How good was....Steve Kolyniuk?

[Dry Rot]

Some of us like me ;) are too young to have seen some great footy players and maybe some of us are so old we cannot remember....

I never saw the best of Steve Kolyniuk - how good was he?

[Edit] What modern day player is he most like?

[jeemak]

Really good.

Injuries limited him, but he was really really good in a very difficult position to be effective consistently in an era when back pocket/flanker players were lock down and more defencively minded than they are now. Always likely to bob up for a goal or two.

EDIT - just checked his wiki page to make sure I wasn't remembering through rose coloured glasses. He's a bloody Larke Medal winner.

[Dry Rot]

Really good.

Injuries limited him, but he was really really good in a very difficult position to be effective consistently in an era when back pocket/flanker players were lock down and more defencively minded than they are now. Always likely to bob up for a goal or two.

EDIT - just checked his wiki page to make sure I wasn't remembering through rose coloured glasses. He's a bloody Larke Medal winner.

Thanks. What modern day player is he most like?

[jeemak]

Thanks. What modern day player is he most like?

There isn't one I don't think. He was a little bit unique for his time from what I remember (I was twelve in 1992), and guys like him end up being more defencive in their roles now.

I mean who today is 5'8 and kicks a bit more than a goal a game under strong defencive marking? As I said he just seemed to be a bit under the weather too often to get a good read on how good he could have been.

Super smart and always a bit sneaky.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzSsdHuCPPs

This video gets a huge run around here, but watch how he is able to run onto his right and let his bouncing skills and pace dominate a quick and dour defender, and even ensure at full pace a less than perfect flat ball drop onto the boot still split the middle (which is the ultimate sign of an extremely gifted user of the footy on the run).

Bruce McAvaney (AKA King Pervert) went completely nuts one day when Wanganeen bounced the ball either side before using his preferred foot under no pressure, I reckon what we see here would have set him off if Kolyniuk was an indigenous player.*

*I only reference this because Bruce is a complete creep (borderline patronising) when it comes to calling indigenous footballers.

[Dry Rot]

There isn't one I don't think. He was a little bit unique for his time from what I remember (I was twelve in 1992), and guys like him end up being more defencive in their roles now.

I mean who today is 5'8 and kicks a bit more than a goal a game under strong defencive marking? As I said he just seemed to be a bit under the weather too often to get a good read on how good he could have been.

Super smart and always a bit sneaky.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzSsdHuCPPs

This video gets a huge run around here, but watch how he is able to run onto his right and let his bouncing skills and pace dominate a quick and dour defender, and even ensure at full pace a less than perfect flat ball drop onto the boot still split the middle (which is the ultimate sign of an extremely gifted user of the footy on the run).

Bruce McAvaney (AKA King Pervert) went completely nuts one day when Wanganeen bounced the ball either side before using his preferred foot under no pressure, I reckon what we see here would have set him off if Kolyniuk was an indigenous player.*

*I only reference this because Bruce is a complete creep (borderline patronising) when it comes to calling indigenous footballers.

Thanks. Some impressive work there.

Somehow the game (only in those highlights) looks faster. And I still miss those goal umpires in the white coats....

[jeemak]

Thanks. Some impressive work there.

Somehow the game (only in those highlights) looks faster. And I still miss those goal umpires in the white coats....

In that play you had three elite ball users get a goal. Atkins hands were amazing to get the full fifteen metres to Leon, and Leon's kick to Billy was perfect. Then Billy did Billy and the rest is history, and I still remember the buzz I had when that happened as I heard having not gone to the game.

Sure the game was more open and quick then, but it was also easier to execute skills. Today's players under those conditions would dominate but it's useless comparing eras generally. A lot of games in those days were still really shit. Free flowing, but shit nonetheless.

[bornadog]

Steve was a great small forward from his first year of playing footy.

Here is an extract from the series written by Andrew Gigacz titled on this day read here (https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/690304/on-this-day-a-post-fightback-thriller)


For most of those fans, the highlight of the year was the Bulldogs' heart-stopping win over Collingwood at the MCG in July, with Steve Kolyniuk the hero after he marked a pass from Leon Cameron and ran around Magpie Graham Wright to kick a beautiful running goal, giving Footscray a three-point win in a thriller.

But 11 weeks earlier, on this day (May 12th) 30 years ago, the Footscray Bulldogs won an even closer contest, in their only other match of the season at the MCG. And Steve Kolyniuk again played a pivotal role in the win.

Taking on North Melbourne, the Dogs got away to a flyer and, with 17-year-old Chris Grant on fire in just his seventh AFL game, booted seven goals to one to lead by 38 points at quarter time. Grant kicked four of those seven goals............

Steve Kolyniuk, still just 19 years of age, and known to his teammates as Billy the Kid, was one of the Bulldogs' match-winners, gathering 23 possessions and kicking two goals.



He often would run around a player like he did against Wright and run into open goals. Played some great games for us, and I would love a small forward like him in the team now.

[Twodogs]

Thanks. What modern day player is he most like?

He was like Les Bamblett...

You must have a contact high about what he like from the amount of times I have carried on about him?

[jeemak]

Steve was a great small forward from his first year of playing footy.

Here is an extract from the series written by Andrew Gigacz titled on this day read here (https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/690304/on-this-day-a-post-fightback-thriller)



He often would run around a player like he did against Wright and run into open goals. Played some great games for us, and I would love a small forward like him in the team now.

Post of the year. Excellent work BAD.

[Happy Days]

He's definitely not much of a cricketer.

[jeemak]

He's definitely not much of a cricketer.

Too high brow...…..meaning I'm deriding it because I don't understand......please help.

[Dry Rot]

He was like Les Bamblett...

You must have a contact high about what he like from the amount of times I have carried on about him?

You once confided in me when we met in Sydney that your favourite all time Dogs player was Ben Harrison - how does Bamblett compare to him?

[jeemak]

You once confided in me when we met in Sydney that your favourite all time Dogs player was Ben Harrison - how does Bamblett compare to him?

If those hotel walls could speak.

[FrediKanoute]

Gun player. Injuries blunted his career and longevity, but the impact he had was big and much beyond the Wright goal.

In terms of who he was most like - Toby Greene......not as much of a mongrel, but his goal sense, hands, strength and ability to mark remind me of Toby Greene

[SonofScray]

I had a long sleeve jumper with his number on it in the 90s. We loved Billy, a good nose for goal and seemed to always have enough options in his bag of tricks.

Hard to put him up against any current players. He was a goal sneak, but not in the way we think of pests like Milne, or Didak or whicheverlittle arsehole is in vogue at the moment.

[bornadog]

In his first year of footy I met his father at a function. His father was 40 years old and still playing soccer in St Albans.

[GVGjr]

The thing I can consistently remember about Kolynuik was his ability to kick to ball of one or two steps. At times it used to frustrate me but he wasn't bad at it.

Cheeky player who could kick a goal and a tough hard nosed type.

He was very popular with the fans and had a lot of them wearing his number

[Happy Days]

Too high brow...…..meaning I'm deriding it because I don't understand......please help.

I feel like I've told this story before but I played against him once and he wouldn't walk when I snicked him off, so told him to "get the **** off mate" or maybe something more descriptive.

Then between innings I checked the scorebook and found out it was Steve. Would probably have been a bit kinder had I known, but I also should have probably recognised him from the signed picture I had of him on my wall for about 10 years when I was a kid.

[Twodogs]

You once confided in me when we met in Sydney that your favourite all time Dogs player was Ben Harrison - how does Bamblett compare to him?

Favorably!


Gun player. Injuries blunted his career and longevity, but the impact he had was big and much beyond the Wright goal.

In terms of who he was most like - Toby Greene......not as much of a mongrel, but his goal sense, hands, strength and ability to mark remind me of Toby Greene

That's a bloody good comparison. Toby Grene like skills without the massive chip on his shoulder or the sharp fingernails.


In his first year of footy I met his father at a function. His father was 40 years old and still playing soccer in St Albans.

I still play (indoor) soccer and European handball-although covid-19 has us on pause ATM. If there is anything more fun than standing in goal watching your son run at you with the ball at his feet or stripping the ball from him in a contest (and it still happens every now and then) I don't know what it is.


I feel like I've told this story before but I played against him once and he wouldn't walk when I snicked him off, so told him to "get the **** off mate" or maybe something more descriptive.

Then between innings I checked the scorebook and found out it was Steve. Would probably have been a bit kinder had I known, but I also should have probably recognised him from the signed picture I had of him on my wall for about 10 years when I was a kid.

Tell your story walking pal. is my fave sledge when that happens.

[SonofScray]

Side note, pretty much irrelevant.

I believe his sister was a cheer leader with the Melbourne Storm for a time, too.

[Mofra]

I still can't remember the opponent, but Koly delivered the best 'bitch slap' I have seen or heard on a footy field. At the Whitten Oval, naturally.

He was at HF (as you expect) and there was a contest in which a few players ran the ball over the line at pace. Koly and his opponent ended up a few metres down the Bulldogs player's race. The opponent said something Koly didn't like, and Koly bitch-slapped his cheek so hard I swear the front row of the EJ Whitten stand could have heard it. Being in the race itself, no camera would have caught it (smart boy).

We all laughed as it was such a loud sound and slapping is such an uncommon action in footy. Both players ran back to get to the fall of the ball after the throw-in and just played on.

[Twodogs]

I still can't remember the opponent, but Koly delivered the best 'bitch slap' I have seen or heard on a footy field. At the Whitten Oval, naturally.

He was at HF (as you expect) and there was a contest in which a few players ran the ball over the line at pace. Koly and his opponent ended up a few metres down the Bulldogs player's race. The opponent said something Koly didn't like, and Koly bitch-slapped his cheek so hard I swear the front row of the EJ Whitten stand could have heard it. Being in the race itself, no camera would have caught it (smart boy).

We all laughed as it was such a loud sound and slapping is such an uncommon action in footy. Both players ran back to get to the fall of the ball after the throw-in and just played on.

In Gia's first preseason they were doing match practice and Terry Wallace (I think it was Plough) sent Libba to him to give him the treatment. Gia put up with it until he could put up with it no more, called him a prick and bitch slapped him right in the middle of the ground and you're right the noise echoed all around the ground. Poor Gia looked terrified but Libba just looked over to Terry standing on the sidelines and yelled "is that what you were looking for Plough?" and Terry gave Libba the thumbs up. Libba smiled and said something along the lines of "welcome to League footy mate" and just ran to the next contest.

[Mofra]

In Gia's first preseason they were doing match practice and Terry Wallace (I think it was Plough) sent Libba to him to give him the treatment. Gia put up with it until he could put up with it no more, called him a prick and bitch slapped him right in the middle of the ground and you're right the noise echoed all around the ground. Poor Gia looked terrified but Libba just looked over to Terry standing on the sidelines and yelled "is that what you were looking for Plough?" and Terry gave Libba the thumbs up. Libba smiled and said something along the lines of "welcome to League footy mate" and just ran to the next contest.
Bob Murphy jarred his finger in one of his early training drills, and Libba just looked at him and yelled "you've got 9 more!". Bobby quickly got the message and played on.

[Sedat]

There isn't one I don't think. He was a little bit unique for his time from what I remember (I was twelve in 1992), and guys like him end up being more defencive in their roles now.

I mean who today is 5'8 and kicks a bit more than a goal a game under strong defencive marking? As I said he just seemed to be a bit under the weather too often to get a good read on how good he could have been.

Super smart and always a bit sneaky.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzSsdHuCPPs

This video gets a huge run around here, but watch how he is able to run onto his right and let his bouncing skills and pace dominate a quick and dour defender, and even ensure at full pace a less than perfect flat ball drop onto the boot still split the middle (which is the ultimate sign of an extremely gifted user of the footy on the run).

Bruce McAvaney (AKA King Pervert) went completely nuts one day when Wanganeen bounced the ball either side before using his preferred foot under no pressure, I reckon what we see here would have set him off if Kolyniuk was an indigenous player.*

*I only reference this because Bruce is a complete creep (borderline patronising) when it comes to calling indigenous footballers.
My favourite Bulldogs goal prior to 2016. A couple of observations:

1) Leon Cameron precision 60m kick perfectly to the advantage of Kolyniuk is as good as it gets - if his name was Nathan Buckley he'd already be in the HoF
2) McAvaney was a masterful commentator before he became a creepy caricature - this passage perfectly encapsulates the right balance of excitement and accuracy. He has been completely and utterly unlistenable for at least 25 years.

[Remi Moses]

Extremely clever and skillful
I think his career has been understated
Bit of a nasty side as well ( hello peter matera)
Cost us in 97 with his ill discipline, but we played on the edge then .
Agree with Borna , he’d be handy now