Melbourne fan Ross and I filed into the Arden Street Oval to see the Dees play the Roos in Round 18, 1971. With the Dees down by 26 points at the last break, we decided to leave early. Much to our surprise, ‘Diamond Jim’ Tilbrook starred for the Dees in the final term and the game ended in a thrilling draw. It was one of those rare times that the Diamond sparkled. He was paid an astronomical amount back in the day – around a squillion, I heard. Anyway, whatever it was then is equivalent to today’s salary of a B-grade rookie with a bung knee.
In 1982, the Magpies sold the farm to get Gary Shaw over from Claremont. He had narrowly missed winning the 1982 Sandover Medal and the buzz about him was huge. He had numerous injury problems during the 4 years he lasted at Collingwood. The Pie supporters would have to wait just a little longer for that elusive flag and Shaw would be gone by then!
We Geelong fans also remember paying too much before the 1991 season. After an absolute shocker of a 1990 season, the Cats (as I faintly recall) gave away the Ford factory, Pyramid Building Society and the Giant Water Slide at Norlane (go and check – none of them are around anymore) to grab the No. 1 pick and went for Stephen Hooper. “Who?” say most fans from other clubs! Was he worth it? Maybe! However, knee problems saw him hardly get on the park at all and he was gone after 21 games in 3 seasons.
But the Cats learnt from this exercise. The next time they were to pay too much for a player, they’d do it right! The Cats gave away 2 first round draft picks to get Brad Ottens from the Tigers, but he was the missing link which propelled Geelong to 3 flags from 2007 to 2011.
And who could forget the Bulldogs signing Tommy Boyd on a reported six million dollar, seven year contract in late 2014? It appeared to be a deal borne out of the growing feud between the Dogs and Giants. Most thought the offer was way over the top for a 19-year-old. But less than two years later, the Dogs beat the Giants to progress to the 2016 Grand Final. The Dogs duly won the flag and Boyd excelled on the day. He narrowly missed winning the Norm Smith Medal. The 52-year flag drought was over. In hindsight, it was the best six million the Dogs ever wasted.
Anyone reading this article will recall bad decisions made by their club; or ones that didn’t quite work out for one reason or another. You may think that the solution is to never pay too much for a player. Not really; just pay too much “the right way” and your team could be flag-bound.
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About Doug Long
Doug Long landed the best job ever in the late 1960s - doing the footy scoreboard at Nyah. Six hours glorious work for $1.50 in his pocket. Now he writes for the Northern Football Netball League for free.
Doug, in this context how would you rate the Swans’ outlay on Buddy Franklin? Or the old Brisbane Bears with Brad Hardie?
I was almost through the trauma of the past 4 years and now it’s back. Thanks Doug! One word….Hannerberry
sorry Hannebery. A great player riddled with with existing and potential injuries as well as dubious extra curricular activities taken by Lethlean’s ego when the Swans knew damn well what they were doing. $3.2m for 16 games over 4 years.
The Swans were desperate to add Essendon’s Neville Fields to their lineup – incredibly they willingly gave up Terry Daniher and Neale Daniher to achieve that goal, and in time Anthony and Chris also joined the Bombers. And, again incredibly, Neville Fields later returned to Essendon! Somebody at the Swans should have been shot!. The Bombers real winners out of that transfer
Ian, Buddy with the Swans is a close call; guess they expected a flag with him and that may not happen. Bears were never in the premiership window, so the Brad Hardie experiment gets a tick. Ohhh Hannebery; reminds me of all the Carlton players in the 1980s going to the Saints at the end of their careers. At least he played well in that finals game R23 vs the Swans in 2022! May you live long enough to see Saints flag number 2
Colin – good point on the Fields / Daniher trade
Thanks Don but no redemption for one good game! From a Carlton perspective both Williams and Judd were positive moves. Ironically it was The Blues that knocked back Williams twice before Geelong gave him an opportunity. On a positive note for the Saints, Jack Steele has been a revelation. Cheers
Did someone say John Pitura? Richmond’s great run coincided with their fixation on getting him.
Yep MagnifiCATS I recall Stephen Hooper. This was around the time Darren Flanagan went to St Kilda, Damian Bourke was chronically injured, with Stephen Hooper being the great white hope in the ruck division. It turned out another recruit,the unheralded former ‘Don’ John Barnes giving Geelong a top notch ruckman for a few years.
There are others, but at this point I’ll leave in them unsaid.
Glen!
Glen – actually, the John Pitura deal was maybe the best example of how NOT to do it. Good point.
Diamond Jim ended up playing in the ammos with Old Melburnians – not sure he played any better at that level!
Mark, but he always looked the part! Maybe my original story could have been sub-titled “The Hoop Affair”!
John Pitura is an interesting story. He had a unique background: Polish descent hailing from Wagga Wagga in the NSW Riverina.
Only had played a few games of Aussie Rules before being recruited by the Swans who his parents loved as they wore the same colors (red and white( as the Polish flag.
Graeme Richmond said he always played well on the Tiger champion Francis Bourke (a classic folly to base a recruiting decision on)
History shows the Tigers sold the farm to get Pitura;
Graeme Teasdale- future Brownlow Medallist
Brian “Whale” Roberts- Heart and soul of the club and equal sixth in the 1975 Brownlow Medal
Francis Jackson- went on to play 100 games for the Swans.
Richmond got 40 games over 3 years from the enigmatic Pitura.
He went on to be a successful coach and business figure.
As far as a recruiting blunder it’s right up there.
What did Carlton give up to get Frank Marchesani?