Horse 896 - Big Bad Barry

Big Bad Barry Bashing Bastards Brought Barry Bogus Blacklist

Of course you can't get away with it now but back in the 70s and 80s when bashing your opponents for fun and profit was not only in fashion but considered the height of politeness.

I think of Collingwood's poor Phil Carman who was suspended after striking Hawthorn's Michael Tuck in the '77 semi. That little indiscretion saw him miss the tied '77 final but because the VFL considered the replay to be the same fixture, he missed that as well. Quite a penalty for a simple punch in the face.

I can still remember the sight from the outer when in the '89 VFL final, in one of the toughest grand finals in the league's history, Dermot Brereton was lined up at the centre bounce by Geelong Football Club's Mark Yeates and hit with a solid shirtfront. Severely winded and concussed, he was attended to by trainers, he began to vomit before jogging back into the play. Only minutes later in the game, he marked and kicked a huge goal from about 65m out. He would finish with three goals in a game that Hawthorn would win by six points.
Dermie even featured in the song "Dermot Brereton is a Thug"

Sam "You Know It Makes Sense" Kekovich ruled his half-back line so much the nothing moved without his written permission. In 1968 he won North Melbourne's "best and fairest" medal and then was suspended for two matches after breaking someone's nose in the finals series.

The game needs enforcers like Barry Hall. Playing rough and giving people a right thumping on the field is part and parcel for the game isn't it? In this year's State of Origin III between NSW and Queensland, the lacklustre play was very much enhanced by a state of Queensbury Rules decending on the field. It's what the kiddies want to see, a real barney.
"Peace through violence, harmony through brutality and getting everyone to shut-up and behave just like us or they’ll cop a boot up the date and a fist of fives."

What do we expect from footballers? How are we supposed to have hard men if they can't be hard anymore? Do we bring in doilys and frills to AFL, when we need laserz, Godzilla, Shoop da Woop and IT'S OVER 9000!!!?