Short careers...which ones do you think about?

I believe so
In 1980’s Bob Syme told me

Bob Syme was a lovely bloke. I remember him coaching the reserves, very sad to lose a kid so young.

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Yes Bob was a great guy and club man
Very tough
Not frightened to say what he thought
Lets hope he and Gary rest in peace

I hate to admit it but I must be one of the oldest on this site. I was at the match when Coleman injured his knee against North Melbourne at Windy Hill. I saw my first game around 1951.

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And you are nowhere near as grumpy Comrade Noonan_10

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Thats great to hear
Was Coleman as good as they say?

The most exciting player I have ever seen. He seemed to take spectacular marks at almost every contest.

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I’d love to know your thoughts on the best 10 essendon players you’ve seen. And if you can be bothered tell us why.

Seeing john coleman would have been amazing

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All of those goals looked exceptionally easy - which is probably the point

He was an absolutely prodigious talent.
And a lazy, up himself, not very bright, human being.

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That’s not quite true about AN_10. I saw my first game in 1957.

I do remember Bob Shearman well. He was a superb kick. There was one that I have never forgotten. We were thrashed by about 12 goals by Melbourne at the G in 1959 but Shearman provided a rare bright moment for us. He picked up the ball right in the centre, turned, took one step and launched a huge torp that landed in the middle of the goal square and bounced through at the city end.

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Well we have

  • foxyjim first game in 1951
  • Goodthur in 1957

Can anyone beat that on BBlitz ?

There was a son of Bob Syme who played a few games for the twos; John I think his name was. He was pretty ordinary though so maybe there was another son.

With a username like that, I reckon Albie_Yeo might be a candidate.

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Just listened to the podcast on the Johnson brothers #notbrothers.
Was funny when they were talking about the current ex teamates who are coaches in AFL Caracella - saying he is a footy nerd.
And they were surprised where Hardwick ended up a senior coach due to his dislike of footy training, also Solomon as a coach surprised them as well.

Mrs Doe’s uncle (in his early 80s) saw Coleman play and said he was incredible. His vertical leap was amazing.

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My old man said Coleman, Reynolds, G Ablett Snr, and that was over 90 years.

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Shawn Lewfatt
Lachlan Ross

What happened to them after they left the AFL?

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Don’t forget russell williams and andrew ukovic who were the same era.

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I remember Ukovic playing in the back pocket on Brad Pearce and running off him at every available opportunity (this was once every team had worked out Pearce was a lazy one-trick pony who wouldn’t chase). Think Uka kicked 2 or 3 goals from memory.
Beyond that one silky game he was pretty much bog ordinary…

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