Weirdest Football Career

[radiojake]

Thought of this thread when reading of one.

Collingwood’s Charlie Ahern.

Joined Collingwood in 1929 at age 23 from Northcote in the VFA.

This was the “The Machine”, the all-conquering Collingwood side that went through the H&A season undefeated.

Unsurprisingly as a recruit in such a strong squad, Ahern managed just two games during the H&A season.

In one of the greatest upsets in footy history, Richmond defeated Collingwood in the second semi. Actually they smashed them, to the tune of 62 points.

Rumours would later abound of Collingwood playing dead in the match due to bribes, or simply threats, delivered by underworld bookmakers.

Collingwood won the prelim to set up a rematch with Richmond in the Grand Final.

This time the threats were confirmed. Written death threats for 11 senior Collingwood players were intercepted by the club during the week, warning them not to win the Grand Final. Club officials decided to keep them secret until after the game and did not pass them on to the players.

Anyway, back to Ahern. He was a shock inclusion for the Grand Final, for just his third game of the season and his VFL career, having not playing since Round 12.

He became a premiership player in his third game, though unfortunately broke his arm in a collision in the match.

Ahern was selected to play the role of “protector” for Collingwood star Syd Coventry, who had been physically targeted by Richmond in the semi final. Ahern’s size (he was a 5”11 rover, exceptionally big for position at the time) was thought to be just what Coventry and Collingwood needed. He inspired his teammates by attacking Richmond players fearlessly at every contest, and played out much of the game with his broken arm.

His recovery from the injury was complicated by numerous infections to the arm and his condition steadily worsened over the subsequent months.

One year later he would succumb to his illnesses. The three-game premiership player was dead at 25 yo.

Also a nod to modern medicine - no one would think a broken arm these days could potentially bring on deathly complications

 

[kickazz]

Thought of this thread when reading of one.

Collingwood’s Charlie Ahern.

Joined Collingwood in 1929 at age 23 from Northcote in the VFA.

This was the “The Machine”, the all-conquering Collingwood side that went through the H&A season undefeated.

Unsurprisingly as a recruit in such a strong squad, Ahern managed just two games during the H&A season.

In one of the greatest upsets in footy history, Richmond defeated Collingwood in the second semi. Actually they smashed them, to the tune of 62 points.

Rumours would later abound of Collingwood playing dead in the match due to bribes, or simply threats, delivered by underworld bookmakers.

Collingwood won the prelim to set up a rematch with Richmond in the Grand Final.

This time the threats were confirmed. Written death threats for 11 senior Collingwood players were intercepted by the club during the week, warning them not to win the Grand Final. Club officials decided to keep them secret until after the game and did not pass them on to the players.

Anyway, back to Ahern. He was a shock inclusion for the Grand Final, for just his third game of the season and his VFL career, having not playing since Round 12.

He became a premiership player in his third game, though unfortunately broke his arm in a collision in the match.

Ahern was selected to play the role of “protector” for Collingwood star Syd Coventry, who had been physically targeted by Richmond in the semi final. Ahern’s size (he was a 5”11 rover, exceptionally big for position at the time) was thought to be just what Coventry and Collingwood needed. He inspired his teammates by attacking Richmond players fearlessly at every contest, and played out much of the game with his broken arm.

His recovery from the injury was complicated by numerous infections to the arm and his condition steadily worsened over the subsequent months.

One year later he would succumb to his illnesses. The three-game premiership player was dead at 25 yo.

It's funny we complain about how dodgy the league is these days but it really has nothing on what it once was. We probably don't even know the half of it.

 

[tiger_tough]

Jacob Townsends miraculous run of form over 5 games heading into the 2017 grand final was pretty bizarre. Came into the team in round 22 to play as a defensive forward and somehow managed to kick 6.1 against Freo, backed it up with 5 straight the next week and ended up kicking 16.2 over the 5 games including a premiership.

In the 5 years at Suns before 2017 he'd managed a total of 4 goals. From 2018 onwards he managed another 24 goals in 25 games for 3 clubs, being delisted twice.

Bizarre career.

edit. I may have already mentioned Towner in this thread a long time ago.

 

[Cleansweep17]

Marlion Pickett

50

Marlion Pickett

Age

33

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.0

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

5.5

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.3

5star

CL

1.5

4star

D

11.7

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

5.0

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.6

4star

CL

1.3

4star

D

12.8

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

5star

CL

1.6

4star

1st afl game 1 flag, then a 2nd one 20 ish games later. Not even sure if that’s been done before. He also thought it was a good idea to do a 360 spin in a GF to show off. Also got his first AFL goal in that GF.

On top of that he is currently playing when quite possibly should be in jail whilst Richmond supporters are just hoping he gets to 100 games so we can use his 4 sons (I think) as f/s picks later.

The whole thing is just weird.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It's funny we complain about how dodgy the league is these days but it really has nothing on what it once was. We probably don't even know the half of it.

Yeah there's plenty of rumours about different games / seasons. Some may have a ring of truth, others are just fiction. The Grand Final threats in 1929 are documented from the time because CFC released them immediately following the game. Collingwood made no claims about the semi-final. Perhaps it's true, or perhaps afterwards people saw the GF threats, saw the absurd semi final result, and just assumed Collingwood had played dead.

1929 had a number of quirks

• Collingwood became the first and only team to secure an undefeated H&A season
• Coventry kicked 124 goals, the first player to kick a ton in a season
• In Round 6 against Hawthorn, Footscray kicked 7.16. 23 scoring shots remains the record for a quarter of footy
• Essendon's Clarrie Hearn won the Stawell Gift off 10 yards

 

[iameviljez]

Mark Jackson

Vs.

Warrick Capper

Flip a coin.

Jacko's was weirder. Capper simply moved for big bucks, but his body him down. Jacko, on the other hand, kept sabotaging his own career, only to be saved by his own talent, and managed with kid gloves from club to club until he ran out of choices.

 

[Randall Stevens]

Also a nod to modern medicine - no one would think a broken arm these days could potentially bring on deathly complications

Yes, thankfully medical care - in footy and society in general - has come a long way since those days.

In 1933 Fred Phillips was appointed as captain / coach of Hawthorn after previously playing 134 games for St Kilda.

Before the season started, Phillips had died from blood poisoning, caused by toxic dye from his training jumper seeping into a cut on his elbow. He was 27.

 

[Randall Stevens]

Jacko's was weirder. Capper simply moved for big bucks, but his body him down. Jacko, on the other hand, kept sabotaging his own career, only to be saved by his own talent, and managed with kid gloves from club to club until he ran out of choices.

Even then his talent never saved him for long at any one club.

He was sacked by Melbourne after two seasons in each of which he kicked 76 goals despite the team winning 1 and 7 goals respectively.
He then moved to St Kilda where he survived only 10 games despite kicking 41 goals while the team won only 1 game.
His longest stint was at Geelong, where he at lasted two games into a third season before his VFL career was finally brought to a close.

He clearly had serious talent as you rightly say. If not he would never have been given another chance after being sacked by Melbourne, because he must have been an absolute nightmare to coach or play with.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

Marlion Pickett

1st afl game 1 flag, then a 2nd one 20 ish games later. Not even sure if that’s been done before. He also thought it was a good idea to do a 360 spin in a GF to show off. Also got his first AFL goal in that GF.

On top of that he is currently playing when quite possibly should be in jail whilst Richmond supporters are just hoping he gets to 100 games so we can use his 4 sons (I think) as f/s picks later.

The whole thing is just weird.

To add to this, the extremes he experienced from playing in front of 100,000 on debut to playing in front of nobody.

Game #1 (GF 2019) = 100,014
Game #2 (Rd 1 2020) = 0

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Even then his talent never saved him for long at any one club.

He was sacked by Melbourne after two seasons in each of which he kicked 76 goals despite the team winning 1 and 7 goals respectively.
He then moved to St Kilda where he survived only 10 games despite kicking 41 goals while the team won only 1 game.
His longest stint was at Geelong, where he at lasted two games into a third season before his VFL career was finally brought to a close.

He clearly had serious talent as you rightly say. If not he would never have been given another chance after being sacked by Melbourne, because he must have been an absolute nightmare to coach or play with.

He was just an extreme individual playing a team sport.

He was very talented but he had no regard whatsoever for the team or winning or losing.

It was only about him performing.

To the point where if there were other players vying for the full forward position, he would openly try to injure them at training.

He got to St Kilda at the same time as a 16yo Tony Lockett and he belted him in a training match sim. Luckily for Lockett and the Saints he didn’t completely connect and Lockett wasn’t seriously injured.

Jacko was sent off the training track (after a nearby Jeff Sarau put a couple of quick ones on his chin) and sped off in his car.

Jackson was back the next week but the die was cast and he didn’t last half a season.

He claims this approach was “kill or be killed” that he learnt at Richmond… but it would appear to be his own twisted version of it, not sure many other Richmond players of the time were trying to seriously injure teammates.

Lockett kicked 77 goals in the seniors the next season so the Saints didn’t miss Jacko.

 

[Randall Stevens]

He was just an extreme individual playing a team sport.

He was very talented but he had no regard whatsoever for the team or winning or losing.

It was only about him performing.

To the point where if there were other players vying for the full forward position, he would openly try to injure them at training.

Or away from training - there is even a story, told by enough St Kilda players from the era that it seems to have at least some basis, that he once left a house brick under the brake pedal of Trevor Barkers car, which was parked on a steep driveway.

Barker's crime - other than being subject of a general hatred for being 'soft' according to Jackson - was to have not invited Jackson to stay overnight at the house of said steep driveway.

 

[Jez1974]

Chad Fletcher.

Played football. Died. Came back from the dead. Played again.

I thought he was a butcher! The way he kicked the ball

 

[Jez1974]

He was just an extreme individual playing a team sport.

He was very talented but he had no regard whatsoever for the team or winning or losing.

It was only about him performing.

To the point where if there were other players vying for the full forward position, he would openly try to injure them at training.

He got to St Kilda at the same time as a 16yo Tony Lockett and he belted him in a training match sim. Luckily for Lockett and the Saints he didn’t completely connect and Lockett wasn’t seriously injured.

Jacko was sent off the training track (after a nearby Jeff Sarau put a couple of quick ones on his chin) and sped off in his car.

Jackson was back the next week but the die was cast and he didn’t last half a season.

He claims this approach was “kill or be killed” that he learnt at Richmond… but it would appear to be his own twisted version of it, not sure many other Richmond players of the time were trying to seriously injure teammates.

Lockett kicked 77 goals in the seniors the next season so the Saints didn’t miss Jacko.

Entertaining bloke who did good battery ads and even better open mike interviews

 

[Jez1974]

Sean Dempster - 5 Grand Finals within his first 100 games.

Also holds the club record for Sydney for the highest number of AFL games played (200) without a premiership after the point of playing in his first premiership with that club.

As a player, was a bit part player at the Swans, was traded basically as steak knives with Schneider in 2007 odd (Swans received massive unders as it was for those players at the time, let alone after factoring in how good both players became). Meandered at St Kilda for a couple of years, and then became an All Australian calibre backman for the end of his career, seemingly out of nowhere.

His retirement at the start of a season due to concussion after missing selection in Round 1 was a bit strange too.

Matt Spangher
Unique career. Top teamman

 

[Daka]

Marlion Pickett

1st afl game 1 flag, then a 2nd one 20 ish games later. Not even sure if that’s been done before. He also thought it was a good idea to do a 360 spin in a GF to show off. Also got his first AFL goal in that GF.

On top of that he is currently playing when quite possibly should be in jail whilst Richmond supporters are just hoping he gets to 100 games so we can use his 4 sons (I think) as f/s picks later.

The whole thing is just weird.

It's bizarre that he's best & 1st game was that GF and he still has almost has played 100 game... I know it was different role but it sort of shows you he was on the slide when we got him as Mid-season draftee still carved out a pretty decent career for being so picked up so old.

 

[Cleansweep17]

It's bizarre that he's best & 1st game was that GF and he still has almost has played 100 game... I know it was different role but it sort of shows you he was on the slide when we got him as Mid-season draftee still carved out a pretty decent career for being so picked up so old.

Was in good form. Got BOG in the VFL GF the week before too.

 

[Deleted member 133504]

Also a nod to modern medicine - no one would think a broken arm these days could potentially bring on deathly complications

Alexander Fleming found Penicillin by accident in 1928. Wasn’t mainstream until after WW2, but was used in small scale trials on soldiers, who briefly recovered, but dropped dead shortly after the antibiotic was withdrawn as a “control” measure. Sure, why not…

How bad does the break have to be to die from an infection? Clearly it’s opportunistic, like Golden Staph or Legionella. Just brutal. Must have been bone through skin, bugger all correction and sterilisation of the primitive operating theatre.

“Just give it a rub, mate. You’ll be right!”

I knew the name Ahern, but the story is just devastating.

 

[Deleted member 133504]

Marlion Pickett

1st afl game 1 flag, then a 2nd one 20 ish games later. Not even sure if that’s been done before. He also thought it was a good idea to do a 360 spin in a GF to show off. Also got his first AFL goal in that GF.

On top of that he is currently playing when quite possibly should be in jail whilst Richmond supporters are just hoping he gets to 100 games so we can use his 4 sons (I think) as f/s picks later.

The whole thing is just weird.

There is a bloke by the name of Goodwin from the Crows…

 

[emuboy]

Brendon Klaebe was recruited by Fitzroy from SANFL team Norwood, and spent one season in 1991 with the Lions. It was a poor season for the club in which the team finished second last and Klaebe played just five games, but five memorable games however not always for the right reasons.

Klaebe's debut was in Round 2 1991 against Melbourne in a Saturday afternoon game at Princes Park, with the Demons thrashing Fitzroy by 131-points. It was the Dees biggest win since 1926, the Lions' biggest loss to this stage in their history, and the first ever 131-point margin in a game.

Four weeks later Klaebe was back in Fitzroy's senior team for the Lions' trip to Hobart to play Hawthorn. Fitzroy's record loss to Melbourne lasted just a month, with Hawthorn creating a new record margin for themselves of 157-points, the first time this margin was achieved. This thrashing was to be Fitzroy's biggest ever loss.

It would be ten weeks until Klaebe again was in the Fitzroy senior team, and this time it was a game against Brisbane at the GABBA. This match provided the Brisbane Bears with their first win at the venue, with Brisbane kicking its biggest score in the AFL to date of 26.14-170 (the second highest ever score by a wooden spoon team) to steamroll the Lions by 65-points.

Finally Klaebe got on the credit side of the ledger in his next appearance against North Melbourne in Round 22 at Princes Park, where the Lions upset the Kangaroos by 1 point in what is still the highest scoring match ever decided by that margin, Fitzroy winning 22.16-148 to 21.21-147.

Klaebe's fifth and final match for the Roy-boys was the next week against Sydney at the SCG, a one-sided Friday night game in which the Swans trounced the flat Lions by 46-points 21.14-140 to 13.16-94. However, it provided one of the more remarkable examples of a badly beaten team significantly outscoring its opponent in the final term. The quarter by-quarter scores saw Sydney lead Fitzroy 7.4 to 2.2 at quarter time, 15.6 to 5.6 at half time, by 19.10 to 6.10 at three quarter time before Fitzroy woke up in the final term, kicking 7.6-48 (more than their total for the first three terms) to 2.4-16 to reduce a 78-point deficit at the last change to 46-points at the final siren.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Had to look him up. Must have interviewed well. Poor follow through though. To save others the trouble

View attachment 515256

Did players not have to apply to enter the draft back then? Or would players like this guy enter and hope he was selected by Adelaide otherwise he wouldn't play?

 

[radiojake]

Did players not have to apply to enter the draft back then? Or would players like this guy enter and hope he was selected by Adelaide otherwise he wouldn't play?

In the early days you did not have to enter the draft to get selected

Quite a few sanfl players got 'drafted' in the late 80s when they were not interested in moving interstate

 

[Wanyabeach]

Not weird but pretty good: Malcolm Hill.
Hill was a ruckman and started his career with Hawthorn in the VFL in 1960. He played three seasons of VFL football and was a premiership player in 1961.

After leaving Hawthorn, he moved to South Australia and went on to play for Sturt in the SANFL during the rest of the 1960s. He played only intermittently, appearing in a total of 40 games for Sturt over the seven years. Hill was a premiership player in 1966, 1968 and 1969. Hill also captained coached Berri (SA Riverland League) to flags in 1966, 1967 and 1968. Sturt would bring Hill down for finals only.

 

[CharlieMortdecai]

Lance Whitnall. Bursted onto the scene as a dominant and weird flabby looking 19 year told. Continued to get more flabby, somehow made captain, gained more weight, got delisted whilst he was still captain.

Big controversy in his career was a blue with his brother about his sons bday party or some shit

Lol, I had to look that up:

"At the time, Shane Whitnall told AAP the family feud began when his wife did not attend a birthday party for Lance Whitnall's son Dane, 4, in January.
The disagreement escalated when Shane and Tammy Whitnall's two children - Exavier (Exavier), then 2, and Jett, 18 months - were not invited on a family trip to Melbourne Zoo the week before. ... But a police investigation in April cleared Lance of allegations he had thrown eggs at Shane and Tammy's house and text messaged death threats to them."

I like how "(Exavier)" got left in there, I imagine it started as some subby's comment "(Exavier? WTF? Is this correct?)".

I also love a family feud that starts when the two spouses hate each other.

 

[Brad Goodman]

Brendon Klaebe was recruited by Fitzroy from SANFL team Norwood, and spent one season in 1991 with the Lions. It was a poor season for the club in which the team finished second last and Klaebe played just five games, but five memorable games however not always for the right reasons.

Klaebe's debut was in Round 2 1991 against Melbourne in a Saturday afternoon game at Princes Park, with the Demons thrashing Fitzroy by 131-points. It was the Dees biggest win since 1926, the Lions' biggest loss to this stage in their history, and the first ever 131-point margin in a game.

Four weeks later Klaebe was back in Fitzroy's senior team for the Lions' trip to Hobart to play Hawthorn. Fitzroy's record loss to Melbourne lasted just a month, with Hawthorn creating a new record margin for themselves of 157-points, the first time this margin was achieved. This thrashing was to be Fitzroy's biggest ever loss.

It would be ten weeks until Klaebe again was in the Fitzroy senior team, and this time it was a game against Brisbane at the GABBA. This match provided the Brisbane Bears with their first win at the venue, with Brisbane kicking its biggest score in the AFL to date of 26.14-170 (the second highest ever score by a wooden spoon team) to steamroll the Lions by 65-points.

Finally Klaebe got on the credit side of the ledger in his next appearance against North Melbourne in Round 22 at Princes Park, where the Lions upset the Kangaroos by 1 point in what is still the highest scoring match ever decided by that margin, Fitzroy winning 22.16-148 to 21.21-147.

Klaebe's fifth and final match for the Roy-boys was the next week against Sydney at the SCG, a one-sided Friday night game in which the Swans trounced the flat Lions by 46-points 21.14-140 to 13.16-94. However, it provided one of the more remarkable examples of a badly beaten team significantly outscoring its opponent in the final term. The quarter by-quarter scores saw Sydney lead Fitzroy 7.4 to 2.2 at quarter time, 15.6 to 5.6 at half time, by 19.10 to 6.10 at three quarter time before Fitzroy woke up in the final term, kicking 7.6-48 (more than their total for the first three terms) to 2.4-16 to reduce a 78-point deficit at the last change to 46-points at the final siren.

Average score against of 173, that’s crazy!

 

[Brad Goodman]

Lol, I had to look that up:

"At the time, Shane Whitnall told AAP the family feud began when his wife did not attend a birthday party for Lance Whitnall's son Dane, 4, in January.
The disagreement escalated when Shane and Tammy Whitnall's two children - Exavier (Exavier), then 2, and Jett, 18 months - were not invited on a family trip to Melbourne Zoo the week before. ... But a police investigation in April cleared Lance of allegations he had thrown eggs at Shane and Tammy's house and text messaged death threats to them."

I like how "(Exavier)" got left in there, I imagine it started as some subby's comment "(Exavier? WTF? Is this correct?)".

I also love a family feud that starts when the two spouses hate each other.

Dane and Shane, two names that certainly become more prevalent the further you go from the city centre.