Lucky to be a Premiership Player

[flyinghi64]

Just looking back on the Eagles Premiership team and we all know there were 3 players missing who would have been pretty much walk up starters, NicNat, Sheppard and Gaff.
Of these 3 you would say Shep was probably the most unlucky given the timing of his injury.
His replacement, Schofield, would have probably not have got a game otherwise meaning he was "lucky" to win a Premiership.

I am in no way saying he did't deserve his medal, he was probably up there in our best players to be honest. But if Sheppard wasn't injured then Will Schofield probably wouldn't have a Premiership medal.

There are plenty of stories of guy's missing out on a Premiership, the unlucky ones, but what about the lucky ones.

It could be through injury, it could be through need of a positional player who wasn't that great but just filled a need at the right club at the right time.

Interested to see how many "Oh yeah forgot about him" we can see through every ones past knowledge of their teams success.

 

[Mofra]

Richard Hadley - fourth game of AFL football, plays in the Lions 2003 Premiership.

Later played for Carlton.

 

[Vikingnz]

Townsend was a couple weeks away from being delisted - comes in kicks 6 then 5 in the last two games of the season, holds his spot for the finals and wins a medal.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if our last two games had been against stronger sides than Freo and the Saints, without the bags he might not have kept his spot and he did a number on Lever in the GF.

 

[Occidental]

No one can beat Billy James.
Only played one game and it was in a winning Grand Final.
He never played prior and never played since.
One game = One flag
Way back in 1920.

 

[Milanista28]

No one can beat Billy James.
Only played one game and it was in a winning Grand Final.
He never played prior and never played since.
One game = One flag
Way back in 1920.

Just timed his run well.

 

[BotsMaster]

Bob Murphy in 2016

 

[Scatter]

Chad Rintoul for Adelaide in his first season. Think he only came into the team late in the year and managed to hold his spot because there were a few injuries from memory. Later traded to WC.
Loved how he played the game though, hard at it without great skills, ferocious tackler.
I spent a bit of time working on a job in the NW of WA with him when he was playing colts (about 18 YO), top bloke. Even had a kick of the footy at the local park one day with him.

 

[Roddy]

The name Brent Renouf springs to mind

 

[Hens Hall]

Brent Renouf in the Hawks 08 premiership. Was in just to give Campbell a chop out. Later traded to PA and then delisted.

Probably a bit controversial but John Longmire.

Was a broken down wreck by the end of the year and was largely carried by the rest of the side. Maybe deserved for his past glories.

From memory was playing second ruck but didn't play a game after round 18 till the prelim where he had 5 touches (one free for) and one hitout. His GF was Leon Davisesque with 3 touches (5 hitouts).

 

[Coaster2012]

Just looking back on the Eagles Premiership team and we all know there were 3 players missing who would have been pretty much walk up starters, NicNat, Sheppard and Gaff.
Of these 3 you would say Shep was probably the most unlucky given the timing of his injury.
His replacement, Schofield, would have probably not have got a game otherwise meaning he was "lucky" to win a Premiership.

I am in no way saying he did't deserve his medal, he was probably up there in our best players to be honest. But if Sheppard wasn't injured then Will Schofield probably wouldn't have a Premiership medal.

There are plenty of stories of guy's missing out on a Premiership, the unlucky ones, but what about the lucky ones.

It could be through injury, it could be through need of a positional player who wasn't that great but just filled a need at the right club at the right time.

Interested to see how many "Oh yeah forgot about him" we can see through every ones past knowledge of their teams success.

Pretty bad example. Schofield is deserving of his flag. He's had some big moments over his career and been a soldier for many years. Venables though was definitely the luckiest player on that day, he's essentially done nothing.

 

[mike123]

To be fair Venables opponent didn’t do much either.

 

[arfadunger]

Steven Armstrong in 2006 (although he ended up kicking a crucial goal) and Shane Bond in 1994.

 

[Malifice]

Many of my WCE supporting mates out here in the West still cant beleive its now 'Chris Masten, Premiership player for the Eagles.'

They really dont like Masten over here.

 

[Man0gwaR74]

Jonathan Simpkin

 

[Scotland]

To be fair Venables opponent didn’t do much either.

Every team has a first 2 or 3 players picked and a last 2 or 3. Venables didn't do much in the GF but was our youngest player and was a regular in the team. Played the first 4 games, missed 10 with injury then played the last 11.

We've had a few lucky ones. Steven Armstrong came in late in the year in 2006 because Sampi was out of form and made niche as a small forward despite not being much of a goalkicker. The year prior we didn't win but had a few injuries in the prelim. Sam Butler hadn't played since Rd 17 and got a call up at 19. Travis Gaspar played the prelim and GF and no other games for the year. Kasey Green played 3 games for the year and was nearly our best on the day. Rowan Jones played 3 late H&A games, then came in for the prelim and got injured for the GF.

Someone like Shane Bond is pretty lucky that his first season coincided with our strong 1994 side but he played 21 games that year so wasn't a ring in. A few of the 1992 players who were key players were lucky after missing half the season through injury.

 

[dylan93]

Nathan Ablett

 

[Scotland]

Many of my WCE supporting mates out here in the West still cant beleive its now 'Chris Masten, Premiership player for the Eagles.'

They really dont like Masten over here.

He's pretty punchable. And comfortably the most tackled player in the comp.

For a bloke who is a good runner and a technically very good kick of the ball he has no awareness and regularly turns the ball over. Plus he has shit tatts, a shit haircut and his shorts are too big.

 

[HTT]

Jacob Townsend for our 2017 team

Caddy got a minor injury in R21. Townsend is brought in to replace him and kicks 11 goals in the last 2 H&A games - so he's undroppable for finals, even though Caddy is due back. We end up fitting both into the team with Townsend playing a key defensive forward role en route to a premiership.
Struggled in 2018 which was a combination of a) not being in career best form and b) opposition sides figuring out how to play him

A case of being in the right place at the right time, with a style that was ultimately flawed but caught opposition teams on the hop at the time. But he has more premiership medals than Richo.

 

[flyinghi64]

Pretty bad example. Schofield is deserving of his flag. He's had some big moments over his career and been a soldier for many years. Venables though was definitely the luckiest player on that day, he's essentially done nothing.

I think you misinterpret what I am trying to say.
If Shep doesn't get injured Schoey doesn't play, we were never going to change that back 6. Maybe, just maybe he may have got a gig but probably not without a backline injury.
Not saying he fluked it, didn't deserve it etc just saying a bit of luck saw him in.
BTW I also did state he was also one of our better players on the day so definitely deserved his medal.

 

[Shane Sheridan]

Aaron Keating - Adelaide

 

[Saintly Viewed]

No one can beat Billy James.
Only played one game and it was in a winning Grand Final.
He never played prior and never played since.
One game = One flag
Way back in 1920.

Just timed his run well.

Then went on a hunting trip some time later and shot his own toes by accident.

 

[Sylvia Saint]

James Frawley with the Kevin Durant style move to Hawthorn back in 2015, although to be fair he could have won the Norm Smith.

 

[Goldust]

Daryl Freame played a mere two games for Richmond in 1980 - the qualifying final v Geelong (nine possessions) and grand final v Collingwood (two possessions and sat on the bench until about the 25 minute mark of the last quarter).
Played just 17 games in total from 1977-81 and just another two after the '80 premiership.
Got some lucky breaks with a few players getting suspended (Graeme Landy) and injured (Bruce Tempany and Paul Sarah) during the finals series and then the ultimate break when Dennis Collins, who was a certain pick, was left out of the team for missing a meeting with the club's psychologist during GF week.
Interestingly, Freame holds a unique place in history at Richmond as someone who played in a senior, reserves ('77) and under-19 ('76) flags.

 

[Goldust]

Then went on a hunting trip some time later and shot his own toes by accident.

That myth has been dispelled!

 

[Mitchell54]

Matt Spangher is a name that I expect many have forgotten even after being somewhat of a cult figure.