1978 The year it was

[Adelaide Hawk]

Peter Minervini was a rover in Norwood's 1961 GF team. Played 72 games, 38 goals and was in the 1959 Advertiser Team of the Year. Played a further 15 games and 17 goals for West Torrens and 1 game for South Australia.

[robranisgod]

PETER AISH.....................A great name at the parade, I think he played wing in the 50s ?
NEVILLE HAYES................Was he the PA player they called Chicken Hayes ???
DON ROACH.......................Good WA + NW left footer
TREVOR HUGHES.................Great WA player
JOHNNY RYAN ....................????

Peter Aish was a very good full back for Norwood. He captained Norwood's 1960 and 1961 Grand Final sides. Although he was on the losing side in both games, he never had a goal kicked on him in either game. In fact he was considered Norwood's best player in the 1961 loss where he kept Doug Thomas goalless.

Don Roach was an all-Australian half forward who also played for Hawthorn

Neville Hayes was indeed "Chicken" Hayes. He played in 8 premierships for Port.

Trevor Hughes was also a North Adelaide Premiership player in 1960.

Johnny Ryan was a very good centreman and rover for West Adelaide and like so many of the WA players of the time quite a character. He was very high up in West's best players in the 1961 GF. A central character in one of the most amusing SANFL stories which I will publish later.

[mal]

DON ROACH
If Don Roach was an All Australian should I have labelled him as a great player instead of a good player ?
I only saw the Don in the latter stages of his career when he was at the Parade

[Adelaide Hawk]

DON ROACH
If Don Roach was an All Australian should I have labelled him as a great player instead of a good player ?
I only saw the Don in the latter stages of his career when he was at the Parade

Mal, like yourself, I think we saw the downside of Don's career. From what I understand he was an outstanding talent in his younger days.

[mal]

PETER AISH.....................A great name at the parade, I think he played wing in the 50s ?
NEVILLE HAYES................Was he the PA player they called Chicken Hayes ???
DON ROACH.......................Good WA + NW left footer
TREVOR HUGHES.................Great WA player
JOHNNY RYAN ....................????

Peter Aish was a very good full back for Norwood. He captained Norwood's 1960 and 1961 Grand Final sides. Although he was on the losing side in both games, he never had a goal kicked on him in either game. In fact he was considered Norwood's best player in the 1961 loss where he kept Doug Thomas goalless.

Don Roach was an all-Australian half forward who also played for Hawthorn

Neville Hayes was indeed "Chicken" Hayes. He played in 8 premierships for Port.

Trevor Hughes was also a North Adelaide Premiership player in 1960.

Johnny Ryan was a very good centreman and rover for West Adelaide and like so many of the WA players of the time quite a character. He was very high up in West's best players in the 1961 GF. A central character in one of the most amusing SANFL stories which I will publish later.

That story about John Ryan involved
John Ryan [WA]
John Halbert [ST]
Baldy Henderson [UMP]

WA were playing ST, John Ryan was standing John Halbert
Every time the ump was'nt looking Ryan gave Halbert a punch in the ribs and say
"' Take that you Bible Bashing B...d.""
Eventually late in the 3rd qtr Halbert , tired of turning the other cheek, chose this biblical maxim
"" An eye for an eye.""
When Ryan punched Halbert again, Halbert retaliated with a magnificent right cross[ala Ali v Liston 1962 !] which floored Ryan
Ryan got up holding his jaw and complained bitterly to the Umpire Baldy Henderson
"" Dedja see that Umpire."' complained Ryan
"" Yeah not bad for a Bible Bashing B...d"" replied Henderson as he turned a blind eye and waved play on

DON ROACH
Was Captain Coach of WA in 1966/67
His vast experience might have been a big help for Robert Oatey when he came over to Norwood

QUESTION
Does anyone know the result of that Loveday Testimonial match on 1/10/78 ?

[mal]

DON ROACH
If Don Roach was an All Australian should I have labelled him as a great player instead of a good player ?
I only saw the Don in the latter stages of his career when he was at the Parade

Mal, like yourself, I think we saw the downside of Don's career. From what I understand he was an outstanding talent in his younger days.

The lesson I am learning is not to catergorise players I have not seen in action
OR
To make a generalisation about a player based on his performances at the end of his career

Don Roach was good enough to play for HW in the VFL
Was good enough to be an All Australian
Was good enough to be a player coach at WA
All that b4 I saw him in action

[Adelaide Hawk]

DON ROACH
If Don Roach was an All Australian should I have labelled him as a great player instead of a good player ?
I only saw the Don in the latter stages of his career when he was at the Parade

Mal, like yourself, I think we saw the downside of Don's career. From what I understand he was an outstanding talent in his younger days.

The lesson I am learning is not to catergorise players I have not seen in action
OR
To make a generalisation about a player based on his performances at the end of his career

Don Roach was good enough to play for HW in the VFL
Was good enough to be an All Australian
Was good enough to be a player coach at WA
All that b4 I saw him in action

That's okay Mal, at least you make judgements based on your own opinions. I find too many people judge players by what other people think rather than what they see. With players we haven't seen, we have to put trust in the opinions of those who saw them play and hope it's fair assessment.

[nickname]

I find too many people judge players by what other people think rather than what they see. With players we haven't seen, we have to put trust in the opinions of those who saw them play and hope it's fair assessment.

Couldn't agree more.