Former Richmond star Justin Charles 'nothing is off limits' interview

[inanunda]

The Lace Out podcast host Chris Pepper (me) sat down with former Footscray and Richmond star Justin Charles for a chat about his career and nothing was off limits. Justin openly talks about his steroids scandal that was a first in AFL, and one he continues to reminded about today. He also shares his passionate views on his recreational drugs and gambling in the AFL, AFLW, the Essendon drugs saga, his love for Richmond, Alastair Clarkson, and lots more.

Click to listen: https://anchor.fm/lace-out/episodes/Episode-33-A-Chat-with-Justin-Charles-e3ijr1

 

[AFDogs]

Never heard of him but may give it a listen. Thanks for posting.

 

[Mofra]

My one memory of Charles as a footballer is his enthusiasm. I remember him waving his arms around at the coaches box one day at WO because he was so desperate to get back on the ground.

 

[Yojimbo]

My one memory of Charles as a footballer is his enthusiasm. I remember him waving his arms around at the coaches box one day at WO because he was so desperate to get back on the ground.

Apparently he was a good baseballer as well.

 

[Mofra]

Apparently he was a good baseballer as well.

Yeah, think he was offered a Melbourne Monarchs position during the short-live era in which we were aligned with them

 

[inanunda]

Yeah, think he was offered a Melbourne Monarchs position during the short-live era in which we were aligned with them

Talks about why he quit AFL for a year to play baseball in the US and then got drafted back into the AFL a year later.

 

[memberforever]

Drug cheat in the end.

 

[Bont2Bruce]

"Star" is a term that gets over-used a fair bit.

 

[inanunda]

Drug cheat in the end.

And he accepts full responsibility. Have a listen to why he did it and you might be surprised..

 

[TempletonTheRat]

I remember him dominating in the first quarter of a final against Geelong; I think in the early nineties. Geelong then smashed us for the remainder of the game.

It was the last dogs final I attended until the 2016 PF

 

[mcgleereturns]

I remember him dominating in the first quarter of a final against Geelong; I think in the early nineties. Geelong then smashed us for the remainder of the game.

It was the last dogs final I attended until the 2016 PF

Yep, 1992 Qualifying Final. Brownlow Medalist to be Scott Wynd got injury in a collision in last round before finals. Massive loss to our team and we have to swing fill in ruck Justin Charles in for our biggest game since 85 Prelim. Like our team, Charles off to a flyer but also like our team, after half time disappeared. The game DelRe kicked eight but Brownless kicked 9 and they smashed us. Two weeks later repeated the dose and I could get married the next day and go on the honeymoon without missing a grand final.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Spiritof82]

The Lace Out podcast host Chris Pepper (me) sat down with former Footscray and Richmond star Justin Charles for a chat about his career and nothing was off limits. Justin openly talks about his steroids scandal that was a first in AFL, and one he continues to reminded about today. He also shares his passionate views on his recreational drugs and gambling in the AFL, AFLW, the Essendon drugs saga, his love for Richmond, Alastair Clarkson, and lots more.

Click to listen: https://anchor.fm/lace-out/episodes/Episode-33-A-Chat-with-Justin-Charles-e3ijr1

He was an average footballer at best, definitely no star

 

[TempletonTheRat]

Yep, 1992 Qualifying Final. Brownlow Medalist to be Scott Wynd got injury in a collision in last round before finals. Massive loss to our team and we have to swing fill in ruck Justin Charles in for our biggest game since 85 Prelim. Like our team, Charles off to a flyer but also like our team, after half time disappeared. The game DelRe kicked eight but Brownless kicked 9 and they smashed us. Two weeks later repeated the dose and I could get married the next day and go on the honeymoon without missing a grand final.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for that, my memory was a bit fuzzy, you have filled in a few gaps.

 

[Norm De Guerre]

Lost interest when you mention his love of Richmond and not Footscray. You might've been best advised to leave that part out on a board as partisan as this when pushing an interview with a player once connected to our club.

Good luck to him, but its a no from me.

 

[W W Biscuit]

A very average footballer was Justin Charles. Hands of stone.

 

[SonOfScray]

Great fella. He was my hero for a brief time as a kid. Coached Nth Footscray. I got him to sign my hat up in the grandstand at Yarraville's ground one day. Was a big monarchs fan and enjoyed seeing him at the Aces early on too.

If you know baseball at the time, the drugs stuff isn't a surprise.

 

[footscray1973]

So his dad played for us and he played for us... and he loves Richmond. F*** off Charles, you played 2 decent games for us. I couldn’t care less about the reasons for his steroid use, and he’s one former player I couldn’t care less about.

 

[Chicago1]

Yeah, think he was offered a Melbourne Monarchs position during the short-live era in which we were aligned with them

Those were the days. I used to go to the Monarchs games from Box Hill when I could. It made my summers here more bearable. I even went to a few Perth Heat games when I lived there from what I recall. That must have been their first season, in 1989. I'm sure I have a Perth Heat cap somewhere in one of my boxes.

Mofra's right about Charles' enthusiasm. I remember the same sight of him itching to get back on the ground. I might have had a season seat in the John Gent stand that year. Memories.

 

[Mofra]

He was an average footballer at best, definitely no star

Polled pretty well in the brownlow one year. He was better than average, cruelled by injuries in the end.

 

[Bont2Bruce]

Polled pretty well in the brownlow one year. He was better than average, cruelled by injuries in the end.

He only had the one good year and it wasn't playing for us. Average is a perfectly fair description of his time with us.

I also objected to the use of "star" in the thread title and the OP, whether just in his time with us or his AFL career as a whole.

 

[Dogs 13]

Those were the days. I used to go to the Monarchs games from Box Hill when I could. It made my summers here more bearable. I even went to a few Perth Heat games when I lived there from what I recall. That must have been their first season, in 1989. I'm sure I have a Perth Heat cap somewhere in one of my boxes.

Mofra's right about Charles' enthusiasm. I remember the same sight of him itching to get back on the ground. I might have had a season seat in the John Gent stand that year. Memories.

We were at the Melbourne Ballpark in Altona one night. Monarchs trailing by 3 runs, bottom of the inninings, bases loaded. One Justin Charles steps up and bang grand slam home run (home runs were rare at that ground as they were usually hitting into a south westerly). Monarchs win by one and Charles was the hero. Should have stuck to baseball.

 

[Chicago1]

We were at the Melbourne Ballpark in Altona one night. Monarchs trailing by 3 runs, bottom of the inninings, bases loaded. One Justin Charles steps up and bang grand slam home run (home runs were rare at that ground as they were usually hitting into a south westerly). Monarchs win by one and Charles was the hero. Should have stuck to baseball.

Please don't mention Altona. One of my students was at the ground one day and he saw me miss a foul ball. I have an excuse. I was holding my drink(non alcoholic) in my left hand at the time and had to use my right hand to catch it. Since I used to wear my glove on my left hand, well, you know the excuse... at least that's what I stand by.

 

[Dogs 13]

Please don't mention Altona. One of my students was at the ground one day and he saw me miss a foul ball. I have an excuse. I was holding my drink(non alcoholic) in my left hand at the time and had to use my right hand to catch it. Since I used to wear my glove on my left hand, well, you know the excuse... at least that's what I stand by.

Spent many an uncomfortably cool summer's night there.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Such a positive lot we are in here.

Good luck with the podcast, something I've wanted to do for a while but have lacked the time.

 

[random__hero]

I vaguely remember Monarchs games @ WO when I was a kid.

Did they end up becoming the Aces or were/are the Aces a brand new entity?