The Spirit of Carlton Past and Present would like to express our deep condolences to Brett Ratten and his family at this very sad time.

Happy 40th to Scott Camporeale!

————–

Career : 1995 – 2005
Debut : Round 1, 1995 vs Collingwood, aged 19 years, 234 days
Carlton Player No. 1001
Games: 252 (233 at Carlton)
Goals: 205 (200 at Carlton)
Last Game : Round 22, 2005 vs North Melbourne, aged 32 years, 15 days
Guernsey No. 16
Height: 180 cm (5 ft. 11 in.)
Weight: 76 kg (12 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : 11 August, 1975
Premiership Player 1995
AFL Rising Star Nominee Round 2, 1995
Best First Year Player 1995
Best and Fairest 2000 (equal)
All Australian 2000

Congratulations to Carlton past player Peter Fyffe, whose Shiraz from his Glenwillow winery is in the running for a major award.

As explained by Peter.

We are very proud to announce the release of our 2012 Reserve Shiraz which coincides with a Gold Medal and 5 star Rating in the recent “Worlds Greatest Shiraz Challenge” run by Winestate Magazine. This event attracted over 500 entries from all over Australia and the world! We are very proud to have been also shortlisted into the final 12 wines to be judged in the “Wine of the Year” award, along with two iconic Australian wines: Penfolds “Grange” ($749.99/bottle) and Henschke “Hill of Grace” ($649.99/bottle).
 
The results of the award for the final 12 wines will be announced in the September issue of Winestate Magazine. We are completely over the moon at Glenwillow to be considered in the same company as “Grange” and “Hill of Grace” at this event.

In the mid 1950’s a Carlton local wandered over to Princes Park and asked if he could have a kick. That local was a very tall teenager, Maurie Pope, who at 198cm is tall even in today’s football let alone football in the 1950’s. Maurie went on to enjoy several years at the Blues as a player including seven senior games from 1956 to 1958. After his playing career Maurie continued to live in Carlton until only very recently when the vagaries of age have meant a move to the surrounds of Victoria by the Park in Elsternwick. We were informed of Maurie’s move and that he remembered his days at the Blues well but did not have any memorablia from his time at the club.

So we went to visit Maurie this week and presented to him two large team photographs, a large portrait photo (see right) and a collection of newspaper articles where Maurie scored a mention. When these were shown to Maurie you could see the twinkle in his eyes and the memories of being a Carlton footballer flooding back. The following couple of hours of conversation were filled with great recollections of a different era of the game. A favourite observation was the description of underperforming players at the time as “liniment thieves”!

It was a pleasure to spend time with Maurie and the information he provided will be invaluable to the Blueseum and the Spirit of Carlton in identifying Carlton players previously unknown.

If any former team-mates or relatives unaware of Maurie’s recent move would like to get in contact with him arrangments can be made with Victoria by the Park, (03) 9524 2111.

Graham Donaldson

Alex Marcou

Wayne Johnston

Happy 70th to Alex Jesaulenko!

———————————-

Career : 1967 – 1979
Debut : Round 1, 1967 vs Fitzroy, aged 21 years, 255 days
Carlton Player No. 793
Games : 256
Goals : 424
Last Game : Grand Final, 1979 vs Collingwood, aged 34 years, 57 days
Guernsey No. 25
Height : 182 cm (5 ft. 11½ in.)
Weight : 89 kgs (14 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : August 2, 1945
Premiership Player: 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979
Leading Goalkicker : 1969, 1970, 1971
Captain: 1975, 1976
Captain-Coach: 1978, 1979
Best and Fairest: 1975
Carlton Hall of Fame
Team of the Century
AFL Team of the Century
Carlton and AFL Legend

Happy 70th to Ron Stone!

————————–

Career : 1965 – 1969
Debut : Round 11, 1965 vs St Kilda, aged 19 years, 338 days
Carlton Player No. 775
Games : 60
Goals : 13
Last Game : Round 20, 1969 vs Essendon, aged 24 years, 31 days
Guernsey No. 44 (1964 – 1969).
Height : 187 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 85 kg (13 stone, 5 lbs.)
DOB : July 30, 1945

As at 2011, only seven players have worn the number 44 guernsey in a senior match for the Blues. The first was Maurie Sankey in 1959, and the second was Ron Stone, a versatile all-rounder from Wangaratta who made his way up through the Under 19 and Reserves teams to make 60 appearances between 1965 and ’69.

Remembered for his awkward but effective kicking style, Stone played as a ruckman in Carlton’s Under 19 Premiership team in 1963, his first season at Princes Park after being recruited from Wangaratta Combined Churches. A year later he was impressing at Reserves level, and in round 11, 1965 he made his senior debut as 19th man for the Blues in a milestone match against St Kilda. That game was Carlton’s first foray to the Saints’ new home ground at Moorabbin, and it finished in melodramatic circumstances when an ex-Blue, Bruce McMaster-Smith, kicked the winning goal for the home side with only seconds left on the clock.

While Carlton headed toward a mid-table finish that year under the coaching of former Melbourne champion Ron Barassi, Stone was given opportunities in a variety of positions during the latter half of the season, including centre half-forward, ruck, and full-back. He proved capable in all of them, and his versatility was a real advantage to a team on the rise.

In round 11, 1966, Stone enjoyed one of the highlights of his career when he kicked the winning goal for Carlton against Collingwood at Victoria Park, and in 1967 the Baggers made the finals for the first time in five years. Stone was stationed in the back pocket to pick up the opposition’s resting ruckman in both of Carlton’s lacklustre efforts that September; a 40-point Semi Final loss to Richmond, and a 29-point defeat by Geelong in the Preliminary Final.

From then on however, Ron’s opportunities at senior level began to dry up. After 11 games during 1968, he was left out of the Blues squad when the finals rolled around again. Carlton was the outstanding team of the competition that year, and duly claimed the flag after a tight scrap with Essendon in a wind-effected Grand Final.

Stone added the last seven games of his career to his tally in 1969. Overlooked again for the finals, he was somewhat inevitably delisted at the end of the year after Carlton’s loss to Richmond in another torrid Grand Final. His last match in navy blue came in round 20, 1969 at Windy Hill, when Carlton staged a stirring comeback from 41 points down in the first quarter, to beat Essendon by 11. Alex Jesaulenko and Brent Crosswell led the revival by the Blues that afternoon, and kicked 11 goals between them.

Stone also wore No. 43 for Carlton reserves during the 1963 season.

Milestones

50 Games: Round 8, 1968 Vs Fitzroy
1963 – U/19’s Premiership

Happy 50th to Ian Muller.

——————-

Career: 1984-1985
Debut: Round 14, 1984 vs Richmond, aged 18 years, 343 days
920th Carlton Player
Games: 6 (Carlton), 27 (Overall)
Goals: Nil (2 goals overall)
Last game: Round 22, 1985 vs Collingwood, aged 20 years, 39 days
Guernsey No. 29
Height: 186cm
Weight: 81kg
DOB: 23 July, 1965

Wearing guernsey #29, Muller played 6 games for Carlton after debuting in Navy Blue in Season 1984. Muller was 186cm tall.

Muller would move on to St Kilda from 1987 to 1991, playing 21 games and kicking 2 goals to add to his tally. Originally from Maffra, Muller was recruited to the Blues from Scotch College.

Ian Muller was born in South Africa.

Career Highlights

1986 – Reserves Premiership

Greg Sharp

Robbert Klomp

Peter Bosustow

Paramount Sporting Photo of the 1922 Carlton team, featuring the Former Players and Officials Association inaugural President of 1955 Vern Wright (second player from the left, middle row) and committeeman Rupe Hiskens (third player from the right, back row). Harry Toole is the second player from the left in the back row, while Newton Chandler sits to Wright’s immediate right.

On the night of Tuesday, August 16, 1955, the former Carlton footballer Henry William Cleveland Toole wheeled his way through the doors of the football club entrance at the old Princes Park ground. Toole, whose recent illness had forced the removal of both legs, had regained his mobility by way of a wheelchair paid for by the then President Ken Luke.

At the much-anticipated reunion, “Harry” Toole had come home to thank the great “KG” for this noble gesture, and to formally acknowledge the enduring support of two old on-field contemporaries of the 1920s – Billy Blackman and Newton Chandler, “The Grand Old Man of Princes Park”.

Toole’s welcome presence on a night in which yarns were shared of the days that used to be, underpinned a landmark moment in Carlton history. Earlier that evening, the club’s Former Players and Officials Association (the Spirit of Carlton as it is now known) was formally established.

The Association’s founding was recorded by the then Carlton secretary Wally Floyd in the club’s annual report of that year.

“The formation of a Former Players, Officials and Staff Association has been under discussion for some years, but during the past season the committee made a decisive move, after presentations from a number of former players – headed by M. Ewins, V. Wright, R. Hiskens and J. Watson – to have the secretary draw up a draft constitution for consideration at the annual re-union of former players,” Floyd wrote.

“Accordingly, on Friday, 12th August, a very representative gathering, called together by press notices and circular where addresses were known, met and successfully launched the Association. The secretary’s draft constitution was adopted with only minor alteration and office-bearers elected and installed.”

Floyd noted that the Brunswick-born five-game former Carlton footballer Vernon Wright was elected President with the 18-game returned serviceman Morris Ewins “of 66 Glengyle Street, Coburg” the Honorary Secretary and another former player, Cr. Frank Williams, Treasurer.

“A strong committee was also formed and this has met on many occasions since and has drawn up details for full-scale activities for 1956,” Floyd declared.

“Those eligible for membership are former senior players, officials and staff of the C.F.C. and further information can be gained from either the Club or Association secretaries.”

The Former Players and Officials Association prospered through the 1960s under the watch of Wright and secretary Reg Morgan – the baseballer turned footballer who was lucky to survive a ruptured spleen when representing this club’s reserve grade team in 1943.

Through the years, past player reunions were regularly convened at Princes Park on matchdays – for a time in the Heatley Stand, then in the Gardiner and later the Hawthorn Stand, in a room whose walls were festooned with photographs of past Carlton greats. The President Chris Pavlou, himself a loyal servant as player, coach and director, hosted these much-loved club functions.

In November 2006, through the informal overtures of the club’s former runner Bob Lowrie, a solid core of former players, coaches and administrators gathered at Giancarlo Caprioli’s University Café on Lygon Street to assess their beloved Carlton’s waning fortunes. Pondering the malaise were Jim Buckley, Mike Fitzpatrick, Ken Hunter, Steve Kernahan, Mark Maclure, Keith McKenzie, David Parkin, Val Perovic, David Rhys-Jones, Geoff Southby and Robert Walls, with apologies accepted from Alex Marcou and David McKay.

The gathering of greats to a man resolved to restore and enhance the spirit and culture of the Carlton Football Club in a non-political way.

Hence the slogan “Spirit of Carlton” was born.

Two years later, at an annual general meeting of the Past Players’ Association, it was resolved that the Spirit of Carlton group would form an amalgam with the traditional association, and that the entity’s name “The Spirit of Carlton Past & Present” would be adopted.

The outgoing president, 1968 Carlton Premiership player Dennis Munari and former president Pavlou, both of whom had worked tirelessly in keeping the traditional association up and running, were on hand for the transition, in keeping with Vern Wright’s vision of all those years ago.

Congratulations to Syd Jackson, who was inducted into the West Australian Hall of Fame last night.

A well deserved recognition for a great man.

This distinction adds to Syd’s membership of the Carlton Hall of Fame and the AFLPA Indigenous Team of the Century.

Who’s the former Carlton player pelted with pastries (specifically two meat pies and an Aussie pizza) in a film currently featuring at ACMI’s Screen Worlds exhibition?

If you guessed the Blues’ former 14-gamer Paul McCormack then treat yourself to a jam tart, as McCormack and a host of other models appear in filmmaker Marcus Lyall’s Slow Service, which was produced back in 2003.

Why McCormack completed this unusual cinematic cameo is another story altogether – and it’s a long story,” according to the man in question.

“I was in Adelaide playing footy for Norwood, during which time I got involved in some drama classes and a bit of acting,” McCormack said. “I landed a few little roles here and there, and the opportunity to appear in Slow Service came through Marcus, who’s a friend of a friend of mine Shauna Keenan, ‘Crackers’ Keenan’s niece.

“Marcus said to me ‘We’re filming these slow-mos in Melbourne, would you be interested in being part?’, and I said ‘no worries’.

It happened a few years ago now, and if my memory serves the pizza was loaded up with spaghetti.”

Shot on a high-tech, ultra-slow motion digital camera normally used for industrial purposes such as crash-test dummy demonstrations, Slow Service introduced a new element to the gallery experience: the food fight. In it, we see slow-moving swaths of pumpkin soup, dollops of pea mash and the apocalyptic cloud of white flour landing on Lyall’s hapless subjects, McCormack included, each unable to avoid the imminent crash.

Incredibly, Slow Service’s genesis involved a film crew, a large studio, 50,000 watts of lighting, a large supermarket trolley of food and ten days of post-production.

McCormack’s acting foray was not confined to Lyall’s film. He appeared in a television commercial for Hostplus, and later as a racist cop in Jay Harkness’ Australian feature film “Dope”. Of his celluloid appearance in the latter, McCormack advises “there are a couple of scenes in there, but a few ended up on the cutting room floor”.

McCormack then bobbed up at the Fringe Festival in the play “Electric Zoo”, in the role of Robert Wright – one of five prisoners killed when a fire was lit behind the bluestone walls of Pentridge’s maximum security west wing in which they were barricaded back in 1987.

Now a teacher at Parkdale Secondary College (and resident coach of 2nd division football club Bayswater), McCormack conceded that his days as a thespian are all but over. As he said: “It just got a bit too difficult with auditioning and even then you’re no certainty of getting the job”.

Slow Service can be seen in its entirety at Screen Worlds – a permanent exhibition at ACMI, Federation Square, which tells the remarkable story of the moving image. Screen Worlds is open daily and is free of charge.

Happy 60th to Mark Maclure!

—————

From the Blueseum:

Career: 1974 – 1986
Debut: Round 13, 1974 vs Geelong, aged 18 years, 350 days
Carlton Player No. 846
Games: 243
Goals: 327
Last Game: Grand Final, 1986 vs Hawthorn, aged 31 years, 75 days
Guernsey No. 36
Height: 188 cm (6 ft. 2 in.)
Weight: 89.5 kg (14 stone, 1 lb.)
DOB: 14 July, 1955
Premiership Player: 1979, 1981, 1982
Club Leading Goalkicker: 1977, 1985
Victorian Representative: 1977, 1980
Club Captain: 1986
Carlton Hall of Fame: 1995

In a long and successful career with the Blues between 1974 and 1986, “Sellers” Maclure wore his number 36 guernsey in 243 games, including solid contributions in each of the 1979, 1981, and 1982 Carlton Premierships. Originally groomed as a defender, he became one of the better centre half-forwards of his era; a strong marking, hard-tackling team player who brought those around him into the game. Although sometimes prone to inconsistency, his career average of 18 games per season is a good indicator of his value to the Blues.

Early in his career, when Maclure began confirming that Carlton had unearthed another promising key position prospect, the football press of the day made much of the story that the 188 cm, 89 kg blonde forward had been recruited from the East Sydney Australian Football Club in Sydney. Portrayed as one of the trail-blazers for our code in the heartland of rugby league, Maclure was later seen as one of the standard-bearers of the AFL push into Sydney.

That claim proved to be a very cheeky one. While Maclure was in fact signed to Carlton from the Sydney club, he had actually been born in WA, and took to the game in the southern states. This came about because Mark’s father was in the Australian Navy at the time, so Mark played football wherever his family was sent. At the height of the Vietnam conflict in the early 1970’s, that meant Sydney.

Maclure began his career at Princes Park with the Under 19 squad, but progressed quickly through the Reserves team and made his senior debut in round 13 of 1974, against Geelong at Princes Park. Although Carlton dominated the match and won by 73 points, Maclure had a torrid introduction to senior football at full back. It was a spiteful affair, and players from both sides ended up on report.

Two weeks later, ‘Sellers’ was given his first opportunity at centre half-forward when Carlton played Richmond in the Match of the Day at the MCG. This time, the Tigers’ notorious knuckleman, Mal Brown, tried working him over, and Maclure was reported for retaliating. He beat the charge at a tribunal hearing, but afterward was sent back into defence, where he spent the best part of two seasons.

In 1976, Maclure experienced finals football for the first time. Carlton topped the ladder, only to lose the Second Semi-Final to Hawthorn by three goals, and the Preliminary Final to North Melbourne by 1 point. ‘Sellers’ played both of those matches at centre half-back, and finished the year with a career total of 51 games and five goals – figures that made his subsequent achievements even more impressive.

Eventually, in 1977 he was sent forward again, and this time, proved to be a more than handy extra marking target in a Carlton attack that already featured the aerial skills of Robert Walls, David McKay and former Collingwood star Peter McKenna. Although Carlton disappointed by tumbling to sixth on the ladder, Maclure was a revelation. His 39 goals for the season won him the Blues’ goal-kicking award, and he was selected in the Victorian state squad mid-season.

When Robert Walls played the last of his 218 games for Carlton against South Melbourne at the Lake Oval in April, 1978, and then departed for Fitzroy, Maclure stood out as his logical replacement at centre half-forward. From then on, and for most of the next decade, the big blonde was an integral part of some of Carlton’s all-time great teams.

From 1979 his partnership with ‘The Dominator;’ Wayne Johnston, often created havoc for opposition teams – as it did in Carlton’s thrilling 5-point victory over Collingwood that year’s Grand Final. And when brilliant West Australian Peter ‘The Buzz’ Bosustow arrived at Princes Park in 1981, he completed a half-forward line that still stands as one of the Blues’ best ever. At times unstoppable, the trio were a big factor in the back to back Carlton flags of 1981-’82.

Maclure was Carlton’s leading goal-kicker for the second time in 1985, and was honoured with the captaincy of the club in 1986. Unfortunately for Mark, that season, which should have been a highlight for him, was ruined by a serious back injury. He played in his fourth Grand Final in Carlton’s big defeat by Hawthorn, then retired at the end of the year aged 31. Later, he headed north to take up an appointment as assistant coach of the fledgling Brisbane Bears before becoming a popular and television and radio commentator. In 1995, he was a worthy inductee into the Carlton Hall of Fame.

And what of that nickname? Well, Carlton folklore has it that Premiership ruckman ‘Percy’ Jones dubbed Maclure “Sellers” because Mark used to bumble his way around Princes Park like Peter Sellers’ famous character, Inspector Clouseau, in the popular Pink Panther movie series. However, in a 2012 radio interview, Maclure revealed that it was in fact Carlton trainer Leo Brooks who came up with the name.

Mark Maclure Interview

In a 4-part interview, Mark talks at length about his career to Mark Fine and Geoff Poulter on radio station SEN, Feb 15, 2012.
www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Mark-Maclure-Part1/3924

Milestones

50 Games: Semi Final, 1976 vs Nth Melbourne
100 Games: Round 7, 1979 vs Nth Melbourne
150 Games: Round 13, 1981 vs Fitzroy
200 Games: Round 21, 1984 vs Footscray

100 Goals: Round 10, 1979 vs Collingwood
200 Goals: Round 17, 1982 vs Geelong
300 Goals: Round 6, 1986 vs Sydney

Career Highlights

1974 – 5th Reserves Best & Fairest won on countback
1974 – Mrs Jean Cook Most Improved Reserve Player Award
1975 – 10th Best & Fairest
1976 – Equal 9th Best & Fairest
1977 – Victorian Representative
1977 – Club Leading Goalkicker
1977 – 4th Best & Fairest
1978 – Arthur Reyment Memorial Trophy: 2nd Best & Fairest
1979 – 4th Best & Fairest
1979 – Premiership Player
1980 – Victorian Representative
1981 – Best Clubman Award
1981 – Premiership Player
1982 – Premiership Player
1984 – 3rd Best & Fairest
1985 – Club Leading Goalkicker
1985 – 3rd Best & Fairest
1985 – Best Clubman Award
1986 – Captain
1995 – Carlton Hall of Fame

Happy 50th to David Kernahan!

—–

From the Blueseum:

Career: 1988–1993
Debut: Round 1, 1988 v Hawthorn, aged 22 years, 266 days
949th Carlton Player
Games: 53
Goals: 8
Last game: Round 18, 1993 v Hawthorn, aged 28 years, 20 days
Guernsey No. 28
Height: 188cm
Weight: 83kg
DOB: 11 July, 1965

The younger and smaller brother of Carlton’s immortal Stephen Kernahan, David spent six seasons at Princes Park from 1988 to 1993. He seemed destined for a good career when he kicked the match-winning goal in his first senior game against Hawthorn, and then making the top 5 in the B&F in both 1990 and 1991. Incidentally, it was in 1990 that he brought up the only Brownlow Vote of his career, with a strong game against the Swans in Round 14.

Unfortunately for David, his arrival at Carlton from Glenelg in South Australia coincided with a slump in team performance in the years following the 1987 Premiership. Originally considered as a forward, he found a niche in defence in his second year, playing a string of solid games.

Then, just as he was cementing a regular place in the team, he was struck down by hamstring and groin injuries that hampered his career from that point on, taking a heavy toll on the 188 cm, 83 kg utility and restricting him to just 53 games in six seasons. He showed plenty of grit in persisting until 1993 before returning home.

Milestones

50 Games: Round 16, 1992 Vs Brisbane Bears

Career Highlights

1989 – Reserves Best Clubman Award
1990 – Equal 5th Best & Fairest
1991 – 5th Best & Fairest

Alumni in need

The AFLPA currently have a handful of past players who are searching for employment. If you, or anyone you know might be able to offer any employment leads, please contact Alumni Manager, Brad Fisher – bfisher@aflplayers.com.au

Access the AFLPA services

We have never had greater uptake of our Alumni benefits and services, but we still have plenty of scope to offer support to all past players.
Click here for participating doctors.

Players Trust has assisted 12 Alumni members since 2014
Total of $122,590

Hospital Excess Reimbursements have assisted 703 members since 2008
Total of $356,851

Geoff Pryor Hardship Grants have assisted 98 Alumni members since 2008
Total of $369,058

Bulk Billing of General Practitioners assisted almost 100 Alumni Members so far in 2015.

Almost thirty four years had passed since the last time David Rhys-Jones and Brent Crosswell had met off the footy field. Last week it was in the luxury of Garry Baker’s RockWall restaurant in Hobart’s Salamanca Place. Thirty four years ago it was on a Monday night at the VFL tribunal.

The then 19 year old Rhys-Jones was facing five charges from the recent clash at the MCG between his South Melbourne Swans and the Melbourne Demons. Luckily Rhys managed to avoid any sanction for the first four charges and decided to plead guilty to his last charge. The last charge happened to be for striking Peter Smith, yes that Peter Smith, 33 games for Carlton and former team-mate of Brent Crosswell, also the son of legendary Melbourne coach, Norm Smith. Who is of course the VFL legend for whom the Norm Smith medal is named, which David Rhys-Jones won in the 1987 Carlton premiership. Footy can weave some intricate webs at times.

Rhys, struck Peter in the aftermath of a tussle with Peter ‘Crackers’ Keenan, where Rhys told the tribunal that Peter Smith tried to break up the two wrestling footballers using extenuating circumstances. In fact the two circumstances which were extenuated were so painful they resulted in the subsequent strike to the noggin. The tribunal decided to give Rhys four weeks on the sidelines and his 1981 season was over. Needless to say, Rhys decided never to plead guilty again at the tribunal.

Brent Crosswell was up for ‘charging’ Rhys-Jones earlier in the game. In an act of symmetry the tribunal also dealt Tiger a four week suspension and the end of his 1981 VFL season. Brent was towards the end of his career and it looked like this suspension may spell the end. But as fate would have it Tiger would go around again for two more seasons continuing the great proton and electron dance of repulsion and attraction he and Ron Barrassi had been doing for thirteen years.

Peter Webster

Rohan Brown

Renato Serafini

The Spirit of Carlton Past and Present would like to extend our deep condolences to Vin Catoggio and his family on the loss of family patriarch, Leo Catoggio. Leo was a well loved member of the Carlton family who will be missed by everyone at the Carlton Football Club.