Historic guernsey is back in the family

[The Coon Dog]

Jon Pierik - The Age - 15 December


Family affair: Footscray premiership player Harvey Stevens
with his grandson Michael Talia, a Western Bulldogs recruit.

WHEN his name was overlooked through selections 20 to 25 in last month's national draft, Michael Talia, regarded by some as the best key-position defender on offer, suddenly had reason to fret.

Talia and his manager had thought he would be taken around that mark, but as pick 30 came and went, the young lad from the Calder Cannons moved into panic mode. ''I had about 70 people at my house and I was thinking, 'Hold on, I might not go [to a club]','' he said this week.

''But when I heard the Bulldogs had pick 39, I just squeezed my girlfriend's hand as hard as I could. It ended up happening and I was able to go to there. I couldn't have asked for anything more.''

Article in full...

[Desipura]

Jon Pierik - The Age - 15 December


Family affair: Footscray premiership player Harvey Stevens
with his grandson Michael Talia, a Western Bulldogs recruit.

WHEN his name was overlooked through selections 20 to 25 in last month's national draft, Michael Talia, regarded by some as the best key-position defender on offer, suddenly had reason to fret.

Talia and his manager had thought he would be taken around that mark, but as pick 30 came and went, the young lad from the Calder Cannons moved into panic mode. ''I had about 70 people at my house and I was thinking, 'Hold on, I might not go [to a club]','' he said this week.

''But when I heard the Bulldogs had pick 39, I just squeezed my girlfriend's hand as hard as I could. It ended up happening and I was able to go to there. I couldn't have asked for anything more.''

Article in full...

I bet (pardon the pun) this put a smile on your face TCD, especially given the circumstances with Ward leaving?

[Maddog37]

I love this stuff. It is what footy clubs are built on. I hope he becomes a long term Doggie great.

[bornadog]

I enjoyed reading this article.

Never realised Harvey was only 188cm and a ruckman. These days 191cm is not even considered tall.

[LostDoggy]

I enjoyed reading this as well - I hope that Michael has a long and successful career with us (and gets a premiership medallion too!).

[Bulldog4life]

Great read & great story. I too love reading these type of footy stories...only the Bulldogs of course.

[Murphy'sLore]

Gorgeous story. Let's hope the fairy tale continues and we all get the perfect happy ending!

[LostDoggy]

I remember one day at Carlton when John Nicholls took a mark and put his foot out front and collected a Doggies player who ws running in to spoil. My father took umbrage to that and called Nicholls all the names he could find to abuse him. All without swearing which was a pretty good effort.

About 10 minutes later Harvey Stevens did precisely the same thing and collected a Carlton player in the mid-riff. The old man yelled out, "Good on you Harvey you protect yourself son!"

First time I saw a riot at the footy

[The Bulldogs Bite]

You can really tell he loves the club, he's very passionate and has voiced this at any and every opportunity.

[Twodogs]

I think at one stage Arthur and Harvey Stevens were the only father/son combo to have both captained the same V/AFL team. Is that still the case?


BTW how did Harvey come to play for Collingwood and not Footscray in the first instance?

[The Coon Dog]

I think at one stage Arthur and Harvey Stevens were the only father/son combo to have both captained the same V/AFL team. Is that still the case?

Charlie Pannam Snr & Alby Pannam both Captained Collingwood. There's also a bloke now captaining Essendon who's Dad you might remember.

[bornadog]

BTW how did Harvey come to play for Collingwood and not Footscray in the first instance?

I wondered that as well. Maybe they didn't have father son then and Harvey was zoned under Collingwood? (I am only guessing)

[ratsmac]

Great story. Hopefully we have a passionate player of the Johnno ilk seeing that his blood flows rwb.

[Bulldog4life]

I wondered that as well. Maybe they didn't have father son then and Harvey was zoned under Collingwood? (I am only guessing)

Could be on the money. According to the Bulldog Heritage Book Harvey moved to Reservoir when he was 9 years old. Then he went to Preston Tech.

[LostDoggy]

I keep hearing different things re: his Great Grandfather. At the Social club event last week K Hillier said his Great G/Father was Arthur Oliver. Recently on another forum here on woof someone said he was Arthur Stevens, I corrected him as to Oliver. In this article it's stated Arthur Stevens, yet last night, Michael told me it was Arthur Oliver.

Could someone get the facts right, in the mean time, I'll go with what "Gena" told me.