Famous Pies you’ve met.

Mostfamousclub_Pies · Sep 22, 2021

domus said:
I have a beautiful Bobby Rose story involving my brother and dad. My brother Stu was a real lad. Tough as nails. He was a boxer and a brickie who eventually became boss of his own company. My son works for his company to this very day.

A couple of decades ago my beloved dad was in the early stages of dementia but still had a passion for the pies and a memory of all the great players and big moments.

Dad loved Bobby Rose. Stu rang the club and asked if it would be possible for Bobby to meet with him and dad in the social club for a cuppa and a bit of a chat.

To his delight Bobby agreed and the date was set. My tough brother told me his plan. He would spend the afternoon with dad and Bobby, then on the way home he was going to stop the car, turn to dad and tell him how much he loved him as well as thank him for everything he had done for all of us.

The day went even better than Stu had hoped for Bobby Rose was superb. He talked with dad about great games and former players. Stu raised a game dad had told us about for years. We were playing at Victoria Park and with five minutes remaining we were down by 17 points. Bobby Rose kicked three goals in time on and won us the game.

In those days there was no Sherrin Stand and dad said many people had left and gone to the station and they were all craning their necks when they heard the roar of the crowd. Bobby remembered and asked dad and Stu to come down onto Vic Park and proceeded to re-enact each goal with dad. Stu said he was being cheeky and telling dad how far out he was for each goal. He posed for photos with dad and signed the book dad was climbing to like a little kid.

Stu thanked Bobby and took dad home.

I received a call late in the afternoon.

It was my brother and he was incoherent. He was sobbing. When I finally calmed him down I finally understood what he was shouting. "I couldn't tell him! I couldn't tell him!" He could not bring himself to look dad in the eye and say, I love you.
He was just too shy and not used to open declarations of love.

I assured him every minute of that afternoon was telling dad he loved him but Stu was always devastated by his inability to say the words.
The last game I attended with my handsome, rugged little brother was the 2018 prelim on that balmy night.
We were ecstatic. Five months later and my brother died. Stage four lung cancer. 56 years old.

I shed a few tears while writing this.

Bobby Rose occupies a warm space in my heart.

A beautiful but sad story.

Sea fog · Sep 23, 2021

I had a long chat with Peter McKenna at Victoria Pk back in the days when we trained there, what a thorough gentleman he is. The 1970 granny still haunts him.. I sat on a table with Sav Rocca at a club function, he seemed quietish but friendly enough. Have spoken with numerous players over the years when helping the youngsters get autographs and pics with their heroes.

Mostfamousclub_Pies · Sep 23, 2021

Sea fog said:
I had a long chat with Peter McKenna at Victoria Pk back in the days when we trained there, what a thorough gentleman he is. The 1970 granny still haunts him.. I sat on a table with Sav Rocca at a club function, he seemed quietish but friendly enough. Have spoken with numerous players over the years when helping the youngsters get autographs and pics with their heroes.

Great! Always thought it was so fitting that McKenna handed the premiership cup to Maxwell and Malthouse.

Magpie Girl · Sep 23, 2021

I have a story about Thorold Merrett.

When I was a very, very young girl he was involved in a car accident outside our home. We didn’t know it was him until Dad, a crazy Pies man, brought him inside to tend his injuries while they waited for an ambulance.
”It’s Thorold Merrett” said Dad, in awed tones.
I remember he had a big cut across his nose and was bleeding copiously.
Anyway, eventually he was taken away to receive treatment.

A couple of weeks later the doorbell rang and there was Thorold - he’d come to thank Dad for ‘saving his life’ (as Dad would say

) and in gratitude, knowing Dad was a keen supporter, gave Dad a season’s pass.
Every year, for the remainder of his career, he sent Dad a seasons pass.

Many years later I saw him in the Rebel store in Prahran and introduced myself. It was quite wonderful that he remembered the accident and Dad’s kindness.

Countrypie · Sep 23, 2021

Magpie Girl said:
I have a story about Thorold Merrett.

When I was a very, very young girl he was involved in a car accident outside our home. We didn’t know it was him until Dad, a crazy Pies man, brought him inside to tend his injuries while they waited for an ambulance.
”It’s Thorold Merrett” said Dad, in awed tones.
I remember he had a big cut across his nose and was bleeding copiously.
Anyway, eventually he was taken away to receive treatment.

A couple of weeks later the doorbell rang and there was Thorold - he’d come to thank Dad for ‘saving his life’ (as Dad would say) and in gratitude, knowing Dad was a keen supporter, gave Dad a season’s pass.
Every year, for the remainder of his career, he sent Dad a seasons pass.

Many years later I saw him in the Rebel store in Prahran and introduced myself. It was quite wonderful that he remembered the accident and Dad’s kindness.

I used to love Thorold when he appeared on the ABC footy show (the winners?). His love of the pies was obvious. Perhaps it impaired his judgement at times ('81?) but you could never doubt his passion

robbos13 · Sep 23, 2021

ive told this story before, T
The week of training leading up to our last game against Brisbane at Vic park my family and i drove from adelaide to melbourne to watch training and go to the games etc.
After all the lights had gone out and most people had left on one of the training nights my brother and i were kicking in the pitch black when Gavin Brown came onto the oval and signalled to pass him the ball. me (10) my brother (13) and Gavin brown kicked in the pitch black for probably 20 mins, we pretended to take hangars and had a great time.
After we were done he invited us into the rooms and told us to sit down next to the the Rocca Boys. they served us a bowl of spaghetti for dinner.

Shortly after my parents found us worried sick thinking something bad had happened as we weren't where we were meant to be but we were all quickly forgiven given her all time favourite player is Gav.

gouki88 · Sep 23, 2021

robbos13 said:
ive told this story before, T
The week of training leading up to our last game against Brisbane at Vic park my family and i drove from adelaide to melbourne to watch training and go to the games etc.
After all the lights had gone out and most people had left on one of the training nights my brother and i were kicking in the pitch black when Gavin Brown came onto the oval and signalled to pass him the ball. me (10) my brother (13) and Gavin brown kicked in the pitch black for probably 20 mins, we pretended to take hangars and had a great time.
After we were done he invited us into the rooms and told us to sit down next to the the Rocca Boys. they served us a bowl of spaghetti for dinner.

Shortly after my parents found us worried sick thinking something bad had happened as we weren't where we were meant to be but we were all quickly forgiven given her all time favourite player is Gav.

Legendary story!

Pie eyed · Sep 23, 2021

I was lucky enough to have dinner and a few scotches with Peter Moore in Kalgoorlie.
He used to own a magnetic imaging survey company.
Had more than a few schooners with Len Thompson. He was a guest at GF celebrations at one of the footy clubs I played for in the 80's.
Had a beer and a bit of a chat with Buck's at an ANZAC Day lunch before the big game.
Had a leak with Swanny in the Presidents club loo at a Presidents lunch.

4 Brownlow medalists and me just a punter. :thumbsu:

I have also spent a fair bit of time with a few Prime ministers
John Gorton, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

Life's not really too bad in Australia though it's changing.

Mostfamousclub_Pies · Sep 23, 2021

Loving these stories - keep em coming!

Mostfamousclub_Pies · Sep 23, 2021

He isn’t a Pie, but I met Gary Ablett Senior in Ho Chi Minh city in 2002. He was over there for the annual Grand Final function held by the Saigon Saints.
Not known for his public speaking, he was accompanied by Mark Yeates (a great guy) and Gary Ablett Junior, who had just completed his first full season.
Yeates was a phenomenal sidekick and captivating storyteller, but one on one Ablett Senior was exceptionally humble and friendly.
He was well aware that I was a keen Collingwood supporter, and knew that I was totally pumped for the big game. We had a few drinks together at a pre Grand Final function on the Thursday night, while watching some boxing on ESPN. This took place at Cafe Latin in District 1 with a coterie of Saigon Saints.
After the game on the Saturday, which we were watching together with 100 or so others at the Duxton Hotel, he came up to me and wound me up in a fun loving way. He knew how much the loss meant to me, and subsequently complimented Collingwood on the way they fought to the end. My reply was to tell him that he was almost as good as Daicos - he just smiled.

Lip Gallagher · Sep 23, 2021

Met Bucks and Willow playing pool at the Tunnel, nice guys, they were gracious in defeat.

Saw Ant Rocca strolling through the casino one night, didn’t speak to him though.

Saw Tooves at IKEA (can’t remember which store), didn’t speak to him, his Mrs was using him as a pack horse.

Rupert Betherous at Darwin airport 2 years after he left Collingwood, think he was playing for a club up there.

ThePhantom777 · Sep 23, 2021

Loving this thread. The full gamut of emotions reading through it.

Mostfamousclub_Pies · Sep 23, 2021

Lip Gallagher said:
Met Bucks and Willow playing pool at the Tunnel, nice guys, they were gracious in defeat.

I imagine Bucks would have been better at the long straight shots, and Willow at the angle shots?

Lip Gallagher · Sep 23, 2021

Mostfamousclub_Pies said:
I imagine Bucks would have been better at the long straight shots, and Willow at the angle shots?

Willow potted better on the run.

Lip Gallagher · Sep 23, 2021

Not Collingwood related but I got hammered with Matty Larkins at ‘The Club’ on Smith st back in the day, he got carried out in the end iirc lol.

cityslick1 · Sep 24, 2021

I used to work in footy media, so saw quite a few names come through the door, or at private functions. Plus then at inner melb clubs..

The good

Eddie - no surprises that he loved anyone that loved the club. Even when I hated some decisions he had made or actions in public, impossible not to get pumped and love the guy when you see him. Such a regular guy

Bucks - playing and early coaching days he was usually high energy & in good spirits, and loved hearing a 'Go Pies!' call from you. Watched a boxing match with him and Gill Mc in our offices, and he talked a bit about his early days in Melb looking for ladies. Funny. In what would be a pre-cursor to his future 'different' expressions, he said he was "too tight" early days when meeting ladies. "What does that mean?" Gill would say... "too fussy", the reply.
Towards the end of his coaching was different. Guarded, not trusting. Dont blame him, after the sh*t he used to cop from people like Mark Robinson. Sad... but not as sad as him never getting to lift the cup as the main man. He was part of 2010 though... dont ever let people forget that.

Tony Shaw - Great guy, as many have said. Gave a great speech on leadership to us, with one thing in particular that has stayed with me throughout my professional life. Very humble & funny. When heater won the anzac medal - "Another Shaw winning a BOG medal on the MCG... sounds about right to me!". No surprise he didnt like Malthouse though... "when are people going to figure out that he cant coach". & also didnt like it when I turned up in a coat with a furry hood. Funny. Kept looking at it and said "what the fk is that". No nonsense guy, obv didnt recognise the future of fashion though...

Mick - very friendly, father figure type guy. No surprises. Was v tight with money though. Apparently always went to the same cafe when at Weagles, b/c he would get free sandwiches on the club.

Licca - legend. Incredibly friendly. First to sign autographs at open training. Bumped into him at Boutique and Eve, and would wrap his arms around you and say "dont worry, about 2010 we should be ripe for a flag". This was in 2007, so he was on the money. When I said that Jimmy Clement was a gun, he said "yeah, but sooo serious...". Funny

Tarrant, Didak and Swanny were at Boutique quite a bit too. All good guys, though Swanny would never crack a smile. V serious also. I asked Taz if he ever read online chat sites. He just said "mate, I wouldnt even know how to turn a computer on...". Funny again. Didak was funny, got amongst it until their midnight curfew.

Josh Fraser - v friendly, and smart guy. Country lad. Would love him back as an assistant. Would say that Mick always wanted more from him, and that he just couldnt put on weight AND keep up his aerobic capacity. Was a classy player, sadly for him and us, just never made that next step.

Anth Rocca - Great guy, so humble. Said that they "just didnt know how to lose" during a stretch in 2003.

Carey - Arrogant & wild early, but great guy to have a beer with later in life. Funny, and surprisingly humble. Would always make sure that any interrupting fans would acknowledge others in the group, and would re-buff them if they didnt. Blokes bloke. Was honest about himself as being a fk up in early days. Funny story... "one NM recruiter said I would be a star, the other said I was a rotten apple and could ruin the club culture. They were both right...!". Was nicknamed the King for a reason. Women flocked to him, once drank 13 crownies without even seeming drunk at a Robbie Williams gig, and his size and strength was frightening. Did some v quick shadow boxing in a bar once that is close to the scariest thing I've ever seen. Def still loose though...

Pendles - once contacted me after I wrote a piece on a fan website... Nicks? About the season that was, and state of the list etc. Said he "really enjoyed reading that", and asked if he could publish it on his new website. Didnt eventuate though, I think b/c my report of him was v detailed and glowing, and it would seem a bit conceited. Ghost writing opportunity missed...

Dermie - quick funny story that I once saw him at 3 diff bars in the space of 10 days. First at the Beach Hotel, then following week at a St Kilda bar.... then I flew to Bali, first bar I go to... its fking Dermie again! Crazy. Never spoken to him 1-on-1, but he is a big surfing nut, so obv goes there a fair bit. Had a thing against girls who acted dumb, and once interrupted my mate who was attending to a pedestrian just hit by a car. "I'l take it from here mate...". Alpha smart guy.

Alastair Lynch and Jon Brown v nice guys, also Lloydy and Glenn Archer... just to show there's no bias. Andrew Maher from media, despite being a mad Blues fan, v friendly. & Gary Lyon was always v polite, as was Gill.
Rex Hunt told jokes and was incredibly talented in front of the camera. Refused notes to do a promo, just went bang off the top of his head and did the best promo grab you've ever seen. Natural.
Bobby Davis - lovely old fella.

Bad

Gubby Allen - have written this before, but was aggressive and tried to belittle me at a Lions closed training session in front of colleagues and players. Hadnt said a word, he approached the group and as the only non-player I just got a death stare & pretty venomous "Who are YOU?!!" line. Showed him my media pass, and said just the xxx at xxx employer. Just ignored me and kept talking to everyone else in the group. Not surprised at all that he caused a fk up in our club in later years.

Rodney Eade - similar to above. Had a reputation as a demonstrative coach also, and some of the stories of him as a player were also a bit sick. Wasnt impressed when we got him, was glad when he left.

Jason Dunstall - similar to above again, but not quite as bad. Known for being aloof, but thought he was clever to take the piss out of me in front of staff at social events. I gave it straight back, asking about his Tunnel days, so he shut up. Actually better towards the end, and I just saw a little child inside him, that was self conscious about his weight & guarded, but likely a decent guy deep down. Just V smart and talented obviously, so has little time for anyone whom bothers, or is unimportant to him... which is no doubt most people.
Sam Newman - similarly aloof, and similarly like a little child in an old mans body. Created a persona he couldnt back away from, but was quite a shy guy deep down.

Kent Butcher - grabbed my mate in a club picked him up and threw him across the floor, for no other reason other than b/c he was skinny and a bit drunk. My mate is a funny guy though, just got up and said "now thats AFL strength, right there...". pisser

Mark Robbo - Ordered me to "get me another beer!" once, after he thought I pinched his on purpose. Also wanted to control all pressers for things he had an interest in... desperate to be in charge, couldnt help himself. pass

Michael Voss - only player to complain about signing autographs when he visited the office.
Sam Mitchell & Nathan Brown - due to their attitude, happy for these guys not to come near our club.

Chris Johnson - Wanted to belt our car & told us to fk off, when we were trying to exit the ground through a crowd. Had the look of a psychotic mafia hitman in his eyes.

Some of the other nicest guys in football I have met...

Derek Hall - ex Geelong player. Didnt know him, but bought me drinks and chatted at a hoodoo gurus concert late 90's, just b/c he was so excited to see them play. Unbelievably friendly
Jason Johnson - also one of the nicest guys in football
Stan Alves - all class, another father figure type guy.
Alan Richardson - went fishing with him in Darwin. Great guy.
Power family - Luke and Sam, parents incredibly nice.
Ball bros - unassuming, smart and v humble / nice guys.
Anthony Stevens - country kid, down to earth.
Buddha Hocking - friendly, country lad. Loved a chat, with me it was about living overseas or his beloved Cats. Funny guy too. At training after setting Howe up for a hanger… “sorry Jeremy, sorry…”. “Now you know how Gary senior felt…”

Mostfamousclub_Pies · Sep 24, 2021

cityslick1 said:
I used to work in footy media, so saw quite a few names come through the door, or at private functions. Plus then at inner melb clubs..

The good

Eddie - no surprises that he loved anyone that loved the club. Even when I hated some decisions he had made or actions in public, impossible not to get pumped and love the guy when you see him. Such a regular guy

Bucks - playing and early coaching days he was usually high energy & in good spirits, and loved hearing a 'Go Pies!' call from you. Watched a boxing match with him and Gill Mc in our offices, and he talked a bit about his early days in Melb looking for ladies. Funny. In what would be a pre-cursor to his future 'different' language, he said he was "too tight" early days when meeting ladies. "What does that mean?" Gill would say... "too fussy", was the reply.
Towards the end of his coaching was different. Guarded, not trusting. Dont blame him, after the sh*t he used to cop from people like Mark Robinson. Sad... but not as sad as him never getting to lift the cup as the main man. He was part of 2010 though... dont ever let people forget that.

Tony Shaw - Great guy, as many have said. Gave a great speech on leadership to us, with one thing in particular that has stayed with me throughout my professional life. Very humble & funny. When heater won the anzac medal - "Another Shaw winning a BOG medal on the MCG... sounds about right to me!". No surprise he didnt like Malthouse though... "when are people going to figure out that he cant coach". & also didnt like it when I turned up in a coat with a furry hood. Funny. Kept looking at it and said "what the fk is that". No nonsense guy, obv didnt recognise the future of fashion though...

Mick - very friendly, father figure type guy. No surprises. Was v tight with money though. Apparently always went to the same cafe when at Weagles, b/c he would get free sandwiches on the club.

Licca - legend. Incredibly friendly. First to sign autographs at open training. Bumped into him at Boutique and Eve, and would wrap his arms around you and say "dont worry, about 2010 we should be ripe for a flag". This was in 2007, so he was on the money. When I said that Jimmy Clement was a gun, he said "yeah, but sooo serious...". Funny

Tarrant, Didak and Swanny were at Boutique quite a bit too. All good guys, though Swanny would never crack a smile. V serious also. I asked Taz if he ever read online chat sites. He just said "mate, I wouldnt even know how to turn a computer on...". Funny again. Didak was funny, got amongst it until their midnight curfew.

Josh Fraser - v friendly, and smart guy. Country lad. Would love him back as an assistant. Would say that Mick always wanted more from him, and that he just couldnt put on weight AND keep up his aerobic capacity. Was a classy player, just never made that next step.

Anth Rocca - Great guy, so humble. Said that they "just didnt know how to lose" during a stretch in 2003.

Carey - Arrogant & wild early, but great guy to have a beer with later in life. Funny, and surprisingly humble. Would always make sure that any interrupting fans would acknowledge others in the group, and would re-buff them if they didnt. Blokes bloke. Was honest about himself as being a fk up in early days. Funny story... "one NM recruiter said I would be star, the other said I was a rotten apple and could ruin the club culture. They were both right...!". Was nicknamed the King for a reason. Women flocked to him, once drank 13 crownies without even seeming drunk at a Robbie Williams gig, and his size and strength was frightening. Did some v quick shadow boxing in a bar once that is close to the scariest think I've ever seen. Def still loose though...

Pendles - once contacted me after I wrote a piece on a fan website... Nicks? About the season that was, and state of the list etc. Said he "really enjoyed reading that", and asked if he could publish it on his new website. Didnt eventuate though, I think b/c my report of him was v detailed and glowing, and it would seem a bit conceited. Ghost writing opportunity missed...

Dermie - quick funny story that I once saw him at 3 diff bars in the space of 10 days. First at the Beach Hotel, then following week at a St Kilda bar.... then I flew to Bali, first bar I go... its fking Dermie again! Crazy. Never spoken to him 1-on-1, but he is a big surfing nut, so obv goes there a fair bit. Had a thing against girls who acted dumb, and once interrupted my mate who was attending to a pedestrian just hit by a car. "I'l take it from here mate...". Alpha.

Bad

Gubby Allen - have written this before, but was aggressive and tried to belittle me at a Lions closed training session in front of colleagues and players. Hadnt said a word, and just got a death stare & pretty venomous "Who are you?!!" line. Showed him my media pass, and said just the xxx at xxx employer. Just ignored me and kept talking to everyone else in the group. Not surprised at all that he caused a fk up in our club in later years.

Rodney Eade - similar to above. Had a reputation as a demonstrative coach also, and some of the stories of him as a player were also a bit sick. Wasnt impressed when we got him, was glad when he left.

Kent Butcher - grabbed my mate in a club and threw him across the floor, for no other reason other than b/c he was skinny and a bit drunk. My mate is a funny guy though, just got up and said "thats AFL strength, right there...". pisser

Some of the other nicest guys in football I have met...

Derek Hall - ex Geelong player. Didnt know him, but bought me drinks an dchatted at a hoodoo gurus concert late 90's, just b/c he was so excited to see them play. Unbelievably friendly
Jason Johnson - also one of the nicest guys in football
Stan Alves - all class, another father figure type guy.
Alan Richardson - went fishing with him in Darwin. Great guy.
Power family - Luke and Sam, parents incredibly nice.
Ball bros - unassuming, smart and v humble / nice guys.

Wow! A very comprehensive list. You have certainly had some experiences with past players.
Thank you for giving such a detailed account. I love hearing about this kind of stuff.

sr36 · Sep 24, 2021

Magpie Girl said:
I have a story about Thorold Merrett.

When I was a very, very young girl he was involved in a car accident outside our home. We didn’t know it was him until Dad, a crazy Pies man, brought him inside to tend his injuries while they waited for an ambulance.
”It’s Thorold Merrett” said Dad, in awed tones.
I remember he had a big cut across his nose and was bleeding copiously.
Anyway, eventually he was taken away to receive treatment.

A couple of weeks later the doorbell rang and there was Thorold - he’d come to thank Dad for ‘saving his life’ (as Dad would say) and in gratitude, knowing Dad was a keen supporter, gave Dad a season’s pass.
Every year, for the remainder of his career, he sent Dad a seasons pass.

Many years later I saw him in the Rebel store in Prahran and introduced myself. It was quite wonderful that he remembered the accident and Dad’s kindness.

Not surprising that you grew up in a house with Magpie greatness blood flowing through it. I hope no-one cleaned up the blood and Merrett's bloodstains are still there.

Magpie Girl · Sep 24, 2021

sr36 said:
Not surprising that you grew up in a house with Magpie greatness blood flowing through it. I hope no-one cleaned up the blood and Merrett's bloodstains are still there.

They’re lost now but my Dad so proud of his part in “saving Thorold’s life”

PieLebo87 · Sep 24, 2021

Ran into Nick Daicos in the Doncaster car park earlier in the year. Professed my love for him. He looked at me funny…

Abdul_The_Bull · Sep 27, 2021

Mostfamousclub_Pies said:
He isn’t a Pie, but I met Gary Ablett Senior in Ho Chi Minh city in 2002. He was over there for the annual Grand Final function held by the Saigon Saints.
Not known for his public speaking, he was accompanied by Mark Yeates (a great guy) and Gary Ablett Junior, who had just completed his first full season.
Yeates was a phenomenal sidekick and captivating storyteller, but one on one Ablett Senior was exceptionally humble and friendly.
He was well aware that I was a keen Collingwood supporter, and knew that I was totally pumped for the big game. We had a few drinks together at a pre Grand Final function on the Thursday night, while watching some boxing on ESPN. This took place at Cafe Latin in District 1 with a coterie of Saigon Saints.
After the game on the Saturday, which we were watching together with 100 or so others at the Duxton Hotel, he came up to me and wound me up in a fun loving way. He knew how much the loss meant to me, and subsequently complimented Collingwood on the way they fought to the end. My reply was to tell him that he was almost as good as Daicos - he just smiled.

I've had the honour and pleasure to meet Gary Ablett Snr. I was staying with my uncle and aunty in their mixed business down at Torquay in the late 80s. Gary used to come in after hours to avoid the masses. My uncle, a Collingwood fan, and my aunty, a Geelong nutter, introduced me to him. He came in a few times over the weeks I stayed with them and we chatted several times. He is so humble and mild-mannered. He was a gentleman and was truly interested in my opinion on a lot of things. We discussed all things football but the thing that stuck with me most was our conversation about umpiring. He said that the biggest blight on our game was that the rules were subjectively applied based on the personality of the umpire and could change, not only week to week, but even in the game itself. He wasn't bitter complaining just pointing out a weakness of our game. It was a very interesting conversation and I left that with a whole other level of respect for the great man.

I also met Jonathon Brown at a junior rep footy session in Brisbane when my young fella was getting about. We soon established we were from the same general area of Victoria and chatted for close to an hour. Interestingly it was around the time there was speculation that he wanted to come back to Victoria and that Collingwood may be a destination for him. I walked away feeling that he would stay and it turned out it was around the time Leigh Matthews got in his ear about being a one club player. Top bloke.

Countrypie · Sep 27, 2021

Abdul_The_Bull said:
I've had the honour and pleasure to meet Gary Ablett Snr. I was staying with my uncle and aunty in their mixed business down at Torquay in the late 80s. Gary used to come in after hours to avoid the masses. My uncle, a Collingwood fan, and my aunty, a Geelong nutter, introduced me to him. He came in a few times over the weeks I stayed with them and we chatted several times. He is so humble and mild-mannered. He was a gentleman and was truly interested in my opinion on a lot of things. We discussed all things football but the thing that stuck with me most was our conversation about umpiring. He said that the biggest blight on our game was that the rules were subjectively applied based on the personality of the umpire and could change, not only week to week, but even in the game itself. He wasn't bitter complaining just pointing out a weakness of our game. It was a very interesting conversation and I left that with a whole other level of respect for the great man.

I also met Jonathon Brown at a junior rep footy session in Brisbane when my young fella was getting about. We soon established we were from the same general area of Victoria and chatted for close to an hour. Interestingly it was around the time there was speculation that he wanted to come back to Victoria and that Collingwood may be a destination for him. I walked away feeling that he would stay and it turned out it was around the time Leigh Matthews got in his ear about being a one club player. Top bloke.

I find G Ablett Snr fascinating. To my mind perhaps the greatest player ever. The common belief is that Geelong was good for him. Being a Geelong boy myself and having first hand knowledge of how players in that town are worshipped and their "idiosyncrasies" conveniently overlooked by a doting local press ,lawmakers and business people, I have always doubted that. I think Geelong the town (not the club although the 2 are inextricably linked) was prepared to feast on Gary's genius and not prepared to support and help him when he needed it.

Your picture of him here confirms much of my thoughts. Quiet, gentle, unassuming, largely misunderstood by the people who called him God

Cousin of Daicos · Sep 27, 2021

Hooo boy

1) Used to live 3 doors down from Lee Walker and Scott Burns. Used to go to their place regularly as a 17 year old. Then when I started working at the local pizza shop, I started delivering to them and even making their food once I was taught how to cook. Lee Walker is as incredible a bloke as you've heard or as you'd expect. Their signed posted of Peter Daicos in their kitchen with the Title "Little Tangles" (Lee Walker's nickname was Tangles) sold me on them.

2) Via 1, I met Jason Wild and a couple of the other young players of the time who I can't remember

3) Met Sav Rocca working at the T Shop back in the day

4) Leon Davis see 3

5) Tristen Walker see 3

6) Rhys Shaw see 3

7) Josh Fraser see 3

8 ) Peter Daicos see 3

9) Paul Licuria see 3

Abdul_The_Bull · Sep 27, 2021

Cousin of Daicos said:
Hooo boy

1) Used to live 3 doors down from Lee Walker and Scott Burns. Used to go to their place regularly as a 17 year old. Then when I started working at the local pizza shop, I started delivering to them and even making their food once I was taught how to cook. Lee Walker is as incredible a bloke as you've heard or as you'd expect. Their signed posted of Peter Daicos in their kitchen with the Title "Little Tangles" (Lee Walker's nickname was Tangles) sold me on them.

2) Via 1, I met Jason Wild and a couple of the other young players of the time who I can't remember

3) Met Sav Rocca working at the T Shop back in the day

4) Leon Davis see 3

5) Tristen Walker see 3

6) Rhys Shaw see 3

7) Josh Fraser see 3

8 ) Peter Daicos see 3

9) Paul Licuria see 3

Lee Walker, now he had talent! He was the beginning of the very tall athletic type flanker/wingman. Cruelled by injury, he could have been anything!

Mostfamousclub_Pies · Sep 27, 2021

Abdul_The_Bull said:
I've had the honour and pleasure to meet Gary Ablett Snr. I was staying with my uncle and aunty in their mixed business down at Torquay in the late 80s. Gary used to come in after hours to avoid the masses. My uncle, a Collingwood fan, and my aunty, a Geelong nutter, introduced me to him. He came in a few times over the weeks I stayed with them and we chatted several times. He is so humble and mild-mannered. He was a gentleman and was truly interested in my opinion on a lot of things. We discussed all things football but the thing that stuck with me most was our conversation about umpiring. He said that the biggest blight on our game was that the rules were subjectively applied based on the personality of the umpire and could change, not only week to week, but even in the game itself. He wasn't bitter complaining just pointing out a weakness of our game. It was a very interesting conversation and I left that with a whole other level of respect for the great man.

I also met Jonathon Brown at a junior rep footy session in Brisbane when my young fella was getting about. We soon established we were from the same general area of Victoria and chatted for close to an hour. Interestingly it was around the time there was speculation that he wanted to come back to Victoria and that Collingwood may be a destination for him. I walked away feeling that he would stay and it turned out it was around the time Leigh Matthews got in his ear about being a one club player. Top bloke.

Ablett really is humble as you say. Neither he nor Lockett liked the media, maybe it’s a trait of true legends.

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