Players Recruited from Other VFL/AFL clubs

Football Discussion Stargazer Memorial EFC History Board
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Prior to the seventies players transferring between clubs was a fairly uncommon event, especially for well known footballers. Nowadays it is not uncommon for players to transfer between clubs. In my days of watching football I have seen quite a number of players come into the Essendon Football Club after
starting their careers elsewhere. I have listed all of the players I know of who played at least one game for Essendon after starting their careers elsewhere.

 

Using these criteria means that players like Andrew Bomford are not listed as he didn't play a game for Sydney before he was recruited and Kerry Good, John Fidge and Doc Wheildon are not listed as they did not play senior football at Essendon. Neville Fields and John Barnes aren't listed either because they started at EFC before they left and then returned.

 

Players are listed in order of games played for EFC from Terry Daniher at 294 games down to Don Mattson, Robert Hyde, Mark Hannebery, Stephen Pirrie and Michael O'Sullivan with one game. A side point to that is Don Mattson didn't even get onto the ground and spent the entire day, and therefore his EFC career, on the bench after being injured in the warm up at VFL Park in 1977. This allowed 15 year old Tim Watson to start on the ground in his first game instead of the bench where he was named.

 

Terry Daniher, Sean Wellman, Sean Denham, Adam McPhee, Paul Barnard, Anthony Daniher, Ben Doolan, Barry Young, Derek Kickett, Alan Stoneham, Des Tuddenham, Russell Muir, Peter Bennett, Tony Elshaug, Mark Fraser, Steven Taubert, Grant Fowler, Brian Walsh, Bryan Wood, Damian Cupido, Justin Murphy, Mal Michael, Brent Prismall, Neil Besanko, Allan Davis, Brian Winton, Peter Keenan, Colin Boyd, Wayne Foreman, Andrew Manning, Ian McMullin, Graeme Jenkin, Brendon Goddard, Matthew Allan, Rene Kink, Jack Baggott, Peter Francis, Scott Camporeale, Cameron Clayton, Simon Eastaugh, Michael Richardson, Geoff Raines, Tim Darcy, Mark Alvey, Bernie Jones, Hayden Skipworth, Phil Carman, David Sullivan, Ty Zantuck, Dale Kickett, Jonathon Robran, Daryl Cunningham, Paul Morrish, Richard Cole, Kelvin Steel, Andrew Merryweather, Mark Williams, Ian Morrison, Roy Ramsay, Doug Cox, Paul O'Brien, David Robertson, Brendan Bower, Brian Brown, Ilija Grgic, Don Mattson, Robert Hyde, Mark Hannebery, Stephen Pirrie and Michael O'Sullivan.

 

I may have missed some from the early days as the only one I have listed is Jack Baggott who came across from Richmond to Captain Coach the club in the thirties.

 

This should allow people to have a think of who has been the highest profile recruit and who has been the best value. 

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That was a good effort putting that list together. Naturally enough you missed one or two though. There was Bruce Brown (son of Herald footy journalist Alf Brown) who played one game in 1972 after joining us from Melbourne. Bill Valli came to us from Collingwood and played one game in 1980.  And my recollection, possibly faulty, is that Peter Bourke, who played a game in 1988, came from Fitzroy.

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Thanks Goodthur. I thought about Peter Bourke but my research indicated that he played under 19s and reserves at Fitzroy before he came to EFC and only played seniors at Fitzroy when he returned to them.

I don’t know how I missed Bill Valli though, he won the Gardiner medal after coming from Collingwood after swapping him for Barry Day.

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Thanks Goodthur. I thought about Peter Bourke but my research indicated that he played under 19s and reserves at Fitzroy before he came to EFC and only played seniors at Fitzroy when he returned to them.
I don't know how I missed Bill Valli though, he won the Gardiner medal after coming from Collingwood after swapping him for Barry Day.


Great effort putting together this list.
Amazingly in one completed season, Goddard has already played more games than half the guys on that list.
Doesn't say much for our past recruiters.
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Three of those players  coached west coburg in the edfl in the 80s brian walsh,robert hyde and russell muir.

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I would probably have Tuddenham as the highest profile recruit, ahead of Goddard, Carman, Keenan and Anthony Daniher in that order.

 

The best value was Terry Daniher without a doubt. Wellman, Denham, Anthony Daniher, Barnard, Stoneham and Young also gave us plenty. Brian Walsh the ex-Carlton rover too. He wasn't in the same class as the others mentioned but he brought a touch of professionalism to the club at a time we desperately needed it.

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Thanks Goodthur. I thought about Peter Bourke but my research indicated that he played under 19s and reserves at Fitzroy before he came to EFC and only played seniors at Fitzroy when he returned to them.
I don't know how I missed Bill Valli though, he won the Gardiner medal after coming from Collingwood after swapping him for Barry Day.

Gardiner medal named after my great grandfather , not happy they got rid of it !!!
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Old Boy of the Argus reports the death in 1930 of Syd Barker, premiership captain of North Melbourne in the VFA and premiership captain-coach of Essendon in the VFL.

18551.SBarker_R.png

Admirers of a fine althlete will regret to learn of the death, which occured early yesterday morning at the Hoddle street fire station, Abbotsford of Sydney Barker, formerly captain and coach of the North Melbourne and Essendon clubs He was captain of North Melbourne in 1914, 1915 and 1918, when the team was invincible in the Association. The North Melbourne ruck in those days, Barker, Rawle and Hardy has never been surpassed. Barker retained the captaincy until with Hardy and V. Irwin he transferred to Essendon in 1922, and the following year he led Essendon to the position of premiers, repeating his success in 1924. In 1927 he retired from the position of coach at Essendon, and returned to his old position of coach at North Melbourne.

Barker was six foot in height and weighed more than 14 stone when in condition. He was not a brilliant player, but was remarkably sound and solid. He invariably made the best use of the ball. He was a good leader, a sound judge of human nature, and always got the best out of his men. His speeches to his teams before entering the field were masterpieces of brevity and sound common sense.

1b6d7.SBarker.pngBarker was born in Collingwood 42 years ago and played a few games with the Collingwood district before joining the Essendon (Association) team. He then then went to North Melbourne, and on to Essendon (league), where he was for four years captain and coach. He had 23 years service with the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and had risen to the position of first-class fireman. He leaves a widow and two children. The funeral will leave his home at half-past two o'clock tomorrow afternoon for the Melbourne General Cemetery.

 

- See more at: http://australianfootball.com/articles/view/The%2Bdeath%2Bof%2BSyd%2BBarker/856#sthash.d0dIaLgm.dpuf

 

 

http://australianfootball.com/articles/view/The%2Bdeath%2Bof%2BSyd%2BBarker/856

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Did Allan Hird Snr come to Essendon from Hawthorn or St Kilda?

 

I had an idea he came from Hawthorn and went to St Kilda.

 

But he didn't have a stand or a legend named after him at those other clubs.

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Did Allan Hird Snr come to Essendon from Hawthorn or St Kilda?
I had an idea he came from Hawthorn and went to St Kilda.
But he didn't have a stand or a legend named after him at those other clubs.

You are on the money. Hawthorn recruited him from Williamstown and he spent two seasons there. He then joined Essendon where he played over 100 games before joining StKilda as captain coach for two seasons. After this he returned to Essendon as seconds coach and got into the administration side of things.
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What about Paul Salmon in 2002, John Barnes in 2000 and Neville Fields in 1981 returning to the Bombers?  This is pretty unusual.

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Bryan Wood - 1983 

 

Injected the Premiership juice when we needed it.

 

I will never forget his contribution in 1983.

 

Most of the others on your great list (after him) , I have conveniently forgotten. Most. Not all.

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Bryan Wood - 1983
Injected the Premiership juice when we needed it.
I will never forget his contribution in 1983.
Most of the others on your great list (after him) , I have conveniently forgotten. Most. Not all.

Bryan Wood was an inspired choice at the time and it was great to see him stay around the club in later years as a runner for Sheeds. It's a pity his career finished after the eye gouging controversy against the Swans.