Missing the Characters of our game | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Missing the Characters of our game

D

dimmauchump

Tiger Legend
Apr 1, 2003
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5,613
Just processing the devastating news of Spuds sad passing. I have no interest to post anything to do with the current footy happenings.

It has got me thinking though about the fact that Spud was probably the last of the footy characters. The blokes you wanted to see on the field and then hear from them off it.
Didn't matter who they played for. It's what made me love this game.

I'd watch Melbourne games to see what Allen Jackovic would do on the day. Loved his antics.

Loved watching Mark Lee intimidate opponents and protect the flea.

Would watch the Pies even though I hated them to see BT blow up at the umps and his opponents. See Daicos do something amazing.

Watch the Hawks to see Dermot start an all in.

Watch Capper to see how many marks of the year he could take in one game.

Waverley Park. Who could forget it. It would be 25 and sunny the morning of the game and 5 minutes into the first quarter the sky would be grey, the wind piercing and the rain falling. Made those hot Pies in the outer all the more enjoyable.

I reckon the last of the true characters on the field was our own Richo. Could watch him spray it from 10 metres out only to then take a speccy and slot it from 50 on the boundary while giving the bird.

I really miss those days and Frawley gave us a piece of it every time he was on TV or the radio.
The game unfortunately has been sterilised and the characters removed.
In fact I think the only thing holding me onto the AFL is the love of the Tigers.

Would love to hear other people's stories of the footy characters they loved and miss watching and being a part of. Spud was definitely one.
 
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Yep once the corporates brought the cash they took the soul of the game as payment.
 
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NRL has found it out too.

Running long time clubs from the comp, clubs such as Newtown Jets, Illawarra Steelers were merged with StGeorge Dragons even though they are nowhere near each other, Western Suburbs Magpies, North Sydney Bears and of course the Balamain Tigers.

They also kicked out the South Sydney Bunnies till Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court put in the cash to bail them out and force the NRL to re admit them.

Thats a shed load of disenfranchised fans, hardly anyone goes to games anymore either. The comp lives off the tit of Corporate TV rights and gambling sponsorship. The NRL is a dying competition.

They the Corporates brought in Super League which nearly killed the game and ARL off all together.

They also merged North Sydney and Manly together to have the Northern Eagles before that fell over.

NRL clubs need to change the way they've lived off leagues clubs etc and get membership going like AFL.

Taking the game from the people will in the end kill the game.

There is no greater proof than the Channel 9 flogs saying 2 Sydney clubs need to go.

Hang on you wankers .... how dare the broadcasters start pushing for teams to get rubbed out.
 
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I tend to agree, thinking of players like Bruce Doull and Robert Muir spring to mind, hard to see players like that these days.

The NRL crowds are pathetic, they have a real problem with that as it leaves the clubs very exposed with their small memberships.

AFL is too reliant on TV cash but at least the crowds are very healthy as are the membership numbers, so there is revenue which the clubs can live on, just not enough to maintain the current situation re player wages etc. No idea what happens if the TV rights become less valuable with the media becoming more dispersed - more TV channels, streaming services, internet etc.

DS
 
Richo for me, he could make laugh, make me cry and make me want to pull my hair out. But i always loved him, and still do, there will never be another Richo.
 
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A current richmond player with similar background and values as spud would be liam baker.

Country boy. Speaks like a country boy. Getting the most out of his ability. Gutsy and brave. Popular clubman.
 
These forums and the media are the exact reason there are no characters obvious front and centre any more... every person on earth carrying a camera and a perception, and the multitude of media always wanting to be first rather than correct. I couldn't think of anything worse than the scrutiny these kids cone under from 18 onward..."i saw so and so at the pub, that's an outrage", "how dare blogs take a holiday when he's injured"
Remember chopstick gate....
we killed the characters
 
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