unlucky swans

[CAS79]

The discussion around Stephen Doyle and his unfortunate injury curse that never allowed to get him going made me think about other swans who can also count themselves unlucky.

Where injury cost them a full career at the highest level.

Cleary Stephen Doyle is the most recent example, As Barry pointed out it wasn't just his knee's, but back and soft tissue problems, but these can be serious side effects for an athlete, particularly a tall one whose knees are not carrying them properly, they add strain to the hamstring/thigh/calf and lower back. Scott Gumbleton is perhaps finding himself with the same problems over at Essendon. Sadly Doyle never did the chance to deliver his best football at the Swans.

Jamie Lawsonm is a memorable example for those who remember the 90s. The mans was oh so so small but oh so so fast. could burn off most in the competition and had no fear. Would win the ball or receive it. Disposal wasn't the best always but he was always looking to break the game open when we had many passengers. Than that horrible day against the Tigers in 1994 he shattered his leg and post surgery complications meant he was not able to run it properly for the rest of his life his career was over at 22.

Terry Thripp: This is right at the edge of my memory but his name stands out from a TV commentator describing him as someone who could be a real contributor if he ever broke his injury curse. From memory... and questioning my old man he was a solid defender who was a decent kick of the ball who could his target to help them win it one out and could hold his own in a defensive marking contest and scuffle too. got a few brownlow votes in 1989, Bedford or Barry FU may be able to add more. Apparently He suffered a spate of soft tissue injuries, hamstrings never ever got right.

Who else belongs in this category.

 

[red19]

some injury prone players that come to mind are Brett Scott , Craig Potter ,heath james and ryan fitzgerald.

 

[bedford]

Fitzgerald would have been the one, could have been a superstar. Cass, Thrippy was very honest, but would never have been a star

 

[Wolfgang West]

some injury prone players that come to mind are Brett Scott , Craig Potter ,heath james and ryan fitzgerald.

If your talking unlucky Wade Chapman would have become a Swans great if his body had allowed.When Port picked him up he had the body of a 70 yr old.Had the courage of Paul Kelly and the footy smarts of Diesel Williams.Should of been a star.

 

[SM]

Fitzgerald would have been the one, could have been a superstar. Cass, Thrippy was very honest, but would never have been a star

I think because I knew him first from Big Brother, but I can never seriously contemplate Fitzgerald having been a player.

 

[vonn]

ditto stat

 

[barry fu]

The last time I saw TT play was in 91 and he looked the part especially in 89 and along with Mark Bayes I thought we have a couple of good ones here. I moved to Europe and missed his last couple of years, they show f^>k all AFL in portugal for some strange reason.
But from what I did see he liked a goal like Bayes but one of the main things I remember him for was that he was not tackle shy, had a dip.

Fitzgerald as mentioned kick 5 on debut and then had about 12 goals by the third round. Then the knee went and he went, of to Adelaide me old son.
He did look good in his brief cameo, Power forward straight after the Plugger. The timing was perfect, pitty his knee was not.

Gareth John was another, he really looked a top ruck prospect until Simon Madden did a Jackie Chan to his throat. Never the same player after that injury, infact he almost died from what I can remember. He and Kelly both arrived in 1990 and I thought to myself, look at this Fu you halfwit. These pair are going to be a better dynamic duo than that pair of cross dressers Batman and Robin over the next decade or so. At least Kells made it, John was never the same and ended up in that shamefull blue and white prison style strip.
He was a 200 gamer for sure, we - he really missed out there. Just $h!te luck on Gareths part.

While slightly off topic, the club as a whole was unluckly in not being able to persuade Rudi Mandemaker over from SA in 89. He was a noted goal kicker who played State of origin for SA a couple of times that the Hawks had traded to us. They must have held his registration as he played in the SNAFL at the time. I know the SNAFL at the time were trying to prevent the player drain to the AFL with some sort scheme. We offered him around $60,000 I think back then to sign up, but he must have just loved living in a town with one set of traffic lights I guess.

Peter Motley who played for Carlton was another we missed out on. I can't remember the exact details but it was agreed he would join us, he then ended up signing for Carlton. The rest they say is history.
Those ba$****$ did well out of us.
Bernie Evans and Rhys Jones, they can come under the Swans as a club being unluckly.
Then later on Diesel went to the maggots.
1990 we lost Gerard Healy in his prime, to a wrist injury.
1991 Gareth John had his throat injury. A major loss I am sure of it.
1991 Diesel Williams finnished up, we lost the best player in the comp to the biggest Maggots of the comp.
1993 Barry Mitchell abandoned his post to join the great unwashed.
In the space of three years we had lost three of the competitions best midfielders and two absolute topliners in Healy and Williams.
What a kick in the Bollocks.

 

[MF]

Scotty Direen looked to have a brilliant career ahead of him at one stage until he was cleaned up by Mark Merenda? Was never the same after that. I can't recall if it was actually injuries or just poor form that ended his career. In '95 he was absolutely carving it up across half back.

 

[CAS79]

The last time I saw TT play was in 91 and he looked the part especially in 89 and along with Mark Bayes I thought we have a couple of good ones here. I moved to Europe and missed his last couple of years, they show f^>k all AFL in portugal for some strange reason.
But from what I did see he liked a goal like Bayes but one of the main things I remember him for was that he was not tackle shy, had a dip.

Fitzgerald as mentioned kick 5 on debut and then had about 12 goals by the third round. Then the knee went and he went, of to Adelaide me old son.
He did look good in his brief cameo, Power forward straight after the Plugger. The timing was perfect, pitty his knee was not.

Gareth John was another, he really looked a top ruck prospect until Simon Madden did a Jackie Chan to his throat. Never the same player after that injury, infact he almost died from what I can remember. He and Kelly both arrived in 1990 and I thought to myself, look at this Fu you halfwit. These pair are going to be a better dynamic duo than that pair of cross dressers Batman and Robin over the next decade or so. At least Kells made it, John was never the same and ended up in that shamefull blue and white prison style strip.
He was a 200 gamer for sure, we - he really missed out there. Just $h!te luck on Gareths part.

While slightly off topic, the club as a whole was unluckly in not being able to persuade Rudi Mandemaker over from SA in 89. He was a noted goal kicker who played State of origin for SA a couple of times that the Hawks had traded to us. They must have held his registration as he played in the SNAFL at the time. I know the SNAFL at the time were trying to prevent the player drain to the AFL with some sort scheme. We offered him around $60,000 I think back then to sign up, but he must have just loved living in a town with one set of traffic lights I guess.

Peter Motley who played for Carlton was another we missed out on. I can't remember the exact details but it was agreed he would join us, he then ended up signing for Carlton. The rest they say is history.
Those ba$****$ did well out of us.
Bernie Evans and Rhys Jones, they can come under the Swans as a club being unluckly.
Then later on Diesel went to the maggots.
1990 we lost Gerard Healy in his prime, to a wrist injury.
1991 Gareth John had his throat injury. A major loss I am sure of it.
1991 Diesel Williams finnished up, we lost the best player in the comp to the biggest Maggots of the comp.
1993 Barry Mitchell abandoned his post to join the great unwashed.
In the space of three years we had lost three of the competitions best midfielders and two absolute topliners in Healy and Williams.
What a kick in the Bollocks.

Barry I could have sworn we were playing Essendon ad the dirty shit with his foot up was Peter Somerville.

But yes he nearly died and in fact to this day his voice is still suffering the effects of that incident.

I hadn't seen a ruckman at AFL level put his foot up like that since till the game at the MCG Against the Hawks this year when Simon Taylor did it against Jolly.

 

[CAS79]

But yes he nearly died and in fact to this day his voice is still suffering the effects of that incident.

I hadn't seen a ruckman at AFL level put his foot up like that since till the game at the MCG Against the Hawks this year when Simon Taylor did it against Jolly.

I take it back it appears my old man is trawling this thread and has sent me an sms telling me it was Simon Madden.

 

[barry fu]

Barry, Im very sure Gareth John injured his throat against Essendon and the dirty shit with his foot up was Peter Somerville.

But yes he nearly died and in fact to this day his voice is still suffering the effects of that incident.

I hadn't seen a ruckman at AFL level put his foot up like that since till the game at the MCG Against the Hawks this year when Simon Taylor did it against Jolly.

You could be right Cas but I thought it was Madden, but it was very bad.
The square was quite muddy and Gareth slipped which didn't help either.
I do remember thinking at the time what would have been the outcome if John had karated Madden instead.
? A first year on a club legend.
In any case, I am positive that John missed out on a fine career because of the incident.

 

[bedford]

Well why post Stat as you never saw him. Maddern was the one that got Gareth John.
Heath James was another one who could have been anything and Bloody Nick Davis if he had only stayed off the KFC !

 

[CAS79]

You could be right Cas but I thought it was Madden, but it was very bad.
The square was quite muddy and Gareth slipped which didn't help either.
I do remember thinking at the time what would have been the outcome if John had karated Madden instead.
? A first year on a club legend.
In any case, I am positive that John missed out on a fine career because of the incident.

No No you are right, i was not yet in high school when this happend and therefore my memory was hazy watching on the TV and should respect my elders. My old man going crook about dirty ruck work and the clear fact John was in real trouble.

Umpires where asked to ensure that stuff didn't happen for a long time after but Simon Taylor was doing it a few times this year, and he wouldn't have a clue what we were talking about so pray it doesn't happen again

 

[RUNVS]

Fitzgerald may be the worlds biggest bogan but from what i've heard he had the potential to be a superstar of the game. The sad thing is that if it wasn't for injuries he could still be playing the game (as he is 33 years old i think).

 

[J_Moore]

Fitzy's fantastic. Wish he had stuck around, both for his footballing skill, and for the fact I find him genuinely amusing. (nice guy, too, based on my limited accidental encounter with him).

 

[barry fu]

No worries, we have had a bad trot as a club with talls who have looked the type only for injuries to strike. Which in turn has been magnified in trading for dudes like Chambers.
Jolly and Ball worked out well that being said.
2005 .
Hopefully The Mummy can make his mark, he has a bit of grunt which I like in a ruckman
Seaby I am not so sure, hopefully the change in enviroment and proper game time will work for him like it did for Jolly. But what weapons does he have ? a nice personality. Perhaps he can quote some scriptures from the bible like Jules Winnfield in pulp Fiction. That would confuse Brogan at least.

 

[tombomb]

If your talking unlucky Wade Chapman would have become a Swans great if his body had allowed.When Port picked him up he had the body of a 70 yr old.Had the courage of Paul Kelly and the footy smarts of Diesel Williams.Should of been a star.

Couldnt agree more. His courage was probably what did him in the end ... he was insane.

 

[MF]

Couldnt agree more. His courage was probably what did him in the end ... he was insane.

Agreed. It's been discussed at length on here before but I don't know if I'd even call it courage (not to understate his efforts, of course). I've never seen a player completely disregard his own safety like that. It was like self-preservation just didn't factor into anything he did...ever. Insane is probably a good way to describe it. Chapman, despite only playing 50 odd games is one of those players I'll never forget.

 

[db swannie]

I thought Ricky Mott had the potential to be a decent ruckman, but never seemed to recover after missing that kick right in front against (I think?) the Bombers on the siren? I vaguely remember a shoulder injury, but I also heard he was delisted because he wouldn't give up the bungers?? Perhaps not unlucky then, just lazy?

p.s. What pick did we use for Fitzgerald? It was a top 3 pick if I recall?

 

[bedford]

Mott was living with BBBH and kept getting in to trouble, so did BBBH but it was kept very quiet by the club.

 

[Swans120]

p.s. What pick did we use for Fitzgerald? It was a top 3 pick if I recall?

Fitzgerald was pick 4 and Fosdike was pick 3 IIRC from the '98 draft. Then we got Jude later on in the top 10, about 8 i think it was. Was a pretty ordinary draft all in all, especially for tall guys. We could have got Hayes (a NSW boy) too.

 

[liz]

Don't believe Heath James has rated a mention yet in this thread. From the few senior games he was able to play early in his career, he definitely looked as if he had what it took to become a very decent AFL defender. Sadly his hamstrings didn't agree.

 

[Swans120]

As always, Liz comes in and hits a winner. Heath James is definitely the most unlucky Swan i have seen. Knee and hammy injuries derailed his career so badly for about 7 years, i honeslty can't believe he kept motivated for so long. He had ability and if he werent so damned unlucky he would have been a handy player for us down back.

Does he still have a runners role with us? I can remember seeing him in 2009 i think...

 

[Costanza_]

If your talking unlucky Wade Chapman would have become a Swans great if his body had allowed.When Port picked him up he had the body of a 70 yr old.Had the courage of Paul Kelly and the footy smarts of Diesel Williams.Should of been a star.

Another vote for Wade. He was my favourite player for a couple of years in the mid-to-late 90's. Body just couldn't stand up.

 

[db swannie]

Mott was living with BBBH and kept getting in to trouble, so did BBBH but it was kept very quiet by the club.

The beginnings of a good story Bedford. Please tell more...