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One of the classiest players of his era Strang arrived at Punt Road from Albury in 1931 and put in an outstanding debut season culminating in a fine game at centre half forward in Richmond’s losing grand final team of that year. Twelve months later he did even better with 4 goals and a best on ground performance – once again at centre half forward - in the Tigers’ 9 point grand final defeat of arch rivals Carlton. A strong, safe mark and an excellent kick Strang was frequently seen to best effect in big games. He was also highly versatile: two years on from the 1932 flag triumph he gave an equally adept display at centre half back as Richmond overcame its 1933 nemesis South Melbourne in a one-sided grand final. Nine appearances in a Big V jumper afford further evidence of his talent and ‘big game’ temperament. When his VFL career ended in 1938 after just 116 games Tigers fans would have been unanimous in feeling short-changed. |
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Recruited
from Wagga as a half back flanker Bill Mohr was converted by his VFL club St
Kilda into one of the greatest full forwards of the 1930s. The
fact that he was selected to represent the VFL state team on 18 occasions
during an era when his contemporaries in the position included such
luminaries as Gordon Coventry
(Collingwood), Bob
Pratt (South Melbourne), Jack Titus (Richmond), Ron Todd (Collingwood) and Harry Vallence (Carlton)
is perhaps his single most eloquent commendation. A sound mark as
well as a lithe, skilful ground player the real secret of Mohr's success
as a goalsneak lay in his kicking, which was almost unfailingly accurate
from distances of up to 60 metres. Perhaps surprisingly, where
possible he favoured the drop kick, of which he was arguably one of the
game's most classical ever exponents.
In his 12 season, 195 game career with the Saints Bill Mohr amassed 736 goals, topping the VFL list (with 101, which comprised more than a third of St Kilda's total score for the year) in 1936. He was also St Kilda's top goalkicker in every season bar his last, and won the club best and fairest award twice. |
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Since
making his League debut with Hawthorn in
1993, Finley recruit Shane Crawford has developed into one of the most
damaging and successful players in Australia. Blessed with
tremendous pace, Crawford also possesses all the essential football
skills; moreover, once you add desperation, courage and controlled
aggression to the package it becomes entirely irresistible.
Four times an AFL All Australian, Crawford's only major misfortune has been playing during a less than auspicious era for the club which dominated the VFL for the better part of 2 decades. Individual honours like the 1999 Brownlow Medal are all very well, but the essence of football, especially to a consummate team man like Crawford, lies in winning premierships. That said, there are few more exhilarating sights in the modern game than Crawford, in full flight, streaking towards goal past a succession of flailing arms and sprawling bodies. His superb form in 2002 suggested that there is every prospect that such sights will continue to enthrall football supporters for some time to come. |
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