Peter Francis

[Johnny Member]

He used to coach the ressies. And I believe was once a reasonably handy centreman for Fitzroy.


As a kid back in the Moorabbin days, I was as diehard a fan as you could get. Used to go to training for every session, and became the self-appointed 'kid that went and grabbed the balls that went over the fence'.

It was different back then and you could go on the ground and have a kick whilst training was on, and have a chat with the players and even once, I had the pleasure of briefly being Plugger's kick to kick buddy one night when he was injured and just doing a very light session.

I got to know the players, coaches and officials pretty well at a 'hey kid, how are you going?' sort of level. One day at Moorabbin, they even ushered me and my mate into the rooms before a game as the players were warning up when we wandered up the race just as they were clearing everyone off the ground before the game. It's still etched into my retinas seeing Harves lying on the massage table as we walked in all wide eyed.


Anyway, my point is that I knew my stuff. I knew every player's idiosyncrasies on the ground, their mannerisms and pretty much could see what they were going to before they did it!

A couple of years later, still diehard, we were at Waverley playing either Brisbane or Melbourne (I think it was Brisbane) and as usual I got there as the gates opened so I could get a good spot and watch the 2s.

And to my surprise, there was a bloke playing in the guts, reasonably heavy set but still in good shape, a bit whispy on top wearing the number 50.

And as per my rambling above, I knew straight away that it was the reserves coach Peter Francis! He'd given himself a game!


To this day, I still think it's one of the most bizarre things I've seen. The coach, deciding for whatever reason, to play!


His name wasn't in the record, so it's never been 100% confirmed that it was him, but I'd trust my player/coach knowledge back then above anything!



So historians out there, was it Peter Francis who played that day? And if so, why? And has any other coach ever taken the "if I could pull on a jumper and do it for you" too literally? Was it a midlife crisis? He'd have to have been in his 40s.

[B W and R all over]

I remember this as well. From memory we had a truck load of injuries to both the seniors and reserves and we were short on numbers so Peter pulled the boots on.

[B W and R all over]

I remember this as well. From memory we had a truck load of injuries to both the seniors and reserves and we were short on numbers so Peter pulled the boots on.

[Dave McNamara]

I also recall John Northey doing the same thing once, and for the same reason, during his 40 game stint coaching our ressies... which included the 1982 ressie GF. (We won the match he played in, but lost that GF.)

[kosifantutti]

Yes I remember John Northey playing but not Peter Francis.

[stinger]

I also recall John Northey doing the same thing once, and for the same reason, during his 40 game stint coaching our ressies... which included the 1982 ressie GF. (We won the match he played in, but lost that GF.)

you beat me to saying that i remember northey doing the same thing...