Byron

[bulldogs]

Byron, Byron whats going on. The maggies is the place you were drafted from u should stand by the contract oh well hard times for this great club. Harry Miller has done nothing since being back to the maggies but at least he is still there

[Booney]

All reports suggest his father is ill.Byron has decided to spend as much time as he can with his father,by all reports.

For some of you to suggest "spitting the dummy" or "background checks" reaks of ignorance and a lack of empathy.Grow up.

[Wedgie]

All reports suggest his father is ill.Byron has decided to spend as much time as he can with his father,by all reports.

For some of you to suggest "spitting the dummy" or "background checks" reaks of ignorance and a lack of empathy.Grow up.

Agree 100%, well said Booney!

[evans01]

All reports suggest his father is ill.Byron has decided to spend as much time as he can with his father,by all reports.

For some of you to suggest "spitting the dummy" or "background checks" reaks of ignorance and a lack of empathy.Grow up.

yep agreed..........sadly people always jump to the wrong conclusions,

[overloaded]

and what about calling things how you see them? is that not allowed?

[johntheclaret]

and what about calling things how you see them? is that not allowed?

Surely facts come before opinions.

[CUTTERMAN]

All reports suggest his father is ill.Byron has decided to spend as much time as he can with his father,by all reports.

For some of you to suggest "spitting the dummy" or "background checks" reaks of ignorance and a lack of empathy.Grow up.

Booney, I hope you could read the sarcasm into what I wrote, it's not my intention to accuse either Port or Byron of spitting the dummy, all I was doing was trying to make a point to ALL who were accusing Tim Weatherald of dummy spitting merely by retiring. I wasn't aware of Byron's father and he does deserve respect as anyone does and surely Tim deserves the same respect, if not more by SANFL fans, after all he has given more to the comp. than he's taken. Once Tim set the record straight publicly, none of his accusers on this forum displayed any character whatsoever. I just used this as an example, learning more in hindsight I wouldn't have, not that that stopped anyone concerning Tim, even with hindsight. Good to see you going into bat for him anyway Booney.

[Dutchy]

sick father or not, looks like he has stiffed the PAMFC of $$$...

[Psyber]

sick father or not, looks like he has stiffed the PAMFC of $$$...

If you make a contract and take the money, you honour it regardless of what arises. If you need temporary compassionate leave you negotiate with the other party to the contract. Doing anything else makes you a crook!

Two deaths in my family last year - my sister then my mother - didn't stop me keeping up my work committments. I just had to take a week off each time to go to Adelaide and arrange the funeral.

[beenreal]

Disagree. Who are we to judge anyone, especially by white society standards. I'm as disappointed as anyone that he won't be lining up, but we move on. And I don't believe for one minute that he was signed without the approval of the coach!

Tim Weatherald deserves every accolade, but became a victim of just how awesome a side Sturt currently are.

As for Harry Miller? I thought he was quite serviceable last Saturday.

[G]

Harry Miller might have been serviceable on Saturday in whatever he did, but he was a joke on Sunday [game day]

[evans01]

by David Rhys Jones
Aboriginal players are better known in AFL circles for their silky skills than for providing a physical presence on the football field, but there is always an exception to the rule. In this case it's dual premiership player and fellow Norm Smith medallist, Byron Pickett.

When Byron started playing with the North Melbourne Kangaroos in 1997, the team was just coming off a great premiership win the year before and it was not going to be an easy side to break into.

After playing just one senior game in the 1997 season, 1998 was to be his breakthrough year, culminating in winning the AFL Rising Star award for the best young player in the league. It was also the year that he started to stamp himself as a genuine hard man of the AFL.

The old-fashioned shirtfront was his number one weapon and it had opposition players fearing for their health and wellbeing. The keys to a good shirtfront are pace, strength and especially timing. Pickett had these attributes in abundance.

Pickett became such a lethal weapon on the field that the rules regarding the shirtfront, a perfectly legal way of taking an opponent out of the game for over one hundred years, would be changed forever.

The "problem" that Byron had was that he ran straight and hard at the ball and if an opposition player happened to get there first, then he targeted that player with such a ferocity that it forced the law makers of our game to act.

After six seasons at the Kangaroos, including a premiership in 1999, Pickett returned home to Port Adelaide in what appeared to be an inspired recruiting move. The Power desperately needed an injection of toughness, something that Pickett was able to provide.

In just his second year with the Power, Pickett delivered a premiership, picking up the Norm Smith medal for the best player on the ground in the process. That game helped stamp him as a genuine big-game player, with 20 possessions and three goals.

Probably one of the most memorable "Byron bumps" occurred in the 2005 showdown between Port Adelaide and Adelaide. A classic hip and shoulder knocked Adelaide ruckman Rhett Biglands out cold, leaving all 201cm and 104kgs of him to be carried from the field on a stretcher.

Unfortunately after that premiership, due in part to some off-field problems, Pickett was never quite the same player. During 2005 his coach Mark Williams commented that Byron Pickett was "almost unemployable", mainly due to the hefty suspensions he was receiving for what was his trademark style of play.

The final appearance of this 204 game dual premiership winner's bone-crunching career came on Sunday when he ran out for Melbourne against Carlton. Pickett has said that he has lost his desire for the game and no doubt this is in part due to the fact that the game's law makers have taken away his most potent weapons.

Goodbye and good luck to such a feared and respected player and this week's hard man.

an excellent article on a great player.........good onya Byron all the best with the family and whatever the future holds...

[JK]

Fantastic article, cheers for sharing it mate.

A lot of good memories of the way Pickett went about his footy, but I'll never forget the clash between he and D. Jarman in the 98' GF ... Both ran flat out at each other, both connected at full stride, great impact, and both immediately got up and kept playing the game ... Beautiful, beautiful football!!

[overloaded]

Miller was servicable- crap. He had 5 possesions for the match, the same as the week bofore when he lost us the south game.
Miller will return home shortly unless a drastic form turn aroung and finding some passion occurs.

[NO-MERCY]

Disagree. Who are we to judge anyone, especially by white society standards. I'm as disappointed as anyone that he won't be lining up, but we move on. And I don't believe for one minute that he was signed without the approval of the coach!

Tim Weatherald deserves every accolade, but became a victim of just how awesome a side Sturt currently are.

As for Harry Miller? I thought he was quite serviceable last Saturday.

I would love to see Byron playing footy, i've always rated him as a player.
If his departure has to do with an illness in the family i fully understand he needs to be with them.
How about a statement from Byron or the PAMFC to clear it up once & for all.
Rumours are going to come thick & thin otherwise.
As for the quote above, i believe it as its come from a very good source at the club.

[RustyCage]

Disagree. Who are we to judge anyone, especially by white society standards. I'm as disappointed as anyone that he won't be lining up, but we move on. And I don't believe for one minute that he was signed without the approval of the coach!

Tim Weatherald deserves every accolade, but became a victim of just how awesome a side Sturt currently are.

As for Harry Miller? I thought he was quite serviceable last Saturday.

I would love to see Byron playing footy, i've always rated him as a player.
If his departure has to do with an illness in the family i fully understand he needs to be with them.
How about a statement from Byron or the PAMFC to clear it up once & for all.
Rumours are going to come thick & thin otherwise.As for the quote above, i believe it as its come from a very good source at the club.

http://www.portmagpies.com.au/news.php?news_id=266

[johntheclaret]

sick father or not, looks like he has stiffed the PAMFC of $$$...

Dutchy

[NO-MERCY]

Thanks for that pafc1870, its the first time i've seen something from the club.
Cheers.

[steakn]

Not sure about Harry Miller, but from my understanding Bryon was only going to play if it was with his brother who is at Bostons. rumours are that Bryon is heading up bush to do some mentoring of some sort???

[Spot]

Hey off the subject of the previous lines,
But we would like to say thanks for all the good football you have served up in the past Bryon.

I know one Centrals player that was happy to be on the same field this year, with a footballer he looked up to for many years.
I agree it is a shame for Port Adelaide, but these things happen.

Hope all goes well for Port and Bryon.