Hi all, Thanks for this great give away comp, I am not sure if I am too late for an entry...but all the same I will relay some of my favourite moments and players and my best of best moment.
I never got to see Peter Hudson play AFL live, but I did get to see him play live in the TFL (Tassie Football League) for Glenorchy in the late ‘70s. He was just unstoppable! I remember one game where he kicked 18 goals, he marked everything and kicked them from everywhere (with that ugly flat punt kicking style) - with three or four players hanging off him in marking contests.
Other highlights - I remember those amazing marks (or at least some of us getting to the vintage age) – Jezza’s Grand Final mark, many amazing marks from Peter Knights, Trevor Barker, Tony Modra, Gary Ablett snr, Pete Bosustow’s screamer pack mark, Shaun White and Gary Moorcroft goal square marks. I recall those big hits Magro on Jezza, Card on Keith Greig, and Yeates on Brereton. What about those bizarre moments, Jacko Jackson’s antics – just about every game he played, and umpire Peter Carey’s chest mark (late ‘90s Freo at home vs The Saints) – he is probably the only umpire in the history of the game to get a stat!
But my best and most favourite AFL moment was watching Ted Whitten do a lap of honour at the MCG in 1995 a short time before he passed away. It was one of those occasions where it brought the whole football community together. Regardless as to whether you barracked for the Doggies, Freo, the Swannies or other codes for that matter it was just one of those moments where everyone was overawed, it gave me goose bumps and I had a wet feeling on my cheek. Ted helped to bring into the spotlight this insidious disease of prostate cancer and no doubt has saved many people’s lives as a consequence. This is my favourite moment and this is one of the reasons why I believe AFL football is a great game – this moment and larger than life characters like Ted.
Just adding:
My favourite team is Carlton
My favourite player over the years has been Alex Jesaulenko
Cheers all Rick