2014 Round 14, Quarter time.

10th June Birthdays.

 

Richard Ambrose 1972, Aaron Davey 1983.

 PLAYER OF THE DAY. David Hayne, born 10th June 1981.

David moved right across the country, from Geelong to Perth, to start his AFL career.  2000 was his first year with the West Coast Eagles but it wasn't until 2001 that he got regular games. 

It was still difficult to get a game in 2002 where he was  on the half forward line but moved to a half back position late in the season. Then in 2003 he moved back to the forward line and was in all but 2 games.

He racked up 46 games for the Eagles and kicked 43 goals. 2004 saw him back in Geelong where he was for 2 years, playing 19 games for 15 goals.

Source: The Encyclopaedia of  AFL Footballers.

St. Kilda Team Of The Century Back Line.

Barry Lawrence was named in the back pocket in the Saints team of the century.

In Tasmania he had earned a reputation as a forward, but in his first year at St. Kilda it seemed the reputation was overrated.

He was moved to the back line where he was able to show his skills. Moved to the forward line again his judgement and reading of the ball shone through. Throughout his career he spent time in both the forward and back lines as needed.

Between 1969 and 1976 he played 126 games for the club and kicked 80 goals.

Verdun Howell, Full back. Also coming from Tasmania, Verdun was signed by the Saints when he was 17 but he did not want to relocate at that time so it was another two years before he actually joined the club.

Due to clearance problems he only played 6 games late in 1958, but stood out in his position in the back line.

By 1959 he had made the state side and was their regular Full back until 1965.  Part of St Kilda’s last flag side, he was named their Best and Fairest in 1959.

In all he played 159 games and kicked 55 goals, mainly when he was moved to the forward line late in his career.

Kevin Neale was in the other back pocket, and like Barry Lawrence he was moved up and down the field.

Starting in the back line in 1965 he was moved forward in 1966 and during his 256 game career to 1977 he kicked 301 goals.

In 1971 he moved back to defence and that was where he saw out the rest of his time at the club.

He was the clubs leading goal kicker on 4 occasions and won the Best and Fairest in 1973. Kevin also held the clubs games and most finals appearance records for a period of time.

 Source: The Encyclopaedia of  AFL Footballers.

Club And Family Rivalry.

When Geelong and North Melbourne meet it is not only a rivalry between clubs or even coaches.  It is also a rivalry between ex-team mates and brothers.

Chris was the first of the Scott brothers to start his AFL journey, being drafted to Brisbane in 1994.  His career included 215 games, 79 goals, 2 Premierships and a club champion award. 

He also won the Norwich Rising Star award in 1994, so his talent was obvious right from the first year. 

Playing initially as a utility, he played more regularly as a defender/midfielder from 1998 and was not afraid to put his body on the line.

Brad spent 1997 at Hawthorn where he played 22 games and kicked 6 goals.  He had been on their list previously but had been delisted and then when he won the reserves Best and Fairest in 1996 they redrafted him.

Though it was odd for a person that had played the whole year to be traded, Brisbane managed to get Brad to move north in 1998 to join his brother at the Lions.

His first couple of years at his new club saw him dogged by injury, but by 2001 he had cemented a place in the side and was rewarded with Premiership medals in 2001 and 2002.

Like his brother, he also missed the 2003 flag due to injury and by the time he retired at the end of 2006 he had played 146 games and kicked 39 goals.

Source: The Encyclopaedia of  AFL Footballers.

 

Coach For A Week.

It would be a tough job taking over from a person who had coached a club for 38 years as Bevan Woods found out in in 1950.

Jock McHale had become an institution as coach of Collingwood and when Bevan Woods took over some of the fans let him know what they thought of the 110 game ex player when he coached the team during a practice match.

The heckling saw him resign after just one week in favour of Phonse Kyne who went on to coach the club for 14 years which included Premierships in 1953 and 1958.

Source: Sports Screamers by Jim Main and Lou Richards.