Opinion Kevin Bartlett

[Maylandsman]

Love the usual non-Vic BS in response to this post. Surprised no one has mentioned Stephen Michael yet.

Not to worry they are just muppets trying to be like Kevin and troll. Then have a little giggle to themselves.

Hungry is just brilliant and his comments. The week before the 2017 preliminary against gws. ‘Can you believe there are still people walking around who think Richmond aren’t in the grand final!’. Master.

 

[juss]

He's a legend. Legendary playing career, iconic image, big contributions to AFL media, witty and sharp minded, trolls and takes the piss as good as anyone, seems to just know a lot about a lot on radio too.

 

[Grrr]

Absolute superstar of the game. Almost 800 goals and 22 disposals a game including 21 goals in a finals series (3 games) in 1980.

Led the goal kicking 3 times as a rover, 74-75 & 77, when Richmond had Hart, Balme. The again 1983 with Roach as a 36 year old. Incredible footballer.

 

[Grrr]

Saw him play a game at the end of his career and he was still good enough to kick a couple of goals out of his arse and make his opponent look stupid. Remember one of the goals he kicked in the 1980 GF, outpointed Magro who just stood there after the goal as if to say "how the **** did you do that?". He was 33 then, can only imagine how good he was in his prime. An all time great of the game.

Kicked 8 goals 7 behinds in the final against Geelong in 1980 as a 33 year old. 15 shots at goal from a flanker.

 

[Power Raid]

One of the greatest players I've seen.

I laugh when Milne is mentioned as the greatest forward pocket. Milne was a great player but Bartlett had Daicos, Aker, Betts etc covered as the best forward pocket player.

The only debate though would be if Matthews vs Bartlett. but i considered a Matthews a midfielder rather than a forward pocket.

 

[queensberryrules]

I’ve seen many great league players in my time since the late 70s...all the champions.

But I can honestly say KB was the most dynamic, attacking and dangerous player i’ve seen on a football field.

He would absolutely destroy opponents with sheer pace and agility and turn towards the goals in a flash and kick the most beautiful drop punts that would usually sail through for yet another six pointer.

I was always amazed too about how he always ate a feed of fish and chips on a friday night before a game.
All those potato carbs fuelling his run the next day.

As a kid around the years of 77’ to 1982, i would never look
forward to RFC v Bomber games at the G.
Because me and the old man would go to the games with friends of ours who were all tiger fanatics and they would insist on watching the games from behind the Punt rd goals under the old stand with all the other richmond maniacs. And more often than not, KB would yet again tear us apart and we’d walk away defeated again by the tiger machine.

KB is a great story teller. A great Richmond man and a legend of the game.

If you’ve never read or heard it...here is his wonderful speech given at Tommy Hafey’s funeral.

Heartwarming stuff ..

for Tom Hafey: 'Tommy shaped our lives, he was a father figure and mentor, he was an advisor', by Kevin Bartlett - 2014 — Speakola

19 May 2014, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia Normal 0 false false false EN-AU X-NONE X-NONE Tommy was pretty lucky to kick a goal with his first kick in AFL foot

speakola.com

Excellent post. Just after the period you refer to, there were rumours whirling around that KB would would join Sheeds at the Bombers. He could have been part of the b2b Essendon team. That would have added to his treasure chest of awards.

 

[magpie_marty]

Well what prompted my post re KB,
Was watching some old footage some in b+w and he just seemed so dangerous in the forward line.
Then I thought did rovers have a rest in the forward pocket back then?
Well KB never rested there he was a weapon.Hence we see perhaps a change in attacking forwards.
And the holding the ball when taking a bounce KB exploited this to precision.

 

[queensberryrules]

That speech at Tommy's funeral is brilliant.

On moto g(7) using BigFooty.com mobile app

Very good.
One detail I think KB got wrong though, didnt Carman whack Tucky in the 77 prelim?

 

[Shane Heard]

Bombers and Tigers had some great games at the MCG (and at Windy Hill) in the late 70's and early 80's. The Bombers came good in '81 and also had some promising early season form in '79 and '82 before falling off the pace later in each year.

KB tells the story in Open Mike (I think) that he was quite disillusioned at Richmond in about '76 or '77 and the Bombers made a play for him. I think KB was talked out of it by his old mate Tom Hafey.

Another peculiar thing about KB is that he kicked so many behinds in his career (778 goals and 781 behinds). I guess old Hungry was taking pot shots from everywhere.

yeah ..he did kick a lot of points.

But it just goes to show how many shots he had on goal ...hence the “ hungry “ nickname.

Never pass it lol

And i don’t know if it’s my imagination but i can’t remember him falling over much. Such balance and agility.

The bloke didn’t have a single injury in his career except a calf strain in his last year.

A freak of physical nature.

Lightweight but all muscle.

Like Matthews and G. Ablett Snr ...if they were within 40 mtrs of goal on the run, they were having a shot no matter what.

Timmy Watson and maybe Mercuri and Bewick the only bombers i can even remotely compare when it came to dangerous forwards who hardly ever got caught holding the ball and could make their opponents look like idiots trying to grab em.

KB the goal pot shot maestro

 

[Shane Heard]

Very good.
One detail I think KB got wrong though, didnt Carman whack Tucky in the 77 prelim?

good call. correct call..

In the 1977 Second Semi Final win, Carman was suspended for two matches after striking Hawthorn's Michael Tuck. This caused him to miss the drawn Grand Final and the subsequent replay against North Melbourne. After the end of the 1978 VFL season, the 1978 season ended after the preliminary final, during which Carman was 'tagged' by Keith Greig. Greig did a wonderful job nullifying Carman, and eventually coach Tom Hafey moved Carman to centre half forward to albeit too late effect

 

[lumpinee]

yeah ..he did kick a lot of points.

But it just goes to show how many shots he had on goal ...hence the “ hungry “ nickname.

Never pass it lol

And i don’t know if it’s my imagination but i can’t remember him falling over much. Such balance and agility.

The bloke didn’t have a single injury in his career except a calf strain in his last year.

A freak of physical nature.

Lightweight but all muscle.

Like Matthews and Gary Snr ...if they were within 35 of goal they were having a shot no matter what.

Timmy Watson and maybe Mercuri and Bewick the only bombers i can even remotely compare when it came to dangerous forwards who hardly ever got caught holding the ball and could make their opponents look like idiots trying to grab em.

KB the goal pot shot maestro

excellent point about all these players that you mention hardly ever going to ground...in fact of the 5 you name Matthews is probably the one whod
probably of gone to ground most but thing was when he went he always was either only 3qtrs down or he miracousley bounced straight back up
he truly was a freak Matthews,Watson was a bit the same in his recovery,blink of an eye stuff

 

[darcytiger]

yeah ..he did kick a lot of points.

But it just goes to show how many shots he had on goal ...hence the “ hungry “ nickname.

Never pass it lol

And i don’t know if it’s my imagination but i can’t remember him falling over much. Such balance and agility.

The bloke didn’t have a single injury in his career except a calf strain in his last year.

A freak of physical nature.

Lightweight but all muscle.

Like Matthews and Gary Snr ...if they were within 35 of goal they were having a shot no matter what.

Timmy Watson and maybe Mercuri and Bewick the only bombers i can even remotely compare when it came to dangerous forwards who hardly ever got caught holding the ball and could make their opponents look like idiots trying to grab em.

KB the goal pot shot maestro

408 Friday Fish n Chips and good night's sleeps is all the sports science you need!

 

[Shane Heard]

408 Friday Fish n Chips and good night's sleeps is all the sports science you need!

yes lol

I vividly remember as a 10 year old or so (1980ish) seeing KB on the back cover of the HS with a huge platter of fish and chips in front of him, describing how it’s his routine to eat that crap on a friday night before each game.

It only further confused me on how this little skinny freak was so good at footy.


We can laugh about it now.

All this sports science rubbish.

I remember as 13/14 year old learning that Vander Haar, Simon Madden, Leon Baker and host of others were full on smokers and being bewildered lol

Then many years later reading about Terry Daniher basically living on a diet of pizza and beer for most of his early career.

Freaks ..the lot of them haha

 

[Shane Heard]

excellent point about all these players that you mention hardly ever going to ground...in fact of the 5 you name Matthews is probably the one whod
probably of gone to ground most but thing was when he went he always was either only 3qtrs down or he miracousley bounced straight back up
he truly was a freak Matthews,Watson was a bit the same in his recovery,blink of an eye stuff

yes..Lethal and Watson would bounce back up off the ground like a well oiled spring...even in the mud or slop.

Relentless competitors.

Then you’d have blokes like Diesel Williams who would handpass on their knees and hit a target to advantage dead on just about every time.

So many great players back then...

 

[smasha]

Just wondering peoples views of KB,
A great player in my opinion and perhaps before his time.

Legend,got a photo with him and signed cap,the bigger the game,the better he played.

Miss him on SEN,one of the last of the old school like Richards and Dyer and Davis.

 

[TerryWallet]

I copied that off wiki or something. apologies all round. but fooking funny.Ray byrne and his twin brother used to keep swapping classes doing exams at tech school. If Ray no good at english his brother sat the exam and vice versa

Ray Byrne looked like a stock standard boring sod, but apparently one of the funniest going around.

The comb story is apparently true.

 

[Maylandsman]

Meh state league player and involved in some sh*t rule changes from memory? It'd be best that people like him stay far away from the game.

Maybe it's time you start watching footy before you make yourself look any more stupid.

And you are running around the forum trying to lecture people on not making themselves look stupid. Joke of a troll.

 

[Marc_Remillard]

On the rules when all the bad decisions were made ie extending the interchange

Thanks mate, for ******* football

 

[Power Raid]

And i don’t know if it’s my imagination but i can’t remember him falling over much. Such balance and agility.

The bloke didn’t have a single injury in his career except a calf strain in his last year.

He did however fall over at the slightest touch without the ball. Back in those days, you could get a free kick for holding the man if you bounced the ball during a tackle and the tackler didn't let go.

The defender would tackle KB, KB would bounce the ball in front and the defender was left with two choices 1) let go and watch KB run into goal; or 2) give away holding the man. KB would of course milk it by falling over to get the free.



and yep, never injured.

 

[Power Raid]

On the rules when all the bad decisions were made ie extending the interchange

Thanks mate, for ******* football

if we get rid of the bench or reduce it to 1 or 2 player, the game will open up, as it once was.

 

[queensberryrules]

He did however fall over at the slightest touch without the ball. Back in those days, you could get a free kick for holding the man if you bounced the ball during a tackle and the tackler didn't let go.

The defender would tackle KB, KB would bounce the ball in front and the defender was left with two choices 1) let go and watch KB run into goal; or 2) give away holding the man. KB would of course milk it by falling over to get the free.



and yep, never injured.

400th game, I think, he fell over running through the GIGANTIC reinforced banner. True story.

 

[gingernuts]

Ray Byrne looked like a stock standard boring sod, but apparently one of the funniest going around.

The comb story is apparently true.

100 % funny guy .me old man worked with him

 

[VB_longneck]

 

[Kwality]

He's a legend. Legendary playing career, iconic image, big contributions to AFL media, witty and sharp minded, trolls and takes the piss as good as anyone, seems to just know a lot about a lot on radio too.

Given KB is not heard outside Melbourne - KB is a race car driver in northern States.

 

[lumpinee]

Given KB is not heard outside Melbourne - KB is a race car driver in northern States.

good driver in the early 80's did he not place @ Bathurst ?