1980's SANFL

[Magpiespower]

Not sure of the role... David Robertson or even Antrobus [played] in '87...

Both were in the VFL.

After the '86 GF, Robertson got a big headline in the Footy Times when he declared:

"North are a bunch of pussies!"

[FlyingHigh]

Which years do you think "got away" AH?
1983?

What do you think was lacking from the Legs in these years?

Why didn't McNeil and Anderson go on with their footy?

I don't think any "got away", I was just saying we had the talent to win more than 2 flags. When you consider the number of rookies in our 82 side, we thought maybe they would carry us through to a few more flags. Certainly not 1983, West Adelaide were brilliant that year.

What was lacking? Just Norwood being Norwood. We've never been a hungry football club. Win a flag and that will do us for a few years. Balmey did a good job with Norwood in the first half of the 80s, but I don't think he got anywhere near enough out of them in the second half.

Tim McNeil was a sensational player but received a career ending injury. Anderson wasn't as committed to the cause of league football as one would hope. In the short time he played, he won one B&F, he was a class act.

Sadly, oh so true.

I remember hearing stories before the 1985 Qualifying Final against the Bays, that the Bays players were keyed up, on edge, focused and hungry and that almost directly opposite, the Norwood boys had the ghetto blasters going and were pretty casual, there was a rock-star type association with some of our boys after the 84' success .. I'd always guessed a few Norwood players thought "it" would just happen for them out on the park and there was clearly a lack of hunger.

There are also apparently some commonly held belief's of disharmony and even segregation among the playing group.

I've also often wondered if Balmy's strong point also became his undoing ... In the early 80's he quickly grew close to and adored by the players, and as the decade wore on I wonder if he was too much of a mate with them at times.

Thanks for these perspectives fellas, always interesting stuff.

[GWW]

One player I remember as having 1 or 2 very good years in the 1980's was Stephen Connolly. My memory tells me that he was a wingman and played for both Central District and Norwood, and even played a State of Origin game. Would this be correct. Not sure if i'm getting him mixed up with someone else..

[JK]

One player I remember as having 1 or 2 very good years in the 1980's was Stephen Connolly. My memory tells me that he was a wingman and played for both Central District and Norwood, and even played a State of Origin game. Would this be correct. Not sure if i'm getting him mixed up with someone else..

No you have the right bloke mate, maybe wore number 16 for the Dogs?

Had a very good season in 1984 and when we recruited him in (IIRC) 1987 I was pretty stoked about it ... In fact in our first game that year debutants Connelly and Stephen Rowe both had a pretty tidy day at the office in a comfortable win.

Sadly, Connelly's flame seem to burn out fairly quickly as the season wore on ... Not sure if he suffered an injury that contributed, but we didn't hear much more from him.

[GWW]

Yeah, i was pretty certain he played for Centrals and thought he played for Norwood too, but wasn't certain. I think from memory he was one of those players like Andrew Obst who started his SANFL career late, but was very successful once he got to playing there.

I reckon he might have retired at a young age and finished up playing in the country somewhere, Barossa maybe, where i think he was originally from.

[GWW]

So who were some of the leading SANFL footballers in the 1980's who were recruited from Victoria (VFL or one of the lower leagues). I'm referring to those who had never previously played in SA so players like Greg Phillips, Paul Weston and Michael Taylor aren't counted.

PORT
Russell Johnston
Stephen Clifford

GLENELG
John Fidge
Peter Maynard

NORTH ADELAIDE
Michael Poynton (couldn't think of anyone else)

SOUTH ADELAIDE
?

WEST ADELAIDE
Des Herbert
David Twomey
Bernie Conlen

WEST TORRENS
Darryl Schimmelbusch

WOODVILLE
Stephen Nichols
Andrew Taylor

STURT
Laurence Schache
Robbie Popplestone

NORWOOD
?

CENTRAL DISTRICT
Scott Lee
Craig Braddy
Greg Smith
Rudi Mandemaker

[robranisgod]

So who were some of the leading SANFL footballers in the 1980's who were recruited from Victoria (VFL or one of the lower leagues). I'm referring to those who had never previously played in SA so players like Greg Phillips, Paul Weston and Michael Taylor aren't counted.


NORTH ADELAIDE
Michael Poynton (couldn't think of anyone else)

I would have thought that Grenville Dietrich had a big influence as a recruit from Richmond.

[FlyingHigh]

Darren Klemm and Darryl Panizza (WD) Stephen Rowe and Stephen Richardson (NW) all came from WA in the couple years after the WCE formation. Henwood (Gl) came a bit before this. Cronin came to WD from Fitzroy I think.

[GWW]

I would have thought that Grenville Dietrich had a big influence as a recruit from Richmond.

You would be right. I wasn't exactly sure of Grenville's background.

How many games did he play for Richmond? I presume he would have struggled for games there with Michael Roach in front of him, and Brian Taylor possibly there at the same time too.

[Wedgie]

I would have thought that Grenville Dietrich had a big influence as a recruit from Richmond.

You would be right. I wasn't exactly sure of Grenville's background.

How many games did he play for Richmond? I presume he would have struggled for games there with Michael Roach in front of him, and Brian Taylor possibly there at the same time too.

I don't think he played any league there only Under 19s.

[Magpiespower]

'Shy' gun Central recruit Michael Wright (Swans) declared he would win the Magarey.

Had to settle for a top-10 finish in '82.

Notable players for Port...

Steve Curtis was a pretty handy pick-up from East Perth (1983-1988). State player and All-Australian in '83. Deserved a premiership.

Roger Kerr (East Fremantle) got a flag in his only season (1988).

Premiership players Richard Foster (Carlton) and Paul Rizonico (Collingwood) arrived at Alberton late in the decade...

[The Yetti]

[quote="GWW"]So who were some of the leading SANFL footballers in the 1980's who were recruited from Victoria (VFL or one of the lower leagues). I'm referring to those who had never previously played in SA so players like Greg Phillips, Paul Weston and Michael Taylor aren't counted.







SOUTH ADELAIDE




NORWOOD
?
Stephen Kerley
Craig and Neil Balme
David Palm
Graeme Dunston
Hoffman
maybe Greg Nicholson

[on the rails]

North recruited Phil Harrison from the VFL and he later moved onto the Port Magpies.

[Interceptor]

NORWOOD
?
Stephen Kerley
Craig and Neil Balme
David Palm
Graeme Dunston
Hoffman
maybe Greg Nicholson

Peter Laughlin
Jeff Fehring

[Adelaide Hawk]

So who were some of the leading SANFL footballers in the 1980's who were recruited from Victoria (VFL or one of the lower leagues). I'm referring to those who had never previously played in SA so players like Greg Phillips, Paul Weston and Michael Taylor aren't counted.
NORWOOD
?
Stephen Kerley
Craig and Neil Balme
David Palm
Graeme Dunston
Hoffman
maybe Greg Nicholson

Kerley was recruited from Melbourne in 1975.
David Palm began with Norwood, then went to West Perth before Richmond.
Graeme Dunstan - from Collingwood in 1975.
Greg Nicholson from West Adelaide in 1974.

[nickname]

Greg Nicholson did come from the VFA though, I think it may have been Frankston.

Some of the more notables from West:

Ian Borchard (Richmond)
Richard Hamilton (country Vic I think)
Craig Williams (St. Kilda, Fitzroy Reserves)
Larry Watson (Essendon, Fitzroy)
Mike Smith (Richmond,South Melbourne)
Bernie Conlen (South Melbourne/Sydney)
Mark Dreher (Collingwood)
Des Herbert (Fitzroy?)
Derek Shaw (Collingwood)
Ron Andrews (Essendon)
Carl Herbert (Collingwood)
David Twomey (Collingwood)
Neville Shaw (Collingwood)

[sapaul]

Merv Keane - ok, came to coach but did play a few games.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Greg Nicholson did come from the VFA though, I think it may have been Frankston.

Very true, I'd forgotten about that

[The Yetti]

Greg Nicholson did come from the VFA though, I think it may have been Frankston.

Very true, I'd forgotten about that

Thanks for that

[am Bays]

GLENELG
John Fidge
Peter Maynard

Peter Brown (Fitzroy) flew over each week at the end of 81 to play for us
Paul Temay (St Kilda) was int eh first draft and then came to us in '88, couldn't play VFL and wasn't up to SANFL standard either