News Past Players Thread

[you pick one]

i know I saw Sharrock play but I was only 7 and don't remember anything about him. But it was the star studded Cats' list that got me hooked on the team - Goggin, Farmer, Marshall, Wade, Lord, Lord, Devine,Sharrock, Walker, Ryan et al.

Did the 1960s Cats underachieve?

I don't think so it was in my opinion a golden age for football and 7 of the 12 teams won a flag. then we f----d with it, Country zoning was introduced in the late 1960s, and whilst it pushed Essendon and Geelong from the top of the ladder, it created severe inequality during the 1970s and 1980s. Between 1972 and 1987, only six of the league's twelve clubs – Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Richmond – played in Grand Finals; by comparison, nine different clubs had contested Grand Finals between 1961 and 1967.I still love the game and our recent success but it will never be the same for me.

 

[you pick one]

Tom Hawkins,his grandson

 

[Teriyakicat]

Here's the last few minutes of the 1967 VFL GF, between Geelong and Richmond:


Or you can watch the last quarter here:

 

[Partridge]

Bruce Lindner was another favourite. Does anyone remember this game on a damp saturday afternoon at the MCG?:

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1988/091219880409.html

I thought Bruce Lindner kicked 9 goals 9 behinds, but it was only 9 goals 6 behinds. He was unbelievable - virtually Gary Ablett Senior like! I ran out out space on the Football record - if he kicked straight he could have kicked 15 goals at least.

Yes. Clearly. He was absolutely unstoppable that day. From memory, and quite typically, he got injured the next week (could be wrong on that).

 

[CharacterFirst]

I've always wondered is it THE FredLeDeux ?

Nope.

 

[David the Cat]

Lord Walker Devine

A half back line to remember!

 

[Vdubs]

Lord Walker Devine

A half back line to remember!

Farmer Goggin Wade GOAL!
Was there ever a better combo?

 

[you pick one]

Farmer Goggin Wade GOAL!
Was there ever a better combo?

Ablett Varcoe Chapman GOAL! what ever happened to them?

 

[Vdubs]

Ablett Varcoe Chapman GOAL! what ever happened to them?

Amazing really when you think about it- 3 of my favourite Cats of our era, all elsewhere 2015.

 

[you pick one]

Of the 6 we have named only one was a one club player.

 

[Vdubs]

Of the 6 we have named only one was a club player.

sorry, who are we referring to?

 

[vinum coupe]

I was just 13 years old and I was very upset with our first half against Carlton in the 1967 Prelim Final, but could not believe the 3rd quarter played by Johnny Sharrock. He kicked 4 goals in the third term and I have a recollection that he also took an amazing mark flying on some poor bluebagger's shoulders. He literally changed the game with his brilliance (11 goals 4 behinds to 1 goal 8 behinds after half time!!)

Well this is weird. I once knew a 'farmer'. Went by the nickname of Polly, was about your age. Was a Geelong supporter, and loved Sharrock.
Your first name doesn't start with P does it?

 

[Aerial Ping Pong]

John Sharrock was a favourite player when I was a lad. Almost all the names mentioned were also favourites (so many). I recall that Denis Marshall playing out of the centre was no slouch and Geoff Rosenow in the back pocket went OK too. Also a bloke called Paul Vinar at full back was pretty good.
I have great memories of playing games in the empty block next door by myself. Farmer to Goggin, quick hand pass to Marshall who gets it to Pollinelli on the wing, he's off, two bounces and a stab pass to Sharrock in front 15 out. When I was around 8 (maybe 9 or 10) I could launch a fantastic drop kick 40 yards and a stab pass over 20 that never went higher than 3 feet and would leave an impression of the laces on your chest if you were on the receiving end. It's all about balance and timing, a bit like golf.
I'm not to certain about Bill Ryan being a dud kick. I remember him being a prodigious drop kick, launching them 60 yards consistently. He was a bit like Cam Mooney in that he would miss simple shots in close but much better from a long way out.

 

[you pick one]

sorry, who are we referring to?

Farmer Goggin Wade Ablett Varcoe Chapman,with Goggin the only one club player.

 

[Hello Kitty]

For those of us with failing grey cells, or who live interstate + didn't get to see every single Geelong game, or who followed the team more religiously over different years/eras, could the names of the players be included please?

 

[Rainfall]

Here's the last few minutes of the 1967 VFL GF, between Geelong and Richmond:


Or you can watch the last quarter here:

TV really sucked 30 years before I was born then. That match sucked just as bad cause of the scoreline.

 

[Teriyakicat]

TV really sucked 30 years before I was born then. That match sucked just as bad cause of the scoreline.

I watched it a few days ago and felt like we'd been robbed - the disallowed mark when (I think) we were 5 points down. Had that been awarded, perhaps we'd have gone on to win that game. Must watch it again- that was just my first impression. From memory, the commentator though it was a mark, too.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Is that Biscuit Arnott's?
I often thought he looked a player when he came to Geelong.
Checking out his stats, he gathered 20 touches (7 contested), 4½ marks, 4 inside fifties, 2 clearances & booted 20 goals in the 26 games he played for geelong in seasons 99/00.

24 yrs of age when he played his last game, I wonder what happened to him?

Simon 'Biscuits' Arnott played every game in 1999 but his form dropped + he was delisted in 2000. He works at his old school, Wesley College, where he runs the Sport department.

 

[Vdubs]

Farmer Goggin Wade Ablett Varcoe Chapman,with Goggin the only one club player.

Makes total sense now, if you check your original post, you'll see the confusion.

 

[Hello Kitty]

Yep Sharrock was one of my favourite Geelong player from that time and we had some beauties in the period 63 to 68,one of the smoothest movers on a footy field you would ever see he was one of that rare bread that seem to have plenty of time,he could play both ends of the ground but half forward flank being hit up by Goggin with bullet like stab passes are the greatest memories for me.Interestingly some of us were discussing the risk to players from other activities outside of footy in a thread last week and contrary to wikipedia I reckon the knee injury that finished John off was sustained playing tennis,but it's a while ago so I could be wrong on that.

Whenever I read about our fantastic array of past players + think of our present Kittens, I just wonder why some of them aren't brought in to help them get established. Burbury for example, showed such promise + it hurts to think he had a severe case of the yips, or some of the other Kittens, who simply need to stop playing rashly + learn to be like Sharrock - "he was one of that rare bread that seem to have plenty of time," - it comes with experience, but help like that would give our Kittens such a huge advantage! Then, again, can you learn that as a skill, or is it inherent?

BTW Vdubs - just loving this thread!!! Fantastic idea, like Bobby_ I relish our Club's history, remembering past players + learning about their lives. But my Geelong Cats history is a bit intermittent, like in my 20's my bf's play Union, so I didn't see as much AFL + travelling or studying, then working I missed patches. So this thread is terrific! Huge thanks Vdubs + to everyone who contributes!

 

[tkoajd12]

Bruce Lindner was another favourite. Does anyone remember this game on a damp saturday afternoon at the MCG?:

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1988/091219880409.html

I thought Bruce Lindner kicked 9 goals 9 behinds, but it was only 9 goals 6 behinds. He was unbelievable - virtually Gary Ablett Senior like! I ran out out space on the Football record - if he kicked straight he could have kicked 15 goals at least.

Yep I was there that day. I loved the Pres he just used to move so smoothly. Remember him just being in everything that day. I also
Remember trying to get into the rooms after the game. The old boy who does the bench now I think was on the door at the rooms. I couldn't get in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bobby_]

yeh Bruce was unreal!
At one point, he was just as dominant as Ablett and both were on either flank terrorizing defenses.

Again, what happened to him?
Did he get too old or something because he was one of our best players in the 89 grand final and then six games later, he was gone

 

[Hello Kitty]

It's that list of players that saw me become a Geelong supporter in the early 1960's (all my family were Richmond fanatics). I didn't enjoy 1967 or 1969 but I reckon I've got it all over them now!!

I'd say we should have easily won 3 premierships in the 1960's. We were robbed in 1962 and 1967 for sure. When you think of that player list - most them were superstars really and fantastic to watch. You could easily add Sam Newman to that list as well.

Bill Ryan was probably one of the best marks of all time (together with Peter Johnson), but an absolutely lousy kick!! I think Bill Ryan once took over 20 marks in the back pocket against Hawthorn and it completely nullified Peter Hudson. In fact Hudson hardly ever did much against us I believe.

These memories are probably bringing back just how much we probably did underachieve for some reason.

I remember when Geoff Ainsworth got stuck into the umpire when Hudson was awarded a free kick! + yes, we did underachieve in that era. + I have to admit it was Sam Newman who got me following the Cats

 

[Partridge]

yeh Bruce was unreal!
At one point, he was just as dominant as Ablett and both were on either flank terrorizing defenses.

Again, what happened to him?
Did he get too old or something because he was one of our best players in the 89 grand final and then six games later, he was gone

That's something I've wondered as well. I remember he played a good game against St.Kilda at Waverley, but that's it for 1990. Maybe he got injured again. It was like the club never got going in 1990 - Bairstow went back to WA, Bews did his knee against Richmond, and thanks to the reduced pre-season we started behind the rest and never caught up. Very frustrating year.

 

[Hello Kitty]

TV really sucked 30 years before I was born then. That match sucked just as bad cause of the scoreline.

We thought it was fantastic! We didn't know anything different, or better. Just think that in 30 years your grand kids will say, the Internet really sucked 30 years before I was born! It was a life line for my Dad + me, watching the VFL on TV then + I loved it when Polly Farmer played the handball comp on Sunday morning, I've forgotten what it was called, but Bobby Davis, Jack Dyer + Lou Richards. What was Bobby's nickname? My memory is really failing me!