Stephen Oliver is the one that pops into my mind.

I think its the other way around. The club was stiff he didn't want to play for us and wanted to go back to the country..

Michael James ... son of ... had a great debut season when we struggling in the early 90s and then dropped off the radar. Anyone know the full story on this one.

Totally agree with the comments on Backwell ... another victim of the Brittain era in which most Carlton players with a bit of skill were jettisoned to fit in with the coach's need for toughness over technique.

The other one is Brendan Parker who played some good games but then disappeared due to our abundance of tall forwards in the early 90s.

In before Bentick.

Steven Browne.

We had to reward Ellard with a contract and give a chance to Duigan by turning the list over, but Browney was stiff to get the cut and not score a place on the rookie list. Browne's lack of size, speed and one elite or even good trait probably counted against him. I guess Carter and Twomey are better runners than Browne. If Browney had Ellard's vigour, we would have a better or more versatile role player on our hands. Papers were probably stamped after the North game, yet I wouldn't call SB a soft player.

Our list was weaker, yet even Anderson received four years.

Joey looked all at sea against the Demons, whilst Browney showed a bit more composure in those conditions and against WC as a defensive forward.

There's a long list of players whose career was cut short by injury, and so were a bit stiff - like Pavlou, Allan, Kekovich, Whitehead, Greg Kennedy, Tom Simmons, Phillips, Warburton senior and the great Noel O'Brien who was a star before doing his knee ...

and then there's a list of players who were abit stiff for not playing as many games as they probably deserved.

Campbell sort of fits in both - injuries really restricted him.

On the flip side we've probably had a fair few players over the last decade to have played more games than their underlying abilities deserved. To me Bentick was pretty lucky to hit 50 games, as was Browne to get to 23 given the limitations he has / had.

Nice thread. Some players instantly spring to mind. Peter Kenny was one.

Michael Gallagher. Was a step above seconds level and when promoted more than held his own. Kicked 3 and named in the best in his first match during '87...injured his knee late in the year and it probably cost him a premiership medal. A really nice size and used his body very well. Couldn't ever string the games together in the ones and was squeezed out at the start of the 1990 season due to salary cap pressure. Ended up at North for a few years.

Scott Spalding. Scott had a terrific first pre-season in 1993 after coming over from WA as a 24 year old. A genuine half-forward flanker who was good overhead, nice kick and read the play well. He was relegated to life in the magoos after Round 1 for the remainder of that year and at season's end decided to quit Carlton. Scott was named in the reserves best players on numerous occasions during the latter half of his only season and I think it's fair to say he was frustrated he didn't see more opportunity in the senior team. Played the entire '94 season (plus GF) for the Port Adelaide Magpies before having another 8 years in the WAFL. Could certainly play.

Brad Shine. Epitomizes this thread IMO. Shine was a star for Swan Districts and when recruited David Parkin described him as having 'Leigh Matthews type qualities'. Good at ground level, nice kick, extracted the ball in close, tackled well, capable of kicking a goal, didn't take a backward step. Every time I saw Shine, he did something really nice. I could never understand why he didn't play more than the 23 games he did...I think the 'Recruited by Parkin', 'Not rated by Walls' had a lot to do with it.

The other one is Brendan Parker who played some good games but then disappeared due to our abundance of tall forwards in the early 90s.

agree with Doering, he was very unlucky. Used to work with the guy, lovely bloke. I introduced myself to him, and he introduced himself back, and i told him i knew who he was, he cost us the game against Hawthorn. He just groaned, and said he copped that all of the time. I was out with him one night, and he does indeed cop that. Should have gone further, but he thinks that game, while not his fault at all, cost hime in the long run

Greg Williams.

The 9 weeks, and subsequent appeal by the AFL which re-instated his tribunal ban effectively ended his career.