A Team of Tongue Twisters

All of these young men played at least one senior game of VFL/AFL football.

Had circumstances brought them together at the same time, their team might have looked something like this.

Pity the callers, however!

 

 

 

Zeno Tzatzaris                                        Simon Prestigiacomo                      Renato Dintinosante

(Footscray)                                                        (Collingwood)                                     (Richmond)

Athas Hrysoulakis                                  Bohdan Jaworskyj                           Ron Auchettl

 (Collingwood)                                                   (Hawthorn)                                         (Carlton)

Jake Kolodjashnij                                     Eric Zschech                               Adam Iacobucci

  (Geelong)                                                          (Richmond)                                      (Collingwood)

Robert DiPierdomenico                      Ted Obudzinski                 Paul Koulouriotis

     (Hawthorn)                                                  (South Melb.)                       (Port Adelaide/Geelong)

Spiro Kourkoumelis                           Setanta O’hAilpin             Grant Bartholomaeus

(Carlton/ St Kilda)                                        (Carlton/GWS)                       (Sydney)

 

Followers : Ramsay Bogunovich (Geelong)

                     Richard Michalczyk   (North Melb.)

                     Reg McGillicuddy (University)

 

Interchange : Justin Cicolella (Adelaide)

                        Marcus Marigliani (Essendon)

                        Bob Svorinich   (South Melb.)

                        Richard Radziminski (Footscray)

 

Coach : Len Incigneri (Richmond/ Melbourne)

 

About

Conscription into the army ended Warren's dreams of becoming either a league footballer or a professional musician, but military service did at least teach him how to handle firearms, and to work behind a bar.

Comments

  1. Mark Giuliano says

    Great stuff Warren

    But I think that the first name of your Centre Half Forward was Tad

  2. Mark Giuliano says

    I stand corrected. You are right, it is Ted.

    To think I had this wrong all these years :-(

  3. Mark Giuliano says

    Then again………….. the Swans player was from Wagga

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/tad-obudzinski-5b7b4a8b/

  4. Dave Brown says

    Some of my favourites over the years from my beloved Redlegs: Peter Vertudaches, Jeffrey Schmelzkopf, Jerry D’Antiochia, Jim Michalanney, Otway L’Estage, Henry Rischbieth

  5. Mark Giuliano says

    Some others I recall from the vFA over the years:

    Joe Radojevic (Geelong West)
    Tista De Lorenzo (Dandenong)
    Angelo Petraglia (Port Melburne)
    Peter Czerkaski (Sandringham)
    Marcus Marigliani (Sandringham)
    Joshkin Aziz (Williamstown)

  6. Don’t just focus on the VFL. How’s about Tom Grljusich (Central District/South Fremantle) for a start. His brother George (Famous WAFL and other sporting commentary legend) could call the game.
    Scott Campor-e-ale (not ‘Camporelli’) on the wing, with dad Vin as boundary umpire? Adam Kerinaiua (Brisbane). Austin Wonaeamirri (Melbourne) or Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti (without the McDonald) as Aboriginal representatives.

  7. The Avenging Eagle is Slavic by birth. Watch out Warren – she is coming for you.
    Seriously – a great idea and great names. Footy was often the introduction to “New Australians” for those of us from anglo-saxon origins.
    Peter Philippou, Henry Dabrowski and the Pavlich, Floreani, Faletic clans were early introductions for me at West Torrens in the SANFL in the 60’s. Remember going to live on Yorke Peninsula and Curramulka has a ruckman everyone called Frank Lafsky. Dad was the Yorketown club secretary and I used to help out with team sheets and scoring. I couldn’t work out who F.Joraslafski was.

  8. Mark Giuliano says

    How about Alex Ruskuklic (and his brother Peter)

    Lorenzo Serafini

  9. Bohdan Jaworskyj was always “Bugsy” at North Adelaide in the 60’s.

  10. Shane John Backx says

    Ronnie Auchettl played for my local side South Morang for many years post VFL. Great man.

  11. Phillip Dimitriadis says

    Ripper list Warren. Love the concept !!
    It’s been a while since I heard the name: Renato Dintinosante . Some solid Greek names in there, too.
    How about Con Gorozidis St Kilda at full forward?
    A few nominations:
    Denis Zeunert – Carlton
    Vasil Varlamos – Carlton
    Jim Karthaus – Richmond
    Gavin Crosisca – Collingwood
    Andrew Schauble – Coll/Syd

    Umpire Vas Vasiliou

  12. Dominic Van Der Scheuren St Kilda

  13. Warren Tapner says

    Thanks for the feedback, everyone.
    This idea began way back at the height of the post-World War II migration boom, when my year five class at Brunswick South State School had 18 pupils from 13 countries.
    Among them was Piio Piik from Norway, and Constantin Koutsouherios from Greece – two names that I have never forgotten.

  14. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    From my Round 1 1978 SANFL Budget

    Kym Kretschmer
    Paul Nickoletos
    Grant Zubrinich
    Ugo Colasante
    Andy Porplycia
    Carl Fragomeni
    Ian Stasinowsky
    Terry Von Bertouch
    Yves Sibenaler
    Richard Farrugia-Gay
    Peter Maksimovic
    Rene Van Dommele
    John Schneebichler
    Scott Wesselingh
    Andrew Ausserlechner
    Mark Azzopardi
    Ron Kandelaars
    Pat Tocaciu

    Intriguingly, about two thirds of these names were in the Reserves that day

  15. Excellent Swish. The reserves group maybe a reflection of the ‘coming of age’ of the children of post-war migrants?

  16. Shane John Backx says

    Charlie Pagnoccolo Footisgray.

  17. Shane John Backx says

    Mark Schwerdt, lucky Jack Dyer wasnt commentating on that game????!!

  18. Shane John Backx says

    I would love to hear Jack Dyer commentating all of these names.

  19. Joe De Petro says

    Nice one, Warren. I have just two words for you though…………

    Bruce Tschirpig.

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