Anthony Franchina & Troy Bond.

Perhaps weren't the greatest footballers but enjoyed watching them play.

Testing my memory a bit.....

Anyway it was a Saturday afternoon round 20. Essendon* were on top, Carlton sitting about 8th and unlikely to make the finals (final 5 in those days). The game was not telecast as there were probably a couple of games on that would have more bearing on the finals. Cameras were at the ground as they always were but it was pretty rare for a player to win mark (or goal) of the year in a game with no commentary.

I won’t guarantee that I have the quarter right but I will say it’s the third. And I won’t even hazard a guess at which Carlton player kicked long towards the goal square at the Lygon Street end. However there were two players in the goal square. One was Paul Salmon, one of the tallest players to have played the game. The other was Mark Majerczak - 180cm tall according to your site – though I have to admit I always think of him as being smaller.

Salmon was in front, but one thing Majerczak had was a tremendous leap. His knee reached Salmon’s shoulder and he took the mark – possibly a chest mark – but over Salmon’s head. The one TV camera on the mark certainly didn’t catch his leap and although he got “Mark of the Day” he was wrongly deprived of Mark of the Year.

We knocked over Essendon* for the second time that season but as I remember other games did not go our way and it meant effectively that our slim chance of making the finals were snuffed out that same day. So I left the game with mixed feelings knowing that for the first time in my life Carlton would miss the finals two years in a row. Missing the finals two years in a row – can anyone imagine how bad that feels.............

_________________
Does anyone else find it a tad ironic that 2020 was the year we were hit by an event that no one saw coming?

Ben Robertson #52

Debuted in the early 1990s at Waverley Park against Hawthorn. Only played a few minutes, Parkin never liked the bench much in those days, but set up a nice goal in the first quarter and couold have been a player. Came along at the wrong time I suppose. Was another player who dominated the reserves.

Other nominations:

Michael James
Brendan Parker
Troy Bond

But the one that stands out is:

Brett Backwell - such skills, pacy, can kick a goal but was shunted out of the club by Brittain. Brittain's legacy of drafting toughness over talent is still being felt by the club today.

_________________
In WADA we trust

Very accomplished player, should have made more of his opportunity.

Richard Dennis, shouldabeenachampion.

Him, Brendan Parker, Jeremy Smith, Matthew Dickson, Peter Doyle and Simon Minton-Connell made getting to Blues games early enough to see the magoos a must in the early 90's.

Our ressies back then were very entertaining.

_________________
Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

Good call mc
Richard Dennis was a good player in a premiership year in 1987
I could never work out what went wrong in 88. We were equal with Hawthorn at the halfway mark (9 wins 2 losses) but then went off the boil. Losing Dennis was one of the reasons.
He could never establish himself in the side again and limped of to the Kangaroos in 92.

_________________
We're getting closer to 17

Laurence Angwin - height, agillity, skill ... but no brain

Brett Backwell...... 1999-2001 for 18 games.

Very quick and elusive around goals, and came from good stock as his Dad twice won the Grogan Medal for B&F in the QAFL.

Unfortunately he succumbed to a chronic disabilty in both calf muscles which didn't respond to Operations.

Majer was (unfortunately) a class Reserves player that promised so much.

Everything he did on the footy field was classy except when he moved into the Senior side when he struggled to consistently reproduce that silky ability we knew he had.

The girls in the Cheer Squad adored his looks!

He had two tenures at PP....1987-88 and 1990-91 for 17 games and 20 goals.....DOB: 20/04/68....180cm and 75kg.....from Fawkner.

I cannot believe his name escapes me. 1995 left foot hf with the number 19. I've just drawn a blank.......help me

_________________
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

A one Bradley Pearce (and what a left boot he had), really enjoyed his ability to lead.

Simon Fletcher

_________________
#DonTheStash

Brett Backwell was a victim of the "Wayne Brittain" era. Should have been given waaaay more opportunities.

Luke O'Sullivan absolutely ripped it up against St.Kilda at PP around 1991-92 ish. Should have had a more distinguished career (this is the game that Plugger went the knuckle on Matthew Hogg until Dorotich stepped in).

Sadly, I think Jordan Russell will be on this list come end of the year.

I think you will be right

Lindsay Smith

I thought he showed promise until Denis cut him again

_________________
SMFC 1959 : ONE LIFE, ONE LOVE, ONE CLUB

I really thought Luke Livingston would come good.....


Eric Pascoe used to be a bit of a favourite too...




Simon Rosa played VFL for Carlton but didnt make the list, should have....

Andrew Phillips.

http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=Stan+Gilday

Interesting story, and thanks for raising him. All stats provided by Stephen Williamson, Stats Guru and key contributor to the Blueseum.

Mr.Electric Blue, one question if you will, was it apparent that Gilday was not going to make it at senior level, or did it dash the hopes of the fans that he wasn't a senior player let alone ever given the chance?

From the Blueseum

_________________
Check out www.blueseum.org for all of your Carlton information needs.