Rudest/Nicest player you've met?

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Kane Cornes is a legend of a bloke. So nice whenever I see him and has a great family too!

Watch out for 18yo Eddy Cornes on SEN and in the footy media. He is the next big thing !!
agree..Kane is a nice guy and very easy to chat footy with.
quite guy, but talk footy and he can go all day
 
His kids go (or went ) to one of the local primary schools . He was picking them up one day & a group of kids gather round saying "do the flip ! Do the flip!."

So he bent his head back and did a 360 backflip & landed on his feet. To general delight.

Then ex Hawthorn player Carl Peterson's son, who was in attendance, executed the same move perfectly.

I was most impressed.
Awesome
 
Taylor Adams and Toby Greene are both shocking blokes

Some of the stuff Toby has done, both publicly and privately, it's hard to fathom he's the captain of an AFL club.


Hopefully neither will win a premiership. (Adams isn't best 23)

Got a friend who went to school with Greene. Said his parents were junkies and he ate glue. Can see it.
 

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I have/had friendships and acquaintanceships with players but wouldn't consider an answer based on my impressions of them to have been formed in a way that is in the spirit of this kind of question.

So thinking about impressions formed only from 'meetings' per se, the one that really stood out to me was Robert Dipierdomenico.
I was 15 or so and sitting on a park bench alone watching an Eastern Ranges trial game or practice match or something similar when Dipper walks my way and takes a seat next to me (his son Dylan was playing). We watched the whole game together virtually uninterrupted, and he was chatty from the moment he sat down until the end of the match.

He was the one to start the conversation too, introducing himself without any hint of an assumption that I might know who he was already. He asked a lot of questions about me, remembered my name and used it a lot, as well as remembering and bringing up earlier details I'd shared with him in later conversation.
He just generally took a genuine interest in me and my life, and in particular my own progress as a young footballer trying out for an interleague squad that year for the first time.

At the time I felt like he spoke to me and treated me like a peer, or even more than that, like I was important and my very modest junior football achievements and ambitions were impressive and worthy of someone like him taking such an interest in. It was just a very uplifting experience, and looking back as an adult I can see how his instinct to mentor and support a young person came naturally to him and was very authentic (and effective).

*Edit: I should add, I never told him I already knew who he was after he introduced himself or spoke to him/asked him questions like he was anyone but a complete stranger I'd just met and knew nothing about besides what he shared in conversation. When sharing his football knowledge and playing experiences he only spoke about details that were relevant and relatable to our conversation, and was specifically vague on details such as what level his own 'try outs' experiences and such had been at and who he played for. It stood out to me when he was talking about things I knew related to a legendary V/AFL career but he was leaving that part out, clearly not wanting to make the conversation about him.
You wont find a better bloke than Dipper. Made his mistakes in the past but owned up to them and is a better man for it. Has a heart of gold and genuinely talks to anyone who wants to. Far different from his own field persona.
 
I think it was about 2004, Adam Mcphee had his first year at Essendon, my favourite player, looked like he'd be a star. I saw him nye at the anglers tavern, as he was walking I tapped him on the shoulder just to say hi, he ignored it, I thought he must not have felt it, so I tapped again, he swivels around and gives me a death stare like he wants to punch my lights out. Needless to say he was no longer my favourite player and he got some good karma with his career falling off a cliff in the following years.

Great bloke, me and my best mate a few years ago were at the longroom in the city. Daisy Thomas randomly comes up asking if we know where he can charge his phone. Ends up chatting to us in the bar for 10 minutes about basically nothing as his mates are over in the corner waiting for him. Was sober too surprisingly. Really nice guy was even asking questions about us, wasn't all about him. Glad he is doing well on 7, good guy and good special comments man.

Sam Newman, in primary school was showing up to some event with just our class to promote something. All the kids were super excited, waited out in the cold for over an hour coz he was late, he showed up, took a group photo, got back in his porsche I think it was after not interacting with anybody and ****ed off. All the kids left very disappointed as the footy show was at its peak back then, the teachers had to try and lift the solemn mood afterwards.
Nothing has changed in that regard with Sam. Comes across as an A grade knob and not just his views on alot of subjects. Probably why he and Lyon get on well their both cut from the same cloth. Miserable attitudes.
 
He's a ****in nutcase.

I don't think I'd ever tap a person on the shoulder unless it was 'hey mate you dropped your phone' on a dancefloor but to do it to a scary unit like that (and of course it was at the Anglers) is stupid as ****.

You always have this idea that if you played AFL every interaction would be 'how are you looking this weekend?' but you must cop a huge amount of shit. I'd be a guarded prick too.

My uncle used to run the Railway in North Freo for a while. if you know Freo, you know it's rough as all ****. for some reason the Dockers held a couple of post seasons there and apparantly Ryan Crowley was obsessed with the condom machine and blowing them into balloons and Pav was a lightweight. he also operated the Brunswick Hotel for a while and they basically gave the lads free beers after Princes Park games; Peter Bell just sat by himself all the time at the bar and Troy 'Snakey' Simonds was obsessed with the Actua Tennis machine.
Honestly if you want the chance at a decent interaction don't yell in their direction or tap them on the shoulder. Your asking to be ignored. Back in the Spy Lounge days I shook hands with both Des Headland and Andrew Krakeour as I was walking past. Both genuinely happy to engage and got a hey brother thanks how you going in response. I got their attention by saying "Love your work mate". They initiated the hand shakes. Obviously it could have gone the other way and they barely acknowledge or ignore you but both of them were genuine blokes happy to engage with people. Jeff Farmer was also there that night from memory.
 
Tall poppy syndrome... isn't that referred to like, academics or highly successful musicians or something?

Also one of the great furphies. people don't like pricks and ultimately a lot of successful people are arrogant or unlikeable. it happens in England far more than here.

One of the great furphies.

Anyway point is, Tom Morris was cancelled because he was the sort of kid to sit on the sidelines during kick to kick and tried being one of the boys when he's just some pencil neck nerd. most people in his position would be chuffed they get to talk about footy for a living but he had to go down that route.

Also even a regular shitkicker wouldn't speak about a female employee in a private chat. you're a screen record away from losing your job.

Say it at the pub but never over message. everyone knows this.
POTY, even though it's early yet, this will be hard to beat. It's only my opinion obviously.
 
Met Josh Fraser and Heath Scotland one night in Echuca when we were walking to a club. Spoke to them for the walk and they were both very pleasant and came across as very down to earth blokes and especially Josh.

Garry Lyon was at a school footy program back when I was in primary school, must have been around 1994. He was just a grouchy a**hole, getting annoyed and telling kids to shut up etc.
I thought he was an absolute flog.

Only in the last couple of years I can now tolerate him and like listening to him in the media.
 
Melbourne Fan - so bias is showing:
Jeff White - in his playing days 2000, was a humble guy and couldn't have been more relaxed.
ANB - humble and interesting, absolutely up for a chat.
Daniel Cross - apart from looking like an action figure from masters of the universe, very cool.
Matthew Richardson met him a few times at different venues, always up for a gas even in his playing days.
Neitz was cool
Kernahan - nah
Lyon - nah
Have to say most of the Demons list in 2000 were pretty chill, Wheelan/Hopgood/Brown/Robertson and McDonald stand out.
Sheedy decent enough for a chat, but hates Melbourne, not even shit stirring genuine dislike.
Rodney Eade deadset interested in the game and anyone who wants to talk about it.
Terry Wallace, was way cooler than I thought he'd be from media.

Non AFL - Adam Gilchrist, fantastic bloke met him in my favourite Prahran cafe the morning after he'd smashed a century at the 'G, the full back page of the Australian read 'Gilchrist Conquers the World', I asked him to sign it (very meekly) which he did with a flourish and proceeded to talk up Shane Watson who was there as well, (and cool). Both were up for a gas, i kept trying to end the conversation to get out of their space and they kept talking.

Soccer - Didier Drogba was way cool too. Very nice to my son.

Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst the night after their Sydney gold at Icebergs or whatever it was called were awesome
 
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How pathetic that my comment saying that the nicest and rudest person you've ever met must be bipolar was deleted with the reason being: "no".

Dude mustn't be a fan of humour.
Love the way mods/redditors/losers just say stuff like 'no' and 'do better.' absolute milk monitor behaviour.
 
Non AFL - Adam Gilchrist, fantastic bloke met him in my favourite Prahran cafe the morning after he'd smashed a century at the 'G, the full back page of the Australian read 'Gilchrist Conquers the World', I asked him to sign it (very meekly) which he did with a flourish and proceeded to talk up Shane Watson who was there as well, (and cool). Both were up for a gas, i kept trying to end the conversation to get out of their space and they kept talking.

I went to a day of the Lord's Ashes test in 2013 and inadvertently wandered past the Australian team bus as the players were getting off. Watson was the only player I saw who offered a "Thanks, mate" to the driver.
 
Nicest Player I’ve met Lachie Neale
Rudest player I’ve met Dustin Martin
 

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I went to a day of the Lord's Ashes test in 2013 and inadvertently wandered past the Australian team bus as the players were getting off. Watson was the only player I saw who offered a "Thanks, mate" to the driver.
Watson rightfully cops it for his early career antics and constant DRS referrals , but a nicer guy you will not meet .
 
I met Warwick Capper when I was at his establishment in Oakleigh, initially he was a bit rude when I spoke to him but I guess you kind of expect that with him. He also came into the room when I was with one of the girls which was a little bit weird.
Did he put his knee into your back and shout CAAAAAAAAAAPPER
 
...I wasn't buying anything off him. I was a pissant uni student. they'd already secured their slot in the fridge for the next 12-24 months, he was just trying to get people to drink the shit.

He was a genuinely normal dude, the sort of guy you'd want to fix your nana's sink on a Tuesday morning.
Before he throws her all over the bedroom ...
 
Had a few chats with Tredders 5-6 years ago, used to see him outside the footy gates and always stopped to have a chat. Was realistic and not afraid to call players shit.

Worked at Coles on checkout in early 2010s, served a few players. Nicest ones were Brett Ebert and Nathan Van Berlo. Worst was Dangerfield, was not up for any talk, just smirked.
 
My best mate for a number of years was an ex Collingwood player, so got to meet a number of ex players through him. Ended up on a few big nights out with him and Dennis Banks - who was one of the best blokes you'd ever meet. Funny as all ****.

He took me along to the last game at Victoria Park - there was a past player's function across the road while the match was going on. Ended up having beers with past legends like Peter McKenna, Wayne Richardson and Murray Weideman, as well as the more recently retired ones like Russell Ohlsen and John Annear - all of them fantastic people and one of the most enjoyable days of my life. At the end of the game, the past players formed a guard of honour on the ground, and they literally dragged me out onto the ground to be part of the guard. Banksy's got me by one arm saying "i'm sure you played a game for the Pies back in the 80's" with that huge familiar grin.

But I reckon the nicest ex player I've ever met by the length of the Flemington Straight was the great Terry Smith from Richmond. Just a ripping bloke, and was so friendly to anyone he met. Got to know him quite well, and was really sad when I heard he passed away at just 47yo a number of years back.

The worse bloke I've ever had the misfortune to encounter was Fraser Brown. Used to go around at pubs either by himself or with his mates trying to pick fights with anyone that looked sideways. He king hit one of my mates one night outside of a nightclub in Banana Alley many moons ago - problem for ol' mate Fraser was that my buddy was a total psycho, especially after a 'few' beers. Ended up a huge punch on with the cops eventually coming to sort it out. As a side story, my buddy was out with his best mate at the time - a bloke named Ross Lyon - who was scuffling with one of Fraser's mates while my buddy was trading punches with Fraser.

He's a successful businessman these days in property development, riding on the coat tails of the company formed by his old man that he's taken over. Absolute turd.
 
Well I was about 10 years old when I met Modra and he was great. Sitting in his car after the game, door open signing autographs for everyone with about 200 people lined up. After I got his autograph on my Simpsons jumper I ducked back and asked him to sign "Godra" on it and he went to do it and said ahh you better do that yourself mate lol. Don't think he wanted to get caught seeming like a big head.

Nigel smart on the other hand was likeable but had a massive head on his shoulders. Those were the days. Honestly the whole team was good. We use to go to training all the time and they'd all pretty much sign everything.

Also saw Modra do an appearance at Rowe and Jarman and he was doing the old fashioned handball through the hole thing Lou richards use to do on the footy show and he couldn't get a handball through so he started kicking them and couldn't miss lol.
Went to a club in Melbourne and usually its a battle to get a drink at the bar. We were like WTF is going on here, then we work out in the middle of huge circle of people is Modra who was at the height of his fame. Everyone swamped him. Being the young men we were we weren't impressed at all and just parked at the bar like we would any old pub. We were basically the only people not in the massive group.

About 15 minutes or so later Modra comes over by himself, buys as all a drink and has a chat. Its almost like he knew we pissed off lol. To have the presence of mind and awareness to do that was unbelievably impressive. Many years have gone by since and i cant recall a situation like it. Speaks volumes of the guy, so id give him no1 despite it being a relatively short chat.
 
Nicest Player I’ve met Lachie Neale
Rudest player I’ve met Dustin Martin
I was genuinely shocked by how nice Lachie Neale was.
Ran into him once by chance, said hi and good luck for the Brownlow. Was just going to leave it at that as didn’t want to hold him up.
However he kept the convo rolling, was very respectful and had absolutely zero ego.
 
The worse bloke I've ever had the misfortune to encounter was Fraser Brown. Used to go around at pubs either by himself or with his mates trying to pick fights with anyone that looked sideways.

Didn't he get charged with assault one time, and the excuse/reason he provided was exactly that - "because he looked at me".
 
Had a quiet beer or 2 with
Michael ‘magic’ McLean back in the eighties-absolute gentleman!
Last year I Eyeballed Darcy Moore walking down smith street toward me 8am game day, nobody else around, he instigated conversation and was genuinely lovely!

Sam Newman, rather predictably, was both rude and floggish in equal measure
Worked for Ian Bremner back in the eighties-entitled w***er!
 
My best mate for a number of years was an ex Collingwood player, so got to meet a number of ex players through him. Ended up on a few big nights out with him and Dennis Banks - who was one of the best blokes you'd ever meet. Funny as all ****.

He took me along to the last game at Victoria Park - there was a past player's function across the road while the match was going on. Ended up having beers with past legends like Peter McKenna, Wayne Richardson and Murray Weideman, as well as the more recently retired ones like Russell Ohlsen and John Annear - all of them fantastic people and one of the most enjoyable days of my life. At the end of the game, the past players formed a guard of honour on the ground, and they literally dragged me out onto the ground to be part of the guard. Banksy's got me by one arm saying "i'm sure you played a game for the Pies back in the 80's" with that huge familiar grin.

But I reckon the nicest ex player I've ever met by the length of the Flemington Straight was the great Terry Smith from Richmond. Just a ripping bloke, and was so friendly to anyone he met. Got to know him quite well, and was really sad when I heard he passed away at just 47yo a number of years back.

The worse bloke I've ever had the misfortune to encounter was Fraser Brown. Used to go around at pubs either by himself or with his mates trying to pick fights with anyone that looked sideways. He king hit one of my mates one night outside of a nightclub in Banana Alley many moons ago - problem for ol' mate Fraser was that my buddy was a total psycho, especially after a 'few' beers. Ended up a huge punch on with the cops eventually coming to sort it out. As a side story, my buddy was out with his best mate at the time - a bloke named Ross Lyon - who was scuffling with one of Fraser's mates while my buddy was trading punches with Fraser.

He's a successful businessman these days in property development, riding on the coat tails of the company formed by his old man that he's taken over. Absolute turd.

I've heard the exact same about Fraser Brown from an older guy that took me under his wing for some work experience when I was in my last year of university. Hated him with a passion.

My mate who's the most friendly guy around punched on with Brian lake outside a Melbourne nightclub a few years back. Lake also has a bad reputation, he reckons lake just came up to his mate and slapped a sausage roll outta his hand for no reason outside the nightclub. They ended up rolling around on the ground fighting on the road in Queen st till security broke it up.
 

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