Best first game performance?

[Spinner]

Dal Santo. I think against Sydney. Might have been the draw.

Such a smooth mover. Had about 18. Just didn't seem to rush and didn't seem to get tackled.

[saintspremiers]

plugger

[dcstkfc]

Dal Santo. I think against Sydney. Might have been the draw.

Such a smooth mover. Had about 18. Just didn't seem to rush and didn't seem to get tackled.

That was his second game but yeah he was very good.

[Enrico_Misso]

They tell me Ernie Foo was pretty special in his debut game in 1914.

But seriously, I haven't heard anyone mention Rodney Gladman.

[#1GILL]

Dean Polo.



No, seriously.
3 Brownlow votes.

[saints66]

Carl's debut best ever I have seen as a Sainter. He spent the whole game taking 'marks of the year' - jumping over everyone with his flowing long blond hair and his athleticism. Fantastic player!

Incidently Dean Greig is Assistant Coach at Whitehorse Pioneers, third Division EFL. If they stuck him in the goal square, I'm sure he would still dominate.

[avid]

Dean Greig's is the best I've seen.
Would have loved to have been at Big Carl's.

[bigcarl]

David Windbanks.

[starsign]

No brainer
Big Carl by the length of McNamaras place kick
Was there and the same age as the blonde bombshell who the club signed with a few of us that played in the u17 lightening premiership at the junction oval the previous year
Ditto played the opening match in the ones next year against the Dees
He blitzed them leaping all over the place ... that famous photo of him sitting on Barassi's shoulder at a boundary throw-in is a classic
He even ran past the aging Barrass late in the game and ruffled his thinning locks telling him he was too old!!!
Dunno about debuts before then but has to be probably the best VFL/afl one since that day I would recon
By the way East Brighton U17s beat my mob Melbourne High in the Granny and about 8 of us were signed to play with the turds(U19s) for the following
season including Jeff Moran ...which we did, but the Shadow went straight into the ones and played that opening game against the Dees and never looked back

[tony74]

David Windbanks.

Great minds think alike ( refer my post on page 1 )

[bigcarl]

David Windbanks.

Great minds think alike ( refer my post on page 1 )

Haha. I missed that. Windbanks was a master at puffing his chest out.

[Mr Magic]

Big Carl.

The hype in the media afterwards was unbelievable.

An athletic, blonde haired, 6 foot 4 teenager, jumping over established stars, bounding past seasoned veterans, throwing his body around, left nobody who witnessed it in any doubt that they had seen the beginning of someone very special.

[StNoodles]

Dean Polo

[matrix]

grant thomas







bahahahahahaha

[perfectionist]

A good thread.

I was at the Junction Oval the day Big Carl debuted. It may not have been the best game on debut, but it was certainly the most memorable and influential. I don't think he polled a Brownlow vote for that game, although he did get one vote at some stage in 1963. He was just 17 and the best game he played for the year was in the first semi where he was BOG and nearly got us over the line in a last quarter comeback.

Certainly Dean Greig's debut was amazing, especially coming so late in the year (round 21 of 1991) and most said, "Where the hell did this guy come from?" He was nearly 23 at the time though, having played a fair amount of magoo football. He was another who got injured and last played in 1994. He got two Brownlow votes in his first game and still holds the record for the most disposals on debut.

However, I believe that there was one St Kilda player, who I saw anyway, who got three votes in his first game for the club. He came equal 5th in the medal that year (1970) and equal 2nd the following year (1971). He played just four more games for the club in 1972 before Terry Waters ended his career (Waters tripped over his own feet, and caused the Saints player to fall awkwardly and do his knee). He was one of the most skillful players ever to play the game but (as the sorry saga goes) was injured for the 1971 GF, having played every other game for the year until injured in the semi. He too was a late debutant at the age of 26, coming from WA after years of trying to get him. His name is John McIntosh.

[stinger]

Watching "on the couch" the other night has made me post this topic. Sheehan quickly commented that Carl Ditterich's first game was the best first performance he had ever seen. He then commented to Healey and Riccuto that they were not old enough to have seen it - nor was I. When my Dad was alive he said to me Big Carl's first game was the best first game he had ever seen a young player produce.

Dad worked at the Club on game days, at the Junction Street and then at Linton Street on the South Road turnstyle. He had many stories about the players, but a good one about Big Carl. The players had been told only to enter the ground through the members entrance and one day carl was running late. Dad spotted him running through the car park, coming towards his turnstyle and quickly told Carl that he could not come through - Carl just charged on and hurdled the turnstyle.

Who do you think has been our best first game performer?

carl .....by the proverbial country mile......i was at that game...and in the rooms beforehand......carl and i are the same age and played in the same under age competition....i knew him to say hello to....he was certainly pumped before the game...and a star during it.....sheahan referred to him playing it up to barrassi during the game.......i distinctly remember him patting barrassi on the head......barrassi was at his peak and carl towelled him up good and proper......some years ago i mentioned to barassi what i had seen......he said it never happened......no wonder his nose is bigger these days....

[GrumpyOne]

plugger

Memory serves me that he was dropped the following week.

I too remember Big Carl's first game..... not only the best first game from a Saint, but the best first game ever imho.

[kosifantutti23]

Brodie Atkinson

[borderbarry]

Going way back, Lester Ross. 3 Brownlow votes. Cant do better than that.

[borderbarry]

If we limited it to the present players on our list, who would it be?
Siposs Cripps and Steven all had good first up games, for youngsters.

[#1GILL]

If we limited it to the present players on our list, who would it be?
Siposs Cripps and Steven all had good first up games, for youngsters.

Then it would definitely be Dean Polo.

[terry smith rules]

didn't Rod Owen have a pretty fair first game (serious )

[Moods]

Greg Williams.

Was at Kardinia Park the day he debuted. He looked like he had been playing AFL for 10 years. Not only got stacks of possessions but every one of them hit their mark and set up goals. Was unbelievable.

[thequarry]

I think Brett Knowles had 30 possessions through the midfield in Round 3 of 1998 - the '97 Grand Final rematch against Adelaide on Easter Sunday. From what I can remember he came in for Nathan Burke that week.

[Moods]

Carl's debut best ever I have seen as a Sainter. He spent the whole game taking 'marks of the year' - jumping over everyone with his flowing long blond hair and his athleticism. Fantastic player!

Incidently Dean Greig is Assistant Coach at Whitehorse Pioneers, third Division EFL. If they stuck him in the goal square, I'm sure he would still dominate.

Not likely. He has an artificial leg!

He played several seasons in the EFL in the 90's and boy did he pile on the weight. Was still tough as buggery, but couldn't believe how much weight he put on after playing league footy. Was still able to get a kick playing in the best metro league in Melbourne though.