Player interactions over the years

[Orlcarltonnose]

Played footy up in Mackay in the late 90's and had the pleasure of playing in the Forward Line with The Dominator for 1 game...he kicked 5 goals in 15 minutes...just read the ball in flight so well and could see what was going to happen before it did. Liked "socialising" after the game too...

Worked at Ninthmond at Punt Rd in Security for game days and Social Club functions and met a quite a few players through that. Paul Salmon was probably the nicest guy out of them all...He introduced himself to me and shook my hand...his hand was almost twice the size of mine...and I'm not a small bloke!

But the most memorable by far was the late, great Tom Hafey. What a gentleman. Would see him most game days on his way to the 'G and he would go out of his way to shake my hand and ask how my day was going. Remembered my name from day one.

Oh...and Doug Hawkins is a flog...

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

I've met quite a few through the cooking classes I used to run and various functions, and only 2 of them have been dicks. Laidler and Simmo...still love Simmo but.

 

[KohPhi]

I've met quite a few through the cooking classes I used to run and various functions, and only 2 of them have been dicks. Laidler and Simmo...still love Simmo but.

tell me it ain't so....
That's dissapointing that he was like that.

 

[Jabba73]

Garry Crane often came into my old work, was really polite and quiet and looked nothing like you would expect from a guy with his onfield reputation.

Was listening to Stan Alves on radio one day and he nominated Garry as the hardest/toughest player he had played against.

Triple premiership player and a genuinely nice guy.

 

[ferrisb]

I've met quite a few through the cooking classes I used to run and various functions, and only 2 of them have been dicks. Laidler and Simmo...still love Simmo but.

They weren't angry, it was just the onion fumes in their eyes...

 

[MrsEddieBetts]

They weren't angry, it was just the onion fumes in their eyes...

Simmo wasn't at a class, it was at the 150th function

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Cliff Stewart was my art teacher at high school...boy did he have a temper!

 

[KohPhi]

I played cricket against Doug Hawkins, Steve and Rod McPherson and Mark Harvey back in the late 80's. Harvey was nuts but seriously quick!

 

[BlueGum]

I had a dodgy toenail clipped by Ben Holland. Nice guy. I was asking what he missed about footy (he'd just retired), and it was fitting in gym and running around work. Said it was great to be paid to work on your fitness during your working hours

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

Garry Crane often came into my old work, was really polite and quiet and looked nothing like you would expect from a guy with his onfield reputation.

Was listening to Stan Alves on radio one day and he nominated Garry as the hardest/toughest player he had played against.

Triple premiership player and a genuinely nice guy.

He was slightly before my time but my old man reckons he was one of the best he has seen play at Carlton.

 

[ferrisb]

Simmo is Garry Crane 2.0.... The build, the courage and even the #6.

 

[TheCoach16]

Cliff Stewart was my art teacher at high school...boy did he have a temper!

So you were his student........

And he had a bad temper.....

Do you see where I'm going with this?

 

[Tony Lynn 15]

So you were his student........

And he had a bad temper.....

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Yeah in fairness to him we had a project once and in hindsight it was pretty simple. We had to find a stick and turn it into a wooden snake. I was ****ing useless and he had to carve it for me and all I had to do was lacquer it. No wonder he got frustrated with me!

 

[thylacine60]

Simmo is Garry Crane 2.0.... The build, the courage and even the #6.

was the bravest player walls ever played with.........

 

[I bleed Blue]

Haven't had the chance to meet or have a chat with too many. A few encounters I do remember-

I was maybe 18 or 19 and Matty Lappin had just retired. I saw him out on the town not long after. Went up to him, said I was a huge fan and thanks for all the great memories.... He gave me nothing. Just said something like "okay" then turned his back on me. I think he was with Gibbs at the time who had just been drafted.

Lance Witnall. Sat next to him on a ride at dream world. The lady had no idea who it was and asked him if he was too big/heavy for the ride limit. Had a chuckle to myself. Was nice enough for a photo when the ride finished.

Fev. Was playing poker at crown one night when Fev sat down on our table. Was a bit shy to talk to him at first, but I think we played on the same table for about 2 hours. * didn't know he had a gambling problem at the time *

Some of the best guys I have met out on the town though are -

Luke hodge. Everyone says he is a great bloke and he really is. Was taking with a few other of the hawks boys and he strolls over and intorduces himself as Luke... Haha mate I know who you are. Everyone does.

Luke Ball is a ripper. As is Nicky Dal Santo.

 

[Quazza]

chat with Kouta a bit. Both into sneakers and in a few on the same FB groups. Really nice guy

 

[Blues177]

At Princes Park after Pagan was appointed coach the club held a family day or fund raising event. Both long time retired players and players still playing at the time attended.

I saw Syd Jackson standing on his own as autograph hunters flocked players such as Kernahan and Fevola. I approached Syd and asked him to sign his autograph next to a photo of him in an excellent Carlton history book I had just purchased. Heavy book of over 700 pages.

Syd is a fantastic person. Very friendly with a sense of humour. He joked that he looked terrible in the photo.

Also the same day I got Bruce Doull's autograph and he replied 'thanks a lot' when I wished him all the best.

Memorable Carlton moments that I will treasure.

 

[ferrisb]

Beautiful Blues177.

I suspect they don't make them like they used to...

 

[blueboy25]

I was in the Subi oval social club a number of years back and big Earl Spalding was in there and let me by him a beer and had a brief chat. He is a massive man and seemed very friendly. I left him to be with his mates and before he left he made sure he bought me a beer.

I know big Digby Morrell as he is married to a girl I grew up with. He is a cracking bloke, typical country boy and was very well liked by the players and staff at Carlton.

On the Monday after the 1995 GF my old man and I, who were over from Perth thought we would head down to Princes Park and see if anything was happening. As we passed Naughtons on the tram we thought it looked a bit busy for a Monday afternoon, so we got off at the next stop and walked back. The players were there for mad monday and the majority of players were happy to have a chat and a photo. I do remember having a good chat to Brad Pearce and Matthew Richardson who was a house mate of Pearce at the time. I have the photos at home somewhere I should really dig them out.

He was mentioned earlier but from a non-carlton perspective Luke Hodge was fantastic to talk too and seemed like a really nice guy.

 

[SBYM]

From his Wiki page...

Houlihan regularly featured in calendars throughout his career, semi-naked, including the Men For All Seasons calendar in 2002, 2003 and 2004, as well as the Gods of Football calendar in 2009, voted one of the AFL's sexiest men, to help raise money for the McGrath Foundation, supporting breast cancer research and cancer awareness. He was also one of the featured footballers in Nova FM Radio Station's Naked footballers under the shower promotion in 2010.

Can confirm Hoops didn't/doesn't mind getting his kit off...

 

[thylacine60]

He was mentioned earlier but from a non-carlton perspective Luke Hodge was fantastic to talk too and seemed like a really nice guy.

That's a Hawk player for ya........

 

[TheKITC]

I regularly have a drink and go to games with Wayne Johnstone, I have his AFL life membership passes in my wallet. So have spent a bit of time with Sellars when he's around too.

Went along to the Legends lunch last year at Princes Park for the pre season game against * and spent almost the whole game with Sticks who insisted on 'buying' me beers all game, pretty sure they were on the house for him. Actually approached me because I was 'the biggest bloke in the room' and asked why I wasn't out there in the navy blue. Genuine bloke who gave the full inside word on things like the Fevola situation and told me about players like Lachie Henderson (soft mentally, always sore) and others. Jimmy Buckley was good value too, loved a beer and a yarn and told me 'it was good to just watch the footy and not be harrassed by footy nuffies in their 50's' haha. Watched the first quarter with Trevor Keogh who was extremely critical of Liam Jones, 'he'll just never get it' and is just a 'dumb footballer'.

Have had beers and darts with Fev and have a great photo of him hugging the shit out of me thanks to my girlfriend at the time.

Know a few from others clubs who i've grown up with, played basketball and footy with etc.

 

[RudyBlue]

That's a Hawk player for ya........

Ruthless competitor on the field, great person off it...?

Where do we get some of these?

 

[thylacine60]

All I know is all Hawks are great blokes.

 

[thylacine60]

Ruthless sniper on the field, great person off it...?

Where do we get some of these?