"The purest kicking action"

[Dry Rot]

As per another thread, I was talking to my footy guru last night, and he started talking about old players he admired, well before my time. One name that came up was Quinlan, who he reckoned had "The purest kicking action" he'd seen.

What was he like?

[Cyberdoggie]

it was ruel purty!

tall hunched over guy but helped keep his head over the ball, long legs, straight and snapped the kicking leg right up, similar to the e.j. statue above but without the arms outstretched. Guided the ball down precisely onto that left foot, and it went a mile,
hence the nickname superboot. Ben Graham was a little similar to bernie i think.

Ol'Blighty had a massive kick on him as well.


But for precision/accuracy our gilbee is the man.
I don't think you could pick a more accurate kick on the run, off 1 step, and over all distances. Sure his action doesn't quite look as pretty but it's a proven weapon.

compare that to farren ray and eagleton, 2 of the worst kicks going around, and by that i mean kicking action wise, sure they can nail one from time to time but because of their action they are incredibly inconsistent.

[The Coon Dog]

Firstly, he was called Superboot for a reason.

Secondly, he just made sweet contact with the ball every time. He never looked like he was putting his all into it, but it just went.

He played well before the 50 metre arc, but regularly kicked goals from 60 metres plus. Not Torps you occassionaly see these days, but true drop punts that didn't so much go high, more travelled far if that makes any sense.

A bit like a David Gower cover drive. Poetry in motion.

[The Coon Dog]

Guided the ball down precisely onto that left foot, and it went a mile,


Quinlan was a right footer!

[Sockeye Salmon]

Quinlan was another that you could put in the "if only" file.

[LostDoggy]

Quinlan was a great kick. From set shots or distance.
Beasley was great with his set shots.
Grant was one of the best field kicks going around
Hawkins one smartest kicks.

From a purest point of view, Quinlan was the best.

[LostDoggy]

Quinlan was another that you could put in the "if only" file.

Totally agree. I hated seeing former Bulldog players playing their best footy at other clubs and losing Quinlan really grates me.

[Dry Rot]

How many seasons did he play for us and when?

[LostDoggy]

it was ruel purty!

tall hunched over guy but helped keep his head over the ball, long legs, straight and snapped the kicking leg right up, similar to the e.j. statue above but without the arms outstretched. Guided the ball down precisely onto that left foot, and it went a mile,
hence the nickname superboot. Ben Graham was a little similar to bernie i think.

Ol'Blighty had a massive kick on him as well.


But for precision/accuracy our gilbee is the man.
I don't think you could pick a more accurate kick on the run, off 1 step, and over all distances. Sure his action doesn't quite look as pretty but it's a proven weapon.

compare that to farren ray and eagleton, 2 of the worst kicks going around, and by that i mean kicking action wise, sure they can nail one from time to time but because of their action they are incredibly inconsistent.

Bit harsh on Eagleton. Nothing wrong with his style, not the first left footer to have a 'slight draw'. If Ray could kick like Eagleton, he would be twice the player he is now.

[Cyberdoggie]

Quinlan was a right footer!

hmm, who was i thinking off then. :confused:

[Cyberdoggie]

How many seasons did he play for us and when?

Footscray (1969-1977)
177 games, 241 goals

Fitzroy (1978-1986)

189 games, 576 goals


Bernie Quinlan (born 21 July 1951), is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, who enjoyed a lengthy career with Footscray and Fitzroy in the VFL. He played 366 league games in total. He was recruited from Traralgon, Victoria as a 17 year old.

Debuting for the Bulldogs in 1969, he played 177 games for the club, playing mostly at centre half-forward (also occasionally playing as a centre half-back). He didn't find consistency in his career until he moved to Fitzroy in 1978. He played 189 games for the Lions, marking himself as one of their all-time greats (and also the only player to have played 150 games or more for two clubs), before retiring in 1986. He won the Brownlow Medal in 1981, tying with his former Bulldog team mate Barry Round (who had left the Bulldogs too by this stage). He also twice kicked more than 100 goals in a season: 1983 and 1984.

He was a prodigious kick of the football which earned him the nickname "superboot". He regularly featured in the World of Sport kicking competitions (a sports program which was popular in Melbourne for three decades) and is reported to have once kicked a goal from the wing at the Whitten Oval, Footscray (a distance approaching 100 metres). He also once appeared in an exhibition kicking challenge against the other football codes (including soccer, Rugby Union, rugby league and American Football, the latter representative actually throwing in the style of a quarter-back). He won the challenge with a kick approaching 90 metres.

He is also credited with having instigated the "Hell Ride", a cycling training ride, with two others in 1984


You can find him these days doing specialist skills and consulting work with port melbourne.
Still looks pretty fit and is taller the half the guys in the port list. Mind you crackers keenan is down there as well.

[The Coon Dog]

How many seasons did he play for us and when?

His playing career:

Footscray 1969-77 - 177 games - 241 goals
Fitzroy 1978-86 - 189 games - 576 goals

He is the ONLY player to have played 150 games with 2 different clubs (Roger Merritt came close but only played 149 games for the dons).

[Dry Rot]

Footscray (1969-1977)
177 games, 241 goals

Fitzroy (1978-1986)

189 games, 576 goals

Thanks.

Why did he leave? He did bloody well with Fitzroy - kicked twice as many goals per game.

[Dry Rot]

His playing career:

Footscray 1969-77 - 177 games - 241 goals
Fitzroy 1978-86 - 189 games - 576 goals

He is the ONLY player to have played 150 games with 2 different clubs (Roger Merritt came close but only played 149 games for the dons).

Thanks too - CD is fast.

[The Coon Dog]

Thanks.

Why did he leave? He did bloody well with Fitzroy - kicked twice as many goals per game.


From the Encyclopedia of AFL.

"His inconsistancy was a woory & when the club's financial problems worsened he was put on the market & it seemed likely he would go to Collingwood. The Magpies botched the signing & Fitzroy slipped under their guard. As it turned out Quinlan could conceivably made the difference at Victoria Park & helped towards a flag, but failure to sign him was the key link in a chain of events that saw coach Tom Hafey sacked & the administration overthrown. It took until May 1978 for the deal to be finalised & an exasperated Quinlan threatened to cross to VFA club Sandringham without a clearence before he was eventually cleared."

In those days there was no draft/salary cap, so struggling clubs often sold off their best players to help balance the books. Quinlan was one of many we cleared.

[Dry Rot]

So we sold off our best players? No wonder we couldn't get anywhere.

[always right]

You might like to throw in Leon Cameron for the best kick on their non-preferred foot. He actually kicked better on his left than his right. I also reckon Billy Kolinuik was deadly on his left foot around goal as was Brian Royal.

[Sockeye Salmon]

So we sold off our best players? No wonder we couldn't get anywhere.

Every year.

You couldn't comprehend how bad it was.

I've posted a team something like this before, but:

B: Hardie, Sandilands, Rance
HB: McLean, McGhie, Eppulstun
C: Collins, Featherby, Thorpe
HF: McGuinness, Templeton, Stoneham
F: Edmond, Quinlan, Huppatz
R: Dempsey, Dunstan, Bissett
I: Round, Low, Morrison, Wilson

I haven't even included the more recent ones like Hawkins, Cameron, Brown, Penny & Montgomery.

This side contains 5 club captains, 4 Brownlow medalists, 15 best & fairest's, 4 Coleman medalists, 11 club goalkicking awards and 2 members of our Team of the Century!

And other supporters say it's our current administrations fault we can't make ends meet!


PS: And only Thorpe and McGhie ever played in premierships with other clubs (unless Collins played in Carlton's in 79 but I don't think he did).

[Dry Rot]

This side contains 5 club captains, 4 Brownlow medalists, 15 best & fairest's, 4 Coleman medalists, 11 club goalkicking awards and 2 members of our Team of the Century!

And other supporters say it's our current administrations fault we can't make ends meet!

Bloody hell! Over what period as that?

Did other struggling clubs do this? What did the departing players think of this? And the supporters?

Must have been a field day for rich clubs. That sucks.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Bloody hell! Over what period as that?

Did other struggling clubs do this? What did the departing players think of this? And the supporters?

Must have been a field day for rich clubs. That sucks.

South Melbourne had to and so did Fitzroy later on. Remember what happened to them?

Ironically North were one of the worst player poachers at the time.

Bissett, Thorpe and McGhie would have been circa 1972-73 and McGuinness would have been the last in 1990. Most would have been in the 70's.

Not all of these guys were sold, quite a few wanted to play in premierships before they retired and obviously couldn't win with us because we sold so many players. The irony is we had a really good side in the mid-70's and if they had all stayed we would have given the premiership a real shake.


PS. That was 5 Footscray captains - Thorpe, Dempsey, Sandilands, Templeton and Edmond - Round, Quinlan and Rance captained the teams they went to as well!

[Cyberdoggie]

South Melbourne had to and so did Fitzroy later on. Remember what happened to them?

Ironically North were one of the worst player poachers at the time.

Bissett, Thorpe and McGhie would have been circa 1972-73 and McGuinness would have been the last in 1990. Most would have been in the 70's.

Not all of these guys were sold, quite a few wanted to play in premierships before they retired and obviously couldn't win with us because we sold so many players. The irony is we had a really good side in the mid-70's and if they had all stayed we would have given the premiership a real shake.


PS. That was 5 Footscray captains - Thorpe, Dempsey, Sandilands, Templeton and Edmond - Round, Quinlan and Rance captained the teams they went to as well!

ironically it was just like most round ball leagues today.

if one of the middle placed sides find a good player, a club like man u just buy them out, ensuring that the opposition don't threaten them and that they stay on top.

[bornadog]

So we sold off our best players? No wonder we couldn't get anywhere.

Yes we sold many players to keep the club alive. Those days there were no TV rights, sponsorship or a large amount of members to help the finances. Attendances at home grounds were lucky to be 20,000, more like 15,000 and most clubs were happy to get 10,000 members. Unless we sold players, the administration at the time didn't know what else to do.

[bornadog]

ironically it was just like most round ball leagues today.

if one of the middle placed sides find a good player, a club like man u just buy them out, ensuring that the opposition don't threaten them and that they stay on top.

Thats why the draft should stay. In the premier league, only Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool will ever win the Championship.

Imagine what could happen if it was the same in AFL, especially with Collingwoods Funds. West Coast, Adelaide, Collingwood, Essendon, all cashed up, then it would be good bye for the rest.

[mjp]

Not all of those guys left in a fire-sale though.

Hardie hated Malthouse.
McGuinness wanted to go home. As did Rance. Featherby wanted to play for the wooden spooners in Perth.

Round couldn't get a game in the ruck.

Wilson? Brian Wilson? If that is right he was a spaceman when he played with us...

As for the others, Hawkins was finished (what happened to your denials that he ever changed clubs), Penny had 'issues' with the playing group, Monty traded against his will, Brown wanted some more money, Cameron was an odd one I admit.

[Rocket Science]

Every year.

B: Hardie, Sandilands, Rance
HB: McLean, McGhie, Eppulstun
C: Collins, Featherby, Thorpe
HF: McGuinness, Templeton, Stoneham
F: Edmond, Quinlan, Huppatz
R: Dempsey, Dunstan, Bissett
I: Round, Low, Morrison, Wilson

I haven't even included the more recent ones like Hawkins, Cameron, Brown, Penny & Montgomery.
This side contains 5 club captains, 4 Brownlow medalists, 15 best & fairest's, 4 Coleman medalists, 11 club goalkicking awards and 2 members of our Team of the Century!

That's an illuminating if sobering exercise.

Changing tack slightly, while considering the inverse I thought it worth assembling a team of players we've brought in from other clubs.

Backs: Matty Dent - Trent Bartlett - Bernard Toohey
Half Backs: Steven Koops - Kingsley Hunter - Tim Gepp
Centre line: Nicky Winmar - Phil Maylin - Andrew Wills
Half Fowards: Jade Rawlings - Simon Minton-Connell - Adam Morgan
Forwards: Allen Jakovich - James Cook - Phil Krakouer
Followers: Daniel Bandy - Luke Beveridge - Tony Buhagiar
Interchange: Emmett Dunne - Bruce Duperouzel - Max Crow - Chris Hansen
Emergencies from: Travis Baird - Scott Bassett - Marcus Picken - Stephen Lunne - Marty Pask - Robert Klomp - Tom Davidson

Some of those named were quality players, but not during their time out west.

Needless to say I maintain our record of acquiring retreads to be a pretty forgettable one...Eagleton who's not without his foibles and Robbins aside, have we ever brought in a player from a rival who's made a significant contribution to the club over the past odd quarter century?

Paul Hudson is not a satisfactory answer either.

Edit: Just remembered a bloke named Liberatore...and some feller named Foster, but for every one of them there's a dozen Shannon Rusca's. My point still stands.

[The Coon Dog]

Needless to say I maintain our record of acquiring retreads to be a pretty forgettable one...Eagleton who's not without his foibles and Robbins aside, have we ever brought in a player from a rival who's made a significant contribution to the club over the past odd quarter century?

Both on & off the field. Jose Romero & Simon Garlick. Todd Curley was OK for us too.

The side we exported would thrash the side we imported.

[Dry Rot]

What about the mighty import Peter Street? :)

This might be good to revisit at the end of the season, with Hudson and Welsh and a fit Aker hopefully to make a difference.

[hargs37]

Cannot possibly put Greg Eppulston in with those others. He maybe played 1 or 2 season at North and did nothing of note. The others, well what can you say. Magic had the most ability of all the Aboriganals I've ever seen. He was magnificent to watch. he and Hawk were magicians during the mid eigties. Guess the northern sun and wanting to be closer to family was to hard to deal. Rance was interesting. He ended up captaining WCE for a season didn't he? There are a few names that were signed to come the bullies in the eighties, but when the league expanded, they were able to stay home. Chris Lewis, and Simon Tregenza were 2 who jump to mind. Probably when you say Tony Mcguiness, you could also say Kym Koster got away pretty cheaply. Was another premiership player to boot. I don't think we can include Shane Ellen as one that got away, because he only played a couple of decent games after leaving the dogs. Just happened that one was a blinder in a grand final. I guess you could go back in time and look at what happened after 54 and more so 61. The club was never able to capitaqlise on the those GF appearences, and probably should have done better! I believe that the past 15 years have been our most productive, and that shows in our ability to entice players of the likes of Aker and Hudson to the club.

[hargs37]

Also forgot to mention Ian 'Mocca' Dunstan. He won 3 or 4 B&Fs before he left for the Roos in the early 80's as well. I'd put him ahead of Eppa!

[hargs37]

I certainly think we got excellent value out of Bernard Toohey. He was sensational down back, and probably taught the likes of Southo and Critter how its done in the back line. Can't really argue with the rest! (Maybe a couple of okay seasons from Beveridge and Dent) Nobody mentioned Fruitcake, Mick Ford. Cant remember where he came from, did nothing when he left, but Sumich was pissing himself when he'd kick his 12 goal on him at the WACA. Used to go out with Libby Gore aka Elle McFeast. Little bit of Hollywood at the Barkly st end of Whitten oval. Who said it never shone at the kennel?

[LostDoggy]

So we sold off our best players? No wonder we couldn't get anywhere.

Those days survival of the club meant selling off our big names our choices were extremely limited.

[FrediKanoute]

Yes we sold many players to keep the club alive. Those days there were no TV rights, sponsorship or a large amount of members to help the finances. Attendances at home grounds were lucky to be 20,000, more like 15,000 and most clubs were happy to get 10,000 members. Unless we sold players, the administration at the time didn't know what else to do.

I was a double edged sword though. Club's had to "pay" transfer fees for players, so bringing someone from SA or WA or country Vic was risky as the guy may turn out to be a dud and the transfer fee was wasted. I remember we sold Hardie to the Bears for a then record transfer fee of $270k. This fee was later topped by what the Bears paid for Warwick Capper!

[Sockeye Salmon]

Also forgot to mention Ian 'Mocca' Dunstan. He won 3 or 4 B&Fs before he left for the Roos in the early 80's as well. I'd put him ahead of Eppa!

He's ruck-rover.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I just realised, it's 5 Brownlows, not 4.

Hardie, Dempsey, Templeton, Round, Quinlan, Wilson.

[The Coon Dog]

I just realised, it's 5 Brownlows, not 4.

Hardie, Dempsey, Templeton, Round, Quinlan, Wilson.

Try again SS, count with your fingers this time.

[Sockeye Salmon]

That's an illuminating if sobering exercise.

Changing tack slightly, while considering the inverse I thought it worth assembling a team of players we've brought in from other clubs.

Backs: Matty Dent - Trent Bartlett - Bernard Toohey
Half Backs: Steven Koops - Kingsley Hunter - Tim Gepp
Centre line: Nicky Winmar - Phil Maylin - Andrew Wills
Half Fowards: Jade Rawlings - Simon Minton-Connell - Adam Morgan
Forwards: Allen Jakovich - James Cook - Phil Krakouer
Followers: Daniel Bandy - Luke Beveridge - Tony Buhagiar
Interchange: Emmett Dunne - Bruce Duperouzel - Max Crow - Chris Hansen
Emergencies from: Travis Baird - Scott Bassett - Marcus Picken - Stephen Lunne - Marty Pask - Robert Klomp - Tom Davidson

Some of those named were quality players, but not during their time out west.

Needless to say I maintain our record of acquiring retreads to be a pretty forgettable one...Eagleton who's not without his foibles and Robbins aside, have we ever brought in a player from a rival who's made a significant contribution to the club over the past odd quarter century?

Paul Hudson is not a satisfactory answer either.

Edit: Just remembered a bloke named Liberatore...and some feller named Foster, but for every one of them there's a dozen Shannon Rusca's. My point still stands.


B: Gordon Casey, Tony Campbell, Chris Hansen
HB: Bernard Toohey, Peter Foster, Gary Cowton
C: Nathan Eagleton, Terry Wallace, Stewie Magee
HF: Paul Hudson, Galaxy Coleman, Nicky Winmar
F: Richard Osborne, James Cook, Gags Gallagher
R: Bluey Hampshire, Jose Romero, Tony Liberatore
I: Greg Parke, Matthew Robbins, Simon Garlick, Lally Bamblett

E: Ken Newland, Max Crow, Bruce Duperouzel, Tony Buhagiar, Phil Maylin, Steve Hoffman, Matthew Dent.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Try again SS, count with your fingers this time.

I don't believe I just typed that.

Oops. :o

[Sockeye Salmon]

We also missed out on Butch Edwards and Ronnie Wearmouth who were both eligible for father-son but didn't want to play for us.

Geoff Raines played U19's with us but we didn't want him.

[The Coon Dog]

Geoff Raines played U19's with us but we didn't want him.

We actually swapped him to Richmond for Marty McMillan!! :eek:

[Sockeye Salmon]

We actually swapped him to Richmond for Marty McMillan!! :eek:

I didn't know that. That ranks right up there with the McLeod/Groom trade.

[Cookie]

1. Quinlan
2. KT
3. Geoff Jennings

[LostDoggy]

1. Quinlan
2. KT
3. Geoff Jennings

Welcome cookie. I agree with Quinlan and to some extent KT but Jennings is one that slipped under my radar. Yes he was economical and an accurate kicking.

[Sockeye Salmon]

1. Quinlan
2. KT
3. Geoff Jennings

I reckon Ted Whitten Jr was a better kick than Jennings