What's the most surprising thing you learned about a current or former player?

[Warwick]

Hard to top Will Minson having Mensa level intellect. Smart bloke.

Promising Brisbane defender Justin Clark, who retired due to concussion, is also exceptionally bright.

Has multiple degrees including Aerospace Engineering. He is currently at Oxford after being selected as a Rhodes Scholar last year.

 

[Pistol Night]

Promising Brisbane defender Justin Clark, who retired due to concussion, is also exceptionally bright.

Has multiple degrees including Aerospace Engineering. He is currently at Oxford after being selected as a Rhodes Scholar last year.

Jordan DeGoey recently got his pen licence

 

[PT Bar None]

Hard to top Will Minson having Mensa level intellect. Smart bloke.

Tangentially related, but I was surprised to learn that Rocket Eade carried on like a front bar drunk in the coaches box whilst his assistants tried to communicate changes to the bench over the racket

 

[the avoca drover]

Tangentially related, but I was surprised to learn that Rocket Eade carried on like a front bar drunk in the coaches box whilst his assistants tried to communicate changes to the bench over the racket

Rocket stated that Minson was the “dumbest, smart bloke” he ever met.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

I never pegged Chad Cornes either.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Thread confirms one thing, AFL footballers would have to be the most boring group of people to ever exist.

There’d have to be thousands of blokes who’ve played AFL footy, and there’s not one vaguely interesting thing about any of them.

 

[Pistol Night]

Thread confirms one thing, AFL footballers would have to be the most boring group of people to ever exist.

There’d have to be thousands of blokes who’ve played AFL footy, and there’s not one vaguely interesting thing about any of them.

You don't reckon Dave Glascott didn't raise a couple of eyebrows?

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Johnny Platten was given a new HSV by Carlton as part of a sign on bonus...but then signed with Hawthorn instead.

He kept the car though.

 

[madmug]

Have to say how impressed I was after the GF with Joel Selwood. I'd never heard him even speak before. Just reading people's poor opinion of him.

Yes he may have milked the odd free kick, but the way he showed his good human side at the end of his career was brilliant. I'm not sure what he may have been like in the community up until then.

I'm sure when retiring many players just think of themselves & their families. Joel Selwood opened himself up to everyone. Showed great & generous qualities. Many could learn from his example, even before they retire!!

 

[Pistol Night]

Have to say how impressed I was after the GF with Joel Selwood. I'd never heard him even speak before. Just reading people's poor opinion of him.

Yes he may have milked the odd free kick, but the way he showed his good human side at the end of his career was brilliant. I'm not sure what he may have been like in the community up until then.

I'm sure when retiring many players just think of themselves & their families. Joel Selwood opened himself up to everyone. Showed great & generous qualities. Many could learn from his example, even before they retire!!

Selwood's always been a ripping fella. People are like sheep with opinions though

 

[Mofra]

Darren Gaspar

Darren Gaspar

Age

48

Ht

192cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.4

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

5.1

4star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.0

4star

used to have such bad allergies that he'd take his own pillow with him for the interstate games.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

You don't reckon Dave Glascott didn't raise a couple of eyebrows?

Haha ok, we make an exception there

 

[iameviljez]

Peter Matera was a regular smoker throughout his career.

I’ve known that one for a good few years but considering his trademark explosive speed, it certainly is a quirky one.

He seemed to flame out (no pun intended) pretty early in his career IIRC, as in the first half of his twenties was a lot better than the second half.

 

[Falcon3518]

Had no idea Hardwick was part of both that 2000 bombers team and 2004 port team. I don’t think another player has gotten beaten by the lions 01-03 team then got revenge on them later in GFs.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Doc Hattori]

Mark Blicavs was a steeplechaser. Couldn't believe it.

Mark was actually a far better cross country runner but he grew way too tall and had to try the steeple and the 1500 to try & Make the 2012 olympics

 

[Altum Volantes]

He seemed to flame out (no pun intended) pretty early in his career IIRC, as in the first half of his twenties was a lot better than the second half.

Bit harsh there - he was an AA 5 Times (Ages 22, 23, 25, 27, 28) - so a pretty good stretch there. As good as he was in the early 90s, he probably played his best season in 1997, his last AA year.

More the case I think is that he moved to half back from 96 onwards - so didn’t rely as much on that explosive speed.

 

[Jetafl]

Warwick Capper still wears his playing shorts when he cuts the grass.

 

[HeathySure]

Tony Lockett

Tony Lockett

Age

59

Ht

191cm

Wt

108kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.2

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

1.8

2star

M

6.3

5star

T

0.5

3star

G

4.8

5star

No current season stats available

D

8.2

2star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.0

1star

G

1.4

5star

spewed up before almost every game he played due to nerves

 

[Jetafl]

Kane Cornes

Kane Cornes

Age

42

Ht

183cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.5

5star

K

12.5

5star

HB

11.0

5star

M

5.2

5star

T

3.3

5star

CL

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

13.0

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.2

3star

loves boiled lollies.

 

[Klem]

Chris Langford playing for Hawthorn but living in Sydney (at least near the end of his career) was an interesting one I thought

His supervisor rules the roost. Straight from the mouth of a family member. Cats and whips where involved.

 

[Spirit Level]

Often rocks the band tees.
View attachment 1543781
This is a ripper song by Aussie band Hellions.

I much prefer their earlier stuff

 

[Spirit Level]

The Amity Affliction started in a small country town not far from where I grew up. As a teenager I’d go watch them play for 50 people in the student centre of my local primary school. Good times.

I remember seeing them just after Youngbloods released at HQ skatepark in Perth, in a dingy small band room with about 80 people.

Those were the days

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Johnny Platten was given a new HSV by Carlton as part of a sign on bonus...but then signed with Hawthorn instead.

He kept the car though.

That's one super-sized brown paper bag.

Tony Lockett spewed up before almost every game he played due to nerves

So did Glenn Archer. Increased my admiration of him to know just how anxious he was before each footy game, and then still played in the fearless way that he did.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Still a bit dumbfounded that OP thought Gazza was Greek. With a surname of just 4 letters, that's an immediate red flag to the thought of him being Greek.

Unless it's an anglicisation or an anglicisation cum phoneticisation.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

That's one super-sized brown paper bag.


So did Glenn Archer. Increased my admiration of him to know just how anxious he was before each footy game, and then still played in the fearless way that he did.

Nathan Fyfe does likewise.