One Hit Wonders – Collingwood Forever

One Hit Wonders: Mark Orval

Michael Roberts — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 23:05:48 +0000

By Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun Collingwood endured a difficult 1987 season, but the exciting core of young players coach Leigh Matthews had placed his faith in looked set to provide big dividends. As the club’s ruck coach Peter Keenan said in a newspaper column that year: “Some of the old-time Collingwood faithful are saying this is the best crop of Magpie kids they’ve seen … Maybe Collingwood has learnt the lesson. A cheque book doesn’t make a great club.” One of those exciting prospects was a powerfully-built teenager from Hamilton, who was among the first intake of Coventry House residents along with fellow youngsters Gavin Crosisca, Mick McGuane, Greg Faull and Brett Gloury. He stood at 188cm, appeared to have the necessary talent, both forward and back, and seemed destined to have a long and fruitful career ahead of him. His name was Mark Orval, and in only his sixth league match, he gave a significant hint of what was meant to come afterwards. He had been brought back from a one-week suspension for striking young Demon Jim Stynes for the Round 22 game against Essendon. Such was the regard he was held in, Matthews chose him in preference to the previous year’s Coleman Medal winner Brian Taylor, who was sent back to the reserves. In a classic encounter in the final game of 1987, Orval was one of three players to kick four goals for the Magpies (along with Peter Daicos and Craig Starcevich) out of the team’s tally of 23 goals. It was a thrilling finish, with the Magpies storming home to win by five points. The 19-year-old had 10 touches, five marks and kicked 4.2 – and he seemed to be ready to take on a key position mantle for years to come. Matthews couldn’t have been more impressed with Orval’s performance, highlighting the spread of forward goals. “To kick 23 goals with several players contributing was pleasing,” the coach said. “It’s got nothing to do with Taylor out; we would prefer to have our goalkickers spread out as would any club.” But a cruel twist was to follow. A series of stress fractures in Orval’s left foot – the dreaded navicular – cut short his league career. Sadly, he would play only one more senior match – for a total of seven – as he fought a constant battle against the injury. He had first developed soreness in his foot as far back as the middle of 1986 – his second year at the club – when he was playing under 19s and reserves, but hadn’t thought too much about it. He would say later: “I thought it was ligaments. Not long after that I couldn’t bloody walk.” Told to rest, he returned in the 1987 preseason and won a jumper change after an impressive effort in a practice match. He had worn No.54 in the reserves, but after a scuffle in the practice, when he stood up for his teammates, he was thrown the No.10 jumper. Orval would recall: “There was a bit of a blue going on so I was throwing my weight around. When I came off, the property steward thought I was all right, handed me No. 10 and told me I could keep it!” By Round 16, 1987, he was chosen for his debut game against Hawthorn. The Hawks won by 125 points, but Orval still managed nine disposals and kicked two behinds. He kept his place in the senior side for the next five weeks, before the Stynes ban gave him an enforced week off. His breakthrough game against Essendon came in that last round, but it didn’t come without some pain. In an interview four years after the match, he explained how his foot was causing discomfort: “In the last game of the year, it gave way; only then was it diagnosed as a stress fracture.” That began a series of operations that seemed to go on for years. First, he had a pin inserted in his foot, and the surgeries gradually became more intrusive. None of them seemed to make a difference. Each time he tried to come back, he had soreness. In late 1988, he managed to get through two reserves games and the club thought so much of him that he was recalled for the final match of the VFL season – a year to the round from his four-goal haul. It came against Geelong, but his afternoon was short-lived. He had only two disposals – and kicked a goal – before his foot “opened up again”, leading to more and more surgeries. Only one reserves game followed in 1989, yet the club stuck with him, mindful that he could still prove a key player in the future if it could somehow fix his foot issues. In a story in the Sun in 1989, he insisted he would fight on. “If I gave it away now, I’d be forgotten in a month, whereas Collingwood will go on forever,” Orval said. “Daics told me: ‘Don’t give in, keep going’ and I intend to. Daics has been through it too (a run of injuries), though not quite as serious as I’ve had.” Orval travelled to various medical experts around the country seeking advice, with countless surgeries to try and strengthen the navicular joint. “The specialist says the fracture has healed and right now, it feels like I could run a marathon,” he said in 1989. “But it only gets sore again if I train on it three or four times a week.” The frustration was two-fold. He was one of the more popular members of the playing group. He was also part of Matthews’ plan going forward – and there is little doubt he would have at least been right in the mix to be a part of Collingwood’s drought-breaking first premiership in 32 years in 1990. Instead, he was on the sidelines still. By the middle of 1991, one newspaper said his left foot looked as if it had been put “repeatedly through a butcher’s mincer”. He had had as many surgeries as senior games played. He conceded at the time: “I don’t think many blokes have gone through this much … (but) the club’s been terrific and my teammates have been great.” “They’re always right behind me, but it gets to the stage where, mentally, it drains the shit out of you. I’ve trained so much it feels like I’ve played 1000 games. “It keeps getting to the stage where I’m ready to pull the boots on and it happens again.” The one question he wanted answered, he couldn’t get. “I just want to know how good I can be”. He added: “Maybe if I had played the full year in 1988, I could have turned out to be no good and the club could have flicked me. I just don’t know … but I want to.” Nobody who saw him play that day against Essendon thought he was “no good. His foot, more than his talent, had been the problem. He was delisted at the end of 1991, when he was not yet 24. But, fortunately, he wasn’t lost to the club. Orval would go on to serve on the past players’ executive for a time, and remains a popular former Magpie. He would even offer Essendon champion James Hird some advice when he went through his own navicular issues, which almost derailed his career. Better still, the fame that eluded him at Collingwood came in a very different guise. He would emerge with internet fame in recent years with the Angry Dad posts his sons Dylan and Mitchell turned into an online sensation. The pranks turned out to be exceptionally popular, and one of their Facebooks pages had more than 200,000 likes. Dylan also spent time at Collingwood as part of the VFL list in 2014, and would later be rookie-listed by Adelaide. If anyone deserved that change in fortune, it was Mark Orval. If fate had been kinder to him, he wouldn’t be a one-hit wonder; he could have been one of the club’s genuine stars. But, given what happened, at least we saw what he was capable of in that final round game against Essendon back in 1987.

One Hit Wonders: Tom Baxter & Charlie Tyson

Michael Roberts — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 23:02:40 +0000

The main focus of our One Hit Wonder series has been on those players whose star shone brightly but briefly – and for whom one game, one magnificent performance, came to define their careers. But games that define careers aren’t always positive. And two Magpies, more than a decade apart, found themselves remembered less for their otherwise fine footballing CVs and more for the rumours surrounding their final performances with Collingwood – performances that led to rampant speculation that both had taken bribes to play ‘dead’ in a Grand Final. The first was Tom Baxter, a brilliant but controversial rover who hailed from Maldon and became a famous figure around Bendigo football. In 1905 he helped drag two of his brothers and another man to safety from fumes in the Mount Tarrangower mine. Three years later he was making local headlines for different reasons, after furious Long Gully supporters accused him of playing ‘dead’ in that team’s Grand Final loss to Eaglehawk. Following some damning testimony from his teammates, Baxter was subsequently suspended for life – a suspension that was later reversed on appeal.

Tom Baxter

By this time he’d already become a Collingwood player, having made his debut in 1907 and quickly establishing a reputation as a skilful, quick, feisty rover (in those days players in the Bendigo league would often play with VFL clubs at weekends and with their local clubs mid-week). By the time 1911 rolled around, he was an established and important player at Victoria Park. In that year’s Grand Final against Essendon, Baxter had a shocker of a last quarter. With the game tense and close, he twice kicked into the man on the mark. He then missed several easy shots on goal. He did manage to steer one through, but it wasn’t enough and the Pies went down by a goal. The sub-headline for the match report in the Argus on Monday was, ‘Baxter’s Mistakes’. In the wake of the narrow defeat, Baxter was accused of having played dead in the game. He was so incensed by the rumours that he asked the Collingwood committee to investigate. They did, and cleared him, but the rumours persisted. They grew even louder when he was cleared to St Kilda the next year, though Baxter always maintained that was his decision after learning of an alleged secret meeting of players to decide if they wanted to play with him. The end result was a widely-held and oft-repeated view that Tom Baxter had taken a bribe in the 1911 Grand Final. It was something he never lived down. Fifteen years later, a similar situation repeated itself – this time with the Collingwood captain. The 1926 Grand Final had not been pleasant viewing for Magpie fans. They had confidently expected a Collingwood win, only to be thumped by Melbourne. Skipper Charlie Tyson was one of many who had a stinker that day, and there were a few rumblings of disaffection afterwards. But those rumblings became a roar when Tyson was dumped both as a player and captain on the eve of the 1927 season. The rumour mill went into overdrive, especially after Tyson was reported to have been seen driving around in a new car. Surely the Collingwood committee would only have taken such extreme action in the most extreme circumstances? As with Baxter, the story that Tyson had played dead in the 1926 decider quickly took hold. So much so, in fact, that Tyson felt compelled to write to newspapers during the 1927 season, defending himself and demanding that the rumours end. They never did. Despite more than 100 high quality games as a follower/defender, and a further 38 with North Melbourne, his career was always blighted by the question mark surrounding his performance on the big day in 1926. Many years later, Richard Stremski, in Kill For Collingwood, was the first to seriously look beyond the urban legend, and he concluded in Tyson’s favour. But it was much too late by then to do Charlie Tyson any good. About the only good thing that came out of the whole episode was the appointment of Syd Coventry to take over from Tyson just days before the 1927 season. Four Premierships in four years followed, and the legend of the Machine was born with it. But for both Tom Baxter and Charlie Tyson, there would be only bitterness and disappointment. Both were fine players, but both were remembered for sub-standard one-off performances on footy’s biggest day.

One Hit Wonders: Jim McAllester

Michael Roberts — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 05:39:29 +0000

By Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun Jim McAllester was considered a football journeyman when he had his “moment in the sun” for Collingwood midway through the 1984 season. He had already played for two other VFL clubs – two games with Essendon in 1980 (without gaining a disposal in either as he spent most of the time on the bench) and 24 games across two seasons for Footscray in 1981-82. He then had a season with East Ballarat in 1983, attracting the interest of the Magpies after being a part of the Ballarat Football League side that had swept the field to win the country championships. Still, there were few expectations when Collingwood gave the rising 25-year-old a third chance in 1984 to rekindle a league career that had barely got warm beforehand. A utility in the true definition of the word, the 190cm McAllester could play in a variety positions in attack and defence, and was even known to occasionally fill in as an undersized but competitive ruckman. He performed well in the preseason matches, leading coach John Cahill to select him for the club’s round one 1984 clash with Melbourne at Victoria Park. The other new Magpies alongside him that day were Bruce Abernethy from North Melbourne, much-talked about Queensland sharpshooter Dale Woodhall and 18-year-old Mark Beers, son of premiership Magpie Brian Beers. Wearing the No. 46 jumper and sporting a beard he would become known for, McAllester had two kicks for two goals that afternoon. He played seven of the club’s first eight games in 1984, kicking goals in all but two of them, including 3.4 from 14 disposals against North Melbourne in round six. But McAllester lost his place in the team, and wasn’t recalled to the senior side until the round 14 clash with Sydney at the SCG. It would prove a momentous game for him, and a controversial one for the Swans. Incredibly, on the eve of that game, Swans’ coach Ricky Quade had been rushed to hospital after collapsing, and Barry Round was believed to have been forced into retirement. Quade would never coach again, while Round would make his return to the team. It was later revealed a personal rift between the two had been the cause of the issue, leaving the club’s chairman of selectors Tony Franklin to take charge of the team that day against Collingwood before a more permanent replacement (Bob Hammond) could be found. There would be Magpie connections – past and future – in the Swans’ line-up that day. One of Collingwood’s favourite sons, Bill Picken, wearing the No. 14 jumper, played his 10th game for Sydney, having earlier played 217 for the Magpies. No one knew it then, but he would return to Victoria Park before his career was over. Paul Hawke, one of the Swans’ best players that afternoon, would one day become a Magpie, as would Greg Smith– dubbed ‘the Bionic Man’ for his capacity to play hurt. It was Peter Daicos’ 100th game of football, so there was plenty of incentive for Collingwood, not to mention the fact that the Magpies hadn’t beaten the Swans at the SCG leading into the game. McAllester, originally recruited from Moonee Imperials to Essendon’s under 19s in 1977, had only kicked 13 goals from his 33 VFL games to that point of his career. But on a day when he became somewhat of a cult figure – however briefly – for Magpie fans watching the game on television, he produced a remarkable effort in attack to help win the game for the Magpies. In the first term the Swans, held a narrow lead. But after Picken suffered a hamstring injury in the second term, it put more of a strain on the Sydney backline, and that allowed the Magpie forwards, including McAllester, to impose themselves on the game. Almost as soon as Picken went off, McAllester kicked a goal to put the Magpies in front for the first time and they jealously guarded the lead for the remainder of the match. By the 19-minute-mark of the second term, the Magpies had shot out to a three-goal lead after another goal to McAllester, who was having a day out. Relatively strong overhead and a reasonably accurate kick, he ended up kicking a match-winning 7.1 from his 12 disposals as the Magpies went onto win by 31 points. It wasn’t enough to win a Brownlow vote, but he was listed high up on Collingwood’s best players list. The Agelauded his “superior work” in attack while another newspaper said he was “the most outstanding Magpie”. The game, however, wouldn’t prove the career turning point that some might have expected. Incredibly, McAllester would play only two more games for Collingwood following his seven-goal feast against Sydney. He kicked two goals the following week against Carlton at Waverley – one from a fine mark that is still featured on YouTube. Then in his 10th and final game for the Magpies – his 36 VFL game overall – he had only two touches against Melbourne in the round 20 game. McAllester missed the finals that season, and couldn’t crack it for a senior game in 1985, playing in the reserves. He tried to return to the club which had given him his first shot at VFL football – Essendon – in 1986, but Collingwood put a $20,000 transfer fee on his head, which the Bombers rejected. “We certainly won’t be paying any transfer fee,” Essendon general manager Barry Capuano said. “It’s in Collingwood’s corner now.’ McAllester was delisted early in the 1986 season along with three other players – Graeme Allan (who would become football manager), Glenn McLean and Allen Eade – as the near-bankrupt Collingwood desperately sought to slash costs to stay afloat. Another person with the same surname, albeit spelt differently, Allan McAlister would become president of the club at the same time as Jim McAllester was departing. McAllester stuck with the Black and White jumper, playing for Brunswick in 1986 and 1987. It wouldn’t be until 1989 that McAllester finally won an undisclosed private settlement with Collingwood for a breach of contract in 1986 after an out-of-court settlement. That wasn’t the end the popular McAllester deserved after having worked so hard to make a fist of his league career at his third attempt, culminating on the day he upstaged Warwick Capper and the Sydney Swans with seven goals in 1984.

One Hit Wonders: Brad Dick

Michael Roberts — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 05:36:52 +0000

By Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun If it hadn’t been for two knee reconstructions and two shoulder surgeries, Brad Dick’s time at Collingwood might have been more significant than the series of cameos he provided across 27 games and 32 goals. He might even have pushed to be a part of a premiership side. Instead, each time the lightly-framed small forward and part-time midfielder showed great promise in a handful of his matches, including on a few big-occasion moments, injuries seemed to follow. Each time he looked to secure his position within the side, ill-fortune seemed to follow. Dick fits perfectly into this one-hit wonder series, for his signature performance came when he kicked five goals on the Queen’s Birthday stage against Melbourne in 2009. But there were a few other moments that stood out, including the following year’s corresponding match against the Demons, and in the 2009 semi-final win over Adelaide. There were times, when injuries continued to derail his momentum, he felt as if he might have to give the game away. Each time he worked to come back. “Plenty of times I thought I’d chuck it in, but I always thought I needed to have a good crack at it,” Dick said about his injury issues. “I also wanted to play AFL football.” Dick’s father, Kim, came from Goomalling, a small town just over 130km north-east of Perth (the town’s name is inked on the inside of his right arm). But Brad was raised and learnt his early football skills in Geraldton, more 400km to the north of the state’s capital. He had a strong football pedigree. His uncle, Willie Dick, played seven games for Essendon in 1992 in a brief AFL career cut short by homesickness which saw him return to Perth, the city and the WAFL club. Brad was small and scrawny as a young footballer, which saw him teased by some of those he played with and against. But when he left Champion Valley Football Club, in Geraldton, for East Fremantle, he was intent on making an impression. He managed that in a short time, and attracted the interest of Collingwood, who claimed him as pick 44 in the 2006 national draft. It was the same draft which delivered future Magpie premiership players Ben Reid (pick No. 8), Nathan Brown (No. 10), Chris Dawes (No. 28) and Tyson Goldsack (No. 63). Weighing 66kg at the time, Dick grew up as a Magpies supporter and watched the draft unfold on the internet, believing he was headed either to Fremantle or Collingwood. “When Collingwood called up my name I was absolutely rapt,” he told the Herald Sun. “Collingwood rang me but the Dockers rang me, too, the day before, and said they might pick me up. But (Collingwood recruiting manager) Derek Hine called and said if I wasn’t taken by the time they came up, they’d take me. “I thought I sort of wanted to stay home so Freo might be okay, but then I dreamed of playing for Collingwood. Nathan Buckley was my hero.” Dick made his AFL debut as an 18-year-old against Richmond in round three, 2007 before more than 70,000 fans, alongside another indigenous player Shannon Cox. It was also Alan Toovey’s first match, and ‘Toovs’ kicked three goals in the game, while Dick managed two majors in the 25-point win. It was the first of six games he played in his debut season, but nothing seemed to go right for him the following season. In 2008 he suffered a season-ending left knee injury, which naturally enough brought on a wave of homesickness which almost sent him home, accentuated by the death of one of his cousins. He told The Age: “When I did my knee … I’d had enough … (I) got a bit depressed and thought, ‘I don’t even want to be here’ because I wasn’t playing football. When my first cousin passed away it was the lowest point.” “I was really down at that time anyway, being away from home and not playing football, so when that happened I went back home for the funeral and I didn’t even want to come back, to tell you the truth.” His parents, Kim and Rosalind, and older sisters, Melissa and Cherie, supported him in the only way they knew how – they moved across the Nullarbor Plain to Melbourne. It worked, for Dick produced his best AFL season in 2009 on his return from the knee injury, playing 16 games with his benchmark performance coming on Queen’s Birthday. On the same day Demon No. 1 draft pick Jack Watts played his first game, and was targeted by a number of senior Magpies, Dick’s performance had some wondering if they had witnessed the birth of a new star – in only his 11^thgame. He had 16 disposals, kicked five goals and two behinds, earned the weekly Rising Star nomination, and even won a lesson on post-goal celebrations from Leon Davis. “It was just one of the best feelings (kicking goals),” he said after the game. “I was thinking ‘I feel like I belong here’. Leon said, ‘Copy me – just raise a finger. But I said: ‘You’re No. 1, that’s you.” His captain Nick Maxwell was another who encouraged him to get pumped up after kicking his goals – “Maxi always comes up and says, ‘Do it – just do it’. When I get excited, they get excited.” Dick encountered a few shoulder problems during the 2009 season, though he kept playing on through to the finals. In a semi-final clash with Adelaide, the Crows led by more than five goals just before half-time. But the young Magpies turned in a stunning second half, with Dick kicking two goals in a game-defining third quarter. His coach Mick Malthouse said of Dick: “He has matured terrifically and for a young kid who doesn’t say a lot off the ground, he says a massive amount on the ground in terms of structure. He is a delight to coach and he understands the game structure beautifully and he’s prepared to work it.” The Magpies ended up winning the match against the Crows, though Dick was held goal-less the week after as Collingwood lost to Geelong in a preliminary final. Dick suffered another serious shoulder injury early the following season, but managed to get back – as a late withdrawal for Alan Didak – for the 2010 Queen’s Birthday clash. Just as he had the previous year, he hit the scoreboard, kicking four goals in a dramatic draw with Melbourne. Frustratingly, his shoulder gave away the following week against Sydney, which ultimately required surgery which kept him out for the rest of the season. It was a costly injury. He had to sit back and watch the rest of the year as Collingwood went onto win the 2010 premiership. It was a shattering experience, and he couldn’t quite bring himself to attend the match, having asked Malthouse if it was OK if he could watch the game in television with his family. “It was really good for all my mates and I was happy for the boys and the club, but inside I was pretty sad,” he said. “Now I just want to do whatever I can and give all I’ve got to get back into this team.” Dick managed to play three AFL games in 2011, with his last one coming against Geelong in round eight. Bad luck intervened again. He suffered a second serious knee injury – this time to his right one – in a VFL game against Casey, another shattering blow as the Magpies went on to play more finals, including the losing Grand Final against the Cats. He was delisted by Collingwood, but offered the chance to train with the club over the preseason in the hope of winning a spot on the rookie list. But frustrated by his run of misfortune, and eager to seek a change of fortune, Dick opted to return to Western Australia in an effort to reignite his AFL career. He trained with Fremantle, though he was overlooked by the Dockers. Enter Malthouse. With West Coast considering taking him, the club rang Malthouse in an effort to find out more about Dick’s capacity for hard work. The call convinced the Eagles he was worth a shot, and he was picked up as a rookie and was later added to the primary list. But sadly he couldn’t crack it for a senior AFL game in his two seasons at the club. Dick played for East Fremantle in the WAFL – once kicking eight goals against West Perth. Despite on-going knee issues, he would go on to kick 47 goals in 2014 with Rumbalara in the Murray Football League; spent time with Southern Districts in the Northern Territory; once signed to play with his good mate and former Collingwood teammate Jaxson Barham at Lorne; and has played football recently in Kalgoorlie. But, for Collingwood fans, he will always be remembered for his two Queen’s Birthday games (he got a Brownlow vote in one of them), and his 2009 semi-final efforts, more so than the injuries that hindered his career.

One Hit Wonders: Jim Bradford

Michael Roberts — Thu, 10 Aug 2017 05:33:36 +0000

By Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun Jim Bradford cut an interesting figure as he ran out for his first game for Collingwood in the Round 8 game against Melbourne in 1943. He had only turned 17 a few months earlier and was still growing, but must have looked little more than a kid that day to the 5000-strong crowd at Victoria Park. The Magpies were calling on whoever they could at the time given the dearth of players owing to enlistments in the Second World War, but there was a bit of buzz around this young hopeful from Abbotsford. He was known as ‘Nipper’ from the outset. It wasn’t hard to see why. He was diminutive and light-framed and stood out from the moment he stepped onto the ground for his debut. Over the years there have been many and varied reports as to how tall Bradford was. One source listed his size after his debut game as 152cm (less than five foot), though he is registered in official league records as being 155cm (just under five foot one inch), which still sees Bradford as the shortest player to have played a senior game in VFL-AFL history. So let’s work with the 155cm figure, and put a context to it. In today’s terms, it would have made him 13cm shorter than pint-sized Western Bulldogs premiership player Caleb Daniel. Even starker is the comparison that could be made between him and current Magpie, 211cm big man Mason Cox. Bradford would have been 56cm (almost two ruler lengths) shorter than the American import. The height issue alone made Bradford stand out in his Collingwood debut game. But his impact was much more than as just a curiosity, as judged by the fact he is our one-hit wonder series. Only 23 goals were collectively kicked by the teams that day – with Melbourne winning by a goal – and Bradford kicked four of them on debut (more than anyone else on the ground). He showed an uncanny goal sense, genuine pace and enough potential that would have cheered up Jock McHale over his post-game beer that night. Bradford was listed in the best players, even though he wouldn’t have looked out of place in schoolboy football, let alone the rough and tumble of the VFL. One news report from the game, reprinted in an Adelaide newspaper, explained: “A player named Bradford played his first game with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League last Saturday. Bradford weighs only 7st 7lbs (48kg). His height is 4ft 11 in. In addition to kicking four goals, his accurate passing was a strong feature of his play.” It is not known if that report is accurate. But officially Bradford is listed as the second lightest player to ever take to the field, at 53kg, behind Essendon’s George Shorten (51kg) from the 1920s. “Nipper’ Bradford did not kick a goal the following week against Fitzroy, but slotted through two more against South Melbourne in his third game. In that game, there were a few extraordinary scenes when South Melbourne star ‘Gentleman’ Jim Cleary opted not to “clean up” the young Magpie up when he had the chance. The Argus detailed: “On two occasions he (Cleary) could have annihilated Collingwood ‘boy’ footballer Jim Bradford, but pulled aside in order that he would not risk injuring the youngster.” Bradford was dropped for the next game, and sent back to the reserves once more. He was back again for the Round 13 game against North Melbourne, which resulted in his first win in black and white senior colours. He kicked three goals against the Kangaroos, the first three successive games kicking that same tally, showing how productive he could be in attack, despite his size. His seventh and last senior game for Collingwood came in Round 16 – the last round of the season – against Melbourne, and he added one more goal, taking his tally to 16 in black and white. The Argus reported in May 1944 “Bradford, the midget Collingwood rover, who played (seven) senior games last year, was refused a clearance to Essendon.” He wanted to play as a rover, but Lou Richards had the role, so he had to play in the seconds that year. His initial request to join Camberwell had been deferred on the same night that the Magpies’ committee was arguing the toss over whether it would allow Ron Todd back from the VFA or not. Bradford transferred to the VFA for four seasons, winning best-and-fairest awards in 1945 and 1946, and he was his club’s best player in the losing Grand Final in 1946. Bradford was a star in the VFA, playing 76 games and kicking 169 goals. He was considered “one of the cleverest rovers in Association football” and “the idol of Camberwell.” But he was also a fine cricketer – “a dogged left-hand bat” – playing for Camberwell at the same time. Two years before his death, aged 79, in 2005, Bradford would be named first rover in Camberwell’s team of the century. Such was his success in the VFA that North Melbourne offered him the chance to come and train with the club in 1949 – and he accepted the invitation. That led to an interesting night at one of his earliest training sessions, when the small rover was joined by a giant young hopeful who was said to have walked in off the street. The Argus reported in March 1949: “North Melbourne supporters opened their eyes last night when the tallest man they had ever seen ran onto the ground. He was Cecil Barkman, a 7ft 4in (223cm) sailor from a Swedish boat. They were disappointed, however, because his knowledge of Australian football is nil.” Barkman never got through his first training session; Bradford went onto play the first nine games with North Melbourne in 1949, kicking eight goals along the way, including two goals against his former side Collingwood in Round 1. But the opportunity was only fleeting and the part-time footballer and full-time foundry worker headed back to the reserves. Bradford took up the chance to move to South Australia in 1950, after an offer to join West Torrens. He continued to play good football in the South Australian league for five seasons, with former North Adelaide player Jeff Pash saying of him: “About the goal front he was the quickest ever … When he was in motion every hair lay along the line of his flight.” A fan favourite, sometimes dubbed ‘Mighty Mouse’, Bradford played 76 games with West Torrens between 1950 and 1954, kicking almost 200 goals. It was some journey for the kid from Abbotsford who kicked four goals on debut for the Magpies.

One Hit Wonders: Phil Manassa

Michael Roberts — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 23:56:24 +0000

It’s a bit rough on a player who played more than 100 games for the club that he is best remembered not even for a single standout match, but for thirteen-and-a-half seconds of action within it. That is all it took Phil Manassa to charge from half-back to half-forward and slot one of the most famous finals goals of all time during the dying stages of the 1997 Grand Final replay. That long run and goal transformed Manassa’s career. Had it not happened, he would most likely have been remembered as a gutsy, determined, aggressive utility player. Instead his solo performance in that Grand Final has become a celebrated part of footy folklore, and a staple entry when discussions are held around the greatest goals of all time. It all began when Wayne Gordon tapped the ball across to the running Manassa on the half-back flank about 20 minutes in to the last quarter. He tucked the ball under one arm and charged up field like a rampaging bull, leaving sprawling would-be North Melbourne tacklers in his wake. He bounced the ball once, twice, three times, faked a handball to elude another Kangaroo opponent, bounced once more then slotted home an angled drop punt from 45 metres that split the middle. It was one of the greatest individual goals ever seen, and it so exhausted Manassa that he could barely make it back to his position in defence. “By golly, what an individual effort,” enthused Channel 7’s Peter Ewin during his call of the dramatic moment. “That’s got to be the goal of the century!” That goal put the Magpies within 19 points of North with more than 10 minutes still to play. But it was telling that, for all its inspirational qualities, the goal couldn’t lift the Pies. His teammates barely celebrated with him: it turned out that the game was already gone. At the time, the man himself was more concerned with trying to regain his breath. “I was just buggered,” he said later. “All I could think was that we had a chance to win and that I had to get back on (Malcolm) Blighty. After the game everyone was walking past and patting me on the back, saying it was fantastic, but I couldn’t comprehend it – I just didn’t think it was anything special. It’s like taking a big ‘specky’ mark – you never know how good it is until you see it yourself.” Remarkably, it took another six months for Manassa to see the goal for himself, via video tape. And when he did he was pretty impressed. “It’s terrific to be remembered for something, particularly something that nobody has ever done,” he said. An unfortunate side-effect of all the publicity surrounding Manassa’s late goal is that it has tended to obscure how well he played for the rest of the game. He had 21 touches and kicked three goals, a wonderful performance from a defender. Most outlets named him the Magpies’ second best player behind five-goal full-forward Peter Moore. And all this when he was still just 21 years old, and already playing his 87^th game, statistics which show just what an outstanding youngster he had been (he had debuted at 17). But he played his last VFL game when he was only 23, which still feels like a waste. While Phil Manassa’s overall contribution at senior level ended up being a solid one, it was the 1977 Grand Final replay – or more correctly, that goal – which made him famous. When Collingwood left Victoria Park in 1999, Manassa’s run was one of the highlights recreated one final time. Just a couple of years ago, Rohan Connolly in The Age ranked it the fifth greatest Grand Final moment of all time. It even featured in a Carlton Draught ad during the AFL’s centenary year of 1996. But perhaps the most lasting tribute comes in the fact that the winner of the AFL’s Goal of the Year is awarded the Phil Manassa Medal. There could be no better recognition for one of the game’s greatest ever individual efforts.

One Hit Wonders: Jaxson Barham

Michael Roberts — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 23:51:07 +0000

By Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun AS far as league debuts go, it’s difficult to think of a better father-son first-up double-act than that produced by Collingwood’s Ricky Barham and his son Jaxson 32 years apart. Ricky Barham was a 19-year-old from South Warrnambool when he kicked five goals in his first game for the Magpies in Round 6, 1977. If there had been a Rising Star weekly nomination in existence back then, there would surely have been protests at VFL headquarters on the Monday afterwards if Barham hadn’t gained the nod. Jaxson was a year older than his father when he played his first game, in Round 4, 2009, but his impact was almost as noteworthy. He had 28 disposals, played on and matched Brisbane Lions triple premiership player Luke Power, and it was no surprise when he won the weekly Rising Star nomination a few days later. The difference was that while Ricky went on to a 151-game career, Jaxson would manage only seven career matches for Collingwood – something few would have believed after his game-one effort at the Gabba. The unusual spelling of Jaxson’s Christian name came about when his mother went for something a bit alternative because she didn’t want him being called “Jacko”. That didn’t work, for when his Collingwood teammates started searching for a nickname; they unknowingly settled on the one that his mother didn’t want. Jaxson spent his early years in Barwon Heads before moving to Melbourne. He then attended Geelong College in his last two school years, before coming under the notice of recruiting scouts at Lorne, and later Geelong Falcons. For a time, though, surfing played almost as an important role in Jaxson’s life as football. He was, according to some reports, “showcasing his breakneck speed off half-back” in his time with the Falcons, playing as one of the beneficiaries of the rule allowing a handful of players to play a year older in the TAC Cup, which suited the late developer. “Without the rule I guess I would still be playing footy at a local club like Lorne or Barwon Heads and doing my (graphic design) course and just cruising,” Barham said. “I have spoken to a few people who didn’t have the physical or mental maturity and (the rule) helped them out, so it’s a great opportunity for people.” He impressed enough to be picked up by Collingwood under the father-son rule – as pick 61 – in the 2007 national draft, with Herald Sun describing him as “a medium midfielder who plays in the style of his father, Ricky.” Jaxson would often watch a highlights package of his father before some of his early matches with the Falcons. “It was one of my routines – there was a 20-minute highlights video of him, and I would always sit down and eat brekky and put the video on while I was getting ready,” he told the Herald Sun after being drafted. “My game is pretty much the same as his – I play so similar to him, and I always watched that before a game.” Fittingly, he was presented with his father’s No.43 jumper when he arrived at Collingwood, saying: “I would have been happy with any number, but it’s exciting to wear that number.” “I told the family and Dad was just like ‘That’s amazing’. When I first rocked up it was kind of a bit scary, but everyone is really nice. It’s going well.” His Magpie coach Mick Malthouse said at the time the club had wondered if he loved the game enough given his passion for surfing was so strong. “Quite frankly, I watched Jaxson play a couple of times and there were areas where I was worried about whether it was football or (surfing that he preferred).” Malthouse said. “His previous five or six years or probably longer, he was into surfing. But he really has dedicated himself to being a footballer.” Barham had no luck in the 2008 season, having suffered a broken shoulder in a preseason game, and later having his tonsils removed before working hard in the VFL side. It wasn’t until 2009 that he won his chance, for that clash with the Lions at the Gabba, and what a debut it was. His 28 disposals exactly matched his opponents’ tally, but he also had nine tackles (many of them laid on Power) and six inside 50s. He also stood out that night with a shag of black hair and a moustache that wasn’t dissimilar to what his father had worn during his career. “I don’t think it is an accident that he played like he did,” Malthouse said after the game. “Because he has really dedicated himself to listen and understand the game.” “As much as he shared the ball with Luke Power … given it was his first game he was excellent. He did something which I suppose, when we first recruited him, we would never have had in mind.” In the afterglow of that first game, it seemed a long career was ahead for him. Sadly, that was not to be. He played four games in a row, including an Anzac Day game, but never again matching that first-up possession tally. He lost his spot for a period in what was then a highly-competitive Collingwood team. But he returned for the Round 17 game against Carlton, kicking his one and only goal in black and white. He kept his spot the next week too, playing once more against Brisbane where he had 19 touches. Barham struggled to make an impact during Collingwood’s highly-successful 2010 season. He did play one game during the season in the Queen’s Birthday draw against Melbourne. That was seventh and final game for Collingwood. He was delisted at the end of that season, his short but noteworthy AFL career over not long after it began in such spectacular fashion. “I took it on the chin because that’s what happens in footy, and I have moved on,” a philosophical Barham would say. He played for Geelong’s VFL side, and local footy down in the Bellarine area, including with Lorne. It was a short ride for him at Collingwood – three seasons in total and only seven AFL games. But he won’t be forgotten due to his famous surname and that memorable debut at the Gabba in 2009 which proved his high point.

One Hit Wonders: David Twomey

Michael Roberts — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 23:47:53 +0000

by Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun David Twomey carried one of the most famous surnames in the history of the Collingwood Football Club through a 63-game career across seven seasons. But he is best remembered for one daring moment where he carried the ball almost half the length of North Melbourne’s Arden Street ground before kicking one of the goals of the season in 1981. It came on a wet afternoon in the Magpies’ Round 9 clash with the Kangaroos. The 20-year-old defender, playing his 19th VFL game, took possession of the greasy Sherrin from teammate Michael Taylor and found himself in space. He launched himself into a great run down the field. He bounced the ball three times – each time it slid on the slippery surface before coming back within his grasp – then let fly with an incredible long goal. The Age‘s Trevor Grant called it an inspirational goal that helped lift the Magpies to victory, and a moment in which a young Collingwood hopeful shone brightly amidst the gloomy weather. “(Twomey’s) best-on-ground performance on Saturday set him apart as one of those polished defenders who is always thinking a step ahead,” Grant wrote. “His running, accurate handball and thoughtful long kicking made the forwards’ jobs so much easier.” “One of those runs will be remembered for a long time. Twomey took the ball on the half-back line and weaving his way past several North players, charged down the outer side of the ground. After three bounces over 60 metres, he let fly with a 50-metre flat punt which found the goals. “It was much more than the goal of the year; it also gave Collingwood the lead at the 20-minute-mark of the third quarter and the inspiration to stay in front from then on.” Twomey had a rich family connection to Collingwood. His grandfather, Bill Sr., an outstanding foot runner, had played 54 matches for the club from 1918 to 1922, before going on to win the 1924 Stawell Gift. His three uncles, Bill Jr., Mick and Pat, had all played in the club’s 1953 premiership side, making significant contributions to Collingwood. David’s father, Peter, hadn’t played for the Magpies, but he had been a highly-competitive suburban player with Heidelberg in the Diamond Valley Football League. But his link to the club would come through his son, who attracted the interest of recruiting scouts nice and early in his career. David first played football as an eight-year-old with Heidelberg Colts under 10 sides. In an interview years later in a South Australian newspaper, he would recall: “The senior team at Heidelberg Colts would be allowed in the league one year but not for the next three. They only were allowed in again when they behaved themselves. Some of the dads watching the kids in the under-10s were pretty brutal as well.” It was a rough and tumble neighbourhood, and Twomey would joke late: “Let’s just say you carried your pocket-knife at primary school to protect your own lunch money.” Twomey’s father encouraged David to switch to a more clean-cut club, and they found one in West Heidelberg YCW. He attracted plenty of interest there as well as when he later played with Ivanhoe Amateurs, which led to an invitation to join the Collingwood under 19s. It was there, in the Magpie thirds, that Twomey won the nickname he carried for most of his time at Victoria Park – ‘Tickets’. “When I playing under 19s, I was called ‘Tickets’, mainly because I was pretty confident in my own ability,” he said. “I have been tagged ‘Tickets’ in a good way, not as a player who was a big head, but as a player who has a bit of humour when he boasts about his ability.” He came to Collingwood as a forward and kicked 53 goals in his first full season in the reserves, with his uncle Mick often making the trip up from Portland to watch him play. Twomey was included for his first game – as one of the bench players – for the Round 16 clash with Footscray in 1979. He was only 18, telling The Age on the eve of that first match: “I don’t care where I play so long as I am in the team.” He only had five disposals in that first game, and played two more games that season. Seven games came for him in 1980, including the preliminary final against Geelong – his 10th in total – but he was omitted for the Grand Final with Ricky Barham replacing him. But a switch to defence proved the catalyst for Twomey’s best season in 1981. Grant said of him: “Youngsters like David Twomey let their football do their talking. Twomey … is a fine example of what persistence can achieve in football. He came to Victoria Park as a forward, but after two seasons in the under 19s and reserves, and seven senior games (in 1980), the Magpies’ selectors believed he was not good enough to make the grade in attack. He was tried as a defender at the start of the season, knowing if he failed; it was back to Ivanhoe Amateurs.” He played 21 games for the season, and played a significant role in the Magpies’ finals campaign. He was one of the club’s better performers in the losing Grand Final side to Carlton, named as the Magpies’ third best behind Bill Picken and Mark Williams. Injuries cruelled his next two season, as he managed only three games in 1982, and seven in 1983. But he managed to get his body right, and his form flowing in 1984, playing 21 games. He was a member of the club’s finals series that season, and also polled six Brownlow Medal votes. His 63rd and last game for Collingwood came in 1985, before he transferred to West Adelaide the following season, playing

One Hit Wonders: David King

Michael Roberts — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 00:01:29 +0000

By Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun Collingwood’s David King had a much shorter league career than his North Melbourne namesake, yet his brief strut on the AFL stage wasn’t without a few attention-grabbing moments. In all, he played only nine games, all of them in the 2004 season. But the kid with the mop of blond hair and an uncanny knack of kicking a goal at the right time made an impact far exceeding his time in the black and white jumper. Even before his debut game, this one-time Australian under 16s basketball representative who had once toured Mexico was a surprise draft selection for the Magpies. Then recruiting manager Noel Judkins plucked him out as pick 58 of the 2002 national draft as a 17-year-old, having played for Sacred Heart and in a few games with Glenelg under 17s and under 19s. He moved across to Melbourne with two of his mates from Adelaide, who had also been drafted – Andrew Mackie, who was picked up by Geelong, and Jared Rivers, who was taken by Melbourne. King spent the 2003 season playing with Collingwood’s VFL affiliate Williamstown, slotting into a team that at times included a kid called Dane Swan and a young rookie called Nick Maxwell. His timing was almost impeccable. Not only was he one of Williamstown’s best players in the VFL Grand Final, playing a big role in the club’s premiership win, but it also put his hand up potentially for an even bigger call-up. Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse ended King’s relative anonymity in the leading up to the 2003 AFL Grand Final when he suggested the 18-year-old could be a shock inclusion for the clash with Brisbane Lions. Never mind the fact he was still a teenager and that he hadn’t played a senior game, Malthouse suggested he was right in the mix. During Grand Final week, Malthouse said of King: “His form has warranted being selected, we’ll certainly consider it. He wouldn’t be the first and won’t be the last picked in a Grand Final to play (his first game). I don’t think the birth certificate tells you anything. But you have to weigh up, is the player mature enough to take on the responsibility on that day?” “Physically he is equipped, otherwise he wouldn’t be training. He’s a very tough-minded person and, at the worst, he gets an experience of training at a level that’s intense prior to a Grand Final.” King would say the experience of training in front of so many Magpie fans at Victoria Park in the lead-up was “pretty exciting … there were more people at training than at half the games I’ve played in.” No player had made his debut in a Grand Final since Collingwood’s Keith Batchelor in 1952. Ultimately, Malthouse ultimately chose not to select King for the big match. He didn’t play, and the Magpies lost. No one can definitively say how close King was to being chosen, though the fact he was in the mix showed the sort of impact the 82kg, 183cm utility had made in a relatively short time. He spent most of the following preseason training for a defensive role. It was in that role that he made his debut – along with Luke Mullins – in the Round 4 clash with Fremantle. He spent most of the game on the bench, but gave a few glimpses in the second half, which saw Malthouse say after the game: “”I think David’s got a chance to play 50-100 (games) and he could play in excess of that if he gets his confidence.” Most of his four games in a row came off the bench, and he returned to the VFL. He returned to the AFL side in Round 17 against the Western Bulldogs – as a forward – and he managed to kick the first of his eight career goals at the elite level. When he kicked his maiden goal, Collingwood players came from all areas of the ground to celebrate with him. The high point of King’s career with the Magpies came in his next two games. The first came against Richmond in Round 18. He spent most of the game biding his time on the bench, then came out and lived every kid’s dreams by kicking the match-winning goal. It was his second of the game, and it came with less than a minute left in the game to put the Magpies back in front. King hadn’t known how long was left on the time He hadn’t known how long was left on the clock, but when Brodie Holland clock when Brodie Holland’s handball found him in the goal square and he nailed a right foot shot from the goal square. His raised his arms in delight in front of the fans. The final siren sounded soon after, leaving Collingwood five points in front. Interviewed by Andrew Maher on the field, King said: “It’s what dreams are made of, really … Growing up as a kid; you always want to kick the last goal in a winning side. My heart is going; my heart is going really fast.” Then he spoke to the waiting media in the rooms: “Brodie gave me a good handball. I’d much rather kick them on the run from there than a set shot from 40 metres.” Malthouse said of King after the game: “We were bringing him up as a forward because he had a couple of weeks at Williamstown and kicked a couple of bags. He’s come up and kicked a very important goal today, so it’s good.” King’s parents watched his goal on television. They had travelled across to Melbourne the week before, for the Bulldogs game, but had returned to Adelaide. The Herald Sun said of King: “He became an instant hero in the eyes of the Magpies army when, on the run, and at the end of a succession of handballs, he booted a major from the goal square to put his side five points in front of Richmond with fewer than 20 seconds remaining.” He kicked three more goals the following week against Fremantle at Subiaco. It was “a spritely performance” with his best goal coming in the last quarter when he snapped one over his head which halted the Dockers’ run. He kicked another goal against Essendon the following week. His ninth – and final – game in black and white came against Port Adelaide in Round 21, where he spent only minimal time on the field. Sadly, persistent knee injuries and a lack of opportunities meant he could not break through for another game in 2005. He was delisted at the end of the season, and later played for Box Hill. It was a short career highlighted by two magic moments – his match-winner against the Tigers and his three majors against the Dockers – in what was a two-week streak that Magpie fans won’t forget in a hurry.

One Hit Wonders: Andrew Tranquilli

Michael Roberts — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 23:18:52 +0000

By Glenn McFarlane, of the Herald Sun Andrew Tranquilli was sent to where all out-of-form forwards go – the back line – just a few weeks before his remarkable ‘moment in the sun’ at Collingwood. It was late in the 1994 season, and the 22-year-old former Marcellin player was stuck in the reserves and seemingly anchored there without a guaranteed pathway back into the seniors. Tranquilli had played only two AFL games to that stage. The first came in Round 19, 1993, for four disposals and no goals. Then he was recalled for the opening game of the 1994 season but his six disposals and inaccurate 1.3 saw left out of the side the following week. He had plenty of talent, but he couldn’t break his way into the side again in the early part of the year, leaving him plying his trade in the reserves. At one point Tranquilli, who had originally been recruited as a defender but who shaped more as a half forward, was actually moved back again in an effort to find some form. He would later say he had been sent to “the half-back line for the last month, trying to get my confidence back by running straight at the ball.” The tactic worked and soon enough Tranquilli was pushing for selection in a Collingwood team that boasted many stars, but was fighting for its football life that season due to some injury issues. No one, perhaps not even coach Leigh Matthews, expected what came next. As the Magpies faced the ladder leaders West Coast for the Round 13 clash at the MCG, Matthews knew he had reshape the team with a few fresh faces. He made six changes, one of them being Tranquilli for his third AFL game, and the coach asked the team to take some risks in the search for a greater reward. It wouldn’t be easy. The Eagles had won the previous six matches. The Magpies had already lost five games that season and had only kicked four goals in their previous game. The Herald Sun had all but dismissed Collingwood as “undermanned, out-of-form and down on strike power.” Matthews admitted his hunch on the players coming in was “based on good old fashioned hope as much as football science.” Tranquilli was one of those gambles, but his performance, and that of his club, would have far exceeded the expectations of a coach looking for a change in fortunes. He had the perfect start to the game, kicking the first goal within two minutes. It was to be one of six incredible goals he would kick for the match, a stunning performance given how little AFL football he had played. To most, the effort had come from nowhere. But Matthews said the Magpies knew Tranquilli had promise, even though he expressed surprise at the breakthrough display that came so soon. Tranquilli’s potency contributed to a much improved Magpie display. They led by 13 points at the first break, then by a clean three goals at half-time. The gap was narrowed in the third term yet Collingwood was still able to take a 13-point lead into the last quarter. Fittingly, Tranquilli played a role in the final term, kicking his sixth goal, as the home side went on to defeat West Coast by 37 points. It was an appropriate number given Tranquilli wore No.37 on his back as his 12 disposals and 6.2 on the scoreboard played a significant role in the victory. He would say after the game: “I played the first game (of the season) and got dropped. My head dropped a bit, but it has come back now. We were just told to go at it, get respect back and really work for four quarters. And we did it.” Tranquilli’s haul was rewarded on Brownlow Medal night, when he was allocated one vote just behind Gavin Crosisca (three votes) and Damian Monkhorst (two). The performance entrenched him in the Collingwood senior for the remainder of the season. More goals followed, but nothing like the flood he had against the Eagles in his third game. He kicked three goals in each of the Round 15 and 16 games against Sydney and Fitzroy. He retained his position in a final against West Coast later in the season – and kicked a goal – in what was a dramatic finish. With 10 seconds left, and with the Magpies trailing by two points, Gary Pert drove the ball long into the Collingwood forward line. Mick McGuane spilled a mark just before the final siren sounded. The Magpies’ season was over. Injuries would dog Tranquilli in the years following his six-goal magic moment. He broke his leg in an intraclub match in 1995, and then played only one senior match – his 12th and final one – against Carlton in Round 16. He had two disposals and did not kick a goal. Then a series of hamstring injuries conspired against him. A training mishap in 1996 was summed up by new coach Tony Shaw: “he was one of our better players in the seconds last week, but now he has nicked another one (hamstring).” He was delisted at the end of the 1996 season, aged only 24, which was “a kick in the guts” for a player whose career had shone so brightly for a briefest of moments. Tranquilli spent the following preseason trying out for Essendon and also played an intraclub game with Sydney at Gosford, and another with Hawthorn. But he was overlooked in the draft and ended up at Box Hill. He kept playing, and kept kicking goals. In 2000, he kicked eight goals in a Central Highlands Grand Final victory with Springbank, and followed it up with seven goals in another flag-win a year later. It was a far cry from the MCG, but he loved the “little things” experienced in playing at that level. Back then, the best afield player would often walk away with five-kilogram bag of potatoes as his reward. He would eventually return to Marcellin as a player before taking on a number of coaching roles at different clubs over the years, including a stint assisting with the Vic Metro academy squads. For all the good work he has done for the game – at all levels – Tranquilli will always be remembered for that brief strut upon the AFL stage when he set the MCG alight on a cool June mid-afternoon in 1994.