Russell Ebert, Barry Robran, Paul Bagshaw?

[Rotter]

Just ran it past the old fella who played some league games for Glenelg over a few seasons and he never bat an eyelid or took a second thought to declare Len Fitzgerald the best he'd seen by a street. Said that Blight, Robran and Bagshaw would quite rightly tuck themselves behind Fitzy but reckons Cornes was a dima dozen. When I pointed out that he played over 300 league games he took a puff of his ciga and said "150 to many" Shit I laughed. It's funny how the older blokes think.

[bulldogs]

one for you spiderblu

[Harry the Horse]

1. Bagshaw

2. Robran

3. Ebert

in my oppinion......

Oatey....... Jack.....

He introduced technology into ball sports....

Don't ever forget Fos...!

Maybe he was the greatest....?

Cahill has the SANFL record......

TOO HARD...!

Ebert and Bagshaw were Champions no doubt but Robran could play in every position on the ground and did on many occasions when he had to. You can't make that claim about Ebert and Bagshaw and that's what sets Robran above all other SANFL players back then and even now.


He was 6 ft 3 and 1/2 inches tall and played his first club and ironically also his first state game on a wing and dominated, He played club and state football at CHF, in the Centre and as a follower and also rucked on numerous occasions in both club and state football.
When he played as a follower the coaching instruction would be for either the ruckman or rover to rest fwd or back of the contest - thus allowing Barrie to rove to the ruckman or ruck to the rover. Neil Kerley has always maintained that Robran was a football cheat because of his ability to play anywhere.

Bagshaw was aknowledged as a champion / magician and also played in a brilliant and very strong Sturt team yet didn't ever win the M.M, Robran won two of his 3 in arguably the best club side this state has produced (pre Crows) based on back to back flags, a Champions of Australia Crown in which Barrie was aknowledged by the Vic media and in particualr Lou Richards as the best player in Australia. You can also throw in a losing GF btw 71 & 73. Ebert won one in 1971 yet his team was never good enough to beat North in 2 GF's when Robran was BOG in both. That tells you something about how vital Robran was to North and how much above any other North player in a team that contained some absolute North greats - it is doubtful you could make the same claim about Bagshaw and Ebert to their teams although very important and great players in very good sides.

If Robran had not been viciously cut down by Matthews mid 1974 he would have won the his 4th MM that without a doubt. History now records Ebert won the second of his 4 MM's.

100% accurate.
Amen

[rogernumber10]

Robran, Ebert, Bagshaw when their whole careers are judged, as a Norwood opinion watching them against us.

However, if I was playing a final, I would want Bagshaw ahead of Ebert at number two. Reckon the Sturt man was always good in September, without fail.

[Harry the Horse]

Robran, Ebert, Bagshaw when their whole careers are judged, as a Norwood opinion watching them against us.

However, if I was playing a final, I would want Bagshaw ahead of Ebert at number two. Reckon the Sturt man was always good in September, without fail.

Are you hinting that Herb only played a couple of decent grand finals and none of them were against Woodville at Oval Avenue?

[rogernumber10]

Robran, Ebert, Bagshaw when their whole careers are judged, as a Norwood opinion watching them against us.

However, if I was playing a final, I would want Bagshaw ahead of Ebert at number two. Reckon the Sturt man was always good in September, without fail.

Are you hinting that Herb only played a couple of decent grand finals and none of them were against Woodville at Oval Avenue?

At the risk of getting the Port masses to descend upon my head, it is my view that Bagshaw's finals record over the whole journey was much better than that of Ebert. Russell was an absolute champ at destroying some horrible Woodville, South and Torrens' sides at Alberton between rounds 6-16 BUT fully deserved every accolade over his career, finals and non finals. Without any caveats, his results, consistency etc over his whole career better than Bagshaw. But, I reckon, Bagshaw's results, consistency etc just over FINALS, is clear of Ebert.
Both, on either measure, are behind Robran

[BPBRB]

Thanks Harry - I appreciate the comments.

[leftlegger]

Best players Ive seen represent each club

CD PLATTEN
GL HART
NA ROBRAN
NW CARMAN
PA EBERT
SA KEDDIE
ST DAVIES
WA MODRA
WO BLIGHT
WT HEAD
WO/WT PAVLICH

How many games did Modra play with West?

I'd go for (not including deeds performed for other clubs):

CD - Platten (daylight)
GL - Kernahan (McDermott close)
NA - Darren Jarman (used to rate Sanders as a kid)
NWD - Mcintosh (from Aish or Roberts)
PA - Hodges (only saw Ebert at the end*)
SA - Naley (Darren Harris go close)
ST - Graham or Motley
WA - Luders
WO - Blight
WT - Struggling to remember back that far - Bob Enright??
WWT - Colville

mmm.
Good assesment CP. Not far off what I would say.
heres mine:-

CD - Platten/McAdam
GL - Kernahan/Carey
NA - Darren Jarman (If only he didnt get injured...I would have seen more of Robran...started seriously attending in 75)
NWD - MCINTOSH/Aish
PA - Bradley (Marker was better than Ebert head to head)
SA - Naley
ST - Motley/Graham (two of the most exciting footballers ever)
WA - Meuret
WO - Blight
WT - Lindsay
WWT - Colville

[rogernumber10]

I just have to vote for Macca as best Norwood player I have seen, edging out Michael Taylor, with Aish in at three. He fronted up every game, when occasionally other guys didn't, played hurt, played hard and I reckon worried the opposition in pretty much every game he played from about game 15 of his career all the way through to around game 340 of his career.

[leftlegger]

McIntosh was a star.
One of my favourite non Bay players despite the regretable Kernahan incident.(which i never saw, only heard about)

Me and a mate (both non Nwd) even went to see his 300th
from memory they thrashed WWT at pecker park while wearing lycra.

I remember Bruce Winter giving the Eagles the ultimate dressing down at 3/4 time and this big young fella for Nwd was really impressive - Matty Primus.
Macca, as usual, spent the day dishing out pinpoint 25 meter handballs from the bottom of the packs.

[JK]

The great man could indeed play the game ... At the time, the fact that he never played AFL footy was a massive gain for the Norwood Footy Club and on top of the manner in which Macca played his footy, certainly endeared him to supporters.

Now though, 10 years since he hung the boots up, it's kind of a shame that he didn't play in the VFL/AFL just to silence any doubters that he could have succeeded there, because I have absolutely no doubt he had the ability to read the play and of course the ruggedness to make it ... Not for a minute suggesting he would have hit the heights say a Johnny Platten reached, as Macca didn't have the same skill level or pace, but he certainly had more chance of succeeding than the better skilled but lightly framed Michael Aish (imho).

[rogernumber10]

Gotta agree. It's a waste, these days long after his career his over, that macca never played vfl or afl. I'm certain he would have loved 80s suburban mudheaps like Moorabbin, Windy Hill, Western Oval, Vic Park etc etc as contested, hard footy was always his go. He wouldn't have liked Waverley at all as he got older, but certainly good enough to play 200 over the border in the same way that Mark Williams (a very similar player) did.

[Benchwarmer]

Indeed Roger!

He used to drive VFL recruiters barmy by refusing to cross the border.

[rogernumber10]

Indeed Roger!

He used to drive VFL recruiters barmy by refusing to cross the border.

Mike Coward, when he updated the Norwood history a few years ago, put in a great line in the chapter on McIntosh about when John Dugdale from the Kangaroos came calling on Macca one day.

'He rang Wally Miller to tell him some bloke called Doug Dale was annoying him'.

Couldn't even be st ffed finding out the guy's correct name, to tell him he wasn't interested. Nice.

[leftlegger]

I liked the way that Greg Williams found out who Garry McIntosh was in a state game at footy park in the early 80s.

Also, when he was goalkeeper against the Irish. Charging off his line to run upfield with the ball...or to nail blokes.

Will we ever see another player like Macca?

[Spiritof64]

Can only be one answer.

North Whyalla boy Robran, cruelly cut down in his prime....
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Ebert
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the rest.

Actually not that much between Robran and Ebert but still Barrie by a metric whisker, and I did see them play.
Even on their bad days they'd both be capable of taking the crowds breath away, and you could feel the vacuum when everybody finally took some air.