Almanac Teams: One game players at a club
This week’s team is based on players who played just one game at a club, while still playing games at other clubs. The list is from 1980 onwards with one exception for my dad. It includes premiership captain, best & fairest winners and Victorian representatives.
FB: Tom Harley (PA) Peter McCormack (Fitz) Leon Higgins (Haw)
CHB: Phil Egan (Melb) Brett Thornton (GWS) Greg Eppelstun (Foots)
C: Craig Devonport (Carl) Rhys Palmer (Carl) Ricky Olarenshaw (NM)
CHF: Bret Bailey (Geel) Stuart Wigney (Syd) Robert Dutton (Carl/Haw)
FF: Sean Charles (Carl) Cameron O’Brien (Coll) Tim Membrey (Syd)
Ruck: Paul Johnson (WCE/Haw) Angus Dewar (WCE) Nick Daffy (Syd)
Interchange: Darcy Cameron (Syd), Xavier Clarke (Bris), Jeff Dunne (Rich), Sam Rowe (St.K)
Coach: Simon Goodwin (Ess)
Does not include current players who may add to their one game in Tyler Brown (Adel), Sam Durdin (Carl) and Josh Schache (Melb)
Tom Harley
Port Adelaide Round 14, 1998: 1 kick 1 goal – won by 18 points
197 games for Geelong (1999-2009)
Premiership Captain 2007 and 2009, his one game for Port Adelaide was against Geelong.
Peter McCormack
Fitzroy Round 11, 1986: 4 kicks – lost by 44 points
160 games Collingwood (1976-1985), 4 games Richmond (1986)
McCormack played Rounds 1-4 in 1986 at Richmond, his one game at Fitzroy was against Collingwood.
Leon Higgins
Hawthorn Round 2, 1996: 6 kicks – lost by 47 points
121 games Sydney (1987-1995)
Melbourne’s Phil Egan [Source: Demonwiki]
Phil Egan
Melbourne Round 1, 1991: 4 disposals – lost by 79 points
125 games Richmond (1982-1990)
Brett Thornton
GWS Round 5, 2013: 14 disposals, 11 marks – lost by 44 points
188 games Carlton (2002-2012)
Greg Eppelstun
North Melbourne Round 1, 1993: 6 disposals – won by 23 points
102 games Footscray (1986-1992)
Eppelstun played for Victoria in 1991, he was injured in Round 1, replaced by Glenn Archer and never got back in.
Carlton’s Craig Devonport [Source: Blueseum]
Craig Devonport
Carlton Round 4, 1996: 4 kicks, 2 goals – won by 47 points
94 games St Kilda (1989-1994)
Rhys Palmer
Carlton Round 3, 2017: 12 disposals – won by 15 points
53 games Fremantle (2008-2011), 69 games GWS (2002-2016)
Palmer won the Rising Star in 2008.
Ricky Olarenshaw
North Melbourne Round 5, 2001: 4 disposals – lost by 15 points
77 games Essendon (1993-1998), 5 games Collingwood (1999-2000)
Olarenshaw is 1993 premiership player.
Bret Bailey
Geelong Round 1, 1990: 10 disposals – lost by 115 points
80 games Melbourne (1984-1989)
Stuart Wigney
Sydney Round 16, 1992: 1 kick – lost by 53 points
47 games Footscray (1988-1991), 10 games Adelaide (1993-1994), 14 games Richmond (1995-1996)
Wigney played for Victoria B side against Tasmania in 1990.
Robert Dutton
Carlton Round 7, 1981: 1 kick, 1 mark, 1 handball – won by 40 points
Dutton came in and was replaced by Peter McConville
Hawthorn Round 14, 1982: 0 disposals – won by 34 points (against Carlton)
Dutton played two games at two clubs in two years and had two disposals in two wins.
Sean Charles
Carlton Round 1, 1998: 4 disposals – won by 10 points
47 games Melbourne (1992-1997), 8 games St Kilda (2000)
Charles broke his leg in his only game for Carlton.
Collingwood’s Cameron O’Brien [Source: Collingwood Forever]
Cameron O’Brien
Collingwood Round 22, 1985: 7 disposals – lost by 6 points
45 games Brisbane (1987-1991)
Tim Membrey
Sydney Round 19, 2014: 9 disposals – won by 22 points
156 games St Kilda (2015- )
Membrey was subbed off in his only game for the Swans.
Paul Johnson
West Coast Round 5, 2003: 1 handball – won by 35 points
Hawthorn Round 24, 2011: 11 disposals, 1 goal, 28 hit outs – won by 9 points (against West Coast)
68 games Melbourne (2005-2010)
Johnson’s game for Hawthorn was to enable Max Bailey a rest in the last game before finals.
Angus Dewar
West Coast Round 2, 2022: 7 disposals – lost by 15 points
25 games Hawthorn (2014-2016)
Played for Hawthorn as Angus Litherland and played for West Coast as a Covid-19 top up player.
Nick Daffy
Sydney Round 2, 2002: 5 disposals 1 goal – won by 78 points
165 games Richmond (1992-2001)
Daffy was leading goalkicker in 1995 with 45 goals and a Best & Fairest in 1998.
Darcy Cameron
Sydney Round 18, 2018: 3 disposals, 9 hit outs – lost by 24 points
62 games Collingwood (2020- )
Xavier Clarke
Brisbane Round 18, 2010: 4 disposals – lost by 10 points.
105 games St Kilda (2002-2009)
Clarke suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in the game and then a knee injury in the 2011 preseason.
Jeff Dunne
Richmond Round 3, 1984: 0 disposals – won by 46 points
101 games St Kilda (1977-1983)
Dunne won Best & Fairests at St Kilda in 1979-1980 and represented Victoria in 1980-1981.
Sam Rowe
St Kilda Round 23, 2019: 9 disposals, 8 hit outs – lost by 45 points
99 games Carlton (2013-2018)
Rowe missed 2012 due to testicular cancer and was signed as a preseason supplemental selection and got to play his 100th game in the last round.
Coach: Simon Goodwin
Essendon Round 23, 2013: lost by 39 points
152 games Melbourne (2017- )
Goodwin coached the last round when Hird was stood down due to the supplements scandal. He coached Melbourne to a premiership in 2021. The other ones I can see are Jaymie Graham at West Coast a single game in 2018 when Adam Simpson was unavailable. Graham also coached Fremantle for two games in 2022. Matthew Knights took the reins in 2022 at West Coast for one game when Simpson again was unable due to Covid-19; Knights coached Essendon from 2008-2011.
Others
Ryan Abbott
St Kilda Round 16 2020
3 Disposals, 1 Goal – Lost by 14 Points
5 Games Geelong 2018-2019
Tim Allen
Geelong Round 22 1995
1 Kick – Won by 46 Points
22 Games St Kilda 1991-1992 & 11 Games Hawthorn 1993-1994
Allen game for Geelong was against his old team Hawthorn.
Kurt Aylett
GWS Round 17 2012
6 Disposals – Lost by 95 Points
2 Games Essendon 2014
Aylett was subbed off in his first game and subbed on in his first game for Essendon.
Jamie Barham
Footscray Round 15 1982
6 Disposals – Lost by 11 Points
4 Games Melbourne 1981
Jake Barrett
GWS Round 23 2015
7 Disposals – Lost by 26 Points
22 Games Brisbane 2017-2018
Barrett was subbed on in his only match for GWS.
Colm Begley
St Kilda Round 19 2009
7 Disposals – Won by 25 Points
29 Games Brisbane 2006-2008
Geelong’s Sam Blease [Source: Zero Hanger]
Sam Blease
Geelong Round 7 2015
7 Disposals – Lost by 43 Points
33 Games Melbourne 2011-2014
Blease won a Rising Star Nomination in 2011 & 2012.
North Melbourne’s David Bourke [Source: BigFooty]
David Bourke
North Melbourne Round 8 2003
8 Disposals & 1 Goal – Lost by 54 Points
85 Games Richmond 1995-2001
Bourke only match for North Melbourne was also the night Wayne Carey played against North Melbourne for the first time.
Matthew Bourke
Hawthorn Round 10 1989
7 Disposals – Won by 5 Points
2 Games Fitzroy 1991
Peter Bourke
Essendon Round 20 1988
10 Disposals – Lost by 1 Point
22 Games Fitzroy 1989-1991
Keegan Brooksby
Hawthorn Round 8 2020
5 Disposals & 10 Hit outs – Lost by 7 Points
14 Games Gold Coast 2015-2017
Brooksby was on West Coast list in 2019.
Paul Callery
South Melbourne Round 9 1980
6 Disposals – Won by 21 Points
76 Games Melbourne 1970-1973 & 105 Games St Kilda 1974-1980
Peter Carter
Collingwood Round 9 1982
8 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 22 Points
10 Games South Melbourne 1977-1980
West Coast’s Kevin Caton [Source: West Coast Eagles wiki]
Kevin Caton
West Coast Round 18 1988
12 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 44 Points
9 Games Fitzroy 1989 & 8 Games Brisbane 1990
Caton’s AFL career lasted three years with three clubs in three states
Dean Chiron
Footscray Round 20 1986
11 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 57 Points
19 Games St Kilda 1983-1984 & 17 Games Melbourne 1987-1989
Cameron Cloke
Port Adelaide Round 3 2010
16 Disposals & 11 Hit Outs – Lost by 27 Points
21 Games Collingwood 2004-2006 & 36 Games Carlton 2007-2009
Darryl Cox
Brisbane Round 2 1987
3 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 19 Points
16 Games Fitzroy 1980-1983 & 13 Games Melbourne 1984-1986
Son Nik is in his third season at Essendon.
Tom Crebbin
St Kilda Round 14 1986
18 Disposals & 1 Goal – Lost by 87 Points
7 Games Richmond 1985
Andrew Cross
Richmond Round 12 1986
10 Disposals – Won by 9 Points
31 Games St Kilda 1979-1984 & 19 Games Fitzroy 1985
Anthony Darcy
Geelong Round 2 1992
8 Disposals – Lost by 8 Points
14 Games Footscray 1993-1994, 3 Games St Kilda 1995
Ian Dargie
West Coast Round 12 1991
4 Disposals – Won by 52 Points
10 Games St Kilda 1989-1990
Dargie would win the Sandover Medal for Subiaco in 1991
Jamie Duursma
Brisbane Round 21 1987
4 Disposals – Lost by 82 Points
25 Games Sydney 1985-1986 & 33 Games Melbourne 1988-1989
Mark Dwyer
St Kilda Round 17 1988
9 Disposals – Lost by 7 Points
13 Games Fitzroy1986-1987
Dwyer was an instant sensation polling Brownlow votes in 6 of his first 7 games.
Carlton’s Stephen Easton [Source: Blueseum]
Stephen Easton
Carlton Round 10 1982
3 Disposals – Won by 17 Points
31 Games North Melbourne 1978-1981
Roger Ellingworth
Hawthorn Round 9 1986
4 Disposals – Won by 33 Points
41 Games Melbourne 1981-1984
David Flintoff
Hawthorn Round 14 1983
2 Disposals – Won by 69 Points
31 Games Melbourne 1988-1991
Flintoff would play against Hawthorn in 1988 Grand Final
Fabian Francis
Melbourne Round 17 1991
8 Disposals – Won by 37 points.
22 Games Brisbane 1993-1994 & 86 Games Port Adelaide 1997-2001
Stephen Gilham
Port Adelaide Round 18 2005
1 Kick – Lost by 4 Points
98 Games Hawthorn 2006-2012 & 15 Games GWS 2013-2014
Gilham is 2008 Premiership Player
Stefan Giro
West Coast Round 2 2022
9 Disposals – Lost by 15 Points
14 Games Fremantle 2018-2021
Giro was a top up Covid player for West Coast in 2022
Mark Hannebery
Essendon Round 13 1984
6 Disposals – Won by 34 Points
61 Games Collingwood 1979-1983
Hannebery’s sole game for Essendon was against Collingwood.
Jeremy Humm
Richmond Round 3 2006
14 Disposals – Lost by 46 Points
22 Games West Coast 2001-2004
Humm’s sole game for Richmond was against West Coast
Robert Hyde
Essendon Elimination Final 1979
14 Disposals – Lost by 81 Points
62 Games Collingwood 1973-1977
I included Hyde as my dad had asked about him. Hyde won the 1976 Best & Fairest and played in the 1977 Grand Final.
Aaron James
Western Bulldogs Round 1 2002
1 Kick, 1 Mark – Lost by 19 Points
23 Games Collingwood 1994-1997 & 30 Games Richmond 1998-2000
Gareth John
North Melbourne Round 6 1994
6 Disposals, 11 Hit outs – Lost by 37 Points
21 Games Sydney 1990-1993
Peter Kiel
Melbourne Round 5 1987
6 Disposals – Lost by 5 Points
80 Games St Kilda 1982-1986
Kiel won the Best & Fairest at St Kilda in 1982
Julian Kirzner
Essendon Round 24 1994
8 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 18 Points
3 Games North Melbourne 1997
Kirzner was on Carlton list in 1996.
Fremantle’s Brendan Krummel [Source: Author]
Brendan Krummel
Fremantle Round 1 1995
4 Disposals – Lost by 5 Points
9 Games West Coast 1992-1994 & 64 Games Hawthorn 1996-2000
Krummel sole game for Fremantle was their first AFL match.
Rod Lewis
North Melbourne Round 2 1985
7 Disposals & 1 Goal – Lost by 26 Points
32 Games Fitzroy 1980-1983
David Loats
Geelong Round 12 2004
3 Disposals & 7 Hit Outs – Won by 10 Points
11 Games Hawthorn 2002-2003
Robert Mace
Brisbane Round 4 1988
7 Disposals – Lost by 55 Points
7 Games Hawthorn 1979-1980 & 72 Games St Kilda 1981-1986
Peter Melesso
South Melbourne Round 22 1981
5 Disposals – Lost by 33 Points
7 Games St Kilda 1983-1985 & 6 Games West Coast 1989-1990
Fitzroy’s Andrew Merryweather [Source: Fitzroy Forever Facebook page]
Andrew Merryweather
Fitzroy Round 8 1982
12 Disposals – Lost by 65 Points
5 Games Essendon 1988
There was almost six years between Andrew 1st and 2nd game. He was 27 years old when he joined. Andrew is the father of Cameron & Zac Guthrie.
Viv Michie
Fremantle Round 14 2013
13 Disposals – Lost by 41 Points
21 Games Melbourne 2014-2016
Michie was the sub in his only game for Fremantle.
Allan Murray
Port Adelaide Round 19 2002
2 Disposals – Won by 9 Points
15 Games St Kilda 2003-2006
Bo Nixon
Hawthorn Round 16 2005
11 Disposals – Lost by 41 Points
3 Games Collingwood 2004
Rick Norman
Brisbane Round 4 1987
13 Disposals – Lost by 15 Points
12 Games North Melbourne 1985-1986
Norman AFL debut was Round 1 v Collingwood in the first ever Friday night match at the MCG.
Maurice O’Keefe
Geelong Round 1 1980
3 Disposals & 1 Goal – Lost by 3 Points
51 Games St Kilda 1977-1979
Michael O’Sullivan
Essendon Round 19 1988
6 Disposals – Lost by 67 Points
53 Games Melbourne 1982-1986
Nigel Palfreyman
Fitzroy Round 22 1994
8 Disposals – Lost by 60 Points
15 Games Brisbane 1992
Stephen Pirrie
Essendon Round 17 1985
8 Disposals – Lost by 52 Points
11 Games Richmond 1982-1984 & 7 Games St Kilda 1984
Pirrie came in for Simon Madden with Kevin Walsh in the ruck. Pirrie was traded from Richmond to St Kilda for fellow one gamer Jeff Dunne.
Bradley Plain
North Melbourne Round 5 1996
9 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 39 Points
46 Games Essendon 1988-1993 & 9 Games Collingwood 1994
Plain kicked 8 goals in a match in 1991
Brendan Ryan
Fitzroy Round 15 1986
4 Disposals – Won by 6 Points
17 Games North Melbourne 1983-1986
Malcolm Scott
Sydney Round 2 1985
3 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 4 Points
10 Games St Kilda 1979-1980
Allan Sidebottom
Fitzroy Round 13 1987
8 Disposals & 9 Hit Outs – Won by 72 Points
55 Games St Kilda 1983-1987
Will Snelling
Port Adelaide Round 23 2016
15 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 23 Points
61 Games Essendon 2019-
Chris Stacey
Fitzroy Round 10 1986
5 Disposals – Lost by 25 Points
3 Games Brisbane 1987
Stacey kicked 4 goals in his first match for Brisbane.
Collingwood’s Justin Staritski [Collingwood Forever]
Justin Staritski
Collingwood Round 10 1994
0 Disposals – Won by 36 Points
25 Games North Melbourne 1991-1992
David Sullivan
Hawthorn Round 2 1986
3 Disposals – Won by 3 Points
10 games Essendon 1987-1988
Michael Talia
Sydney Round 1 2016
10 Disposals – Won by 80 Points
30 Games Western Bulldogs 2012-2015
Andrew Taylor
Footscray Round 12 1983
10 Disposals – Won by 11 Points
31 Games Brisbane 1988-1991
Kevin Taylor
Fitzroy Round 8 1984
9 Disposals & 1 Goal – Lost by 11 Points
South Melbourne 14 Games 1981
Bill Valli
Essendon Round 22 1980
24 Disposals – Won by 40
17 Games Collingwood 1979
Valli was 30 years old when he debut for Essendon in the last round.
Fergus Watts
St Kilda Round 1 2006
5 Disposals & 1 Goal – Lost by 18 Points
5 Games Adelaide 2004
David Wittey
Sydney Round 11 1990
9 Disposals – Won by 49 Points
24 Games St Kilda 1986-1987
Cory Young
West Coast Round 8 1991
3 Disposals & 1 Goal – Won by 7 Points
6 Games Richmond 1989-1990
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Another obscure team Rodney!
Seemed a high proportion of Fitzroy one-gamers. I guess they were a sort of last-chance destination. for the likes of Peter McCormack; a fine full-back for Collingwood who fell out of favor at Tigerland after being embroiled in the recruiting wars.
Another great team idea mate!
Was looking out for Justin Staritski, sat next to your grandpa in the Sherrin Stand at Staritski’s only senior game, as well as several other games in 1994 when he was dominating in the two’s.
Cameron O’Brien was part of the rich haul given by Collingwood to the Brisbane Bears in 1987. Other inclusions were Gary Shaw and Mark Williams (after a snit with coach Leigh Matthews)
Indirectly we gave them Geoff Raines and Mike Richardson (via Essendon) and Philip Walsh (via Richmond)
All this was a small part of the latest ” let’s give Carlton another premiership scheme” where every one of the established clubs had to give up 2 players to help start up the battling new club – except one!
Carlton, of course, gave Brisbane a bloke who had already retired and a bloke who was traveling overseas for the whole season. They also influenced the Cardinals to institute a salary cap for all clubs – except one!
Another top team Rodney; where do we start?
As an ex Geelong supporter I look at players like Maurice O’Keefe, and Brett Bailey. The formers match was John Roberts debut for the old South Melbourne in the opening round of 1980. In the clash at Kardinia Park a late goal by Roberts saw the visitors pinch a win. Geelong lost the opening two matches before finishing top of the ladder at the end of the home and away season.
Brett Bailey played his sole Geelong game in the opening game in 1990. This was a replay of the Geelong V Hawthorn grand final of 1989. Geelong had a few players missing including their number 5, aka God. Geelong led by a point early in the third term, then……………………………………
Neither Brett Bailey, or Maurice OKeefe played in a winning Geelong team. Nor did Anthony Darcy .
Stephen Easton had big wraps as a junior, yet injuries cruelled his chances of a successful career. He also turned out a few times for Port Melbourne, as did Nick Daffy.
Peter Mellesso experienced cancer, that certainly impacted his career. None the less he bounced back, and bravely played senior football.
Keep them coming Rod.
Glen!
Thanks Dan, it was a sad end for Peter McCormack career.
Thanks Luke, did Staritski get much time on the ground.
Thanks George, certainly Carlton didn’t do Brisbane any favours.
Thanks Glen love your memory and you able to see and recall OKeefe and Bailey match