The SANFL didn't compare to the VFL back in the day

[Eddie Dingle]

The standard of footy in Darwin has slipped a lot as you say.
Saints dominatd with many locals and Tiwi islanders in their sides.
Waratahs and every other club recruited big name Southerners that couldn't handle the heat and were made to look foolish.Michael Graham played for Saints and there was a bloke named ...Russell Ebert who also might have played a few games.Not 100% sure it was Saints though?

God played with Tahs.

 

[Dalphonso]

God played with Tahs.

I thought Today it might have been Darwin Buffaloes?
Mike Poulter played with Tahs.
Anyway hundreds have gone up over the years on a holiday and pulled on the boots enough times to qualify for finals,The Fev played 4 or 5 games for Tahs last year.
Nicky Winmar played for Palmerston a few years ago now also.
He never played SANFL so a few on here wouldn't know who he was

 

[Ebert80]

Robert Eddy, formerly of St Kilda, has left WWT. Couldn't handle the step up in competition from AFL to SANFL.

http://www.wwtfc.com.au/?p=23695

Has returned home to compare notes with Wayne Johnston, Wes Fellowes and Warren Ralph.

 

[Geoffa32]

"All credit bto Scott Hodges at SANFL level as a champ but he couldn't compare with Schultzy and his bag of 7 in the ones" - Link

And here's another one in a similar vein:

"Scott Hodges was a superstar in the SANFL when it was a stronger comp but couldn't cut the mustard against the big boys.(now wait for all the excuses)" - Link

You asked.

Was going to refrain from posting on this board, but had to say something here. FTR Scotty is one of my favourite footballer and the reason I followed the Crows in the first few years.


Had Graham Cornes been capable of being able to play both Hodges and Modra in the one team, I am sure many AFL coaches in that era would have salivated having both guys in their side, Hodges would be an AFL Superstar. IMO was as good as Modra, and both should have been able to compliment each other.


Even as a 14 year old I was gutted and yelling angrily at the TV for Cornes to put Hodges on the ground as Essendon kicked goal after goal in the 1993 Prelim


Don't blame Hodges for his output at AFL level not bettering his SANFL career, blame Cornesy, Wrinkles if you will.

 

[Boston tiger]

I saw Phil Carman getting interviewed on Fox and he said he was surprised to find the VFl no harder than Sanfl. But he was a bit of a freak.

 

[70sDinosaur]

I also thought that Cornes used Hodges poorly in the 1993 preliminary final and it may well have cost them the game.

I recall that Hodges kicked a goal early on and then wasn't paid a clear mark in the goal square for what should have been his second.

He was quiet after that but I think Cornes erred in not having him on the field when Essendon staged their comeback. Hodges would have needed to snag just one mark and goal to put the game out of Essendon's reach, a bit like Ablett did for Geelong in the same game 12 months later after having minimal impact all day.

I also remember sitting at the 1994 sanfl grand final and thinking how ironic it was as Hodges kicked 5 goals in the last quarter after being subdued up to that point and Port ran away with the game, while Cornes looked on as the newest member of the sacked coaches club.

 

[tribey]

Had Graham Cornes been capable of being able to play both Hodges and Modra in the one team, I am sure many AFL coaches in that era would have salivated having both guys in their side, Hodges would be an AFL Superstar. IMO was as good as Modra, and both should have been able to compliment each other.

Hodges was a more complete player than Modra. Stronger on the lead, more reliable set shot, much better defensively. Modra had freakish Daicos-like goalsense and of course, was one of the greatest aerialists of all time. Both were harder than a coffin nail.

What's forgotten amongst all the Scotty-bashing - the Crows' backflipping mascot being nicknamed 'Scotty' by the outer wing members, repeatedly named at FF in Crows' worst ever team discussions and some dickhead even came in here and compared him to Daniel Schell at one stage - is that prior to the emergence of Modra in 1993 he'd kicked a ridiculously respectable 78 goals in 26 games at an average of 3 per game.

When you consider the step up in class, the intermittent injury (1991 preseason was completely blown), having to jell with new teammates, the new coach, the new gameplan and the fact service completely dried up every other week when the Crows were routinely smashed in Victoria, it makes you wonder just how good he could've been if his career path had've been more favourable.

Even as a 14 year old I was gutted and yelling angrily at the TV for Cornes to put Hodges on the ground as Essendon kicked goal after goal in the 1993 Prelim

That's Graham Cornes for you.

More than prepared to sacrifice immortality and a 10+ year AFL coaching career to prove a point.

Forget the fact Hodges' role as third forward was wreaking havoc with Essendon's ability to man-mark Modra and Nigel Smart, nailing the great man to the bench meant the Crows onball division were down to ONE rotation (2-man bench back in those days) precisely when fresh legs were required to wrestle back the momentum, if not hold on for dear life.

Wasn't Jack Cahill's a-hole.

 

[Puddy]

I wonder if Graham stills thinks about this

 

[Ebert80]

Hopefully he spends just as much time thinking about 77, 81, 88 and 90.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I also remember sitting at the 1994 sanfl grand final and thinking how ironic it was as Hodges kicked 5 goals in the last quarter after being subdued up to that point and Port ran away with the game, while Cornes looked on as the newest member of the sacked coaches club.

I think the word you are looking for is 'hilarious'.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Hopefully he spends just as much time thinking about 77, 81, 88 and 90.

And his awesome comment about never losing another GF to Port Adelaide after the 1990 loss Gernelg had to have.

Except of course 1992. That was some funny s**t.

 

[Dalphonso]

Agreed. Remember that bloke Scott Hodges. So one dimensional. I mean, all he ever did was mark everything and kick bucket loads of goals!!!

In the SANFL mate.

 

[S.Patrol.G]

In the SANFL mate.

Righto. Whatever.

 

[Dalphonso]

Righto. Whatever.

Scott Hodges was a champion in the SANFL mate but he was unable to perform at his SANFL heights in the AFL.Pure and simple.
I think he kicked a bag of 7 or 8 for the Crows once but then along came Tony Modra who became first choice at full forward. They tried to play him at half forward and in the pocket but that just didn't work.I remember him going up for marks one handed a few times.Maybe he had shoulder problems or other injuries by that stage of his career? I for one was a Hodges fan and didn't think he got a fair run from Cornes. I was in the grandstand when he kicked that inswinger goal in the Prelim final to beat Norwood.Hero worship at it's best since Dennis Lillee in the centenary test.It was better than fantastic. Maybe he should have gone to another AFL club to prove himself until waiting for the Power to come in as then it was too late as I reckon his body had let him down by then. I am not sure if he actually pulled on a Power jumper did he?

 

[Dalphonso]

Scott Hodges was a champion in the SANFL mate but he was unable to perform at his SANFL heights in the AFL.Pure and simple.
I think he kicked a bag of 7 or 8 for the Crows once but then along came Tony Modra who became first choice at full forward. They tried to play him at half forward and in the pocket but that just didn't work.I remember him going up for marks one handed a few times.Maybe he had shoulder problems or other injuries by that stage of his career? I for one was a Hodges fan and didn't think he got a fair run from Cornes. I was in the grandstand when he kicked that inswinger goal in the Prelim final to beat Norwood.Hero worship at it's best since Dennis Lillee in the centenary test.It was better than fantastic. Maybe he should have gone to another AFL club to prove himself until waiting for the Power to come in as then it was too late as I reckon his body had let him down by then. I am not sure if he actually pulled on a Power jumper did he?

I just read on Wikipedia that he kicked 11 against Geelong in 92. A good write up about him actually.

 

[Power Raid]

I just read on Wikipedia that he kicked 11 against Geelong in 92. A good write up about him actually.

hodges was nothing on tim evans and tim couldn't cut the mustard at geelong.

I think that says enough.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

hodges was nothing on tim evans and tim couldn't cut the mustard at geelong.

I think that says enough.

Tim Evans debuted as a 17yo with Geelong and played 59 games in 4 years, leaving the club at 20yo having been transferred to SA in his employment.

He came to Port with a reputation as a CHB, Jack Cahill turned him into a FF where he went on to kick a mountain of goals continually refusing offers to go back to the VFL as he enjoyed his time at Port and SA's lifestyle. He was quoted once as saying a dollar in SA is worth the same as a dollar in Victoria.

To say he couldn't cut the mustard at Geelong just isn't right.

 

[Dalphonso]

Tim Evans debuted as a 17yo with Geelong and played 59 games in 4 years, leaving the club at 20yo having been transferred to SA in his employment.

He came to Port with a reputation as a CHB, Jack Cahill turned him into a FF where he went on to kick a mountain of goals continually refusing offers to go back to the VFL as he enjoyed his time at Port and SA's lifestyle. He was quoted once as saying a dollar in SA is worth the same as a dollar in Victoria.

To say he couldn't cut the mustard at Geelong just isn't right.

I dare say we won't get into that SANFL was only the B grade discussion again? All I can say is "Ten goal Timmmmyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!"
He wads actually working at the club 15 years or so ago and we were drunk calling out"10 goal Timmy"".
He was far from impressed with our humour at the time.

 

[Killer Power]

Scott Hodges was a champion in the SANFL mate but he was unable to perform at his SANFL heights in the AFL.Pure and simple.
I think he kicked a bag of 7 or 8 for the Crows once but then along came Tony Modra who became first choice at full forward. They tried to play him at half forward and in the pocket but that just didn't work.I remember him going up for marks one handed a few times.Maybe he had shoulder problems or other injuries by that stage of his career? I for one was a Hodges fan and didn't think he got a fair run from Cornes. I was in the grandstand when he kicked that inswinger goal in the Prelim final to beat Norwood.Hero worship at it's best since Dennis Lillee in the centenary test.It was better than fantastic. Maybe he should have gone to another AFL club to prove himself until waiting for the Power to come in as then it was too late as I reckon his body had let him down by then. I am not sure if he actually pulled on a Power jumper did he?

Oh dear, you are serious *shakes head*

 

[Dalphonso]

Oh dear, you are serious *shakes head*

No one outside of Port remembers much about Hodges in the AFL but everyone knows about Modra.

 

[bomberclifford]

No one outside of Port remembers much about Hodges in the AFL but everyone knows about Modra.

Are you using the "Hodges was s**t because Modra was good" argument?

 

[Dalphonso]

Are you using the "Hodges was s**t because Modra was good" argument?

No I never said Hodges was s**t.If you happen to read my earlier comment about Hodges?I said I was a fan but believe Cornes never gave him a go as much as he should have.
But at the end of the day you can't have 2 full forwards and Modra turned out to be better at that position in the Crows side.
Hodges could really only play that position in my opinion but he was monstered too by some of the quality full backs that the SANFL lacked.

 

[Dalphonso]

Tim Evans debuted as a 17yo with Geelong and played 59 games in 4 years, leaving the club at 20yo having been transferred to SA in his employment.

He came to Port with a reputation as a CHB, Jack Cahill turned him into a FF where he went on to kick a mountain of goals continually refusing offers to go back to the VFL as he enjoyed his time at Port and SA's lifestyle. He was quoted once as saying a dollar in SA is worth the same as a dollar in Victoria.

To say he couldn't cut the mustard at Geelong just isn't right.

Not taking anything away from Hodges but I reckon back in Timmy's day the SANFL was a little stronger due to the fact that SA clubs weren't being plundered of players by Vic clubs back then as much as the late 80's and then when the 90's came along they were decimated severely weakening the leagues standard.

 

[Steve Dore]

..... Trotting out rubbish about Ebert is A bit like you continually bleating on what a great bloke and champion footballer David Granger was when he was merely a thug who belted blokes behind play. ........

Did you ever see Granger play?

 

[Macca19]

In the SANFL mate.

Think youll find his goals/game average of 2.63 is better than any other Crow player except Modra and better than any Port AFL player.