SA Footy

Why did Matthew Robran play for Norwood instead of North Adelaide?

Given his dad is a Legend at North Im curious why this happened.

Several North supporters on here will have greater knowledge than me, but my recollection was that there was a falling out between Nunan and Robran when the former became coach at North.

There have been stories of Nunan having photos of Robran taken down in the NAFC clubrooms, all in the context of not living in the past anymore.

I'm guessing Robran only became involved with North again when Nunan left.

Maybe he lived in Norwood's zone?

Is there a father-son rule that overrides in which club zone you live?

Hondo wrote:Maybe he lived in Norwood's zone?

Is there a father-son rule that overrides in which club zone you live?

I think there is.


Brooksby from South Adelaide is a father/son recruitment despite not living anywhere near the zone.

IIRC the Robran Brothers both wanted to play with their school mates so off to Norwood they went with their fathers blessings.

Hondo wrote:Maybe he lived in Norwood's zone?

Is there a father-son rule that overrides in which club zone you live?

Yes

It's all explained in the unauthorized biography of Barrie Robran.

The Robran boys actually lived in North's area and Matthew played under 15s at North. There certainly was the falling out with Nunan, but also the boys went to Marryatville High School, which was well and truly in the Norwood area.

The father/son rule was in place at the time. The Gallaghers and Fosdikes played for Norwood because of it and Troy Lehmann played for North at exactly the same time as the Robran's went to Norwood. Lehmann was from Waikerie which was in the West area.

faarking garden gnome ...

What was the fall out between Robran and Nunan about?

Both icons of the club.

Bit of a shame Barrie's boys did not play for North Adelaide, I personally like family history at football clubs.

Currently really enjoy watching Keegan Brooksby play for South and this year in particular he really took another step forward with his game. Great talking to my old man who remembers Phil Brooksby running around for South in the 70's. Love that family history!!!!!

Nunan did a clean out of every thing Robran when he took over, didn't want the club living in the past, I'm sure there is more to it than that though, I don't think Barrie would be too upset by that in itself

Ian wrote:Nunan did a clean out of every thing Robran when he took over, didn't want the club living in the past, I'm sure there is more to it than that though, I don't think Barrie would be too upset by that in itself

Surely there was something that led to Nunan taking that action. The living in the past thing looks like a convenient excuse to me

I personally believe stories that Nunan removed everything linked to Robran, and that caused the issue.

He (Nunan) was a little bit "different".

Ian wrote:Nunan did a clean out of every thing Robran when he took over, didn't want the club living in the past, I'm sure there is more to it than that though, I don't think Barrie would be too upset by that in itself

There was quite an uproar at the time (1982), but as I remember it the main bar (premiership room now) had all "old" photos removed and it became all about the current playing squad, and photos of them.
Older photos and premiership team photos were still displayed in the upstairs bar. Not many people realise this as it was used less.

And FWIW the living in the past thing was wearing thin with me at the time (and I'm a historian ). We hadn't made the finals since 1975 and everytime we'd lose someone at the bar would inevititablly bring up 1971 and 1972. Yeah. Great. But I want to go to Football Park THIS september.

Panther Pack wrote:What was the fall out between Robran and Nunan about?

Both icons of the club.

Bit of a shame Barrie's boys did not play for North Adelaide, I personally like family history at football clubs.

Currently really enjoy watching Keegan Brooksby play for South and this year in particular he really took another step forward with his game. Great talking to my old man who remembers Phil Brooksby running around for South in the 70's. Love that family history!!!!!

I worked with Phil a while back ... top bloke.

Pretty disrespectfull of Nunan to do that.
The past can also be used as a motivational tool.

Never liked him, loved beating him back to back GF's.

Weird little person!

In his playing days, Matthew Robran was one of the most skillful big men I've ever seen, had fantastic hand and foot skills.

An under-rated performer in those Crows GFs. And almost as important a pick-up as D. Jarman.
I thought it was nice that he was able to create his own little piece of football history as an AFL premiership player - as it must have been, on occasions, tough to live in the shadow of St Barrie (a shadow often not of father's making given his humility).

robranisgod wrote:It's all explained in the unauthorized biography of Barrie Robran.

The Robran boys actually lived in North's area and Matthew played under 15s at North. There certainly was the falling out with Nunan, but also the boys went to Marryatville High School, which was well and truly in the Norwood area.

The father/son rule was in place at the time. The Gallaghers and Fosdikes played for Norwood because of it and Troy Lehmann played for North at exactly the same time as the Robran's went to Norwood. Lehmann was from Waikerie which was in the West area.

was it also due to the pressure of being the "Sons of Barrie", and them wanting to make their own name/way in football?

Leaping Lindner wrote:

Ian wrote:Nunan did a clean out of every thing Robran when he took over, didn't want the club living in the past, I'm sure there is more to it than that though, I don't think Barrie would be too upset by that in itself

There was quite an uproar at the time (1982), but as I remember it the main bar (premiership room now) had all "old" photos removed and it became all about the current playing squad, and photos of them.
Older photos and premiership team photos were still displayed in the upstairs bar. Not many people realise this as it was used less.

And FWIW the living in the past thing was wearing thin with me at the time (and I'm a historian ). We hadn't made the finals since 1975 and everytime we'd lose someone at the bar would inevititablly bring up 1971 and 1972. Yeah. Great. But I want to go to Football Park THIS september.

They still bring it up whenever they can. Shits me to tears.