Your favourite players

Who are and were your favourite players?

Not necessarily the most talented, but the players you loved watching?

From Norwood there were many over the years. Greg Turbill and Gary Mcintosh for hardness. Michael Aish and Neville Roberts for brilliance. Phil Carmen for natural talent. Brett Zorzi for never say die although that would be unfair to most players but I just loved the way he went about his footy.
From other clubs there was R Ebert and B Robran. Also admired Grenville Dietrich and Rick Davies and of-course Bagshaw.
Really too many to mention and I wouldnt be able to put them in any order.
These are just ones off the top of my head and I certainly have missed many many others.

Loved watching Jeremy Clayton play for the Magpies.

Neil Kerley, Ken Eustice, Larry Watson, Peter Meuret, Richard Hamilton...….

Alex Drzal, A J Asking, Aldo Russian, Dick Michalcyzk, John Bandy, Vic Melville.

Central - Gowans x 2, Steinberner, Platten
Glenelg - S. Kernahan, T. Hall, W. Henwood
North - D. Jarman, Dietrich, Rozee
Norwood - McIntosh, K. Thomas, Zorsi
Port - Cunningham, Hodges, A. Obst
South - Naley, Harradine, Kenna
Sturt - P. Motley, B. Howard, Davies
West Adelaide - Luders, Lindner, C.Williams
West Torrens - Enright, Hanna
Woodville - Harris, Blight
WWT - Powell, Tape, Grocke

Could have added a LOT more and probably forgot about a few

Good list, Scrunch. I particularly like your South Adelaide choices

Just a story on Stephen Kernahan. I was fortunate enough to be a trainer for the SA State of Origin team in 1996 (1997?), SA v Vic. It was pretty tense out there, of course, and I was running water. It seemed unreal to me, being out there with some of the great champions of the game.

When you run water, not much is usually said, if anything at all. Bit different with West Adelaide, where familiarity led to lots of to and fro at times, but at State of Origin level, you sprinted out, did yur job and sprinted back.

All I can say is that in the heat of a game like that, Stephen Kernahan always said 'thank you' after each drink, without fail. The most polite player I've known.

One of his Glenelg teammates in that game was the opposite, but what's said on the field stays on the field and is understandable.

Speaking of the Bays, I probably should have had David Marshall in my list

If I could indulge this thread to be extrapolated to include "Favourite Player Stories"....

This one was told to me said player in question.

Rod McInnes was a WA import who commenced his sanfl career with South Adelaide back in the early 70s (ish). He played about 4 seasons with the Panthers before crossing to Woodville where he played another few years. He was probably not one of either clubs higher profile players and was a rugged solidly built half forward.

Rod enjoyed his footy but didn't draw too much attention too himself other than with opponents that may have copped a whack from time to time.

One of those was the 7 time premiership Sturt Half Back, Sandy Nelson, who by Rod's own admission, towelled him up more than a few times. Part of the problem was that he couldn't rough Sandy up as the great Sturt HB was no slouch in this department either.

However, he enjoyed the contests with Sandy as he thought him a hard and fair player and a nice bloke who would have a beer with you afterwards.

One of these contests took place in the latter half of the 70s down at Woodville Oval. Apparently Rod was having a serviceable game and at least breaking even with his opponent that day.

As the game progressed, Rod managed out-position Sandy to take a decent grab about 40m dead in front. He went back to line up and thought he would make a point of his triumph for a change.

He launched a huge barrel that not only scored maximum points, but also sailed well past the goals, taking out an upper level window of the clubrooms.

So the story goes that Sandy walked past him to take up position for the centre bounce and turned to Rod and said, "nice dob, but I reckon that window is going to come out of your match payments".

Rod retired a couple of years after that. As was customary at the time at Oval Avenue, the players enjoyed their footy without much success, but enjoyed their social time off the field more.

Anyone who pulled on a Glenelg jumper.

Glenelg - Marker, the Phillis brothers, Cornes, Super, Darryl Rady, Seebohm. Current players incude Wazza McGinty & Snook.

Some random names - Roger Luders, Zip Zap Sewer, John Paynter.
Mark Naley & John Schneebichler were favorites from the Panthers.

I'll have to have a think.

I will list 1 player from each team that had the thrill factor
These players could do the unreal things , and I marvelled at their talent

CD John Duckworth for his skill level
GL Graham Cornes for his screamers
NA Darren Jarman for his freakish ability
NW Mark Jones for his freakish goal kicking
PA Scott Hodges for his amazing goals, especially one goal that sank NW in a final
SA Ryan Fitzgerald for his spekkies
ST Paul Bagshaw, his nickname of Mr Magic sums him up
WA Peter Meuret for his freakish ability
WT Lindsay Head his evasive skills were unreal
WV MALcolm Blight for his freakish talents

As a bloods fan:
Roger Luders
Scott Simister
Ryan Ferguson
Robbie McKinnon

Peter Green, Grant Coffee, Adam Richardson, Hugh Reimers, James Wynd, Chris Gowans, James Gowans, Marco Bello, Yves Sibenaler, Daniel Schell, Ian Callinan, Paul Thomas.

In among those Centrals players, why Adam Richardson, BP?

I caught up with Adam a few months ago, FYI.

As a Bloods supporter

Scott Simister
Ed.Richardson
Adam Richardson
Tim Symes
Glen Goss
Ryan Ferguson
Bruce Lindner
Peter Meuret
Craig Williams

Wilbur Wilson

Lee wrote:Alex Drzal, A J Asking, Aldo Russian, Dick Michalcyzk, John Bandy, Vic Melville.

I can't let this go unremarked on.
Alex Drzal - at different times in the Budget his name was spelt 'Drzal', 'Dryzal' and 'Drysal'. I remember him as quite a talented small back pocket player who only played a few League seasons.
Aldo Russian - a gangly, awkward, quirky second ruckman famous for eating a pastie at half time in a game (a final I think.)
And then 3 Sandgropers. Michalcyzk, who never actually played a game for us, but played a couple of trial games including one in which he kicked 6 goals as a ruck rover. Also managed to get reported for whacking a few Essendon players in a trial match at Richmond, which you can still find on youtube. Terrific player who we were trying to get a clearance from East Perth for before the start of the season, before he then turned his back on us and signed with North Melbourne. He was injury-riddled for almost the entire time he was there.
John Bandy was also from WA, a very handy rover/forward pocket.
And Vic Melville was a KPP who wouldn't have played a lot of League games for us, the somewhat less talented brother of the very talented Robbie Melville.

I'm surprised you haven't mentioned John Hayes and Ken Deards.

Lee wrote:In among those Centrals players, why Adam Richardson, BP?

I caught up with Adam a few months ago, FYI.

Not the Adam Richardson from West Adelaide, but the ex Port Magpies and Central District full forward Adam Richardson, that only played 2 or 3 seasons at the Dogs.

I was almost going to put an * against his name and explain as above.

I know you caught up with Richo recently, you also caught up with the other Richo - Ed Richardson.

Ed is a customer of mine and we chat regularly. We were talking about the recent catch up a few of you had.

Thanks, BP, I have to confess I couldn't remember your Adam Richardson (sorry, Adam).

Yes, loved seeing Ed again. Between Ed and Adam, I could fill the forum with stories

Greg Sheehan. Lee, tell us about him.

Thanks, Aldo, think he was a defense player for the Edmonton Oilers.

Only the vaguest memory, if any. 70's, flanker?

1-0.

Fair hair, utility, perhaps a left footer?

Yeah, utility/ruck rover, don't think he played many League games, and I think was recruited from Hawthorn's Reserves.

Aris Gatoudis anyone?

Ah yes, I remember Aris well.

Greek, I think

Solidly built forward or back, not a long career.

Quite different to Peter Hawthorne, who you would remember well, Flaggy?