The Sticksless 1998 Blues remained marooned on 11th place.
They opened the season with a win over the reigning premiers (who they also knocked off at West Lakes in Round 16) but they endured a tepid start. Their second half of the season gave some hint to a better year to come in 1999.
The Record scribe accurately predicted the rise of Kouta and the club generally. The rest of the next two decades, perhaps not so accurately. Whitnall’s football brain was correctly lauded, but ignored the other parts that he preferred to nourish. There was still a hard core of players from their recent successful era, but there are plenty of names on the ’98 list that rank high on the Who-ometer.
A couple of these names are still prominent at the 2018 Carlton club, but where did the rest end up? Have you shared a communal table with any of these at the Thresherman’s Bakehouse, copped a dodgy late night souva from a former fan favourite or been inspired by the bloke who troubles airport metal detectors Derek Smalls-like? Let us know below.
AFL Debuts 1998: Tony Bourke, Trent Hoppner, John Hynes, Kris Massie
Kept Under Wraps 1998: Andrew Balkwill, Craig Black, Cameron Blight, Adam Chatfield, Ang Christou (inj), Clint Evans, Simon Fletcher, Shane Flynn, Scott Freeborn, Adrian Hickmott, Chris Jackson, Sam Smart, Ben Thompson, Adrian Whitehead
Never Heard of Him: John Hynes
Delisted at end of 1998: Jacob Anstey, Andrew Balkwill, Sean Charles, Matt Clape, Chris Jackson, Sam Smart, Clint Evans, Shane Flynn, Damian Lang
Traded at end of 1998: nil
Retired at end of 1998: Peter Dean
Thanks to australianfootball.com , draftguru.com.au , afltables.com
This entire series is available here
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About Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt
Saw my first SANFL game in 1967 - Dogs v Peckers. Have only ever seen the Dogs win 1 final in the flesh (1972 1st Semi) Mediocre forward pocket for the AUFC Blacks (1982-89) Life member - Ormond Netball Club -That's me on the right
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Ah, memories.
My abiding memories of this year are our terrible first half of the season, particularly getting flogged at home by Port.
The image of Warren Tredrea standing on Peter Dean’s shoulders to take a screamer is still burned into my cerebral cortex.
But the late-season revival was a sign of better things to come (cf. 1999 Prelim).
Little did we know then that the brown paper bags had started to be passed around…..
Kris Massie is a ray of sunshine on twitter these days, while Sam Smart (good Melrose boy) is a Dr. This period probably confirmed my belief that the expat South Australian players lifted against the Crows.
Kris Massie always looked like he had more to offer than he produced, IMHO.
Perhaps the Crows got the best of him?
What a list of players wow ha da good side kris massie a legend in his own right
Sam Smart’s rather self deprecating conversation with Graham Cornes is worth a listen.
https://www.fiveaa.com.au/shows/conversations-with-cornesy/Sam-Smart
Kris Smart was a favourite in our family too.
All bar the following members of the ’95 flag 21 were still around in 1998
Hanna, Spalding, Williams, Kernahan, Madden
Useful five.
#handy