Ashy played a lot of his junior footy as a Full Forward....a good mark for his size and deadly accurate around goals.

Bruce Doull.....D.O.B. 11-09-1950....185cm...77kg..356 games..22 goals.

AFL Hall of Fame Inductee.(1996).....AFL Team of the Century Member.

Carlton Team of the Century Member....All Australian..1979 and 84.

Carlton Best and Fairest..1974-1977-1980-1984....Played for Victoria 12 times.

Played in Premierships at Carlton..1972-1979-1981-1982.



Along with Johnno and Jezza......Doully was my all time favorite Carlton player.....with Sticks not far behind.

Initially; I saw Bruce play in the Reserves.....mainly; I recall on a wing/forward flank.

He had that Rhys Jones ability to easily evade opposition players and pinpoint passes to team mates.....he always seemed to have heaps of time.

But....it was in defence,he blossomed......he played on and beat the best, yet he was only 6'1".

I've got a lot of good stuff and pics of Bruce that I'll put up in sections over the next week or so.

What

a

legend

!!

I remember seeing the doormat running around during the 70s ... his trademark bald-scalp-and-headband were stand-outs of the few games I remember watching back then

It's a pity he doesn't like the spotlight ..

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[Sam Jacobs] looks like a 7' Lance Whitnall, and [Mitch Robinson] looks like a 4' Lance Whitnall
(The SEN team during the Carlton v Cats 2009 pre-season match)

I think thats part of what makes him so special.

Carlton has been blessed with Doull as the rock of our defence for most of the 70s and up to the mid 80s with Silvagni then carrying the torch from then to 2001.

2 x AFL Team of the Century representatives and we have been privileged to have at least one of them in our team for nearly 30 consecutive seasons.

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

Winston Churchill

And we can't forget our "Rocks"....Peter Dean and Michael Sexton.

The Siren ends the 1979 Grand Final as even the unflappable Bruce throws up his hands in excitement that we've won,
with the Dominator and Rene Kink nearby.



Here's Bruce with his impeccable judgement in the 1981 Grand Final; marking over the C/wood fullback Peter McCormack
and our Val Perovic...with Rene Kink just watching!

A framed Special Edition commemorating Braddles matching Bruce's 356 games.....Braddles went on to play 375 games.



Another....giving tribute to our three most game players.....Nicholls....328 games....Doull....356.....Braddles....375.



This is a Select Card of Bruce with his Coach of the time....Jezza.

Interesting guy Bruce.

In 1981; his occupation was "Clerk in a Paper Company"....no; it wasn't VISY AFAIK; but more likely, W.V.Lofts & Co....Wes Loft's Company.

On the gazillion times I went to training in those days; he was said to be a plumber working for Ken Caffyn the local plumber; and driving a purple Holden Panel Van.

More recently; he's been a Newsagent for a few years......I don't know if he still is.

Anyway.....


Here'a pic from May 12 1980; of Bruce thumping the ball clear of North Forwards Stephen McCann and Arnold Briedis.....how to defend!



This next pic shows Bruce outplaying at least 3 opponents so as to get the ball down to Des English,
with Mario Bortolotto waiting for the outcome.



There was no player quicker or more elusive than Kevin Bartlett.

But Bruce always got his man!.....that's Val Perovic watching!



Warwick Capper thought he had this mark sewn up....but Bruce had front position and better judgement....(excuse the watermarks)
That's Harmesy and Peter Dean in shot too.

KB has been captured in an unusual pose - throwing the ball forward and diving - In the box seat to milk a free kick.

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We're getting closer to 17

First up in Part Five is an extract from an article written by Robert Walls in The Age on August 20-2005.

Champions in the End Zone.
By Robert Walls.
The Age.
August 20, 2005.

"Carlton legend Bruce Doull was a beauty. I loved being his teammate,

and to coach him in his final season, 1986, was a nervous honour for me.

By this stage, Bruce was nearing 36 and had lost a little spring and dash.

He no longer played across half-back, but stood at full-back. There was

less running but big responsibility to play on the emerging Gary Ablett,

Jason Dunstall and Tony Lockett.

Bruce didn't miss a beat. Many a time we'd be halfway through a gut-

busting training session when I'd whisper in his ear to knock off. Not

once did he leave the track, instead opting to work with his younger

teammates.

Bruce's last year was Craig Bradley and Stephen Kernahan's first year

with the Blues. Both say a highlight was to be able to say they were a

teammate of Bruce's"

**************************************************************************************************************************************************


Next is a pic showing both Bruce and Jezza doing the

compulsory 20 pushups as laid down by Coach Ron Barassi for sloppy

handballs or whatever at training.....he was bloody strict!



Next is a nice pic of Bruce and Tommy Hafey watching the Blues train..(excuse the watermarks)



Lastly in this second last tribute to Bruce is a lovely pic of

Bruce in the tub celebrating a Flag in 1972 with Wallsy

(sporting an ankle icepack)

In this final tribute to Bruce; we can't omit this story.

Helen D'Amico was an Adelaide stripper

who idolised Bruce Doull.

And in the 1982 Carlton winning Grand Final;

she caught up with her man.....

wearing only a Carlton scarf.

And Bruce was embarrassed, while the Dominator

was bloody wild that she was stopping our run.


It was another part of a memorable day.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

Here's Helen heading for Bruce while Umpire Glen James; "The Flea" Dale Weightman; and The Dominator look on...gobsmacked.

Just on Bruce, can someone explain why for many years it was regarded that he played 359 games but has since been revised to 356?

Warby you don't have any photos of him playing in the legends match back in 1990 (I think) at windy hill against Richmond? It was remarkable that 5 or so years after retirement he read the ball with perfection and oozed class. I got his autograph along with Buzzs after the game only to misplace them (to a female) a little while after.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

WOuld love to have been a fly on the wall in that room!

pterg, have you read Matthew Hardys "Saturday Afternoon Fever"?? I can't recommend it highly enough - gives a real picture of what it was like growing up in the 80's following footy, one particular scene rings true for me, involved my Tommy Alvin jumper, for him it was Trevor Barker.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Actually Kouta's book has encouraged me to seek out bios .. not just any bio ... and the AFL Finals compilation (when is the next one due out?) was definitive reading! I'll stick this one on the text book list next semester - I buy my books through Amazon because they're quicker and cheaper than the Uni co-op!

warby, sorry for hi-jacking the thread, last post on the book:

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Back in the 60s and 70s State Games used to be scheduled on the same day as normal home and away games - and it was accepted practise by the VFL and statisticians - that if a club player was selected for state duty and played a state game - then he would also be credited with a club game if his club played on the same day and he missed his club game because he played in the state game.

For some reason or another - this was reviewed by the VFL in the 80s - and retrospectively quite a number of players had their club game tallies reduced.

This affected players like Keith Grieg who was credited with 300 games - but reduced to below 300 (much to his chagrin) - I'm guessing that Bruce's game tally was reduced by 3 for this reason.

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

Winston Churchill

That's just wrong

A decision needs to be maintained

I take it that the reversal was made after the players had long-retired .. but had Keith Greg's admission to life membership also rescinded?

Don't be silly mate....that's what this threads supposed to be all about!

I look forward to any comments....and criticisms!

Thanks for your input....