Page 1 of 2

Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:03 pm
by centrecirclelegend
Been playing (long retired) and going to the footy since the mid sixty's and I have not seen another player as good as he was. Sure there have been some very good players since but none have come close as being the best player ever to play the game. He could play in any position in any conditions and win a game off his own boot. He could do things that players and supporters would just stare in amazement....."how did he do that"?

However history does show that another will come along who will be better........just hope I am alive to see him play.....because to see Barrie play I certainly can say I have seen the best!

Frequently when I am around the elderly I often ask who was the best player they have seen........the majority always say Barrie Robran regardless of who they barrack for!

A champion player and human being! :wink:

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:08 pm
by am Bays

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:03 pm
by Sojourner
Can not understand why the members grandstand at Football Park is not named after the great man!

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:06 pm
by McAlmanac
Sojourner wrote:Can not understand why the members grandstand at Football Park is not named after the great man!

Is it named after anybody? Surely Barrie would be on a short list.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:08 pm
by Psyber
Sojourner wrote:Can not understand why the members grandstand at Football Park is not named after the great man!

Hey, and what's wrong with the "Bill" Wedding Stand! :wink:

Seriously, some people may want it named after Russell Ebert, "Diamond Jim" Tilbrook, Lindsay Head, Malcolm Blight, or even Graham Cornes - that's the problem. Name a stand at Prospect after him and no one will argue.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:08 pm
by Mr66
When I first went to Adelaide 5 years ago, I ventured to Prospect to see
North v W/T.
I like buying merchandise from all SANFL clubs so I rocked up to the North
Stall to get a cap,scarf and so-on.
I surveyed the goods and when I didn't see what I wanted, I looked up
and Behold! The great man obliged me with a pair of socks.
Gobsmacked would be an understatement. :shock:
Look up the word 'humble' in a dictionary and there's his picture.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 1:49 pm
by ORDoubleBlues
Some Victorians were none too impressed when he was granted legend status in the Hall of Fame but when you were named as best player in the All Australian carnival, on at least one occasion as far as I'm aware, surely the fact that you didn't play in the VFL is irrelevant given that those players were the best that there was.
I'm happy for someone to tell me I'm wrong but apparently Alex Jesaulenko said that Robran was the greatest player he ever saw.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:52 pm
by Footy Chick
Apparantly the great man is not well at the moment? Can anyone elaborate on this?

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:11 pm
by Ian
ORDoubleBlues wrote:I'm happy for someone to tell me I'm wrong but apparently Alex Jesaulenko said that Robran was the greatest player he ever saw.
Stood and applauded him during the '72 chapions of Aust. game.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:52 pm
by Mr66
ORDoubleBlues wrote:Some Victorians were none too impressed when he was granted legend status in the Hall of Fame but when you were named as best player in the All Australian carnival, on at least one occasion as far as I'm aware, surely the fact that you didn't play in the VFL is irrelevant given that those players were the best that there was.
I'm happy for someone to tell me I'm wrong but apparently Alex Jesaulenko said that Robran was the greatest player he ever saw.


Some?!
One does not speak for all of us.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:00 pm
by mal
Watching him leap skywards jumping on opponents backs, pluck a speccy and
then on the way down would handball to a team-mate running past him just
reminded me so so much of the way Bayman used to play footy
Bayman was the guy on the ground with sprig marks on his back.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:55 pm
by JK
Psyber wrote:
Sojourner wrote:Can not understand why the members grandstand at Football Park is not named after the great man!

Hey, and what's wrong with the "Bill" Wedding Stand! :wink:


And the Johnny Wynne coaches box :wink:

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:32 pm
by bayman
mal wrote:Watching him leap skywards jumping on opponents backs, pluck a speccy and
then on the way down would handball to a team-mate running past him just
reminded me so so much of the way Bayman used to play footy
Bayman was the guy on the ground with sprig marks on his back.


yes that may be so mal but at least i'd put my body (a lot thinner then) on the line

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Sun Sep 09, 2007 10:44 pm
by ORDoubleBlues
Mr66 wrote:
Some?!
One does not speak for all of us.


Have I missed something there?

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:30 pm
by Mr66
ORDoubleBlues wrote:
Mr66 wrote:
Some?!
One does not speak for all of us.


Have I missed something there?


John Elliot was the only one I heard bitching about it. :evil:
That twit doesn't speak for his own club.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:34 pm
by oldfella
Constance_Perm wrote:
Psyber wrote:
Sojourner wrote:Can not understand why the members grandstand at Football Park is not named after the great man!

Hey, and what's wrong with the "Bill" Wedding Stand! :wink:


And the Johnny Wynne coaches box :wink:


CP - It would have to be the oppositions box - I was in ours one day when he paid us a visit during the game - he looked huge from 100mm :lol:

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:51 pm
by ORDoubleBlues
Mr66 wrote:
John Elliot was the only one I heard bitching about it. :evil:
That twit doesn't speak for his own club.


No worries. Elliott was probably the only one that said it publicly but there were certainly rumblings from other people.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:56 pm
by Leaping Lindner
ORDoubleBlues wrote:
Mr66 wrote:
John Elliot was the only one I heard bitching about it. :evil:
That twit doesn't speak for his own club.


No worries. Elliott was probably the only one that said it publicly but there were certainly rumblings from other people.


Tim "God's gift to broadcasting" Lane for one. Although he wasn't exactly quiet about it.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:25 pm
by Benchwarmer
I believe that Jezza did say that at some stage.

As a former Victorian, I was glad that he was recognised as a legend because his record speaks for itself.

Re: Barrie Robran

PostPosted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:08 pm
by BPBRB
Benchwarmer wrote:I believe that Jezza did say that at some stage.

As a former Victorian, I was glad that he was recognised as a legend because his record speaks for itself.


Barrie's testimonial dinner in 1981 at Prospect, there was a video presentation of highlights and comments from various peers, media people and other players etc and yes Jezza did recount the 72 All Australian Final and also his comments about Robran in that video. I'm not sure if the club's history committee still have a copy of it or indeed if Barrie does for that matter?

As for Tim Lane and John Elliott's comments, I can recall both of them being very "vocal" in protest about his elevation at the time and If I remember correctly KG and Studley took Lane to task about it on 5AA one night - he did soften a bit about his views but it was all a bit "diplomatic" considering he was on an Adelaide Radio Show. They may have even interviewed Elliott as well?