Universal Love Ian Marsh - passed away after a long battle with cancer R.I.P.

[Blind Turn]

Last night, after the missus went to bed, I threw on the 3rd qtr replay of a 1980 game between us and Sth Melb. This was around the time I started getting into the footy and many of the players remain familiar to me.

Ian Marsh is an interesting one to me seeing as I remember him vaguely as a player dashing along the wing. But then he was gone before he could be embedded as one of my heroes at Bomberland. Open heart surgery seems to have halted a promising career.

In the Sth game he collected 30 disposals and kicked 2 goals. Looking at his stats on AFLtables.com, he had a best of 37 disposals and at least 10 of his 68 games resulted in 27 or more. Considering the dash and incisiveness of his play, it seems a reasonable assumption to say he would've been right in the mix for our 84/85 era. Having him and Merv dashing along the wings in that era could've been sensational. We talk of Neale Daniher and Buhagiar being the unlucky 2 players who missed out on premierships in the 80s but I think Marsh can be added to that exclusive list.

For those who followed us in the late 70s, is it a fair assessment to think he might be a bit of a forgotten hard-luck story and a player who may have been part of that awesome juggernaut?

 

[Kakkle]

son of shaun, brother of mitch

 

[Rack Watts]

Probably never had any selection issues with that last name.

 

[Blind Turn]

Probably never had any selection issues with that last name.

Didn't help Daniel Marsh...

 

[duckdog]

Yep remember the solid number 37...wore that myself most of my footy days. Didn't see the best of him for sure . Tassie lad. upgrade of Kenny Mansfield

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Actually vaguely remember that South game. Pretty sure Fabulous Phil played as well. I think one of Marsh's best ever game from memory.

Think he was just in the Ken Roberts/ Neale Daniher group i.e very talented but career cut short with injury

 

[Doss]

yaco55, remember much about him?

 

[DapperJong]

Excellent mo'

 

[Doss]

Looks a bit like a blonde Trevor Chappell.

 

[Runk]

It's moments like this that make me hate the fact I don't know enough about our playing list during the 70's.

Open heart surgery....that's huge.

 

[Blind Turn]

It's moments like this that make me hate the fact I don't know enough about our playing list during the 70's.

Open heart surgery....that's huge.

I remember in the 80s hearing that his career had ended after heart surgery. Had barely thought about it again since then so I googled him and it confirmed that it was open heart. Managed to return to playing but only at a lower level and retired at about 30 in the year we won back-to-back. I well remember his 1981 Scanlens card because I mistakenly thought his first name was Lan rather than Ian (I was only 7 at the time).

 

[Blind Turn]

RIP
Edit- mods, should we put this on main thread for a time?

 

[Blind Turn]

Bombers mourn passing of Marsh

Essendon is mourning the loss of past player Ian Marsh.

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[NAB777]

Very sad about this. He was a very talented player & yes..definitely would have been around the mark in 84/85.
Put it this way - he was a better player than Frank Dunnell (all due respect).

RIP.

 

[sherb]

I grew up in Launceston. Ian Marsh came through the ranks at North Launceston and was part of the club's premiership side in 1975. I was at that game.

He won the Hec Smith Medal that year (the Association B&F) at the age of 19. Went to Essendon the next year. He also played for Tasmania in 1979.

Also in that 75 side was Tony Pickett, who played at Carlton from 1976 to 1979.

I looked up Ian's record with Essendon - after not playing much in 76 & 77, he played 18, 22 & 19 games in his last three seasons for the club. I have no doubt he would have gone on to a long career with the club if not for his major health issues. He was a great and tough player.

He wasn't the only North Launceston player (who share the same strip with Essendon) to go to Essendon back in those days. The other was Steven Carey.

And the Essendon-North Launceston connection didn't stop there. The coach of that 75 North premiership team (and highly successful coach for seasons afterwards) was former Bomber Peter Daniel. 75 was his maiden year coaching the Robins.

In fact, there was a year in the late 1890s where North Launceston was actually known as Essendon. There you go.

 

[MiguelM]

Ah Bugger.

Watched him as a kid running the wings at Windy Hill.

I was one of the few that had his number on the back of the old duffle jacket!

 

[Blind Turn]

I grew up in Launceston. Ian Marsh came through the ranks at North Launceston and was part of the club's premiership side in 1975. I was at that game.

He won the Hec Smith Medal that year (the Association B&F) at the age of 19. Went to Essendon the next year. He also played for Tasmania in 1979.

Also in that 75 side was Tony Pickett, who played at Carlton from 1976 to 1979.

I looked up Ian's record with Essendon - after not playing much in 76 & 77, he played 18, 22 & 19 games in his last three seasons for the club. I have no doubt he would have gone on to a long career with the club if not for his major health issues. He was a great and tough player.

He wasn't the only North Launceston player (who share the same strip with Essendon) to go to Essendon back in those days. The other was Steven Carey.

And the Essendon-North Launceston connection didn't stop there. The coach of that 75 North premiership team (and highly successful coach for seasons afterwards) was former Bomber Peter Daniel. 75 was his maiden year coaching the Robins.

In fact, there was a year in the late 1890s where North Launceston was actually known as Essendon. There you go.

Thanks for the insight into Ian’s background. Interesting connections there. As I mentioned at the start of this thread a few years back, Marsh would’ve added something to that awesome team of the mid 80s.

 

[sherb]

The 1975 North Launceston squad.

Ian Marsh is the first player on the left, third row back. Two to his left is Tony Pickett.

Directly in front of Tony, in the second row, is Peter Daniel.

Also in that photo is Harry Frei. He played a few games with Footscray prior to coming to North and later went on to play first-class cricket as a left arm opening bowler with Queensland.

 

[Blind Turn]

The 1975 North Launceston squad.

Ian Marsh is the first player on the left, third row back. Two to his left is Tony Pickett.

Directly in front of Tony, in the second row, is Peter Daniel.

Also in that photo is Harry Frei. He played a few games with Footscray prior to coming to North and later went on to play first-class cricket as a left arm opening bowler with Queensland.

View attachment 1140908

Nice guernseys.

 

[windyhill]

After his heart op you would think that was it, in regards to playing,
but he came back to reserves level football. I remember his comeback, it was against c**rlton. Pretty sure it was the last time we played the filth at Windyhill. The gates were closed early so the crowd for the ressies was huge. The reception Marshy got was brilliant, we all knew the story and he was shown so much love.
He was so bloody quick, nickname of racehorse. Such memories of my childhood. So bloody quick. RIP.

 

[sherb]

The North Launceston FC's Facebook post from today.

Bear in mind that by the end of the 1975 season Ian was still only 19.

I think he finished at Brooks High School the year before I started there.

 

[sherb]

Another picture of the 1975 North Launceston side.

I'd forgotten there is more Essendon connection in there.

Ricky Young was recruited by Essendon as a young fella if my memory serves me correctly. His VFL career didn't happen, I'm not sure why. He was certainly good enough. He was probably only 16 in this picture.

And the B Neish is former Essendon player Bruce Neish.

 

[sherb]

Ironically and somewhat sadly I came across this in my online travels today.

From May 1982.

 

[Jordanio]

Ian Marsh
absolutely a great wingman for the EFC. Loved Waverley Park and had a great turn of speed.
Sadly missed, one of my fond memories