Almanac Teams: Dirty debut, 32 (1980- )

 

 

 

A team of more obscure/lesser known players to wear the Number 32 jumper since 1980.

 

 

Here’s my second team of players to wear the Number 32, mostly from 1980 onwards but I have made exceptions, such as Phil Baker.

 

 

It is a light-hearted team based on cult figures, forgotten/lesser known players or stats/cameos associated with them, players known for other deeds, sons, fathers & brothers and forgotten players.

 

My criteria, similar to my previous efforts was:

 

• Attempt to include one player per club
• I have tried to create as balanced side as possible but this was not a priority

 

 

Stats are based on their time in that number

 

 

 

 

FB:         Jonathan Simpkin (Haw)               Michael Talia (WB)                        Shane Zantuck (Melb)

 

CHB:     Bruce Lindsay (Adel)                         Paul Wynd (NM)                         Grant Lawrie (St.K)

 

C:           Will Hayes (WB)                                Murray Wrensted (WCE)            John Georgiou (St.K)

 

CHF:      Digby Morrell (NM)                         Craig Stewart (Rich)                       Jack Newnes (Carl)

 

FF:          Allan Davis (Coll)                               John Butcher (PA)                         Jason Love (Syd)

 

Ruck:     Russell Crow (Fitz)                           Brent Moloney (Geel)                   Ben Cousins (Rich)

 

Interchange: David Bourke (Rich), Shane Cable (WCE), David Dwyer (NM), Damian Gaspar (Melb)

 

No players from Brisbane, Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast or GWS.

 

 

Games in Number 32 (Years played)

Jonathan Simpkin 33 (2013-2015)

Michael Talia 30 (2012-2015)

Shane Zantuck 88 (1981-1986)

Bruce Lindsay 6 (1991)

Paul Wynd 3 (1997)

Grant Lawrie 17 (1990)

John Georgiou 16 (1992-1995)

Murray Wrensted 29 (1987-1988)

Will Hayes 11 (2019-2020)

Digby Morrell 40 (2001-2003)

Craig Stewart 35 (1984-1986)

Jack Newnes 36 (2020- )

Allan Davis 3 (1980)

John Butcher 12 (2011-2012)

Jason Love 23 (1991-1992)

Russell Crow 158 (1960-1973)

Brent Moloney 23 (2003-2004)

Ben Cousins 32 (2009-2010)

David Bourke 34 (1995-1996)

Shane Cable 1 (1989)

David Dwyer 45 (1984-1986)

Damien Gaspar 29 (1995-1998)

 

 

 

Jonathan Simpkin – Simpkin’s career is unique in that he was listed by four clubs, played for three of those and won an AFL and VFL premiership in the same year. He was rookie listed by Sydney in 2006-2007 but did not play a game. Simpkin played for Geelong’s VFL side in 2008-2010 and was also rookie listed by Geelong for the 2011 season where he played four games in two seasons and won the VFL Best & Fairest in 2011-2012. Simpkin joined Hawthorn as a delisted free agent in 2013 and played 14 games. Simpkin did not play in the first three weeks of the finals and was a premiership player for Box Hill; he won the Norm Goss Medal for best on ground. With an injury to Brendan Whitecross, Simpkin was recalled to the AFL side and played as the sub; he came on at three quarter time. Simpkin played 18 games in 2014 but was dropped for the Grand Final for Cyril Rioli. After one game in 2015, Simpkin joined Essendon in 2016 as supplement top up player and played another four games.

 

 

Michael Talia – Michael is 18 months younger than brother Daniel and was picked up by the Western Bulldogs with Pick 39 in the 2011 Draft. Talia debuted in Round 19 of 2012 and played four games. In 2013 he played nine games and earned a Rising Star nomination. His best year was 2015 with 14 games but he was dropped after Round 21. Michael was an emergency for the Elimination Final against his brother’s team, Adelaide. Michael was accused and investigated for the leak of game-sensitive information from inside the Bulldogs’ camp to his brother. He was traded to Sydney at the end of the year but only played one more game.

 

 

Shane Zantuck – Zantuck started his career under Ron Barassi at North Melbourne, he played five games in three seasons. Zantuck joined South Melbourne in 1977 and played another 56 games in four seasons. In 1981 Zantuck joined Melbourne to be coached by Barassi again; there he played 88 games in six seasons. Zantuck is best remembered for an incident in Round 14, 1984 where at three quarter time he exchanged heated words with Barassi which meant Robbie Fowler had to come between them to intervene. Apparently Barassi had been giving one of his great sprays and no player would look him in the eye except Zantuck who instead traded insults back at him. Shane ended up with 149 games and his son Ty played 77 games for Richmond and Essendon.

 

 

Bruce Lindsay – Lindsay was a South Australia legend, he played 248 games for West Torrens and later the merged club Woodville West Torrens. Lindsay was club captain from 1984 to 1990 and captained South Australia and Australia in Ireland in 1987. Lindsay was an original member of the Adelaide Crows aged 29 and played six of the first seven games but none after Round 7.

 

 

Paul Wynd – Paul is six years younger than brother Scott and was tied to North Melbourne’s zone. Wynd was at North Melbourne since he was 16; he came through the U19s and Reserves before he made his senior debut aged 21 in 1997. Wynd was 190cm, smaller than Scott, and played three games from Round 11-13. Wynd’s most disposals in a game was six.

 

 

Grant Lawrie – Lawrie was a tall skinny wing/HBF who started his career aged 19 at Fitzroy in 1978. From 1980 Lawrie was a regular in Fitzroy’s side until his last season in 1988, he played 151 games and also represented Victoria in 1983. Lawrie retired after six games in 1988 and spent 1989 at Box Hill. In the 1989 draft St Kilda surprisingly drafted Lawrie with Pick 91 at the age of 31. Lawrie played 17 games for St Kilda in 1990 and averaged almost 14 disposals a game. Lawrie retired again at the end of 1990 with total of 168 games.

 

 

John Georgiou – Georgiou is the 24th youngest player and youngest since 1990 to make his debut – he was aged 16 years and 210 days when he ran out for St Kilda in Round 7, 1992. Georgiou played seven games in 1992, all of them wins. His best game was 22 disposals. Georgiou struggled for games afterwards with two in 1993, one in 1994 and five in 1995; he played his last game for St Kilda just one month shy of his 20th birthday. Georgiou then played for Frankston and won the JJ Liston Medal in 1999.

 

 

Murray Wrensted – Wrensted was a well decorated player in the WAFL; he played State of Origin football and won the 1985 Sandover Medal. Wrensted was an inaugural Eagle and played in their first game against Richmond Round 1, 1987 aged 22. Wrensted gathered 29 disposals and kicked two goals in this game. He played 16 games in 1987, got six Brownlow votes and a top ten in the West Coast Best & Fairest. Wrensted played the first nine games in 1988 but then played only another four games for the year including the Elimination Final. Wrensted is best remembered for that Elimination Final: with Melbourne up by two points and just seconds to go Wrensted ran into open goal and from 40m his kick went through for a behind and as the score was signalled the siren sounded. Wrensted was delisted and then drafted by Collingwood with Pick 11 in the 1989 Preseason. Wrensted played 10 games at Collingwood including nine in a row, with an average of 22 disposals including a personal best of 36 but after no games in 1990 with Collingwood winning a premiership Wrensted was again delisted with 39 games in total.

 

 

Will Hayes – Will is the son of David and grandson of Colin. His oldest brother is Ben who was a co-trainer with David and his younger twin brother is JD (James David) Hayes, who is now in a horse training partnership with Ben. Will played several years for Footscray’s VFL side in the hoped to make the AFL. At one point Will considered retiring and joining the family’s racing business but was talked out of it by his father who advised him he will have 40 years after the AFL to be a horse trainer. Will won the Best & Fairest at Footscray in 2018 and was drafted with Pick 78 in 2018 draft. He debuted in Round 5, 2019 aged 23 and gathered 21 disposals. Hayes played five in a row but did not come back after until Round 21, he played the last four games including the Elimination Final. Hayes played two games in 2020 but none in 2021 and was delisted. Hayes has signed on for Carlton VFL side where he may play footy for a few years before appearing in the race book with his brothers Ben and JD.

 

 

Digby Morrell – Morrell had a cult status as one of only a few Digbys to play in the AFL. Morrell came to North Melbourne via Pick 44 in the 2001 Rookie Draft. Morrell was 21 when he debuted for North against Richmond in Round 6, 2001, he played seven games for five goals. Morrell played 19 games in 2002 including a final for 24 goals including a bag of five. After a further 14 games in 2003, Morrell was traded to Carlton along with David Teague for Corey McKernan. Morrell played 32 games in two season at Carlton with 21 in his first season playing mainly as a defender before being delisted at end of 2005 aged 25. Morrell played 72 games for 59 goals.

 

 

Craig Stewart – Stewart is best known for his career at Collingwood where he played 115 games in six seasons for 121 goals. he was mainly a CHF but could help in the ruck or the backline if needed. Stewart missed the 1979 Grand Final due to injury but played in 1980-1981. Stewart joined Richmond in 1984 as one of many players involved in the Collingwood/Richmond wars of the 1980s. At Richmond he played mainly as a defender over 35 games for three goals in three seasons. His best season was 1984 with 18 games, in a sad note Stewart’s 35 games is one of the ‘success stories’ for Richmond players from came from Collingwood in that era. Stewart’s son is ex-Giant and now Bomber James Stewart who like his Dad is tall and has played at both ends.

 

 

Jack Newnes – Newnes was drafted by St Kilda with Pick 37 in the 2011 Draft and debuted in Round 2, 2012. After seven games in 2012, Newnes played 18 games in 2013 and from game 23 in Round 20, 2013 onwards Newnes played 123 consecutive games until 2019. This equalled the club record of most consecutive games. After 20 games in 2019 and 155 games total Newnes was surprisingly delisted at end of 2019 – he was only 26. Newnes joined Carlton as a delisted free agent and played all 17 games for the season. He is best known for kicking a goal after the siren against Fremantle in Perth in Round 12 to give Carlton the win. The kick was from 50m on the boundary with an unhelpful cameraman not really getting out of the way until the umpire intervened. This goal was one of the three finalists for goal of the year.

 

 

Allan Davis – Davis started at St Kilda in 1966 and made his debut at age 17 – he played 10 games. Davis was five days shy of turning 18 when he became a premiership player, the youngest for the Saints that famous day. Davis would play 173 games for St Kilda from 1966-1975 and kicked 308 goals with a personal best of ten against Collingwood in 1971. Davis crossed to Melbourne and played 41 games between 1976-1977 and 33 games for Essendon from 1978-1979. Davis joined Collingwood in 1980 aged 31 and played in Rounds 1 and 3 but as a forward only kicked one goal. Davis’ next game was the 1980 Elimination Final which turned out to be his 250th and last. Davis had seven kicks but no goals and was dropped the week after. Davis coached St Kilda for four games mid-1987 for two wins and two losses, due to senior coach Darrel Baldock being ill. Allan’s son Chad played 31 games for St Kilda from 2000-2002.

 

 

John Butcher – Butcher was originally from Maffra and was drafted with Pick 8 of the 2009 draft and debuted in Round 21, 2011 in a horror day for Port Adelaide where they lost by 165 points. Port Adelaide lost the next two weeks but Butcher gave supporters hope, he kicked six against the Bulldogs and four against Essendon, he finished the year with four games and 11 goals. Butcher wore Number 32 in 2012 but changed to number 11 in 2013. He struggled for form for the rest of his career despite numerous opportunities; just 31 games in six seasons was his output with the most in a year eight. Butcher finished with 41 career goals, his first two years both netted the most goals in a year: 11 (from eight games in 2012 compared to four in 2011.)

 

 

Jason Love – Jason started his career at North Melbourne in 1986 and played 44 games for 69 goals in four seasons at. In 1991 he joined Sydney and played a further 21 games for 52 goals with four bags of five his best. Love won the Swans’ goalkicking that season but in 1992 he only played two games for two goals and was delisted at season’s end. In 2004 Love was coaching in North Cairns and instigated a wild brawl that involved players, officials and fans; he was suspended for eight years for several striking charges on opposition players, abusing and threatening the field umpire who was reporting him and for bringing the game into disrepute. Love’s players were suspended for combined total of 400 games ranging from 10 matches to five years.

 

 

Russell Crow – Crow was recruited from Warracknabeal to Fitzroy in 1960 and played 158 games from 1960-1973. Crow also played for Victoria in 1971. Once retired Crow decided to be an actor and twenty years later starred in the Australian classic Romper Stomper. After winning multiple awards Hollywood beckoned and ‘Crowe’ became a big Hollywood name. He was nominated for three Best Actor roles in a row and won in 2000 for his starring role of Maximus in Gladiator. Other memorable film roles include Robin Hood, Noah and Superman’s father Jor-El.

 

 

Brent Moloney – Moloney was drafted with Pick 4 in the 2003 preseason draft and was given the honour of wearing Number 32 from the retired Garry Hocking. Moloney played eight games in 2003 and earned a Rising Star nomination. In 2004 Moloney continued his promise in a young, emerging Geelong side playing 15 games including all three finals. At the end of 2004 Brad Ottens had advised he wanted to leave Richmond for Geelong but Geelong did not have the draft picks that Richmond wanted. Geelong thought Brent Moloney was the most likely expendable trade played for a first round draft pick as they already Jimmy Bartel who played a similar position/style along with other midfield options. Melbourne was Moloney’s favourite team growing up and received Moloney for Pick 12 which was on traded to Richmond. Moloney played 122 games at Melbourne and won the Best & Fairest in 2011 but left in 2012 after a falling out with Mark Neeld. He then had two seasons at Brisbane for 21 games, which brought his total to 166.

 

 

Ben Cousins – Cousins was drafted by West Coast as a Father-Son selection in 1995 and played 238 games for 205 goals from 1996-2007. His list of achievements read: Rising Star winner in 1996, Premiership player 2006, Brownlow Medallist 2005, six-time All Australian, four-time West Coast Best & Fairest and club captain 2001-2005. Cousins was an elite ball winner and one of the best endurance runners the game had ever seen. For all of this Cousins had a recreational drug problem and he was sacked by West Coast at the end of 2007 and deregistered by the AFL for bringing the game into disrepute. In 2009 it looked like at one stage Cousins would not get picked up but eventually he went at Pick 6 (the last) of the 2009 Preseason Draft to Richmond. Success starved Richmond fans were excited by Cousins’ arrival where nearly a hundred fans gathered that night at Melbourne airport awaiting his arrival. In Round 1 against Carlton 87,000+ attended to see his debut for Richmond; fans left disappointed with a 83 point loss and a Cousins torn hamstring (which kept him out of the side for five weeks). He played 32 games for Richmond from 2009-2010 and averaged almost 23 disposals a match; he apparently had an influence on the games of young midfielders Cotchin, Martin and Edwards.

 

 

David Bourke – David is the son of Richmond royalty in Francis Bourke. David was a Father-Son selection in 1994 and debuted in Round 2 as third tall back, he played 15 games including the semi final win. Bourke was a regular in 1996: 19 games and three mark of the year nominations. David did not lack his father courage but at 194cm and 80kg he did not have the same body type. David had a lot of shoulder issues and after moving to his Dad’s Number 30 in 1997 he was restricted to a further 51 games for Richmond before he was traded to North Melbourne where he played just one game. David was said by a lot of older Richmond people to resemble more his grandfather Frank Bourke who was 193cm and 86kg (Francis was 185cm & 85kg) who played 16 games for 48 goals before he injured his knee. David’s son Harrison has been added to Richmond’s VFL team this year, he stands at 200cm and 80kg and while very raw, I would imagine all Richmond supporters hope he makes it as a fourth generation Tiger.

 

 

Shane Cable – Shane is the son of North Melbourne and Western Australian AFL legend Barry. Cable was listed as an emergency but came into the selected side after Chris Waterman was omitted for being late to a team meeting. Cable debuted against Footscray at the WACA where he had four kicks and three handballs. Cable did not play another game of in the VFL/AFL. Cable continued with Perth in the WAFL and stood in as coach in 2005 with the senior coach ill with the flu.

 

 

David Dwyer – David is the son of champion North Melbourne onballer Laurie ‘Twinkletoes’ Dwyer who played 201 games for North Melbourne and won two Best & Fairests. David’s was of a similar size to his dad and played wing as well. In his first year he played 19 games and despite injuries he managed to be selected for North’s finals campaign. After being a regular in 1986 David moved to the lower Number 5. In five seasons from 1987 he played 27 games and retired after 1991. David’s brother Anthony played 30 games from 1990-1996 but they never played a match together.

 

 

Damian Gaspar – Damian was the first of the Gaspar brothers to be drafted at Pick 86 in the 1992 Draft. Damian was 15 months older than Darren and six years older than Travis. Damian debuted in Round 8, 1995 and played eight games for the year as a tall defender. He played a further eight games in 1996 and 12 in 1997 but when Melbourne emerged back into finals in 1998 and made top four, Gaspar only managed one game and was delisted at season’s end. Damian returned to East Fremantle where he played 110 games and captained the club in 2004-2005.

 

 

Forgotten Number 32s – Tony Lynn (Bris), Nick Graham (Carl), Paul Rizonico & David King (Coll), Andrew Lee (Ess), Greg Harding (Freo), Craig Cleave (Geel), Gerard Ugle (GWS), Tony Symonds (Haw), Eddie Sansbury (NM), Tom Carr (PA), Des Ryan (Rich), Jason Traianides (St.K), Rudy Yonson (Syd), Simon Tunbridge (WCE), Kieren Collins (WB).

 

 

 

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