Extreme positional switches

[am Bays]

Russell Ebert began in 1968 at Full Forward, Peter Marker began in 1967 as a CHF. Both became champion centremen.

Graham Cornes played his forst game as knock ruckman, believe it or not, then settled into ruck roving after returning from Vietnam.

And aftr playing forward pocket under Nichols finished his career at CHB under Halbert

[Adelaide Hawk]

Russell Ebert began in 1968 at Full Forward, Peter Marker began in 1967 as a CHF. Both became champion centremen.

Graham Cornes played his first game as knock ruckman, believe it or not, then settled into ruck roving after returning from Vietnam.

And aftr playing forward pocket under Nichols finished his career at CHB under Halbert

And speaking of Halbert, he finished his career as a top CHF after being a champion centreman most of his career.

[Psyber]

From memory I think Rodney Maynard started as a forward at Norwood before playing CHB for Norwood then the Crows.
Michael Taylor played back pocket, on the ball, and centre, but I'm not sure if that was the order, but I think it was.
Neil Button moved from ruck to CHF at Norwood as his knees and ankles failed him.
Then there was Rick Davies at Sturt playing centre instead of in the ruck - he must be the biggest SANFL centreman ever.

[JK]

From memory I think Rodney Maynard started as a forward at Norwood before playing CHB for Norwood then the Crows.
Michael Taylor played back pocket, on the ball, and centre, but I'm not sure if that was the order, but I think it was.
Neil Button moved from ruck to CHF at Norwood as his knees and ankles failed him.
Then there was Rick Davies at Sturt playing centre instead of in the ruck - he must be the biggest SANFL centreman ever.

Button played predominantly in ruck though as far as I'm aware .. AH can probably shed more light on that

[nickname]

That was after Neil Kerley took Fred Phillis from CHB to FF in 1968.

Another player in the 60s who springs to mind is West Adelaide's David Jonas who transfered off the HB flank to become a more than handy FF at Westies.

AH my recollection is Jonas played at CHB before going forward but it is stretching my memory. That was a bit of a theme I can remember from those days, the switch between CHB and FF. As you say Fred Phillis did it, Tim Evans later, Jonas, Bob Loveday (though mainly a half-back flanker and a State one at that) played several seasons at FF for us. Bruce Stevenson, state CHB, also played a little bit at FF I believe for Centrals. Did Brian Mulvihill play at CHB too?

[Magpiespower]

IIRC, Darren Smith started off in a back-pocket.

Before kicking over 500 goals...

[GWW]

IIRC, Darren Smith started off in a back-pocket.

Before kicking over 500 goals...

How many games did he play in the back pocket (i think i may have seen a previous post re this). Presumably it was a couple. I remember him as a forward pretty much from his debut.

This particular one isn't "extreme" but very significant - Hodges from a forward flank to full forward. That allowed Darren Smith to go to CHF, then Phillips and Leslie (who were both experimented at CHF in 87 and early 88) to go to the half back line with Abernethy. A very important positional move by Jack Cahill that played a big part in the 88, 89 and 90 flags.

[Mr Magoo]

John Seebohm Recruited from Mt Burr as a Full Forward after kicking 150 goals and ended as a Full Back.
Mick Armfield recruited from Millicent as a Full Forward and ended as half Back at Glenelg and North
Rick davies came over from Yorke Peninsula as a Full Forward and then went to Ruck and finished as Full Forward

[robranosgod]

That was after Neil Kerley took Fred Phillis from CHB to FF in 1968.

Another player in the 60s who springs to mind is West Adelaide's David Jonas who transfered off the HB flank to become a more than handy FF at Westies.

AH my recollection is Jonas played at CHB before going forward but it is stretching my memory. That was a bit of a theme I can remember from those days, the switch between CHB and FF. As you say Fred Phillis did it, Tim Evans later, Jonas, Bob Loveday (though mainly a half-back flanker and a State one at that) played several seasons at FF for us. Bruce Stevenson, state CHB, also played a little bit at FF I believe for Centrals. Did Brian Mulvihill play at CHB too?

Jonas was a Centre Half Back and a mighty fine one too. As a sixteen year old he beat Don Lindner one day at Prospect in a magnificent duel of high marking. Bohdan Jaworskyj played full forward for the fist couple of years of his career before becoming a stae and VFL half back. Most great back pockets of the 1960s started off as rovers or wingmen. Brenton Adcok was a wingman, Trevor Obst roved, Geoff Paull was a wingman and occasional rover, Bob Gibson was a wingman as was Sonny Morey and Colin Richens roved. Trevor Hughes played as a half forward flanker and third rover for North in their 1969 premiership. He struggled for a few more years at North before going to West. West's back pocket, probably Jeff Bennetts got injured, Hughes went to the back pocket and had an outstanding career in the back pocket. Adcok, Obst, Paull, Gibson, Richens, Morey and Hughes weren't a bad group of back pockets. Rovers would have been loath to rest and face that group of back pockets.

[Macca19]

I cant really remember Darren Smith being a back pocket, and have highlights of games from his debut season where he was playing in the forward lines, but MagPower would know more than me.

Mark Tylor is another one, not so much a career move but a structural one that paid dividends. Went from twice Ken Farmer medallist in 92 and 93, to moving to the back pocket early in 94 with Hodges back at FF full time (and winning the KF medallist), won a premiership there, then moved back to FF in 95 to win the club leading goalkicker title.

Fiacchi was mentioned, he was a struggling rover. From memory moved to the back pocket in the Anthony Williams game and never looked back.

Bryan Beinke was another. Won a premiership in 96 playing in a back pocket after a couple of years in and out of the side in defence. Got drafted by NM as a rookie, came back for 1998, spent the first half of the year in defence before being moved to CHF a week or two before the state game. Dominated from that point on, won the BnF and kicked 4 goals in the GF in a match winning performance. Got drafted by the Crows and spent the rest of his career in the forward line.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I cant really remember Darren Smith being a back pocket, and have highlights of games from his debut season where he was playing in the forward lines, but MagPower would know more than me.

I was thinking the same thing. I have recall of Smith reasonably early in his 1st season because it was the first time I'd seen him, and I am thinking he was playing CHF that day, but as you say, there would be Port people who know more about their players than I do.

[FlyingHigh]

John Seebohm Recruited from Mt Burr as a Full Forward after kicking 150 goals and ended as a Full Back.
Mick Armfield recruited from Millicent as a Full Forward and ended as half Back at Glenelg and North
Rick davies came over from Yorke Peninsula as a Full Forward and then went to Ruck and finished as Full Forward

From memory Seebohm also played up forward at the Bays for a couple of years during the middle of his career, pretty sure that's where he played in '86 GF.

Malcolm Blight, on-the-ball to leading goal kicker. Did he also play some footy at half-forward and half-back at North Melbourne?
Stephen Nicholls, full-forward for Woodville during their "golden years" was originally recruited as a wingman.
Was Max Parker recruited as a full-back but ended up in the ruck?

[McAlmanac]

Did Brian Mulvihill play at CHB too?

Mulva alternated between FF and TAB.

[FlyingHigh]

Did Brian Mulvihill play at CHB too?

Mulva alternated between FF and TAB.

Match fixing? The real reason the Peckers didn't win much.

[McAlmanac]

Was Max Parker recruited as a full-back but ended up in the ruck?

Big Max was a ruckman at Footscray (kept out by Gary Dempsey and Barry Round) and played CHF when he first came to Woodvile IIRC before moving to defence then ruck later in his career.

[FlyingHigh]

Was Max Parker recruited as a full-back but ended up in the ruck?

Big Max was a ruckman at Footscray (kept out by Gary Dempsey and Barry Round) and played CHF when he first came to Woodvile IIRC before moving to defence then ruck later in his career.

Thanks Mac. Pretty stiff competition there. Wonder why he came over here rather than having a crack at another VFL club?

[holden78]

Did Brian Mulvihill play at CHB too?

Mulva alternated between FF and TAB.

Mulva played at CHB for Nth Melb

[Adelaide Hawk]

From memory I think Rodney Maynard started as a forward at Norwood before playing CHB for Norwood then the Crows.
Michael Taylor played back pocket, on the ball, and centre, but I'm not sure if that was the order, but I think it was.
Neil Button moved from ruck to CHF at Norwood as his knees and ankles failed him.
Then there was Rick Davies at Sturt playing centre instead of in the ruck - he must be the biggest SANFL centreman ever.

Button played predominantly in ruck though as far as I'm aware .. AH can probably shed more light on that

Yes, Button played all of his footy in the ruck up to the time Jeff Fehring came to the club in 1982. Injury began to take its' toll, plus Norwood's need for a CHF saw Button migrate to that position where he played in the 1982 premiership team.

Speaking of the name Button, Glenelg's Ray Button played mainly on the HF flank but was chosen to lead the ruck late in 1967. He shared ruck duties with Graham Cornes in Cornes' 1st game and both players were chosen in ruck because of their spring. It would have to be the shortest and lightest ruck combination I can recall.

[Interceptor]

Yes, Button played all of his footy in the ruck up to the time Jeff Fehring came to the club in 1982. Injury began to take its' toll, plus Norwood's need for a CHF saw Button migrate to that position where he played in the 1982 premiership team.

Just a few years at CHF, yet picked there for team of the century?
Either Button was outstanding at CHF or Norwood have had very few decent players in that position in over 100 years.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Yes, Button played all of his footy in the ruck up to the time Jeff Fehring came to the club in 1982. Injury began to take its' toll, plus Norwood's need for a CHF saw Button migrate to that position where he played in the 1982 premiership team.

Just a few years at CHF, yet picked there for team of the century?
Either Button was outstanding at CHF or Norwood have had very few decent players in that position in over 100 years.

Norwood's Team of the Century was controversial for a number of reasons, a 600 goal HF flanker being left out, and a ruckman at CHF were two such examples.

Norwood had three great ruckmen, John Marriott, Bill Wedding and Neil Button, so in order to find a spot for all three, they slotted Button into CHF. Ross Dillon was a much better CHF.