But perception is king of course.

 

[iBeng]

Hudsons got some leg speed about him.

Roughly 2.2kmph speed I believe.

 

[Rainfall]

Never got into grand final sprints

but the best grand final race wasn't an AFL one
it was one they had at the NTFL grand final in 1980
6 guys in woolly football jumpers did 2 laps of the gardens oval boundary
It was won by a bare-foot, skinny, slightly built aboriginal fella named Rusty (in a Wanderers jumper)
who burned the entire field

Rusty was first dust was second

it was one of those moments that transcended football
- summed everything about living in Darwin

You hear the sad news about Bubba dying in Darwin last week? Footballing champ.

 

[killer]

You hear the sad news about Bubba dying in Darwin last week? Footballing champ.

Yeah one of the very best from here and a legendary fellow off it
Old school Darwin
Had half a career at Buffs and half Nightcliff
played in Adelaide for a season I think
In the off months rugby league for RSL
but main occupation fishing and Living
no enemies anywhere

http://www.aflnt.com.au/index.php?id=246

 

[Rainfall]

Yeah one of the very best from here and a legendary fellow off it
Old school Darwin
Had half a career at Buffs and half Nightcliff
played in Adelaide for a season I think
In the off months rugby league for RSL
but main occupation fishing and Living
no enemies anywhere

http://www.aflnt.com.au/index.php?id=246

Isn't he also the same bloke who caught the croc Sweetheart that's displayed in the Museum? Not sure if you've been to that museum but I absolutely hated the dark room with Cyclone Tracy noises.

 

[Hodgepodge]

I didn't notice that Dangerfield had won 3 in a row

 

[killer]

Isn't he also the same bloke who caught the croc Sweetheart that's displayed in the Museum? Not sure if you've been to that museum but I absolutely hated the dark room with Cyclone Tracy noises.

I hadn't heard that sweetheart story till recently (NT News?) but anything's possible



Yes that exhibition isn't very subtle
but to get the full effect you've got to imagine
the roof of your house lifting off and the rest of it disintegrating

Anyone who was here is happy to forget

 

[Donners]

Geez, Sydney has had some interesting entrants.

Mark Bayes, Sean Dempster and, best of all, Mike Pyke.

 

[Wizard]

At his prime running there isn't anyone thats participated in the AFL Sprint that would beat James Walker.

 

[le dominateur]

I didn't notice that Dangerfield had won 3 in a row

They keep the trophies in a mahagony cabinet at West Lakes.

 

[The Speaker]

Geez, Sydney has had some interesting entrants.

Mark Bayes, Sean Dempster and, best of all, Mike Pyke.

Pyke's not the slowest though.

It's time for the annual debate over which long forgotten wingman once ran in the Grand Final Sprint for your VFL-AFL club. Of course everyone around the BBQ agrees that Ablett "won a lot of them" but nobody can remember if it was Gary senior or one of the other Abletts.

It's time to end the debate - I've just added a huge chunk of info with names of each clubs entrants, plus placings for each GF Sprint (and the GF Mile in 77-78)

http://www.hardballget.net/grand-final-sprint.html

And no, it's not a typo... former ruckman Ben Hudson once ran for Brisbane in the sprint!

According to the Fremantle board their entrant in 2013 was Alex Forster.

 

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

G'Day All

Have just updated the GF Sprint page at HardBallGet - new info includes details of the 1996 Lightning Premiership Sprint (who knew?)



along with...

- Doug Cox (3rd in 1982) added to Top 3 Placings table
- Geoff Ablett noted as a late scratching in 1982 due to injury
- Geoff Ablett confirmed as winner in 1985
- Confirmation the sprint wasn't held in 1986
- Leigh Montagna and Alex Forster (cheers The Speaker ) added to 2013 field [NOTE - a list of runners still unknown can be found here]
- Race fields for 2008-2014 added

Check it out here: http://www.hardballget.net/grand-final-sprint.html

 

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

All 2015 info added to the site (including background on the Australia's Fastest Cabbie comp that resulted in two taxi drivers taking part in the heats and final):

http://www.hardballget.net/afl-grand-final-sprint.html

 

[WhiteHartLane23]

All 2015 info added to the site (including background on the Australia's Fastest Cabbie comp that resulted in two taxi drivers taking part in the heats and final):

http://www.hardballget.net/afl-grand-final-sprint.html

Small correction - you still have Angus Litherland as Hawthorn's rep in Entrants - Club By Club section (should be Daniel Howe) and I suspect the footnote at the bottom of the section that refers to him being replaced in 2010 sprint should be 2015.

 

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

Thanks for that, both should be fixed now.

 

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

G'Day All,

A quick message to let you all know that Gibbsy, your favourite moderator here on BigFooty, has joined the team at HardBallGet.net and will be posting articles relating to footy history and footy jumpers.

His first article focuses on YouTube's Best Footy Channels and can be found here: http://www.hardballget.net/youtubes-best-footy-channels.html

Included in the article are:

• classic AFL-VFL matches from the '70s and '80s
• the best AFL marks, goals and games of the '90s
• the best of Fox Footy
• classic VFA matches from when the VFA ruled Sunday football
  
• State-league highlights featuring the SANFL, VFL, WAFL and TSL
• video profiles of every draft contender each season
• rare footage of Fitzroy's finest moments of the '70s and '80s

It's a great read and there's an absolute feast of footy there.

Enjoy!