Rick Davies & Graham Cornes records in the VFL????

[GWW]

I read an interesting article by Dwayne Russell today, it was mainly about how Victorians were starting to treat South Australian footballers with more respect.

There was mention made how Ebert, Davies and Cornes didn't get a lot of respect from Victorian footy followers because of how they perceived that they didn't perform in the VFL. Ebert's efforts have been discussed on this forum and others quite a bit, but apart from the fact that Davies and Cornes apparently struggled not much has really been said specifically about how these 2 footballers actually went whilst playing for Hawthorn and North Melbourne respectfully, in the mid to late 70's.

I'm not old enough to remember much of the late 70's, and haven't read much in detail of how Davies and Cornes went. For those who are better able to remember footy (including the VFL) in the 70's, what were your views on how these 2 SANFL stars went in Victoria? Were they played out of position, or maybe struggled with injury? I would have thought that Davies in particular would have more than held his own given his rucking and goalkicking abilities (or was it a case of someone else such as Don Scott being the main ruckman thereby giving Rick no real opportunities?).

Cornes wasn't a favourite of Barassi so he probably never had a realistic chance to succeed.

Would be interested to read anyone's views re this..

[Hondo]

I have heard Cornesy say that he and Russell were surprised that the VFL teams were managed no better and did not have better players than the best teams in the SANFL at the time - in fact, worse in some cases and they were happy to come home. Sounded like the VFL reality didn't match the hype, at the time.

I think the SANFL comp of that era as a whole is under-rated in Victoria.

As for those guys not showing their best well bit hard when they went over close to age 30.

[GWW]

I'm not sure exactly when Davies went to Hawthorn (at first i thought it was late 70's, but now i think it was later.....but after coming back to SA he kicked 150 goals and was still a very handy player. I'm just surprised he didn't do better at Hawthorn.

[spell_check]

Ebert and Cornes went to North Melbourne in 1979. Davies went to Hawthorn in 1981.

[GWW]

Thanks spellcheck, do you have a DOB for Davies, i have a feeling he was a bit younger than Cornes and Ebert. He was still playing good footy in the mid 80's so he shouldn't have been too old in 81, particularly as bigger types of players mature later as well.

[am Bays]

I think I heard Cornesy say he went over too late and was set in his ways with regards to how he should train and play. Being a "head-strong" player I don't really think the then Barassi style of coaching (If you've read John Powers The Coach) and Cornes in hindsight were destined to be mutually compatable.

At the age of 30 Cornes really wasn't going to cop playing back pocket or being a decoy forward given how he had been playing for the last 11 years.

IIRC correctly Ebert was much more successful given his style of play and ability but could't be stuffed living in Adelaide but flying over Thursday to train and then play on a Saturday, then fly home.

[spell_check]

Davies was born on the 8th of April 1952.

[Magpiespower]

IIRC, Studley played 5 games and kicked about 10 or so goals for the Roos.

'The Jumbo Prince' played 20 games for the Hawks.

[godoubleblues]

Rick Davies record at Hawthorn was 20 games and 37 goals in 1981

[smac]

Rick Davies record at Hawthorn was 20 games and 37 goals in 1981

Did he play in the ruck (therefore good return) or full forward (therefore not so good return)?

[Magpiespower]

Leigh Matthews was the Hawks' leading goalkicker that year with 48 goals...

[godoubleblues]

Rick Davies record at Hawthorn was 20 games and 37 goals in 1981

Did he play in the ruck (therefore good return) or full forward (therefore not so good return)?

I cant really recall, I had a look on Fullpoints Footy and it says there that he played mainly out of the forward pocket, you would have to assume that he did do some ruckwork though

[am Bays]

Rick Davies record at Hawthorn was 20 games and 37 goals in 1981

Did he play in the ruck (therefore good return) or full forward (therefore not so good return)?

I cant really recall, I had a look on Fullpoints Footy and it says there that he played mainly out of the forward pocket, you would have to assume that he did do some ruckwork though

Davies is one of the rare sports persons who has had the rules changed becasue of his prowess. Davies pioneered/mastered the art of checkside ruck work where he used his size to stand on the same side as the opposite ruckman and block his apth to the ball. He did this to overcome his lack of size. The line across the centre circle was brought in to stop these tactics. In 1980 SA did not have the line across the circle, Victoria introduced it in 1979 or 1980.

So in 1981 Davies had the disadvantage of having to Ruck against the likes of Fitzpatrick, Mark Lee, Justin Madden, Simon Madden, Gary Dempsey, Rod Blake and Ron Alexander etc (all taller than him) and given he had to stand opposite them and they had a free run to get up and over him his Ruckwork became as usefull as a trophy cabinet at Woodville Football Club.

Hence Davies spent most of his time up forward at HAwthorn then came home in 1982 to a line across the centre circle at SANFL grounds.

Up forward you go Rick, said Jack....

[woodwt]

Cornes was a joke in the VFL

[GWW]

Cornes was a joke in the VFL

Awaits 1980TM's reply

[am Bays]

Cornes was a joke in the VFL

Awaits 1980TM's reply

Can barely remember Cornes' VFL foray, don't have to be Einstein to wok out that considering he came home before the end of June, it didn't go well...

Have plenty of good memories of his training runs agaisnt Woodville though

[woodwt]

Cornes was a joke in the VFL

Awaits 1980TM's reply

Can barely remember Cornes' VFL foray, don't have to be Einstein to wok out that considering he came home before the end of June, it didn't go well...

Have plenty of good memories of his training runs agaisnt Woodville though

Chris Duthy and Tony symonds were crap in the vfl also!

[am Bays]

Can remember Symo getting close to BOG as an 18 yo in 1981 in a 100 pt thumping of Woodville when we had 6 players out on State duty....

[GWW]

Cornes was a joke in the VFL

Awaits 1980TM's reply

Can barely remember Cornes' VFL foray, don't have to be Einstein to wok out that considering he came home before the end of June, it didn't go well...

Have plenty of good memories of his training runs agaisnt Woodville though

Thats fair enough, just thought you'd think of something to defend him regardless of the situation

[Interceptor]

I can vaguely remember Ebert talking about the quality of players in his time at Nth Melbourne.

Putting modesty aside for a moment said that he was the best player in the team when he left Port, but at Nth there were 3 or 4 others as good as him. It perhaps gives a very rough indication of the standard of the VFL vs SANFL at the time.