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Greatest NM ruckman

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Shinboners

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I'm not too sure where Rooboy has gone, so I'll keep up his work and pose the question, "Who is the greatest North Melbourne ruckman?".

We have a few candidates here...Noel Teasdale (who won a Brownlow), Mick Nolan, Gary Dempsey, and (I know this will get a reaction), Corey McKernan to name a few.

Following my usual view of only voting for players that I've seen with my own eyes, it comes down to Dempsey and McKernan. I caught the end of Dempsey's career while I've seen all of McKernan's, and while the work of McKernan in the mid 90s became the prototype of the mobile athletic ruckman (Everitt and White), the memories of Dempsey's domination of the ruck still stays strong in my mind. Dempsey was also a specialist ruckman, and so, my vote goes to Gary Dempsey.
 
How could you forget John Mossop, Mark Hepburn, Mark Lisle or Alex Ischenko (the last I had a soft spot for). Have to go with Gary Dempsey.
 
Thanks for that IM....now you've made me remember Tim Bourke
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Yeah, big Alex...I had a soft spot for him too. I loved his, "I'm planning on staying in Brisbane" comment to put other clubs off just before he signed with us?

Should we have included Mark Roberts, John Longmire, and Matthew Capuano into the list of great North ruckmen?????
 
Maybe Matthew Capuano almost sneaks in as a dual premiership second ruckman. On the other hand maybe not.

As far as the fridge goes maybe there should be a category for Best utility player. One player who would not rank highly would be Keenan Reynolds.

Originally posted by Shinboners:
Thanks for that IM....now you've made me remember Tim Bourke
biggrin.gif


Yeah, big Alex...I had a soft spot for him too. I loved his, "I'm planning on staying in Brisbane" comment to put other clubs off just before he signed with us?

Should we have included Mark Roberts, John Longmire, and Matthew Capuano into the list of great North ruckmen?????
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Gary Dempsey also won a Brownlow in 1975 but not for North.

However he picked a good year !!!

He is my nomination.

warrior
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What are you guys doing about the 1973 recruits ?

Wade and Rantall are also champions of other clubs as well as helping you guys to your first flag.

Do they rate as 'Greatest' for your club too ?

or are you just conveniently overlooking these guys ?

Too Hard Basket maybe ?
 
BSA

Wade was mentioned in the Greatest FF thread and he got two votes in the end (Warrior and CIK).

As for Rantall, we haven't started the thread on back pockets and half back flankers yet, but I'm sure he'll get a mention.

As you can see, Dempsey is as famous for his Footscray days as his North ones, but we're rating his performances in our colours, not his performances for both clubs.

Generally I can't comment on pre-1980s players because I never saw them play on a week to week basis, so I've kept my comments to players that I have seen. Others have seen the 70s team, and those that have, have made their comments too.

Grendel has made a few comments on who he thinks should be in the North's greatest team, and we'd welcome your comments too.

Cheers
SB

[This message has been edited by Shinboners (edited 01 February 2001).]
 
Mullet

Surely you have forgotten the greatest ruckman we had during that period, Michael Gallagher, he even represented Victoria against Tasmania.

Maybe the number he wore said something about him, No. 31!



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Although Dempsey was brilliant, I have to admit that I rate Mark Gallagher as the greatest we have seen in my time.

He brought the number 31 to prominence, and Peter Mann played brilliantly in that position when given the opportunity, along with the likes of Issesshenko as Tommy Hafey would call the boy.

What about the brilliant Tim Bourke, the greatest mobile ruckman ever to not play the game.

Anyone that rates anyone post 77 higher than Dempsey is kidding themselves - seriously.
 
Another fab ruckman that we have missed is Bill Berry, although he was probably best remembered for keeping The Fish goalless at Arden St in 1984.

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Can You Feel My Love Buzz
 
Back to the 70's - how can you forget Crackers Keenan ,the premiership ruckman, and his struggles with Don Scott ? Dempsey played his best footy with the Dogs.

Also saw a lot ( no other option really ) of Mick Nolan - his work with Barry Cable was excellent. He was keen on the smokes however.
 
Guys, the best two ruckmen we have produced were Noel Teasdale won a Brownlow medal and Corey McKernan who unfortuneately just missed out on one. All of our other prominent ruckman mentioned in previous threads all made their name at other clubs. I don't think that they should be considered in our greatest team. My pick would be Teasdale with Corey on the bench.
 

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I do not know about the best, but the ruckman who has the most stories told about him would have to be Mick Nolan the galloping gasometer.
 
From what i can remember of him, Nolans been very VERY underestimated by some of his own. The guy might look out of place in todays streamlined competition, but in the seventies his type of build (Round,Whale Roberts,Nicholls) were all very good rucks.

But on the subject of your rucks, again go with the legend, Teasdale. I know sweet FA about the bloke other than he got his Brownlow eventually and he was a multiple B&F winner. Wasnt Micks old man a 200 odd game player for North in the fifties as well? Skinny Martin was also a B&F winner (i think, warrior seems to know his Roo history, can you confirm?) so he sounds like a fair player too. Dempsey, clearly the 2nd best ruckman ive seen (to S.Madden) yet Dons mates have told me that he used to be the only bloke that constantly beat Madden.

For longevitys sake i will go with Teasdale from Dempsey who was like Salmon with the Hawks, great but not around long enough to get into a best ever side.
 

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Teasdale for me just ahead of Mick (that's Nolan) does anyone remember McClure not seeing Mick out at Arden St... now that was funny...

Grendal... Barry Cable always Said Mick was the best palm ruckmen he ever played with... and he should know...

Voting so far

Dempsey 4
Teasdale 3
McKernan 1
 

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