Wasted Talents

[the wonder elephant]

Just to add a few more and they didn't make it because of injury or work commitments in rural locations too far from the city but have/had massive talent;

Trevor Gill (Renmark)
Buff Tyrrell (Barmera) Might have had a go in town - not sure. A legend in Barmera circles
Shane Adams (Kadina)
Brett Exelby (Renmark)

This thread could get quite long the more people think about it. Country footballers that go on and do make it need a lot of support - especially as a junior with parents getting them to training in Adelaide etc.

think u will find that b exelby came from town to renmark and played at least 17s and 19s at the bay with his brother so would have had a fair crack i would say you usually know by 19/20 if your gonna play league footy !

[MrTeach]

Brad Haskett Willunga: 21 year old, 6'6, 110kg, 11 second 100m.

I thoroughly agree with you Grape Ape. Haskett is 22 now almost pushing 23 but the man has a lot going for him but has never had that true desire to go somewhere, too slack is my prediction and comfortable in his surroundings at Willunga but could have been and still could be anything.

[MrTeach]

I guess you wpould throw into the mix a Ben Stokes or Shannon Farrant or even Damien Rigney Ben has been at that many clubs that you could forgive him for turning up to the wrong ground to play ( nearly said train but thats never on his agenda)

Rumous has it that Ben knew that 2 AFL clubs were going to watch one of his games when he played at South and he decided not to turn up and go smoke the Green instead

[2words]

Best country footballer i have seen is Shannon Goldsmith, dont no if he ever tried to play at a higher level but his days at Onka's were outstanding. Dont no were his is now though probably dominated some other country league.

have to agree played against shannon and some of the things that he did were awesome and made it look easy ..a match winner at his best thats 4 sure ...anyone no 4 sure where he ended up ?

i played with him in victoria early on in the year! He said he was playing football in the league that shepparton is in if that helps, very handy player.

what were u doin over there playing footy mate ...believe that would be the ovens and murray league prob the strongest country league goin around !

Heard he played in the Aboriginal all stars side in a trial against the western bulldogs a few years back and well and truly held his own.

[ftandsq]

Shannon Goldsmith was given the best player award against the Western Bulldogs in that game, then he played in a premiership in Darwin and was BOG then too. But he had a massive family tragedy i heard not long after that with someone very close to him taking their life. He then left Darwin and Adelaide and went country Vic. He is the best player i have seen in Hills footy, and Bat Pad you are right, he is the Best Player not to win a mail medal.

[Slapsy]

Just to add a few more and they didn't make it because of injury or work commitments in rural locations too far from the city but have/had massive talent;

Trevor Gill (Renmark)
Buff Tyrrell (Barmera) Might have had a go in town - not sure. A legend in Barmera circles
Shane Adams (Kadina)
Brett Exelby (Renmark)

This thread could get quite long the more people think about it. Country footballers that go on and do make it need a lot of support - especially as a junior with parents getting them to training in Adelaide etc.

think u will find that b exelby came from town to renmark and played at least 17s and 19s at the bay with his brother so would have had a fair crack i would say you usually know by 19/20 if your gonna play league footy !

Was someone coaching the league side at the time he did not get along with as watching him over the last few years in the riverland he was clearly good enough - won a mail medal in a team that only finished 4th in a 6 team comp I reckon.

[skeletal system]

Ex played some league footy under Tony Symonds and then had a clash with the Stringer bros. and played at Marion with his bro.

[Lunchbox Legend]

Matthew Hodge - went to Ireland with an Aust u/16 team and had several AFL clubs chasing him.

I totally agree with you PA. What a waste. Apparently would rather have a puff on the hill with his mates and just go thru the motions for a $ at a level well below his ability.

[Saint]

So i see it is widely agreed that goldsmith is an absolute GUN

[Scout]

I played with Phil Smith now at Lucindale easily the most talented player at any sport I played with, Brisbane and Collingwood came to watch him play as a teenager he kicked 12 then did not turn up to meet them went and watched the trots.

Has kicked bucket loads of goals where ever he has played

[manbitesdog]

I played with Phil Smith now at Lucindale easily the most talented player at any sport I played with, Brisbane and Collingwood came to watch him play as a teenager he kicked 12 then did not turn up to meet them went and watched the trots.

Has kicked bucket loads of goals where ever he has played

totally agree a freak

[Turfie]

What about Travis and Trent Griffen? Older and younger brothers of WB player Ryan Griffen.
Both have the same natural ability as there brother but just enjoy doing what they do. Older brother Trav had a few AFL clubs showing some interest long before Ryan was drafted.

[GWW]

I played with Phil Smith now at Lucindale easily the most talented player at any sport I played with, Brisbane and Collingwood came to watch him play as a teenager he kicked 12 then did not turn up to meet them went and watched the trots.

Has kicked bucket loads of goals where ever he has played

Ex Port Adelaide Magpies full forward?

The other full forward in the South East who's kicked some bags the last few years is Cooper, who i think is originally from the NT.

[NO-MERCY]

I played with Phil Smith now at Lucindale easily the most talented player at any sport I played with, Brisbane and Collingwood came to watch him play as a teenager he kicked 12 then did not turn up to meet them went and watched the trots.

Has kicked bucket loads of goals where ever he has played

Ex Port Adelaide Magpies full forward?

The other full forward in the South East who's kicked some bags the last few years is Cooper, who i think is originally from the NT.

Phil Smith played a good half year of League Footy at Port Magpies & was found out very quickly & struggled to have any impact in the SANFL after that,
Great country footballer no-doubt, i always thought that bloke would dominate SANFL but never did, i suppose the bad habits of country football he couldn't get out of his game, without being to unkind "lazyness" was his problem at SANFL.

Shannon Goldsmith was very talented & could of played league football, even AFL,
I heard alot of rumours regarding Shannon & believe he was chased by Richmond?
Didn't make the most of the opportunity when about to catch up with Tiger officials!

[Scout]

No Mercy can tell u 1st hand that if he had been at any other club would still be playing here, he and Williams did not see eye to eye. But yes is lazy. you can be when ur that talented

[sugardaddy]

muffy kartinyeri should of played afl

[CK]

Not so much a wasted talent as could have gone further with the right breaks, but Greg Mullins was an absolute freak in terms of his fitness at his peak. Played with him for a while and have never met a fitter bloke at Hills Country level. Rumour had it he went down one night to Crows training and was peeling off comparable times to some pretty reasonable players. I believe it was a combination of work and family that prevented him exploring it much further.

[test]

No Mercy can tell u 1st hand that if he had been at any other club would still be playing here, he and Williams did not see eye to eye. But yes is lazy. you can be when ur that talented

obviously he couldnt afford to be lazy with his talent if he got found out so quickly.

[tedbullpit]

I played with Phil Smith now at Lucindale easily the most talented player at any sport I played with, Brisbane and Collingwood came to watch him play as a teenager he kicked 12 then did not turn up to meet them went and watched the trots.

Has kicked bucket loads of goals where ever he has played

Ex Port Adelaide Magpies full forward?

The other full forward in the South East who's kicked some bags the last few years is Cooper, who i think is originally from the NT.

I'm pretty sure Stuart Cooper was on the Kangaroos list for 3 or 4 seasons, was delisted and then moved to Kingston for work. Don't think he actually played an AFL game though.

[Dogwatcher]

Slapsy, his onfield antics might have got the better of him but his on-field antics in an SANFL GF will always be remembered

DW, I assume you are talking aboiut Dingo? What happened in the SANFL GF if it can be mentioned here?

Dingo played for Westies in that infamous GF against North where Steve Sims went boonta.
Schumann, who never took a step back and liked the niggle, was heavily amongst the brawling that day.
I reckon that Rooster Steve Hamilton (son of Glenelg premiership player Kerry) copped a black eye that day and it was from an altercation with Schumann.
So it was funny, in 1998, to see both of those guys playing in the RFL, for opposing teams Loxton and Waikerie.
I often wondered if there was a knowing smile exchanged here and there between the two.