1978 The year it was

[Magpiespower]

And then the reverse in 81 for a little while IIRC where Balmy played Magoo's for a bit

Max James captained Port's reserves in '84.

Played one league game for the whole year.

Yeah, that one...

[mal]

A strange selection, I was ed
Max played his first game of the year in the 1984 Grand Final
PA lost that game to NW

[Interceptor]

Is it correct that Max James spent the day before the GF digging ditches, but Ebert insisted he play?

[mal]

NA players who played in 1978
I aplogise in advance if any comments are inaccurate or wrong

P AHCHEE
J BARUZZI...this guy used to play at PA, hard to miss with his hairdo, did he win a reserves medal ?
W CARROLL
P CLOKE....great mark and a very good recruit
D CONDOR
R DIORIO
M DOWNIE...Stood him in junior footy, reckon Mark played for Kilburn ?
M DOZNA...played for WDV b4 coming to NA ?
G GUM...any relation to the NA/ST footbaler currently ?
T HILL....flashy wingman, ended up coaching a rival team about 30 years later
A HOWARD...good player
B JAWORSKY...excellent defender, played VFL footy
M KIRK
G LOFTS
G MCADAM
P MCCANN
K MULLER
R PALMER...not the simply irresistable singer
C PELLE
J RILEY...brilliant young defender at ths stage, what a career he had
A ROACH
B ROBRAN...only played 8 games this season
G SCHMIDT
P SPORN...how many Sporns played for NA
B STRINGER...was a star winger
W STRINGER....yep a player and a half
D TILLER....just starting his career, a wonderful defender
P TOCACIU
M DIORIO
M REDDEN...debut season, and became arguably the clubs 2nd best ever ruckman
D NEVE
D ALGATE
M ELLIS
D RUSSELL
J SACHSE...prob related to Dennis and Neil ?
I WILLSMORE
B MUMFORD...stout defender, and that left foot kick outa defence is etched on my mind
K DILLON....media Kym, bad knee/ knees impeded his career, good player when fit
S FORTH
B GEHLING

Coach : B Robran
Captain : B Stringer

TOP 5
1 B ROBRAN
2 M REDDEN
3 B JAWORSKI
4 J RILEY
5 P CLOKE

NA started the decade brilliantly winning 2 flags, but by 1978 were prob looking at rebuilding
When I think NA in the early 70s I think of very skillful teams, a playing trend that continued at times in the next few decades
The 1978 list lacked experience, but the good times came in the next decade

[CK]

Is it correct that Max James spent the day before the GF digging ditches, but Ebert insisted he play?

Unless my memory is playing tricks on me, I think the story was that Max James told Ebert he shouldn't play the 1984 GF, because all he had really done for intense fitness work was ditch digging, but Ebert was insistent that he play.

[Adelaide Hawk]

NA players who played in 1978
J BARUZZI...this guy used to play at PA, hard to miss with his hairdo, did he win a reserves medal ? Yes, tied with John Menz (Norwood) in 1970 whilst playing for Port Adelaide.B JAWORSKY...excellent defender, played VFL footy ... Mal, his name is spelt JAWORSKYJ
M KIRK - Malcolm, Rover from Crystal Brook, currently unwell with some kind of sleeping illness.
G MCADAM - Gilbert's older brother Greg who played some footy with St.Kilda in the mid 80s.
R PALMER...Russell, a star wingman with Payneham in the Amateur League butr couldn't find his legs at League level.
M REDDEN...debut season, and became arguably the clubs 2nd best ever ruckman. I'm wondering Mal, who do you rate as North's best ruckman. (I think I know, but curious).
J SACHSE...prob related to Dennis and Neil ? Yes, younger brother.
B MUMFORD...stout defender, and that left foot kick outa defence is etched on my mind ... Thumper, can't recall if he was a left footer because I never saw him kick too often :)

TOP 5
1 B ROBRAN
2 M REDDEN
3 B JAWORSKI
4 J RILEY
5 P CLOKE

I'm sure I'd find a spot for Barry Stringer in the top 5 somewhere.

[mal]

Hawk, Redden possibly the 2nd best ruckman to play for NA

1913 Magarey Medallist Tom Leahy, the prince of ruckmen, is considered as the best

[Adelaide Hawk]

Hawk, Redden possibly the 2nd best ruckman to play for NA

1913 Magarey Medallist Tom Leahy, the prince of ruckmen, is considered as the best

Agreed. Good answer

[robranisgod]

G GUM...any relation to the NA/ST footbaler currently ?
G MCADAM
J RILEY...brilliant young defender at ths stage, what a career he had
A ROACH
P SPORN...how many Sporns played for NA
B STRINGER...was a star winger
J SACHSE...prob related to Dennis and Neil ?

Gary Gum is in fact Tristan Gum's father. Recruited from Booleroo Centre. His elder son, Josh, also played for North and kicked seven goals in a game against the Eagles in 1998.

Greg McAdam was a magnificent footballer whose league career virtually was finished at 22 years of age. He won a best and Fairest at North as a teenager and represented the state with distinction.

Tony Roach was a good but injury plagued rover and forward who did play 100 league games. His son Lachlan was rookie listed by one of the local AFL clubs recently.

Peter Sporn was the younger brother of Gary Sporn and father of the recently retired former Carlton and North player Trent. There have been 3 Sporns play for North. Unfortunately like the Robrans a personality clash saw Gary's son Kieran play at West. I hear that Kieran's son may play for West this year.

Even Chris McDermott said that Barry Stringer was easily the best of the Stringer brothers. I would have thought that he was in the top five players, but I don't know whose place he would take. He unfortunatley died a young man. Of course because of a personality clash his brothers ended up at Glenelg.

John Sachse was Dennis and Neil's younger brother. They did all play at least one game for North together in 1974.

[robranisgod]

NA players who played in 1978

1978 was a horrible year for North Adelaide. North hadn't won a wooden spoon since 1912, but unfortunately winning 5 matches for the season wasn't enough to save North from the ignomy of the wooden spoon. To go from Champions of Australia to wooden spooners in 6 years was a huge slide.

[JK]

Greg McAdam was a magnificent footballer whose league career virtually was finished at 22 years of age. He won a best and Fairest at North as a teenager and represented the state with distinction.

RIG .. Why was his career virtually finished at such a young age?

[Magpiespower]

Is it correct that Max James spent the day before the GF digging ditches, but Ebert insisted he play?

Unless my memory is playing tricks on me, I think the story was that Max James told Ebert he shouldn't play the 1984 GF, because all he had really done for intense fitness work was ditch digging, but Ebert was insistent that he play.

Port reserves lost the prelim and Max, naturally, thought his season was over.

But yeah, he was digging ditches the day before and was knackered.

Bur Herb insisted he play...

[Leaping Lindner]

Paul AHCHEE - Mercurcial Aboriginal player who could take a brilliant hanger. Unfortunately injured a shoulder against Woodville and was never quite the same after.
John BARUZZI - Barutts!!! Gave North wonderful service and always one of the first picked in the 18. Left to go to New Zealand (i think) in 81 or thereabouts.
Dean CONDOR Good solid reliable player. Ended up at South I think.
Robert DIORIO Fearless rover. Played some great footy. Ended up going to Torrens with his brother, Dillon, Downie and Hill
Alan HOWARD Recruited from Kangaroo Island. Duel premiership player and a solid relaible player. Matthew Robran's father in law for a time.
Pat MCCANN Ruckman/Defender from memory. Tough footballer. IIRC the first person reported at Football Park (vs Central in 74)
Kenton MULLER Very tall ruckman who looked like Tarzan played like Jane. When I heard Hawthorn were interested in him I thought their recruiter/spy must have been on the piss.
Chris PELLE Flashes of brilliance but not consistent and another who never lived up to potential due to injury.
Russell PALMER See above
Pat TOCACIU Solid backman given some of the worst jobs in football that year playing on some really good full forwwards - Now a top class winemaker.
Mike DIORIO Brother of Rob. Didn't really do much before joining brother at Torrens...where he didn't reach potential
Danny NEVE IIRC Kicked a handful of goals on debut. Played two(?) more games... and then disappeared. I think he was a cop.
John SACHSE IIRC like brother Dennis had knee problems. Ended up at Woodville but only played one pre season game (1980)
Ian WILLSMORE Former schoolboy champion (PAC) played some okay games at North but nothing outstanding.
Stephen FORTH Great solid back player. Was North's 2nd highest vote getter in the 1979 MM count (after Peter Cloke). At the risk of sounding like a broken record injury was his undoing I believe.

[Leaping Lindner]

Greg McAdam was a magnificent footballer whose league career virtually was finished at 22 years of age. He won a best and Fairest at North as a teenager and represented the state with distinction.

RIG .. Why was his career virtually finished at such a young age?

Left North at end of 83 to go to St Kilda. He came back to SA in 88 or 89 and joined his brother Gilbert at Central. Didn't do much there IIRC but a Central's fan may have a better memory.

[robranisgod]

Greg McAdam was a magnificent footballer whose league career virtually was finished at 22 years of age. He won a best and Fairest at North as a teenager and represented the state with distinction.

RIG .. Why was his career virtually finished at such a young age?

Left North at end of 83 to go to St Kilda. He came back to SA in 88 or 89 and joined his brother Gilbert at Central. Didn't do much there IIRC but a Central's fan may have a better memory.

He left North at the end of 1983 because of a personality clash with the same person who clashed with the Stringers, Robrans, Sporns and numerous other North Adelaide identities. He didn't play at all in 1984. He went to St Kilda in 1985, he only played two games for them including one where he scored their only two goals. He badly injured his knee and didn't play at all until 1989 where he made a comeback with Central. He was clearly passed his prime by then, but he did poll one best on the ground vote in the Magarey medal. A wonderful mixture of strength and skill and still in my top 10 favourite North footballers ever. He had played 100 games for North by the time he was 22 years of age

[Leaping Lindner]

Reader's Digest.......

Left North at end of 83 to go to St Kilda. He came back to SA in 88 or 89 and joined his brother Gilbert at Central. Didn't do much there IIRC but a Central's fan may have a better memory.

Encyclopedia Britannica....

He left North at the end of 1983 because of a personality clash with the same person who clashed with the Stringers, Robrans, Sporns and numerous other North Adelaide identities. He didn't play at all in 1984. He went to St Kilda in 1985, he only played two games for them including one where he scored their only two goals. He badly injured his knee and didn't play at all until 1989 where he made a comeback with Central. He was clearly passed his prime by then, but he did poll one best on the ground vote in the Magarey medal. A wonderful mixture of strength and skill and still in my top 10 favourite North footballers ever. He had played 100 games for North by the time he was 22 years of age

[mal]

There are 3 other NA players listed in 1978 , who according to my budget did not play a game

R EATTS
P GREAVES
J HOEKMAN

[Magpiespower]

McAdam... left North at the end of 1983 because of a personality clash with the same person who clashed with the Stringers, Robrans, Sporns and numerous other North Adelaide identities. He didn't play at all in 1984.

1984 was an odd year for North - six wins, eighth place and a % over 50.

John Riley was another key player to sit out '84.

Except for that one match for Footscray.

Any story there?

John BARUZZI - Barutts!!!

1970 Reserves Magarey Medallist with Port?

[robranisgod]

McAdam... left North at the end of 1983 because of a personality clash with the same person who clashed with the Stringers, Robrans, Sporns and numerous other North Adelaide identities. He didn't play at all in 1984.

1984 was an odd year for North - six wins, eighth place and a % over 50.

John Riley was another key player to sit out '84.

Except for that one match for Footscray.

Any story there?

John Riley actually did play most of 1984 for North. He played the first game of the year with Footscray without a clearance from North. North took the case to court, because John Riley was on contract with North, North won and John Riley came back for about round 4 or 5.

The big out for North was Tony Antrobus who broke his wrist in about round 3 and missed the rest of the season.

Given the number of close games North lost in 1984, one wonders what difference the Ant might have made. His return in 1985 coincided with North jumpimg from 8th to Minor Premier and eventual runner up.

[baggy8]

D CONDOR

No mention of Dean Conder's wife, Anna.