Almanac Footy: The Melbourne Football Club – Recollections and Reflections (Part 6)
Recruiting back in the 1980’s and 1990’s was an inexact science prone to the most horrendous errors of judgement. It was a difficult period for club recruiting staff and their volunteer networks spread across the country. New clubs were entering the competition, draft concessions to interstate clubs drained most top end talent, zones had been abolished, the Under 19 competition gone.
Melbourne Recruiting Manager, Jim Durnan had a massive fall out with coach John Northey on a couple of matters. Jim wanted to undertake a process of psychological profiling and testing for potential recruits, something that is standard procedure these days. Swoop would have nothing of it and got his way. Then there was the matter of wasting a draft choice on an Under 19 player from Geelong whose father Swoop had coached and played with at Derrinallum. When Northey insisted Jim draft him at the National Draft things went from bad to worse. Jim left the Demons and soon found himself with Cameron Schwab at Tigerland as Recruiting Manager.
Tony King offered me the Recruiting Manger position and naturally I accepted the role.
Melbourne had a recruiting network made up of passionate Demon supporters and dedicated football people. We had a few gaps particularly in Western Australia and South Australia and with the looming “uncompromised” National Draft I felt it important we engaged scouts in those states who would follow all levels of football.
Neil Balme recommended a fellow called John Turnbull who had spent some time with Neil at Norwood. JT was a very astute football strategist and had an excellent eye for talent. So much so the Hawthorn Football Club offered him the Recruiting Manager position at the Hawks, so he relocated the family and moved to Melbourne. JT convinced coach Peter Schwab that the quality of the draft was exceptional and that the club needed to trade a quality player to secure an early pick. The Hawks traded Trent Croad to Fremantle (much to the anger of Hawk fans) and selected Luke Hodge ahead of Chris Judd-both to become stars of the game. Eventually Croad made it back to the Hawks in 2004 and played a further 100 games for the club.
Melbourne replaced Turnbull with former SA Shield cricketer Geoff Parker who did an outstanding job. Meanwhile, I offered the WA role to my old friend of teaching college days in Bernie Dunn who had a successful playing and coaching career in the WA amateurs. Bernie dubbed Jeff Farmer “The Wizard” in a recruiting report following the Teal Cup carnival in Adelaide around 1992. The name stuck and the Wizard excited all footy fans with his goal kicking exploits and marking skills. Bernie stayed with Demons for in excess of 20 years and was rewarded with Life Membership back in 2018.
Wayne Povey and Pat Walker gave us excellent coverage in Tasmania and in Victoria the long serving and ever loyal Don Baron scoured all junior games together with Rob Draper whilst the evergreen Darrel Cransch focused on schoolboy football and the APS competition. Bernie Colbert (Leigh’s father) based out of Bendigo gave us coverage throughout regional Victoria together with a network of spotters in key leagues such as the Ovens and Murray, Goulburn Valley, Hampden and Gippsland Leagues.
Back in those days the art of recruiting was predominately reliant on ensuring junior talent was identified early and monitored. With the advent of the TAC Cup and the establishment of clubs such as the Western Jets, Sandringham Dragons, Oakleigh Chargers and Bendigo Pioneers it became the major focus for clubs. In WA the WAFL Colts competition and in SA the Under 17 and Under 19 competitions were critical together with the respective state talent programs. The national carnivals at Under 16 and Under 18 level were crucial for young players aspiring to the AFL and for the clubs to confirm their priorities.
Technology was just being introduced into player identification and analysis. Champion Data was in its infancy and for the clubs at the time the cost for engaging them together with the hardware required stretched some clubs. Data bases, draft combines, psychological testing were yet to be introduced into the system. Clubs basically relied on the judgement of its recruiting network in compiling lists in order of the best talent across the land.
Recruiting Managers would spend hours and hours travelling to watch games, studying videos of matches at all levels including the weekly WAFL and SANFL round of games, referencing and cross referencing and visiting players and their families. It was an inexact science and together with the complexity of the trade period clubs needed to have a clear philosophy on its approach to list management and player recruitment.
During the late 1980’s into the 1990’s the Melbourne FC were in contention and the balance between “topping up” the list to find a player who might take the club one or two steps forward as opposed to investing in the future through youth was a constant point of contention. The pre-season draft held in March was essentially a senior player/recycle draft. The National draft for the most talented youngsters.
Melbourne played off in the 1988 Grand Final and were trounced. Northey wanted a forward so at the 1998 draft Darren Bennett was taken at the age of 23. Here are some other interesting picks and trades in the ensuing years. In 1989 the club drafted Steven Clark and Trevor Spencer, in 1989 Paul Bryce, Phil Egan and Rod Owen, in 1991 Michael Pickering, Wayne Henwood and Andy Goodwin, in 1992 Adrian Campbell and Jeff Hilton, in 1993 Dean Irving, in 1994 Marcus Seecamp (swap for Martin Pike), in 1995 Alistair Clarkson, David Grant, Anthony Ingerson, Craig Turley and Craig Nettlebeck.
I assumed the Recruiting Manager role in 1991 through to 1996 but was dismissed after the merger debacle (with a few others including Peter Russo) prior to that year’s draft. Let’s start with the notable selection blunders during my time:
1991: Matthew Mackay a former Hawthorn U19 player at pick 23
1992: Brett Jeffrey from country Victoria at pick 24
1993: Trent Ormond-Allen from SA at pick 10. Brad Hall from Assumption College pick 27
1994: Michael Polley from Northern U18 at pick 34 (played 5 senior games)
1995: Donald Cockatoo-Collins at pick 11 (part of the commitment with brother David)
A few comments here. Only two clubs spoke to Michael O’Loughlin prior to the 1994 draft – Carlton and Melbourne. I was supremely confident that he would be available around the fourth or fifth round. He was a clean, skillful kid but not a high possession getter and never really dominated any Teal Cup or SANFL U17 or U19 games. The Swans nabbed him with an early third round pick. I was kicking myself. He turned out to be a champion of the game – on and off the field.
Trent Ormond-Allen was an exceptional athlete who I thought over time and in a good development system could develop into an explosive on-baller. He played a total of 8 games between 1994 and 1996. The club lost patience with him and was traded to the Crows where he played a further 42 games. He played 18 games in 1997 including a semi-final and preliminary final but missed the Grand Final due to glandular fever. Malcolm Blight on occasions played him in the ruck – he was 180cm (5ft 11in).
David Cockatoo-Collins was an extremely gifted player with exquisite skills. Donald his brother less skilled but tough and hard. I think we made a mistake playing them both in their debut match in Round 1 1996 against Geelong on a Friday night at the MCG-the stage was too big. In the end the boys were unable to adjust to the demands of AFL football.
More palatable selections in the same time frame included:
1991: Darren Kowal, Jason Norrish and Phil Gilbert all from Claremont and Andrew Lamprill from Hobart.
1992: Martin Pike (went on to become 3-time premiership player) Glenn Molloy, Damien Gaspar, Paul Prymke.
1994: Jeff Farmer traded for Phil Gilbert, Adem Yze at pick 16 and Shaun Smith.
1995: Anthony Ingerson and Andrew Leoncelli.
My final words to the Melbourne Match Committee and key recruiting staff in October 1996 was “there is a kid over in WA playing for East Fremantle. He’s played a handful of senior games. He’s not a big possession earner but he’s got something. Runs well, nice kick. Make sure you draft him with your last pick -no one will take him, but I reckon he’s a chance.” His name was Shane Woewodin. He won a Brownlow Medal.
Read Part 5 of The Melbourne Football Club -Recollections and Reflections HERE
Read more from Richard Griffiths HERE
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