Toughest player you've seen

st.byron · Post: # 597798Post **st.byron** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 6:15pm

Since we're on a run of most hated player, biggest stager and most hated team, how about the toughest layer you've seen. I don't mean the dirtiest or most mongrel, but the guys who were physically really tough, could take a hammering and just keep on going.
There's plenty of candidates. For mine -

Garry Ablett - was made of rock. Saw him run full pelt into the point post right in front of me at subi one day. The post was wobbling like crazy. I was sure he was knocked out coz he bounced off about three yards and was flat on his back. He just got up, shook himself and ran off. Amazing.

Leigh Matthews - Copped a lot and gave a lot.

Glenn Archer - Genuine tough nut. Always hard at it and often played injured.

Burkey was pretty tough too. Always at the bottom of the pack.

Of the more distant past, I grew up watching Big Carl fling his elbows around. He and Cowboy, who also was pretty tough were my idols when I was a kid. Roger Merrett is also on my list. He had a real mongrel streak and could take as much as he gave.

kp83 · Post: # 597801Post **kp83** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 6:22pm

Interesting that when Glenn Archer was asked this, he had Robert Harvey as his number 2. Not because of any physical intimidation like a Leigh Matthews or John Brown, but purely his mental toughness to push himself through the pain barrier to keep running when not one other player could have.

Mr Magic · Post: # 597806Post **Mr Magic** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 6:27pm

Big Carl dished it out plenty but he also copped plenty.
The only time I ever saw him 'stagger' was in teh 1971 Grand Final when Porter gave him an elbow to the side of the head about 30 yards behind play just before 3/4 time. Carl was seriously dazed and he wasn't the same for the rest odf the game. I have always thought that this incident and not Keddie getting away from Colling in the last quarter is what cost us the premiership that year.

What's your definitiion of tough?
Luke Ball kept getting 'hit' around the head and kept coming back for more. Does that make him tough, courageous, stupid or a combination of all 3?

How many games did Barks miss through injury? Given the way he played and with his 'slight' physique, I'm sure it was his 'toughness (courage?) that allowed him to play when others would have missed.

borderbarry · Wed 02 Jul 2008 6:36pm

Eric "tough" Guy took some beating.

bethb7 · Post: # 597818Post **bethb7** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 6:48pm

1. Glenn Archer + 2. Robert Harvey.. Luke Ball will be known as a very tough player by the time his career is over.

plugger66 · Post: # 597820Post **plugger66** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 6:53pm

Tony Lockett. Gave out plenty and copped nothing. Opposition were to scared.

bergsone · Post: # 597822Post **bergsone** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 6:57pm

Mr Magic wrote:Big Carl dished it out plenty but he also copped plenty.
The only time I ever saw him 'stagger' was in teh 1971 Grand Final when Porter gave him an elbow to the side of the head about 30 yards behind play just before 3/4 time. Carl was seriously dazed and he wasn't the same for the rest odf the game. I have always thought that this incident and not Keddie getting away from Colling in the last quarter is what cost us the premiership that year.

What's your definitiion of tough?
Luke Ball kept getting 'hit' around the head and kept coming back for more. Does that make him tough, courageous, stupid or a combination of all 3?

How many games did Barks miss through injury? Given the way he played and with his 'slight' physique, I'm sure it was his 'toughness (courage?) that allowed him to play when others would have missed.

Remember Big carl hit from behind by N Balme then beingridden into the MCG turf ,in a final? that dazed him ,but from memory went forward kicked 3-4 goals hard and tough in many ways .G BURNS is the other name that i always considered hard at it and of course Cowboy.

stinger · Post: # 597828Post **stinger** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 7:10pm

borderbarry wrote:Eric "tough" Guy took some beating.

guy, carl, lawrence and for the ability to strike sheer terror in the eyes of his opponents.... robbie.....

SENsei · Post: # 597829Post **SENsei** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 7:12pm

st.byron wrote:Since we're on a run of most hated player, biggest stager and most hated team, how about the toughest layer you've seen.

Silvia Saint, without a doubt.

saint patrick · Wed 02 Jul 2008 7:12pm

My all time top ten

Leigh Matthews
Carl Diitterich
Tony Lockett
Francis Bourke
Darren Millane
Jonathon Brown
Glen Archer
John Nicholls
Bob Skilton
Gary Ayres

All of them had fit grown men looking over their shoulders and took no prisoners

Honourable mention to

Don Scott
Kevin cowboy Neale
Michael Voss
Kevin Murray
Glen Jacovich
Narhan Burke
John Worsfold
Dean Greig
Ricky Mclean
Neil Balme
Ronny Andrews
Mark Harvey
Barry Lawrence
Ross Smiyh
Geoff Cunningham
Wayne Carey
Gary Ablett senior
Lazor Vidovic

Players who were legendary tough but I never saw play

Eric Guy
Max Oppy
Jack Dyer
Ted Whitton
Mopsy Fraser
Neil Kerley
Ron Barassi
Daryl Baldock

On the Bench · Wed 02 Jul 2008 7:45pm

I was pretty young at the time but I remember the Pascoe boys Bob and Barry (cousins I think) being fairly willing to give and more than happy to receive.

Didn't one of them(Bob?) severely damage his foot with a lawn mower and still turn up to play? It may be an urban myth 'cause I was a gullible young Saint supporter.

saint patrick · Wed 02 Jul 2008 7:49pm

On the Bench wrote:I was pretty young at the time but I remember the Pascoe boys Bob and Barry (cousins I think) being fairly willing to give and more than happy to receive.

Didn't one of them(Bob?) severely damage his foot with a lawn mower and still turn up to play? It may be an urban myth 'cause I was a gullible young Saint supporter.

Would have loved to have seen their distant rellie Lenny Pascoe [the Aussie test fast bowler in the 70,s] don a saint jumper and run through the opposition....would have made a good fist of it no doubt...probably couldn't play but they would have known he was out there

Mr Magic · Post: # 597849Post **Mr Magic** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 7:49pm

On the Bench wrote:I was pretty young at the time but I remember the Pascoe boys Bob and Barry (cousins I think) being fairly willing to give and more than happy to receive.

Didn't one of them(Bob?) severely damage his foot with a lawn mower and still turn up to play? It may be an urban myth 'cause I was a gullible young Saint supporter.

They were brothers.

BakesFan · Post: # 597880Post **BakesFan** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 8:54pm

Nathan Burke never shirked a contest. He was in and under everything.
I never thought I'd see his standard again; until Luke Ball arrived.

stinger · Post: # 597885Post **stinger** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 8:56pm

saint patrick wrote:
Would have loved to have seen their distant rellie Lenny Pascoe [the Aussie test fast bowler in the 70,s] don a saint jumper and run through the opposition....would have made a good fist of it no doubt...probably couldn't play but they would have known he was out there

very very distant.....lenny is a croat.....

saint patrick · Wed 02 Jul 2008 8:57pm

BakesFan wrote:Nathan Burke never shirked a contest. He was in and under everything.
I never thought I'd see his standard again; until Luke Ball arrived.

You reminded me of another hardnut I should've had in my honourable mentions...

Not too many tougher than Stevie Baker

BakesFan · Post: # 597889Post **BakesFan** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:00pm

saint patrick wrote: You reminded me of another hardnut I should've had in my honourable mentions...

Not too many tougher than Stevie Baker

Too tough for his own good at times....and probably the most unfairly maligned player in the AFL... Hopefully he's back very soon.

saints11 · Post: # 597890Post **saints11** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:05pm

not seen many in my time in oz but it would have to be Glenn archer

Eastern · Post: # 597898Post **Eastern** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:16pm

1. Kevin (Bulldog) Murray

2. DAYLIGHT

!!

Winmarvellous · Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:19pm

One man vs a few thousand rednecks...Nicky Winmar!

clarky449 · Post: # 597917Post **clarky449** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:38pm

Cant go past Fraser Gehrig, With what we hear about him and hes body and how many times hes played injured

rexy · Post: # 597918Post **rexy** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:38pm

Winmarvellous wrote:One man vs a few thousand rednecks...Nicky Winmar!

Good call, ask Wayne Schwass who the toughest guy he ever ran into was? If its not Nicky then he must have been concussed as well as breaking the arm.

suss · Post: # 597920Post **suss** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:44pm

Just scrolling through the list to see if anyone remembered Rod Keogh...certainly one of the toughest I've seen.

bergsone · Post: # 597925Post **bergsone** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:53pm

Ronney Andrews once said he was never scared of anyone on the ground,then added thats as long as he knew where Big Carl was

Dan Warna · Post: # 597926Post **Dan Warna** » Wed 02 Jul 2008 9:54pm

St Kilda

Tony lockett
nathan burke (never got on film but late in his career saw him belt the crap out of a collingwood player on the wing right in front of us, also copped a beating in the midd)
Robert Harvey, relentless, terminator, cannot be stopped
luke ball
stephen powell
Dean Greig
David Grant, that bloke used to get belted by guys 20 kgs heavier and 6 inches taller, and he'd just stand up and stand then, and humiliate them 2 mins later by marking over them
spud frawley, forwards feared him, probably one of the few blokes who could go toe to toe with ANYONE, some reckon it was because it took so long for the pain to travel through his potato like nervous system.

opposition
Leigh Matthews by the lenght of the field, i hated him but secretly wished he was a saint, who didn't?
Dale Weightman, the man was a brick, literally a brick.
Glen Archer

the Hawthorn backline of hte 80s (god they were scarey) Langford, ayres, collins, mew, they were carved out of rock it seems.

mark harvey (the real mark harvey is hidden somewhere, and cuddles wearing a mark harvey mask is pretending to be him), he was hard as old nails was harvey playing for essendon and dirty as the day was long.

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