2014 Round 30, Quarter time.

30th September Birthdays. 

   Ken Hinkley 1966, Romano Negro 1964, Kelvin Templeton 1956,
Greg Williams 1963.

 PLAYER OF THE DAY. Ross Oakley, born 30th September 1942.

There is no doubt that Ross Oakley would best remembered as Chairman of the League Commission, a very important post.  But well before taking on that roll he was a player at St. Kilda. 

His first game was in 1962 and from then until 1966 he was in 62 games for 38 goals. He was a skilled player and probably the best wingman that the club had at that time, even being used at full forward on occasions.

Like a number of other promising players he was forced into early retirement by a persistent knee injury.
Source: The Encyclopaedia Of AFL Footballers.  

 

Double D’s at the Dees.

From 1993 to 2002 Melbourne were blessed to have 2 Davids in their team that were not only fine players but great leaders and fan favourites.

David Schwarz was at the club from 1991 to 2001 and played 173 games for 243 goals as a key forward. 

Showing great athleticism and a good leap his career was interrupted by knee problems and so the fans did not get to see as much of him as they would have liked.

Despite his problems he won the Best and Fairest in 1999 and was vice captain to David Neitz.

David Neitz played his first game for Melbourne 2 years after David Schwarz and was there until 2008 for a marvellous 306 games and 631 goals.

Starting out in the back line, usually at centre half back, he had the job of quelling the influence of players such as Wayne Carey.  It was rather ironic that his opportunity to play as a key forward came when David Schwarz was out due to injury. 

Melbourne’s leading goal scorer an amazing 7 times, he won the Coleman medal in 2002 and the club Best and Fairest the same year.  As well as that he played state of origin for Victoria in 1994 and was All Australian twice.

Source: The Encyclopaedia Of AFL Footballers & Wikipedia.  

Bad Kicking Loses The Game.

The adage ‘bad kicking is bad football’ came home to Fitzroy in a big way in a game against Geelong at the Corio oval in 1928.

Winning the shots at goal 29 to 27, the Lions managed to lose the match by a massive 83 points with the scores at the end being Geelong 19.8.122 to Fitzroy 2.27.39.

Source: Great Australian Football Stories by Ken Piesse.  

Blake Caracella – Journeyman.

Blake was a 126 game player with Essendon from 1997 to 2002 in 126 games for 151 goals.  Though drafted to the club in 1994 his natural skills did not help him break into the team and he spent the first 2 years building up his strength.

When he did eventually get a senior game he did not look back and was part of the 2000 Premiership team and was in the International Rules side the same year.

In 2003 Blake became a Brisbane Lions player and in the 2 seasons he was there he played 34 games for 33 goals and was part of another Premiership side.

 

 

At the end of 2004 salary cap restrictions saw him traded yet again and this time he found himself at the club he had followed as a child.

Collingwood had his services for the next two years, where he played 27 games and kicked 34 goals and as he was by now an experienced player he was able to be a mentor to younger team mates.

He would have probably played more games but a serious neck injury in 2006 saw him announce his retirement.

Source: The Encyclopaedia Of AFL Footballers.