BRIAN TOLD ME

"Barry Hall on Staker was the biggest hit in the history of the game."

~~ Brian Taylor, AFL Teams.

Before you let fly.

If, by "biggest hit", BT means "biggest punch in the face shown on television in the AFL/VFL", and not any of the countless "biggest hits" in country and suburban footy, he might be somewhere in the vicinity of large scale biggest hittery.

If he means "biggest hit" as in massive shit-mixer, then he's talking through his moustache. Think back through the history of the caper: the elbows, Stan Magro on Alex Jesaulenko; the swinging arms, Rodney Grinter on Terry Wallace; the shirt fronts, Ray Card on Keith Greig; the iconic misses, Robbie Muir on Dennis Collins; the Lethal Leighs, any of Leigh Matthews' assassinations of various opponents, including his hit on Neville Bruns which attracted police attention. And that's just the VFL/AFL back to the 1970s. The VFL became a blood sport long before then. And doubtless there were numerous "biggest hits" in the SANFL and WAFL.

Comments

[RT]

Hall on Staker was certainly the most televised hit in the history of the game. That one went round the world and back again.

I was sadly watching that Ch 9 Footy Show a week or so back and they had Campbell Brown on, who was subjected to footage of father Malcolm's punch on Trevor Keogh. He took it well "that's the only footage I've ever seen of the old man" but I'm sure Keogh wouldn't be best pleased seeing it again, as he touches his false teeth. Good player Trevor Keogh.

[Tony]

BT must have trouble with anything before Fox Footy.

And I still think Hall's hit on Staker was accidental. He was swinging his arms around, like he does, to shake off Staker, but unfortunately for both, he connected flush on Staker's sweet spot.

[RT]

Interestingly, Staker has hardly played a decent game since and is currently in the WAFL I think. Never an A-grader but certainly a very useful tall option pre-swinging-arm.

Heard Staker interviewed once, it's like he'd just been hit. Monosyllabic goon.

[Tony]

West Aussies marked his cards in the 2005 Grand Final when he fumbled a ball running into goal and then gave away a dumb 50. More than one 'Groper has been known to mutter through clenched teeth: "Good. He deserved it."

[RT]

Yes, now you mention it, that last qtr Staker mistakerfest. Just missed the '06 flag team too, after playing nearly all the games that year.

[Tony]

They call it "doing a Kickett" or "a McCartney".

[RT]

Or "a Graham". That Toasted lad was unlucky.

[Tony]

Or a "McKeown". The story goes that he was suited up, ready to go for the 1990 grand final, when he looked at the board and couldn't see his name anywhere.

[RT]

That is not fair. Graham took it well, he retired at age 24.

[os]

It wasn't the biggest hit, but I reckon it was one of the sweetest. Sweet as a nut, a clean click, lights out. But I also agree, I think it was an accident.

[Tony]

As sweet as any of the Sweet Science's "biggest hits".

[Big Ramifications]

Matthews on Cable [state game]

There's famous legal shirtfront involving a Richmond player but I'll be buggered if I can remember names at the moment. Stay tuned...

I stumbled across this thread a minute ago:

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=435045

Milburn on SOS is freaking nasty - youtube link in the above thread. Can't remember the hit, but I'm pretty sure I can remember the spectators' reactions.

[RT]

A caller rang in when Lethal was on radio last month and asked "have you seen Neville Bruns at all?". A simple "No I haven't" response from Lethal. He sounds such an polite, easy going gent on TV and radio. No better nickname when player however.

Rod Grinter's bump on Mew in the '87 prelim was a beauty.

[Big Ramifications]

Jim Jess on Kenny Hunter in the 1982 Grannie was the one I was trying to remember.

Big ups to my man Shane in Geraldton, he came up with the goods. Weird how one’s memory can half work. I knew I was trying to think of someone with a one-syllable surname, but the rest was a blank.

[Gareth]

"Interestingly, Staker has hardly played a decent game since and is currently in the WAFL I think."

Staker hardly played a decent game before. Desperately hoping he still has some residual trade value.

Mistaker is what he's called in polite blue and gold circles, ie. my mates.

[Tony]

Neil Balme of Geoff Southby in the 1973 grand final.

My mate Reggie Johnson got fixed up in the first quarter of the 1986 UGSFL grand final. That win was bigger than any pissant VFL/AFL/SANFL/WAFL GF. We won, though.

South Aussies always go on about Grave Danger and Graham Cornes.

Mistaker. (And Tom Sizemore.)

[Hangover Black]

The first swipe by Hall on Staker was a "Get Off Me", the second was intentional beyond reasonable doubt. And I don't know how it could be viewed otherwise.

On a related topic, having seen the replay (and how could he not have), it would have been interesting to have seen Paul Roos pull Hall from the ground for the remainder of the game - like a voluntary send-off rule. You would still be hearing the plaudits from all and sundry for the gesture. It would have been remebered for years, and would have arguably been a better lesson for Hall than the 7 or 8 weeks holiday he got. Harvey could have done the same thing after Solomon's elbow on Ling last year too.

[m0nty]

O'Dea on Greening back in the (o') day was arguably the biggest. Plod getting involved with Lethal on Bruns also up there. The weak dog who sniped Brereton in 1989 also should be mentioned.

[Adam 1.0]

Mitch Robinson will be happy there's no footage of him decking Rohan Bail behind the play at Princes Park yesterday. It was Hall-esque and apparently resulted in a broken jaw.