Wish him all the best. A mate of mine was there to see him dodge the people in charge to get a beer, A true legend of the SANFL.
SANFL star of the 1980s Grenville Dietrich has his right leg amputated after serious fallGoalkicking machine Grenville Dietrich, the larger than life full forward who dominated SANFL football in the mid-1980s, is facing his toughest battle.
Former star SANFL goalkicker Grenville Dietrich is recovering in hospital after having most of his right leg amputated.
The 61-year-old, who twice kicked the century of goals in a season for North Adelaide in the 1980s, is understood to have had two surgeries following complications from a fall in January.
The first surgery at Royal Adelaide Hospital two weeks ago was to remove his right foot after he “just sat home and watched my toes turn black after my fall in January’’ and the second, to remove the leg “from above the knee’’, was earlier this week.
In a Facebook post, Dietrich wrote that his complications had stemmed from “a lack of good blood flow’’.
Dietrich, from Mildura in Victoria, was a flamboyant full forward for the Roosters from 1982-86, leading the club’s goalkicking each year.
Quick on the lead, a spectacular high mark and a superb kick at goal, he booted 445 goals in 103 games for North, including 109 in 1983 and 101 in 1984.
Dietrich played two state games for SA in 1986, kicking seven goals, including four in the Croweaters’ 10-point win against Victoria at Football Park.
He controversially left the Roosters at the end of the 1986 season – after he had played in consecutive losing grand finals against Glenelg – to join SANFL rival West Torrens, allegedly because of “philosophical differences” with North coach Mick Nunan.
Dietrich, a loveable larrikin, was renowned for enjoying the social side of football.
He topped the Eagles’ goalkicking in his first season at the club in 1987, with 54, but battled injuries and played just two games the following year before quitting league football.
He kicked 10 or more goals in a game nine times.
North chief executive Greg Edwards said the club had wrapped its arms around Dietrich, a favourite son, and offered him all the support he needs.
“At the moment we are giving him some space to let him recover from what has been some horrific surgery,’’ Edwards said.
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Where are they now ... a chat with Grenville Dietrich in 2014
“He's still in hospital so we’ve just wished him all the best, sent him some flowers and let him know that as soon as he’s ready we’ll throw our arms around him and give him all the support he needs from us.
“Everyone at our club loves Grenville, the number of mates he’s got here is ridiculous. The footy club is important to him and we look forward to being able to help him as much as we can when he gets out of hospital.’’
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/af ... erallPos=1
Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2021 8:43 pm