Warbs - brilliant stuff.

The Dominator is also one of my all time favourites - he is just about the only player I have ever seen from any side make the transition from a goal sneak type half forward flanker - to a true in an under take the hard knocks inside type central engine midfielder.

He simply did not let us down in any MAJOR game we ever played.

He was extremely stiff not to win 3 Norm Smith Medals - in 1979, 1981 and 1982 (robbed by the decision to give it to Maurice Rioli in some Year of the Indiginous something or another ) - and he got us off to a flyer in the 1987 Grand Final as well.

With regard to Tony Barber - it actually was "Sale of the Century" in 1981 - as it was re-invented by Channel 9 in 1980 as "Sale of the Century" after having been "Temptation" (during the daytime) and "Great Temptation (at night) on Channel 7 through the early to mid 70s on Channel 7.

Without wanting to big note myself (I was actually on the show in 1980 - as a very young teenager ) and I met Tony Barber that night in the Carlton Social Club celebrating the 1981 Grand Final - Tony was hammered and he actually remembered me and we bought ourselves quite a few rounds of drinks - towards the end of the night - he kept on mistaking me for David Glasscott.

Tony Barber was also around the Social Club in 1982 during the back to back final celebrations as well.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Yeah mate....funnily enough; my Wife was at 3UZ when Tony Barber was doing the Breakfast gig a few years ago.

She said he was the same live as he was on Sale....bouncing into the studio all hyped up every day.

The Dominator was my favourite player as a kid, and the sight of him charging out of the centre and swinging onto that left foot was always the sign we were on our way to another victory...

I agree with you Agro that Johnno, along with Fitzpatrick (who could have easily one it in '81 and '82), was stiff never to win a Norm Smith medal.... You and I only differ on the years Johnno could have won it...I reckon Johnno was amongst our best in '79, '82 & '87 - but he had a pretty quiet game in '81 (except for breaking Gubby Allan's jaw!).

And you're completely right about Rioli mate...I watched the '82 GF recently, and it was consistent with my memory of that game - ie. Rioli was nowhere near BOG! It was a disgrace he got the medal. His opponent, Hunter, was one of our best players and Rioli only played well in the last 10-15 minutes of the 1st quarter (when Hunter was off the ground after being knocked out by Jimmy Jess!). He does a few good things after that, but he totally goes missing in the all-important 3rd quarter. I don't even think he was the Tigers' best player (that was probably Raines or maybe Weightman). Fitzy and Johnno were clearly the most influential players on the ground for mine (and Harmes' job on Bartlett in the 2nd half was handy too!).

Anyway, back to Johnno....one of my favourite memories of him was in the mid-80s (I think he was still captain at the time, so it must have been '85...?) vs Coll at Waverley. He suffered an injury (I think it was an ankle) at the main scoreboard end of the ground, was in the hands of the trainers and it looked pretty bad. The trainers lifted him up and started to carry him towards the interchange. Suddenly, the ball comes into his area. He pushes the trainers away, wills himself towards the loose ball, picks it up and kicks the goal. He immediately fell to the ground and the trainers had to carry him off, as the crowd and his team mates celebrated his goal. Even on one leg he was too good for the 'Pies!! I think the injury was serious enough to keep him out for awhile too, so it was pretty inspirational stuff.

I think Johnno's last great game was the '88 QF vs Coll. He was pretty much finished in '89 & '90 because of injuries, but in his prime he was a genuine dynamo...

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

The Dominator. One of my all-time favourites as well.

I just loved the way he would personally rip Collingwood a new one EVERY time he played against them.

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If you'd given me the choice of going out and beating four men and smashing a goal in from thirty yards against Liverpool
or going to bed with Miss World, it would have been a difficult choice. Luckily, I had both. - George Best

Just about to put up some great pics of Dom.

They must have hated his f$#@ing guts.

I can't recall seeing a player almost perform a one man vendetta against another football club.

Gotta love the dominator

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

There was a story told by someone on the old Fox Footy show Grumpy Old Men whose identity escapes me right now, who was at Princes Park the day Johnston first tried out for us. Both he and VFA legend Phil Cleary had been invited down to try out for the Blues. They both gave a good account of themselves, and the Blues coaching panel had some difficulty deciding which player to take on board. To decide it, they decided to put the players through some one-on-ones, and the dominator ripped Cleary a new arsehole, didn't let him near the ball.

The rest, as they say, was history

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

To his credit I think Cleary actually told the story himself.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

You might be right Aggers.

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

The Dominator is one of my all time favourite super gun players, but he is wrong to say that its OK to call players like rioli and the krakoers names and receive it back - BUT they are all great blokes. It depends what you say. You can call players dumb or weak but if you preface these insults with reference to their skin color or race then its just not on. I know the game was different in those days but sledging is one thing and racial abuse is another and is just not on these days.

Remember that day in the 80's when the krakoer brothers tried to enter the carlton social function after a north melbourne - carlton game at princess park? And southby and curly austin had to calm them down to prevent a big brawl with one of our players? It wasnt he dominator but I think you know who it was. (that was over racial abuse on the field during the game)

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The Wisdom of a Fool is Profound

............and just because someone else racially abuses you it does not give you some sort of moral authority to do the same to them. It takes great character and courage to ignore it and not steep into the gutter. If you jump into the gutter with the then they have really won the battle - no matter what you say back to them.

(although, Oscar Wilde once said "we are all laying in the gutter - its just that some of us are looking up at he stars")

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The Wisdom of a Fool is Profound

Of course we welcome your views mate; but you simply must bear in mind that Wayne's comments were about a time in the game's past when things were different from today.....in fact, 30 long years ago !!!!

I started this thread about 14 months ago in order to recall and remember players and events concerning the CFC, so that some of our younger posters may better understand and learn about our Club's history.

What I certainly DON'T want is for this whole concept to be bogged down in a protracted discussion about racism.....there's plenty of other threads on the site where these matters are discussed at length.

I'm sure you'll understand.

I am putting up a page from a history of Dom as published in the huge A4 sized tome...."Carlton: The 100 Greatest".

This first page gives you some insight into his arrival at Carlton.

Some more pics of the Dominator.....what a player !!!!

Warbs
That is a gret collection mate.
He was as good off the field as he was on the field

I thought that umpire was Smith when I first saw it.
He loved going for the book.

.

well ignoring the important issue of racism in sport is not a bad thing to be bogged down in - dont you think?

Its just a game after all isnt it Warby.

The dominator's comments were made in the late 90's werent they?

Thats hardly a long time ago is it?

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The Wisdom of a Fool is Profound

Hi Fool (how appropriate), his comments were based on a different era, when he said these comments I believe he was referring to the early 80's not the mid 90's....


(sorry Warbs)

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

how can ethical and moral issues be time or era dependent?
So when Hitler as well as the japanese were slaughtering civilians during world war two it was just a reflection of the times - wouldnt happen now! Really? Well in Iraq the civilian death toll as a direct result of the invasion which was actuially done in order to take their oil, is estimated at between 600,000 to over a million.
Immoral attitudes like racism etc are ethically wrong if they were carried out by the Egyptians, Greeks or Romans thousands of years ago or if indeed if they are carried out by others right NOW!
Dont believe for a second that there are NO racist players in the game today - its just that they keep their mouth shut or know when to sledge (ie making sure they are not heard by the umpire or anyone else but their target)

Have you heard people say "I AM NOT A RACIST BUT......" and then they proceed to inform the world of their bias and bigotry - strange that isnt it

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The Wisdom of a Fool is Profound

He must have pinched that line from Josh Kaplan.

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#DonTheStash