Almanac Teams: Round 1 debuts since 1980 (Part 1 – 1980 to 1989)

 

This is a story of Round 1 debuts: memorable players, memorable games and some obscure players. I was going to do a team based on 1980 debuts but was put in the ‘too hard basket’ as most of the memorable debutants from then were forwards. In more recent times Round 1 debutants are mostly top draft picks aged 18, but in the 1980s before the draft it was all about the big name mature recruits from the WAFL and SANFL or new boys from regional clubs around the country, with 1981 and 1986 probably the standouts.

 

This part concerns the first decade since I started following the league, with three more parts based on each decade (or so) thereafter.

 

 

1980

Not a great year for notable debutants with the best known players Phil Maylin (Carl), Zane Taylor (Geel), Michael Reeves (NM) and John Roberts (SM).

 

Russell Rowe a 26 year old small forward at Melbourne probably had the best game, he kicked four goals and collected 25 disposals in a 22 point win. Rowe played 11 games in 1980 and in total 15.

 

Some forgotten players to debut in Round 1, 1980 are Mike Horsborough (four games for Collingwood) and Stephen Bickford (15 for Melbourne).

 

 

1981

One of the great seasons for Round 1 debutants with plenty of players who made an instant impact.

 

Carlton after a disappointing finals series in 1980, unveiled from WA: Peter Bosustow from Perth who kicked two goals, Ken Hunter with 18 disposals and Denis Leneghan with 0 disposals in a 62 point win over reigning premier Richmond. Bosustow was a star in 65 games over three years and won both Mark and Goal of the year in 1981. Hunter played 147 games until 1990 and is in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. Denis Leneghan played nine games for Carlton in two seasons and 16 games for Geelong, also over two seasons.

 

Lee Murnane was a cult figure for Fitzroy in 51 games; he kicked two goals against Collingwood in a high scoring loss (20.13.133 to 22.27.159). Collingwood also had two high profile recruits from SA in 27 year old defender Michael Taylor, who played 92 games, and Mark Williams. At 22, Williams started as an onballer and had 24 disposals. He played 135 games for Collingwood and captain the club; he played a further 66 for Brisbane.

 

Tony Buhagiar was 25 when he debuted for Essendon with 25 disposals and three goals in a six point loss to Geelong.

 

Steven Knight played 17 games for Footscray and in his Round 1 debut against St Kilda he kicked four goals. He kicked five in his fifth game. Footscray lost to St Kilda by 49 points who had a 28 year old Milan Faletic from SA kick 5.5. Faletic played 21 games in 1981 but just three in 1982. The other Saint debutant was Doug Cox who was one 1981’s recruits that was also embroiled in a clearance controversy with Richmond. He played 36 games for St Kilda in two seasons before he joined Essendon for three games.

 

Mark Jackson kicked four goals against Hawthorn on debut in the start of a controversial VFL career over 82 games, six years and three clubs. On the winning side was Rick Davies who was 28 on debut and is a legend of the SANFL and Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee. He had just one year at Hawthorn for 20 games and 37 goals.

 

North Melbourne had three new interstate recruits in 24 year old 1978 Magarey Medallist Kym Hodgeman (91 games and 1984 Best & Fairest), 23 year old 1978-1979 Sandover Medallist Phil Kelly (61 games and father of current GWS star Josh) and 25 year old 1976 Sandover Medallist – also later in 1984 – Peter Spencer who played 24 games in two years. Though the Kangaroos beat the Swans by 48 points, 22 year high flying small forward Kevin Taylor kicked 5.3 on debut. Taylor played 14 games in 1981 and then one at Fitzroy.

 

 

1982

Essendon probably had the most in big name recruits on debut in Round 1. Like Buhagiar the year before Wayne Otway was a 25 year old smaller player from East Perth who kicked five goals and had 28 disposals in a 109 point win over the Bulldogs. Stephen Copping was also 25 but from SA; he kicked two goals on debut for Essendon. The best of Essendon’s debutants long term was 23 year old full back Bill Duckworth who played 126 games and won the 1984 Norm Smith Medal. Otway and Copping only played 36 and 42 games at the Dons.

 

While the Bulldogs lost heavily, Allan Jennings kicked five goals on debut in one of only nine career games. 1985 Coleman Medallist Simon Beasley also played his first but only had four disposals and no goals. The other prominent debut for the Bulldogs was Steve MacPherson – he went on to play 188 games. Maurice Rioli is probably the most notable player to debut and he was best on ground with 24 disposals against Fitzroy for Richmond.

 

North Melbourne added to their midfield from the previous years with two brothers from Claremont in Jim and Phil Krakouer. Jim kicked four goals while Phil had 21 disposals and one goal. Jim played 134 games total and Phil 141. Two further interstate recruits were Bruce Abernathy and Craig Holden; both moved to other clubs after two years and played over 100 games in total – Abernathy with 112 and Holden 109.

 

Hawthorn debuted two future premiership players in Gary Buckenara with three goals and rover Richard Loveridge with two goals and 23 disposals in a 31 point over St Kilda. The Saints unveiled a tall forward from Assumption College in Simon O’Donnell who kicked a goal and played 24 games before he decided to concentrate on cricket. From St Kilda’s zone of Ballarat Peter Kiel aged 23 had 20 disposals, he later won the 1983 Best & Fairest. Kiel played 81 games in six seasons. Melbourne debuted a famous name in David Cordner aged 19 at Full Forward who kicked two goals on debut and played 58 games in six seasons.

 

Forgotten debutants in 1982 were Mark Eaves who played two games for Fitzroy and Greg Packham 17 for St Kilda.

 

 

1983

Collingwood after a disappointing 1982, bought in two big name recruits for Round 1, 1983. Mike Richardson was a 24 year old half forward from WA; he had 20 disposals and a goal. Richardson played 60 games for Collingwood and 156 in total. Gary Shaw was 24 and was an expensive recruit who only played 38 games in total and joined Mike Richardson at Brisbane. The best recruit for Collingwood that year was a 23 year old from Hamilton named Phillip Walsh, who won recruit of the year before he left at end of the season for Richmond and then Brisbane. Hawthorn topped up their list with goal sneak Ken Judge (25) who kicked three goals on debut and played 89 games in total.

 

Footscray debuted six players in Round 1 with Andrew Purser, Jim Sewell and Ian Williams from WA, Brian Royal and Stephen Wallis from their Gippsland zone and Jason Taylor. Purser had 15 disposals and 20 hit outs, Wallis 25 disposals and Royal 21 disposals and one goal; all were amongst the best. Purser played 112 games, Sewell 76, Williams 33, Royal 199, Taylor two and Wallis 261 games. Essendon named one debutant in Wayne Beddison (21) at CHF, Paul Salmon (18) as forward/ruck and Mark Thompson (19) in the back pocket. Salmon kicked two goals on debut and Thompson had 15 disposals but Beddison stood out with 2.3 and one of the marks of the year. Beddison however only played 10 games and returned towards the end of the year to Dimboola due to homesickness.

 

A forgotten debutant in 1983 was Tony Furey, 41 games for North Melbourne.

 

 

1984

Carlton debuted five players in 1984 with Wayne Blackwell and Warren Ralph from WA along with 21 year olds in David Honybun in a swap from Geelong’s zone, Fraser Murphy from the VFA and Tom Alvin from Bairnsdale.

 

Carlton won their match by 137 points; Tom Alvin I remember standing out with his long hair and 23 disposals and Warren Ralph kicked nine goals. Ralph only played 21 games in three years; Alvin 218, Blackwell 110, and Murphy 107 while Honybun played five games at Carlton and 60 in total with Richmond. Geelong had five club debutants in its 49 point over Fitzroy, the two from other clubs Gary Ablett and Mark Jackson had an instant impact. The other three were Robb Hawkins (brother of Jack) who played just three games, ex-Geelong U19 and then Woodville player David Bolton who later joined Sydney and a slow centre who was rejected by Carlton in 20 year old Greg Williams who had 38 disposals and got three Brownlow votes. He continued to get plenty of disposals and Brownlow votes in the next 14 years…

 

Other Notable Round 1 debuts were Leon Baker, Danny Hughes (Melb), Phil Narkle (St.K), Doug Barwick (Fitz), Michael Pickering (Rich), Russell Morris (St.K) and Paul Hawke (Syd).

 

Some forgotten debutants are Dale Woodhall who played 12 games for Collingwood and Arthur Chilcott who played 13 games for Sydney in two seasons.

 

John Riley debuted for Footscray aged 25 from North Adelaide and gathered eight disposals, however Riley played without a clearance and North Adelaide was successful in getting an injunction to prevent him from playing any more games.

 

 

1985

North Melbourne played Collingwood in the first ever Friday Night match at the MCG. Collingwood won by 38 points; 21 year old Russell Dickson from Collingwood’s zone kicked four goals. Dickson only played 20 games but another debutant James Manson went on to play 167 games and became a premiership player. Tony Burgess (21 games) was Collingwood’s other debutant while North Melbourne had Steve Hickey (37) and Rick Norman (13).

 

Brad Hardie & Allen Daniels from WA debuted for Footscray against Carlton in a 30 point win. Hardie aged 22 had 24 disposals and three Brownlow votes; he went on to win the Brownlow Medal in his first year. Daniels played 32 games for Footscray in two seasons. Hawthorn had a big name recruit in 23 year old Steve Malaxos who had 21 disposals but struggled for games (nine).

 

Other notable Round 1 debuts were Bruce Lindner (Geel) and John Ironmonger (Syd).

 

Some forgotten debutants are Robin White who played 30 games in three seasons, and the first of the McAdam brothers Greg who played ten games in 1985.

 

 

1986

Hawthorn played Carlton in Round 1 in what ended up the Grand Final match up. Carlton unveiled highly anticipated recruits Stephen Kernahan (two goals), Craig Bradley (15 disposals) and key defender Jon Dorotich who had 15 touches. Also on debut was 26 year Peter Kenny via Manuka and Swan Districts who only played 11 games and 19 year old Mil Hanna who suffered a knee injury and did not play again until Round 7, 1987. Hawthorn won by 36 points helped by a rover who had been originally signed up by Carlton in 23 year old John Platten (24 disposals and one goal).

 

Footscray also debuted two prominent interstate recruits in 24 year old Murray Rance and 21 year old Tony McGuinness who would begin their careers well at Footscray before returning to their home states once they had teams in the league. Two players who also debuted in Round 1 that continued to play a part in each other’s lives were 19 year old Bill Brownless who kicked two goals in loss against Fitzroy and be one of 1986’s recruits of the year and 18 year old Gary Lyon who kicked two goals in a ten point win against Richmond.

 

Other notable Round 1 debuts were Steven Stretch (Melb), Michael Gale (Fitz) and Michael Gayfer (Coll).

 

Some forgotten Round 1 debuts are Brett Gloury who played four games for Collingwood in two seasons.

 

 

1987

This saw the introduction of the Brisbane Bears and West Coast Eagles and the start of the previous year’s draft have an effect, meaning players apart from club Under 19s would need to come through the draft. It was also big year for interstate recruits who had signed up for Victorian clubs in previous years. Brisbane beat North Melbourne on a Friday at the MCG by 33 points and had three players on debut including 26 year old club captain Mark Mickan who had 18 disposals, 20 hit outs and two Brownlow votes. The others were Matthew Campbell and Neil Hein. North Melbourne debut Dale Holmes played only three games but was also GWS’s first ever CEO.

 

West Coast came from 33 points down at three-quarter time to beat Richmond by 14 points with 15 debutants in Adrian Barich, Darren Bennett, Michael Brennan, Peter Davidson, Don Holmes, Alex Ishchenko, Laurie Keene, Dean Laidley, Dwayne Lamb, Chris Lewis, Andrew MacNish, Wally Matera, Paul Peos, Murray Wrensted and Mark Zanotti. Matera kicked four goals and Michael Brennan two Brownlow votes. Michael Brennan, Dwayne Lamb and Chris Lewis were the only Premiership players five years later.

 

Collingwood got beaten by Sydney by 91 points at Victoria Park but had seven players on debut with four of them premiership players three years later. Grantley Fielke aged 25 was the highest profile with 16 games in 1987 and 40 in total after two years at Adelaide. Cult figure 18 year old Athas Hrysoulakis played 19 games in total while 19 year old Neil Brindley also from Collingwood zone played just one game with eight disposals. The future premiership players were 22 year old Michael Christian and 19 year old Craig Starcevich from WA, 18 year old Queenslander Gavin Crosisca and 19 year old Gavin Brown who had 21 disposals.

 

Other notable Round 1 debuts were Mark Naley and Peter Sartori (Carl), Wayne Henwood (Syd), Warren Dean, Earl Spalding and Todd Viney (Melb), Matthew Armstrong, Darren Kappler and Brett Stephens (Fitz), Dean Rice and Nicky Winmar (St.K), Mark Bairstow (Geel), Michael Mitchell and Peter Wilson (Rich).

 

Forgotten Round 1 debuts are Tony Symonds (Haw) who played three games in one season.

 

 

1988

This year saw most debutants come through the draft or Under 19s/zone, with Tony Hall and Greg Anderson the only pre-draft signings.

 

Round 1 saw a replay of the 1987 Grand Final, which Carlton won by 15 points. Interest was around new Carlton recruit and younger brother of the captain 22 year old David Kernahan who started on the bench and kicked a goal. Kernahan made his name as a full back in 53 games over six seasons. Steve Da Rui was the other debutant while Hawthorn debuted skilled half forward Tony Hall who came fourth in the Brownlow in his first year and Robert Dickson who had 26 disposals and kicked one goal. Dickson played 19 games in four years. Richmond under new coach Kevin Bartlett started a rebuild with three first gamers in Craig Lambert, Trent Nichols and the 1988 recruit of the year Justin Pickering aged 20 who had 26 disposals. Pickering’s form dropped off after 1988 and played just 59 games in four years. West Coast in their second season debuted a pair of redheads in Round 1 in Karl Langdon (11 disposals and 1 goal) and Guy McKenna (16 disposals). Both went on to be premiership players with McKenna one of the best half backs in the last 40 years.  Brisbane had one debutant in its second season in Michael Kennedy who played 23 games in three years.

 

Other notable Round 1 debutants are Greg Anderson and Darren Bewick (Ess), Wayne Schwass (NM), Graeme Wright (Coll), Matthew Hogg and Mark Hunter (Foots).

 

Kevin Hughes, a 25 year old recruit from Williamstown played his only league game for North Melbourne and had 15 disposals.

 

Some forgotten Round 1 debuts are Bob Jones (father of Liam) aged 26, he played 20 games in two seasons (19 of them in 1988) and David Robertson who played 20 games in three seasons at Collingwood and Essendon.

 

 

1989

West Coast played Essendon in the first game of the season on a Friday Night at the WACA. West Coast had five debutants including three future premiership players in Don Pyke, Craig Turley and Peter Sumich at CHB plus Todd Breman who ended up with 48 games at West Coast and Richmond and former Essendon listed player 28 year old Shane Ellis who played ten games, all in 1989. Essendon won by 16 points with its four recruits including Michael Long with 19 disposals and fellow premiership player David Grenvold plus two South Australian wings in Andrew Underwood who played 24 games at Essendon and Richmond and Kieren Sporn who kicked three goals. Sporn started the match in the Number 17 jumper but after his was torn he came on and kicked goals in number 42 which was Anthony Tranter’s jumper. Tranter was named in the side but was late withdrawal and when Sporn kicked the goals the commentators were confused as to who it was and half suggested Essendon were playing 21 men.

 

The first ever Number 1 draft pick (1986) Martin Leslie finally joined Brisbane aged 26 and had 15 disposals at CHB; his career lasted a total of 107 games. Footscray upset Carlton by 59 points at Princes Park on the back of 23 year old John Georgiades who kicked eight goals on debut. Georgiades only played 15 games for 27 goals in three years. Phillip O’Keefe also kicked three goals that day was 22 year old on debut for the Dogs who played nine games in total.

 

Other notable Round 1 debuts were David Bain (Bris), Fraser Brown (Carl) and Stephen Tingay (Melb).

 

Some forgotten Round 1 debuts were 19 year old Tim Bourke (brother of Damian) who played five games in two years.

 

 

 

 

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