Players that have sucked you in?

[southerncross]

There must be a long line of players that the supporters thought were going to be the savior of the club before the actually played and then let us down.

For me five otherwise unknowns (all but one is from SA by the way) spring to mind.

John Georgiades
Hugh Reimers
Sam Phillipou
Stephen Pitt
Paul Gow

Georgiades started in a blaze of glory with a couple of bags of goals before every team put their best defender on him and shut him out of games.
I honestly though he was going to be a 70 goal a season forward but in the end he was allowed to be let go mid season to return back to WA.
I also thought he should have been tried as a defender but that never eventuated. He was a decent mark and an accurate kick but at only 185cm he would have struggled as a key forward.
Has anyone got anything else they can add John Georgiades?

Riemers came to us as part of the Kym Koster trade to the Crows in a complicated deal. In a team crying out for tall defenders (times don't change do they?) a 195cm athletic type that 7 clubs had talked to before the trade and draft period had really piqued my interest. When he arrived at the Dogs he looked the real deal. Skillful and a decent mark but it wasn't long before an injury or two slowed his progress. By the time he made a recovery I think Tony Campbell was holding down the position and after two uneventful years he was not much more than a distant memory.
Has anyone got anything else they can add Hugh Riemers?


Phillipou was drafted by the Dogs two years before he decided to make the move. He was a highly touted key forward and I watched his progress each Monday in the paper to see if he had kicked a few goals or had been mentioned in the best players. After being so eager for two years for him to arrive at the club I was hugely disappointed to see him in an SANFL grand final and he played like a Dog. He was slow and not particularly strong in a contest and to make matters worse he really couldn't even run out quarters. At the 20 min mark, he would really hit the wall and no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't get any fitter
Has anyone got anything else they can add Sam Phillipou?

Stephen Pitt had been with the Pies list before the Dogs drafted him. He was a reluctant starter though he had to choose between being a footballer or a policeman. He can to the Dogs and kicked a bag of goals in a practice match but then left to head back home. I honestly thought we had landed a good one.
Has anyone got anything else they can add Stephen Pitt?

Paul Gow was an aggressive and physical fullback whop arrived at the Dogs with a lot of excitement. He tried to rough up Brereton in his first game during a night series and while he was tall and physical he really wasn't up to it. I think we traded him back to West Coast
Has anyone got anything else they can add anout Paul Gow?

How many players did you hold high hopes for but they never really made it?

[firstdogonthemoon]

There must be a long line of players that the supporters thought were going to be the savior of the club before the actually played and then let us down.

For me five otherwise unknowns (all but one is from SA by the way) spring to mind.

John Georgiades
Hugh Reimers
Sam Phillipou
Stephen Pitt
Paul Gow


How many players did you hold high hopes for but they never really made it?

Wow - I have so heard of none of these guys. I suppose we can add Aker, Doogs, Griff, Cooney (unless of course they actually save us). Griff is only on the list because he actually looks like he can save us.

[LostDoggy]

I have to confess I thought Jade Rawlings was going to be great. Then there was that 7 goal haul against West Coast in his first game for us. The rest, as they say, is history.

[bornadog]

Wow - I have so heard of none of these guys. I suppose we can add Aker, Doogs, Griff, Cooney (unless of course they actually save us). Griff is only on the list because he actually looks like he can save us.

Out of the players you mention only Doogs has to prove himself, Cooney and Griffen are guns and Aker has been there done that. If Aker plays at half his ability it will have been a great decision to get him over.

[bornadog]

I remember being at Optus oval to watch John Georgiades in his first game against carlton, where he kicked 8 goals and thought WOW, who is this guy he is going to be a sensation. After that game he couldn't basically get a kick and was dropped to the reserves never to be seen again.

One player that was really dissapointing in the last few years was Rawlings. Like Georgiades, kicked 7 in his first game but after that didn't really live up to his reputation.

[GVGjr]

I remember being at Optus oval to watch John Georgiades in his first game against carlton, where he kicked 8 goals and thought WOW, who is this guy he is going to be a sensation. After that game he couldn't basically get a kick and was dropped to the reserves never to be seen again.

One player that was really dissapointing in the last few years was Rawlings. Like Georgiades, kicked 7 in his first game but after that didn't really live up to his reputation.

Georgiades kicked a few in his 2nd game as well didn't he?

[W W Biscuit]

The orthodoxy is that Georgiades kicked 8 in his first game for the Dogs and was not heard of again. Actually, he booted a couple in a 10 goal loss to Richmond the week after and then kicked five goals in a losing side versus North Melbourne in round 3. I regard this as his best game. A lot of his goals in the Carlton game came very cheaply, and he seemed to be 'sans opponent' for most of it.

Georgiades had two main problems - he had even less of a right foot than Nathan Eagleton or even Scotty Lucas. And, worst of all, he was pretty darn slow. With no skills on his non-preferred side and a turning circle that covered three postcodes, VFL/AFL footy was always going to find him out. As Southercross rightly says, opponents worked him out fairly quickly and, unfortunately for us, he was a bit of a one trick pony.

[bornadog]

Georgiades kicked a few in his 2nd game as well didn't he?

He may have kicked a couple but I can't remember him kicking another bag.

[BulldogBelle]

I remember being at Optus oval to watch John Georgiades in his first game against carlton, where he kicked 8 goals and thought WOW, who is this guy he is going to be a sensation. After that game he couldn't basically get a kick and was dropped to the reserves never to be seen again.

Sheesh, I remember that game and was also there - After that game I remember leaving the ground and telling my friends as we were walking out that Georgiadis was the next best thing since sliced bread - wasn't to be, he quickly faded into obscurity.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Good job Southern Cross. I have fairly non existent knowledge of most of the these guys as I was up here in Queensland. The game where Georgiades kicked his bag of 8was shown on tele up here in Queensland and I recall thinking we had found a star!
I also saw Phillipou's first game out of the grand total of 3, in 1995 on tele up here.

As a kid I had fairly high estimations of Brad Hardie and thought he was going to lead us to the promised land...... In hindsight it's fair to say that his red hair and clydesdale sized thighs fooled us all........but Not Micky Mathouse...No sir... Mick was hip to his jive!!!!!

For some reason I also held high hopes for Ilija Grgic and thought for a period of time his broad shoulders might just be strong enought to take us to the top... but like the spelling of his surname something just didn't look right..... I later found out that it was injury not the lack of another vowel in his surname that prevented him from reaching his potential.

Daniel Hagreaves.....where do I start-where do I finish..OK I 'll go first and last........First time I saw him was on some game against Hawks that was shown on TV up here in Queensland and he looked to go alright, thought we might've found someone.
Last time I saw him was at The Western Oval 1996 also against Hawthorn.

I'd moved down to Melbourne briefly that year after finishing Uni the previous year.
It was the game where Darren Pritchard fluffed a sitter running into the open goals to see us draw a game we should've won.
Daniel wasn't playing for us that day though but he did feature in the reserves game prior to the main game kicking something like 2.9 or 2.11....something woeful..and as I watched him slew one out on the full from about 15 out from the pocket towards the end of that Reserves game I'm thinking where did it all go wrong.... he coulda been a contender....

[southerncross]

For some reason I also held high hopes for Ilija Grgic and thought for a period of time his broad shoulders might just be strong enought to take us to the top... but like the spelling of his surname something just didn't look right..... I later found out that it was injury not the lack of another vowel in his surname that prevented him from reaching his potential.

Daniel Hagreaves.....where do I start-where do I finish..OK I 'll go first and last........First time I saw him was on some game against Hawks that was shown on TV up here in Queensland and he looked to go alright, thought we might've found someone.
Last time I saw him was at The Western Oval 1996 also against Hawthorn.

I'd moved down to Melbourne briefly that year after finishing Uni the previous year.
It was the game where Darren Pritchard fluffed a sitter running into the open goals to see us draw a game we should've won.
Daniel wasn't playing for us that day though but he did feature in the reserves game prior to the main game kicking something like 2.9 or 2.11....something woeful..and as I watched him slew one out on the full from about 15 out from the pocket towards the end of that Reserves game I'm thinking where did it all go wrong.... he coulda been a contender....

I also thought Hargreave might have been good but I didn't hold him in that high of a regard. I remember seeing Grgic holding a few marks up forward one day and thought he might have been going to turn into an excellent player. I didn't mind him at all. It was mainly the interstaters that sucked me in. You would read heaps about them but often that was because of their efforts in a very small pond.

[alwaysadog]

Good job Southern Cross. I have fairly non existent knowledge of most of the these guys as I was up here in Queensland. The game where Georgiades kicked his bag of 8was shown on tele up here in Queensland and I recall thinking we had found a star!
I also saw Phillipou's first game out of the grand total of 3, in 1995 on tele up here.

As a kid I had fairly high estimations of Brad Hardie and thought he was going to lead us to the promised land...... In hindsight it's fair to say that his red hair and clydesdale sized thighs fooled us all........but Not Micky Mathouse...No sir... Mick was hip to his jive!!!!!

For some reason I also held high hopes for Ilija Grgic and thought for a period of time his broad shoulders might just be strong enought to take us to the top... but like the spelling of his surname something just didn't look right..... I later found out that it was injury not the lack of another vowel in his surname that prevented him from reaching his potential.

Daniel Hagreaves.....where do I start-where do I finish..OK I 'll go first and last........First time I saw him was on some game against Hawks that was shown on TV up here in Queensland and he looked to go alright, thought we might've found someone.
Last time I saw him was at The Western Oval 1996 also against Hawthorn.

I'd moved down to Melbourne briefly that year after finishing Uni the previous year.
It was the game where Darren Pritchard fluffed a sitter running into the open goals to see us draw a game we should've won.
Daniel wasn't playing for us that day though but he did feature in the reserves game prior to the main game kicking something like 2.9 or 2.11....something woeful..and as I watched him slew one out on the full from about 15 out from the pocket towards the end of that Reserves game I'm thinking where did it all go wrong.... he coulda been a contender....

That game against Hawthorn was at Waverley Round 1 and a very wet blustery day and Danny kicked five and made it look easy. Blight did the TV commentary and he was very complementary about the lad. He didn't lack talent, but I suspect he went to a different beat to the rest of the team.

Then I recall him at the WO one preseason game. Afterwards while players were signing autographs and the like, he complete with day pack, and a whole lot of hippy looking young things, sat cross legged in a circle on the oval. I thought Woodstock 2 was about to happen.

[southerncross]

Then I recall him at the WO one preseason game. Afterwards while players were signing autographs and the like, he complete with day pack, and a whole lot of hippy looking young things, sat cross legged in a circle on the oval. I thought Woodstock 2 was about to happen.


I can also recall him in a pre-season getting into a push and shove with Daniel Southern. It got a bit willing. Hargreave was still playing in the SANFL last year.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Riemers came to us as part of the Kym Koster trade to the Crows in a complicated deal. In a team crying out for tall defenders (times don't change do they?) a 195cm athletic type that 7 clubs had talked to before the trade and draft period had really piqued my interest. When he arrived at the Dogs he looked the real deal. Skillful and a decent mark but it wasn't long before an injury or two slowed his progress. By the time he made a recovery I think Tony Campbell was holding down the position and after two uneventful years he was not much more than a distant memory.
Has anyone got anything else they can add Hugh Riemers?


Reimers was just about the most sought-after recruit in Australia.

He came from the Barossa Valley where his family were winemakers. He was selected by the Crows when he was 17. Training got too hard for him as he didn't yet have his license and he refused to leave the winery. Eventually the Crows gave up on him.

Freo drafted him next, even though they knew they had little chance of getting him to come over. He was a few years older and they hoped he was a bit more mature and ready to give footy a go. He wasn't.

Then we had a bit of a brainwave. Someone within our club had contacts within the Victorian Wine Board so we approached him and said if we can get you from Freo and set you up with the VWB in marketing, will you come? He thought it would be a big help to his (winemaking) career and agreed to come over.

He played 1 pre-season game and looked reasonable. Then he broke his leg pretty badly and although he hung around for a while never really got over it.

[alwaysadog]

I can also recall him in a pre-season getting into a push and shove with Daniel Southern. It got a bit willing. Hargreave was still playing in the SANFL last year.

Can't believe that the two Daniels would have had much more than a name in common, although they were both alternative life style, but in opposing ways.
The more relaxed style of the SANFL would suit him and allow him to exploit his talent.

[alwaysadog]

This from the Coodabeens about Sam P
http://www.coodabeens.com.au/samp.html

You know less is more. Brevity is the essence of genius. English playwright Noel Coward once remarked that wit is like caviar. It should be savoured in small quantities not lashed around like jam.

A footballer who had all these qualities was Sam Phillipou. The Western Bulldogs were really keen to secure the big key position player. They traded Darren Baxter to Hawthorn to draft Sam the man with 1992 national draft pick 29. But the Bullies had to wait for the Woodville-West Torrens star to cross the border. Phillipou was a young champion at SANFL level. He was as big and agile as an athlete whose surname has a few more esses. Philippoussis. Super Sam was 189 centimetres tall and tilted the scales at 90 kilograms. Opponents found it difficult to out position him in marking contests. Furthermore his ground game was competent.

The big fellow finally arrived at the kennel at the end of the 1994 season. The Bullies gave their recruit the number 21 guernsey. It wasn't given to just anyone. The jumper had been worn with distinction by such players as Tony Buhagiar and Steven Kolyniuk. His pre-season form created optimism. Though only 20 years old SP had a mature attitude. The new powerhouse was a disciplined and organised bloke who followed instructions to the letter. Also he liked to join Libba for extra gym work.

When the 1995 season started Phillipou got his sea legs in the reserves. He took pack marks like he was leaping at a tennis ball. Also he had a kick like Haile Gebrselassie in the 10000 metres final at the Sydney Olympics. The solid South Australian received a senior call up in round 8 against the Roos at the Whitten Oval. He came off the bench and got involved. Across half back took a pair of power marks in the third quarter. On one occasion he delivered the ball with elegance to Brad Johnson who kept running and goaled. Unfortunately the Sammy debut was not crowned with success. The Kangas won 15.15 to 13.6.

Phillipou was in the starting group the following week against Essendon at the MCG. Lined up at centre half forward. The selection caused an immediate impact. 20 minutes into the first term the P guy marked in the middle of a pack. He goaled from right on 50. Early in the second he made a yard for a diving mark and in the one movement handpassed to Steve MacPherson who ran in a straight line and booted truly from 35. And close to three quarter time the number 21 worked his way to the front of a pack and took a monster grab. Don backmen punching his forearms and attempting to spoil from the back were like throwing cream puffs at the town hall. Phillipou went back and goaled from 40 on a 60 degree angle. In spite of the Phil heroics the Dogs lost 15.11 to 9.13. The bitter pill was the EJ Whitten Cup being presented to Essendon.

Sam Phillipou played in the round 10 game against the Tigers at the G. Appeared at centre half back. Did alright. Doggies down 13.18 to 9.10. Thereafter Sammo had a few injury problems. His intention was to return via the twos. Sadly he was delisted at the end of his one and only season.

Three games. A career that was short and sweet.

[W W Biscuit]

Footscray has had more than its fair share of 'March Champions.' I can remember being very excited about Daniel Hargreaves. Anyone who slots thirteen goals in a reserves match has got to have something going for them. I remember one day at Princes Park in which we received a hiding at the hands of Carlton (a not uncommon occurence in the mid-90s). Hargreaves kicked four goals and was basically our only winner on the ground. A Blues supporting friend of mine agreed that at least we had a young gun that we could build a forward line around. One of the more embarrassing predictions to which I have been a signatory. Eighteen months later he was traded to Freo, for whom I think he played one game.

The player I was probably most disappointed by was Keenan Reynolds. I loved this guy. He had a beautiful pair of hands, and a bit of aggro. I recall one almost single-handed effort versus Fitzroy at Princes Park (truly one of the best individual efforts by a Footscray player that I have ever seen, and yet a performance that few seem to recall). After the game, the tram on Royal Parade was buzzing with happy Bulldogs, sure that Keenan had arrived as the next big thing. His eventual transfer to North Melbourne was a big deal in the papers, yet he barely played a game at his new home. His career fizzled out inexplicably. Was it injury? I've never really been sure.

Footscray seems to have been cursed by a few footy supernovas:

Ben Sexton kicked five goals in his first game (versus Brisbane Bears at the Western Oval). I doubt whether he played another game that was even remotely as good. He looked second-rate in every other game that I saw him play.

Allan Jennings bolted out of football obscurity during one of the leanest times in our history. That period between 1979-82 still makes me angry. Jennings kicked five goals in his first game, five goals in his second game and then quielty slinked back to wherever it was he came from.

Russell Shields played a few games with Hawthorn in the early 80s, then headed across to the SANFL. In 1988, he crossed to the Doggies and made his debut in what was also Terry Wallace's first game in a Footscray jumper - against the Swans at VFL Park. Shields kicked five goals in an impressive 'goal sneak' performance. Two weeks later he was dropped and never played senior VFL footy again.

This is one player that I definitely did NOT see, but from time to time would read his name in the football record whenever a certain head-to-head record was mentioned. I cannot honestly recall the team - it may have been Essendon or Melbourne - but player "A. Rait" was quoted as having kicked the most goals against this team in a single match (10). Funny, I thought. I thought that I was acquainted with all of our past champions. Who was this guy? Further research revealed that Alan Rait was recruited to the Doggies in 1933 from Tasmania. He promptly kicked 12 goals in a practice match, then 34 goals in a run of five matches during the season. In all, he kicked 62 goals in his 19 senior appearances, but was sent packing at the end of 1934 after a few poor performances. Possibly the Bulldog supernova of the century?

[Dry Rot]

I have to confess I thought Jade Rawlings was going to be great. Then there was that 7 goal haul against West Coast in his first game for us. The rest, as they say, is history.

Yep, he sucked me in too.

I had high hopes for the great Trent Barlett after a couple games v Carlton.....

[dog town]

Was it Allan Thorpe that wore the long sleeves for us in the early to mid 90s? Could do some very freakish things and I seem to remember thinking pretty highly of him.

[southerncross]

Was it Allan Thorpe that wore the long sleeves for us in the early to mid 90s? Could do some very freakish things and I seem to remember thinking pretty highly of him.

Sure was. As good as he was in some of the games I saw him play I never really felt as though he was going to be that good of a player.

[Go_Dogs]

Stephen Pitt had been with the Pies list before the Dogs drafted him. He was a reluctant starter though he had to choose between being a footballer or a policeman. He can to the Dogs and kicked a bag of goals in a practice match but then left to head back home. I honestly thought we had landed a good one.
Has anyone got anything else they can add Stephen Pitt?


He played for Norwood as a youngster - the club that I barracked for and used to go watch every week with my grandma and auntie. He was a very good player - tall and athletic, and yes, a very good shot on goal. This was during the years that Collingwood seemed to be pinching just about every good young player we had - names including Scott Burns, Brett James, Stephen Pattison, Craig Kelly etc.

I was surprised that he never made it - I have one very fond memory at the Adelaide Oval, I think in a match against Sturt. I was right alongside the 50M arch watching and Pitt took a great contested mark up against the boundary, just outside 50. A tough shot for goal, and he was looking for other options. I yelled at him to have a shot, he did and it sailed straight through.

He did end up becoming a policemen I believe and returning to SA - I could be wrong, but for some reason I recall his face being on a police force recruitment ad or something similar.

[Mofra]

Ah Daniel Hargraves - had the skills, not the application. The hippie thing was just the tip of the iceberg.

One I did have hoeps for after his debut was Brad Murphy, something like 27 touches against Port in Darwin, a game in which we got flogged. Also liked Keenan Reynalds, who for years (from memory) held the bench press record at the Kennel.

Shannon Corcoran was one I was disappointed didn't kick on, thought we'd found another Leon Cameron type but it wasn't to be.

[alwaysadog]

Footscray has had more than its fair share of 'March Champions.' I can remember being very excited about Daniel Hargreaves. Anyone who slots thirteen goals in a reserves match has got to have something going for them. I remember one day at Princes Park in which we received a hiding at the hands of Carlton (a not uncommon occurence in the mid-90s). Hargreaves kicked four goals and was basically our only winner on the ground. A Blues supporting friend of mine agreed that at least we had a young gun that we could build a forward line around.

Even more intereesting given that he had been at Carlton before coming to the Kennel.

[bulldogtragic]

Jade R,
Jesse Wells (Without seeing him and being based on Clayton's assessment of him)
Danny Hargraves
After K-Mac's first game.....
Koops
Michael Martin - He was labelled the best player to come out of tassie ever. Fell a bit short though

Many, many, many.

[alwaysadog]

This is one player that I definitely did NOT see, but from time to time would read his name in the football record whenever a certain head-to-head record was mentioned. I cannot honestly recall the team - it may have been Essendon or Melbourne - but player "A. Rait" was quoted as having kicked the most goals against this team in a single match (10). Funny, I thought. I thought that I was acquainted with all of our past champions. Who was this guy? Further research revealed that Alan Rait was recruited to the Doggies in 1933 from Tasmania. He promptly kicked 12 goals in a practice match, then 34 goals in a run of five matches during the season. In all, he kicked 62 goals in his 19 senior appearances, but was sent packing at the end of 1934 after a few poor performances. Possibly the Bulldog supernova of the century?

Sure there is quite a bit on Alan Rait in Jack Lack's Unleashed

[LostDoggy]

Michael Martin - He was labelled the best player to come out of tassie ever. Fell a bit short though


I have to admit that I had high hopes for Michael Martin and Simon Cox. I still thought Cox could have become a very good player for us when we traded him.
Kingsley Hunter played a few blinders as well and I thought he was the answer to the CHB position. I still think we gave up too early on Hunter

[bornadog]

Jade R,
Jesse Wells (Without seeing him and being based on Clayton's assessment of him)
Danny Hargraves
After K-Mac's first game.....
Koops
Michael Martin - He was labelled the best player to come out of tassie ever. Fell a bit short though

Many, many, many.

Koops never really dissapointed me as a player, he just dissapointed with his constant injuries. I believe in the end he retired for personal reasons

[bornadog]

If Cameron Faulkner doesn't come good this year he will be added to my list of players to suck me in.