SA Footy

Reading another thread, a point was made about Peter Motley, and the question was asked who it was at Port Adelaide who thought he wasn't good enough.

It got me thinking about people who became a top player at one club after their "first choice" didn't think he was good enough.

I recall the story that West Torrens didn't rate Michael Aish all that highly so he decided to have a go at Norwood because his dad played there.

And then there was also the story that Craig Kelly was rejected by both Port Adelaide and Sturt before going on to play for Norwood and Collingwood.

The one that always amazes me is the story of John Marriott who was a top schoolboy footballer but decided to play amateur league because of his studies. He went out to University and was told he'd never be a footballer. When he got home that night, he had a letter waiting for him from the Norwood Football Club asking him to attend training. Good call by the guy from Universirty

I'm sure there are many other similar stories, and I'd love to hear some.

Simon Tregenza grew up in Glenelg's zone. I believe Port showed interest in him while he was still a junior, possibly even still at SHC, and Glenelg was all too happy to clear him. I dare say he was one of Port's better players in the '89 and '90 seasons, and good enough to make the initial Crows team.

Not quite in the same vein, but Wayne Stringer told Jim West he wasn't part of Glenelg's further plans, after a long and successful SANFL and AFL career... and promptly won a Ken Farmer medal and premiership at Norwood

Michael Bennett who played 300 ? games for South was given the DCM by Sturt.

Phil Harrison obviously wasn't up to Motley's standard and was by no means a champion, but i do recall that when he started in the SANFL, he played a bit with North (less than a year i think), but went on to play in 1 (possibly 2??) premierships with Port.

I believe that a young Nigel Smart was told he wasn't good enough as a junior by Glenelg. The story I was told was that McDermott was a development squad coach at the time and that Nigel reminded him of it once they became team mates at the Crows.

I remember Hodges kicking 10 goals on Smart at Alberton in 1990, i think that was the day he kicked his 100 & Hodges couldn't play!

I was always a big fan of Simon Neave at Norwood but we never seemed to give him a regular go ... Went to the Eagles and played some excellent footy in an awesome team.

smac wrote:I believe that a young Nigel Smart was told he wasn't good enough as a junior by Glenelg. The story I was told was that McDermott was a development squad coach at the time and that Nigel reminded him of it once they became team mates at the Crows.

i'm not sure whether it was macdermott, but the rest of it is 100% correct


i've always heard the story that fos williams went to glenelg first & told he wasn't good enough, then he went to west & so on (i don't know how true or false this is but i've been told that a few times)

Pseudo wrote:Simon Tregenza grew up in Glenelg's zone.

Ah ha... I stood Trigger when he was playing for Glenelg in u13's. I was playing for Port at the time. I've wondered for years how he finished up at Port.

Trevor Grimwood played in Norwood's U19 premiership team in 1965, but as the club had Hadn Bunton, Robert Oatey and Peter Oatey, he was advised to look elsewhere. He ended up at Port Adelaide where he struggled to score a regular game ahead of Brian Cunningham and Darrel Cahill, so he ended up at West Adelaide where he won a Magarey Medal.

gadj1976 wrote:

Pseudo wrote:Simon Tregenza grew up in Glenelg's zone.

Ah ha... I stood Trigger when he was playing for Glenelg in u13's. I was playing for Port at the time. I've wondered for years how he finished up at Port.

The big irony is that he was a red-hot Norwood fan as a kid!

Pseudo wrote:

gadj1976 wrote:

Pseudo wrote:Simon Tregenza grew up in Glenelg's zone.

Ah ha... I stood Trigger when he was playing for Glenelg in u13's. I was playing for Port at the time. I've wondered for years how he finished up at Port.

The big irony is that he was a red-hot Norwood fan as a kid!

So was Gavin Wanganeen according to an article I read on him years ago

Constance_Perm wrote:

Pseudo wrote:

gadj1976 wrote:

Pseudo wrote:Simon Tregenza grew up in Glenelg's zone.

Ah ha... I stood Trigger when he was playing for Glenelg in u13's. I was playing for Port at the time. I've wondered for years how he finished up at Port.

The big irony is that he was a red-hot Norwood fan as a kid!

So was Gavin Wanganeen according to an article I read on him years ago

Well you got Keith Thomas, who apparently was a Port supporter as a kid, so there's some consolation

Gilbert McAdam given that message by NAFC - the rest is history.

Russell Ebert not followed up by the Roosters (as promised) so went to PAFC.

... and I can't tell you the story about Daniel Havelberg wanting to play at Sturt as a junior but not followed up (opps I just did).

Tony Antrobus wanted to play league footy for Port. They told him he was too small to play footy.

MagareyLegend wrote:Russell Ebert not followed up by the Roosters (as promised) so went to PAFC.

North put their time and effort into a young bloke from Whyalla with the first name of Barrie.

No excuse I know, could you imagine those 2 in the same side!

Wedgie wrote:Tony Antrobus wanted to play league footy for Port. They told him he was too small to play footy.

At least they told him to his face instead of forgetting about him like North did with Russell Ebert

GWW wrote:

Wedgie wrote:Tony Antrobus wanted to play league footy for Port. They told him he was too small to play footy.

At least they told him to his face instead of forgetting about him like North did with Russell Ebert

Fair call, I'll cop that.

Another interesting one, is that Tony Modra actually went to a training session with Port one pre season, presumably it was 1990, he went with a mate of his who was playing with Port that year. When he introduced him to Cahill, Jack apparently said something like "sorry, we've already got enough forwards with D Smith, Hodges, Hynes", so that was the end of that, and Mods went off to West.

I got the same "talk" from my coach as Motley, Tregenza, Smart, Antrobus etc

Only problem was my coach was right!!!!