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Sam Butler retires

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I'd say that's a credit to his character that during such a tumultuous period at that club he was able to continue playing with his reputation untarnished. You are right though about him not being memorable, as a similar post was made on the hawk board but he has played in 3 grand finals and you don't get to do that if you don't have some ability and when not being injured are an automatic 22.

Fair points, but he was very lucky to get a gig in 2005 having not played for about 2 months. Braun and Rowan Jones injured in the prelim, Phil Matera injured in the QF opened up a couple of late spots. Wasn't the right guy to bring in (barely got any game time) but I think we were a bit light on for replacements. That's footy. Butler was playing good footy in 2006 though and was one of our few contributors in 2015 having become a defender by then. One of 16 players to play in 3 GFs for WC. Only one to play in 2005, 2006 and 2015, and only he and Banfield split their GFs across decades.

Looking back it's amazing 2005 and 2006 were so close given how much more settled we were in 2006. Butler 14 games for the year, Gardiner 12, Green 3, Gaspar 2 all played in the GF. Rowan Jones played 3, came in for the prelim then went out injured.
 
Rowan 'Lego man' Jones, premiership hero.

Sometimes you watch AFL players and forget that while they appear shit at certain aspects of the game, they are still miles better than you. In a 100m race with the whole West Coast squad plodders Mitchell and Priddis would probably lose to Yeo/Cripps by 10, 20, 30m but still beat me by miles. Slow for a professional athlete who runs every day is relative. And none of this running 15-20km over 2 hours either.

If I had a chance to kick a set shot from 25m for $1m or let RoJo take my place, I'd take the kick though.
 

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I'm surprised many people don't know him. Almost every time he gets a touch the commentators would mention him being the last of the 2006 premiership side. I've always enjoyed him doing his role with little fuss.
 
Would be interested in seeing a thread where posters predict their clubs next Sam Butler.

We're all so focused on our youth being legendary stars, forget that a lot will turn into good honest 150-odd gamers. Reliable but not stars, every successful club needs them.

For Carlton our next one will probably be a Tom Williamson type. Already a young reliable player but does he ever become a genuine star/name of the game, I don't think so.
 
Would be interested in seeing a thread where posters predict their clubs next Sam Butler.

We're all so focused on our youth being legendary stars, forget that a lot will turn into good honest 150-odd gamers. Reliable but not stars, every successful club needs them.

For Carlton our next one will probably be a Tom Williamson type. Already a young reliable player but does he ever become a genuine star/name of the game, I don't think so.

I think ours is birchell and maybe the future one will be Hardwick
 

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Birchall made an AA side and has a couple of top 3 B&F finishes. I think people know who he is.

I think you'd be surprised - it's not that he isn't important and that hawk supporters don't rate him, I think it's just that he's always sat behind Hodge, Mitchell, Franklin, Silk, Lewis, Gibbo etc. whenever hawk players are mentioned
 
I think you'd be surprised - it's not that he isn't important and that hawk supporters don't rate him, I think it's just that he's always sat behind Hodge, Mitchell, Franklin, Silk, Lewis, Gibbo etc. whenever hawk players are mentioned

Every good team has players like that, and he isn't as good as those players anyway.

If you asked non-WC fans who were the top 5 in the B&F in our 2006 flag year I doubt many would say Tyson Stenglein and Adam Selwood. It would just be Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox, Glass who are the first mentioned.
 
no, because the criteria is how long there has been a current premiership player at the club on the list - although there's no one left from 05 there now, they were still there in 2012, and there are still players from 2012 on the list - so it remains unbroken
Didn't Jarred McVeigh play in 2005?
 
Would be interested in seeing a thread where posters predict their clubs next Sam Butler.

We're all so focused on our youth being legendary stars, forget that a lot will turn into good honest 150-odd gamers. Reliable but not stars, every successful club needs them.

For Carlton our next one will probably be a Tom Williamson type. Already a young reliable player but does he ever become a genuine star/name of the game, I don't think so.
Alex Neal Bullen for Melbourne
 

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The last from our 2006 premiership players.

It's very sad. Thank you for all the memories and great service over a very difficult career. Your story of perseverance is one many should emulate.

All the best in retirement and THANK YOU.
 

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