Apart from Leigh Matthews has there ever been a bigger thug to play the game

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Apart from Leigh Matthews has there ever been a bigger thug to play the game

Mad Dog at least had the decency to turn Collins around to face him before hitting him. Denis Collins is one of our most underrated players I reckon. Played 100 games but hardly anyone mentions him.

Then again Doug Hawkins was his successor and he kind of dominates talk about the greatest wingman to came from Braybrook.

I liked Collins as a player. Very speedy wingman. I was disappointed when he went to Carlton. Magnificent beard too.

[Webby]

Re: Apart from Leigh Matthews has there ever been a bigger thug to play the game

I liked Collins as a player. Very speedy wingman. I was disappointed when he went to Carlton. Magnificent beard too.

Had a heart attack over in WA about five years back. Late fifties. Collins was stiff. Moved to Carlton, but wasn't selected for their '79 flag side, so moved to Richmond in 1980 and suffered the same fate there..

Shame he didn't stick with us, but we were a rabble in the late 1970's. I think he moved to the WAFL after 1980 and stayed in WA. Another Braybrook boy.

[Twodogs]

Re: Apart from Leigh Matthews has there ever been a bigger thug to play the game

That should be yet another Braybrook boy Webby.. For head of population the suburb, or its football club, produces a staggering amount of VFL and AFL footballers. And quality footballers at that.

[Webby]

Re: Apart from Leigh Matthews has there ever been a bigger thug to play the game

Braybrook certainly did back in the day. It's been a while, though. Braybrook were a powerhouse up to the late 1970's or so. A really strong club.

I'm sure Sunshine VFA club and Braybrook FC weakened each other somewhat. Just from their presence and close proximity. Now Sunshine YCW-cum-Kangaroos and Braybrook compete for the same kids. I think Albert Proud was the last AFL player loosely claimed by Braybrook FC..... However that's nothing to be proud of (pardon the pun) due to various reasons...

Everyone knows the laundry list of Braybrook FC AFL players. I believe it's documented as the highest local FC contributor in Australia. Then consider that David Darcy also played his footy in Braybrook (for YCW), Alan Stoneham (for Sunshine VFA at Braybrook's Skinner Reserve) - not to mention a few others, and the list is actually pretty enormous!

Then add St Johns/Chisolm College in Braybrook - who won the 1980 Herald Shield, and you could tenuously add Steve MacPherson and a couple of others... Not to mention Test Cricketer, Tony Dodemaide.

It was a freak suburb back in the day. HEAPS of kids and about as tough as a suburb gets. Good breeding ground for footballers.

[ledge]

Re: Apart from Leigh Matthews has there ever been a bigger thug to play the game

Braybrook certainly did back in the day. It's been a while, though. Braybrook were a powerhouse up to the late 1970's or so. A really strong club.

I'm sure Sunshine VFA club and Braybrook FC weakened each other somewhat. Just from their presence and close proximity. Now Sunshine YCW-cum-Kangaroos and Braybrook compete for the same kids. I think Albert Proud was the last AFL player loosely claimed by Braybrook FC..... However that's nothing to be proud of (pardon the pun) due to various reasons...

Everyone knows the laundry list of Braybrook FC AFL players. I believe it's documented as the highest local FC contributor in Australia. Then consider that David Darcy also played his footy in Braybrook (for YCW), Alan Stoneham (for Sunshine VFA at Braybrook's Skinner Reserve) - not to mention a few others, and the list is actually pretty enormous!

Then add St Johns/Chisolm College in Braybrook - who won the 1980 Herald Shield, and you could tenuously add Steve MacPherson and a couple of others... Not to mention Test Cricketer, Tony Dodemaide.

It was a freak suburb back in the day. HEAPS of kids and about as tough as a suburb gets. Good breeding ground for footballers.

St. John's or Chisholm college was a fallacy as Footscray recruited it's kids and sent them all there .. Aside from Dodemaide who actually was there already from what I remember .
My parents were supposed to have the two macphersons but they came a year later as they thought Steve was to young to leave tassie.
We recruit a heap from the Gippsland area back then.
But you are right as in sunshine, braybrook , I grew up going to school with a few of the ones who made it , it was an incredible suburb in those years for footballers

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Apart from Leigh Matthews has there ever been a bigger thug to play the game

Had a heart attack over in WA about five years back. Late fifties. Collins was stiff. Moved to Carlton, but wasn't selected for their '79 flag side, so moved to Richmond in 1980 and suffered the same fate there..

Shame he didn't stick with us, but we were a rabble in the late 1970's. I think he moved to the WAFL after 1980 and stayed in WA. Another Braybrook boy.

I thought he was at Richmond too then when I read another poster saying Carlton I was confused. Yes I remember him now going to both Clubs