Tom Papley
Collapse
X
-
MONSTER!"He's good, but he's no Nick Davis" ... a bizarre comparison with a very different player ... Tom has probably already played more good / consistent games than Nick did in any 20/25 game span. One game rightly made Nick a hero forever but assuming fitness holds I see Tom as a greater contributor over the journey.I knew him as a gentle young man, I cannot say for sure the reasons for his decline
We watched him fade before our very eyes, and years before his timeComment
-
Let's see what kind of a runner he turns out to be. Or even if he becomes a runner!"He's good, but he's no Nick Davis" ... a bizarre comparison with a very different player ... Tom has probably already played more good / consistent games than Nick did in any 20/25 game span. One game rightly made Nick a hero forever but assuming fitness holds I see Tom as a greater contributor over the journey. Also I stand by "completely" different in comparing Tom and Max. Would be interested in the relative body size but Tom certainly seems shorter / stockier than I remember Max. Then again, memory can be a tricky thing over 50 years!Comment
-
He left because he was an excellent cricketer and the club and the coach wouldn't let him do both, so he chose cricket and ended up at Williamstown because they let him play cricket......not sure about the money but under those circumstances, it was a nice bonus. Who'd blame him?He left to captain/coach Williamstown in VFA for more money I believe.You could leave without a clearance at the time. Not sure about clash with coach who was Alan Miller, former coach of the Under 19s. You may know more, I was only young at the time but my dad was a mate of Miller.
Comment
-
Pretty sure Miller was coach only in 1967 and 68. Austin Robertson played in 1966 when I think Skilts was captain coach. Not sure why Robertson went back - maybe for business interests. He eventually became a player in World Series Cricket and I think was Dennis Lillee's manager.Miller would not allow him to play cricket in the off-season. A couple of years later, a certain Peter Bedford did just that, at Sheffield Shield level, and still managed to win a Brownlow. Alan Miller also managed to piss off Austin Robertson so badly that he returned to WA after just one stellar season. I believe Alan was a really nice guy, but he was a disaster as senior coach.
Used to wear No 11 on my South jumper because of Max. Peter Bedford inherited it so I was happy to leave it there.
- - - Updated - - -
I meant a 'business' player in WSC not an actual cricket player.Comment
-
Comment
-
Yeah, I agree re Davis. Papley works harder, applies greater defensive pressure, quicker. Davis a better set shot. Similar abilities to grab a lose ball and snap a goal. Early days, but Papley averages more possessions and tackles; same goal output (1.4 per game)."He's good, but he's no Nick Davis" ... a bizarre comparison with a very different player ... Tom has probably already played more good / consistent games than Nick did in any 20/25 game span. One game rightly made Nick a hero forever but assuming fitness holds I see Tom as a greater contributor over the journey. Also I stand by "completely" different in comparing Tom and Max. Would be interested in the relative body size but Tom certainly seems shorter / stockier than I remember Max. Then again, memory can be a tricky thing over 50 years!Comment
-
Comment
-
Austin Robertson went back after kicking a very creditable 60 goals in 1966. Miller told him when he took over the coaching role from Skilton that he did not want a leading full-forward. He wanted a stay-at-home full-forward. Robertson well knew that fast leads and long, accurate drop-punts (in an era when very few players used this kick) were his signature strengths.Pretty sure Miller was coach only in 1967 and 68. Austin Robertson played in 1966 when I think Skilts was captain coach. Not sure why Robertson went back - maybe for business interests. He eventually became a player in World Series Cricket and I think was Dennis Lillee's manager.
Used to wear No 11 on my South jumper because of Max. Peter Bedford inherited it so I was happy to leave it there.
- - - Updated - - -
I meant a 'business' player in WSC not an actual cricket player.
Miller wanted to turn him into something he was not, and would never be. He returned to a great career in the WAFL, and South lost a potential star goalkicker.
Sad to say it, but Miller squandered Skilton's great work of the previous 2 years.Comment
-
IIRC Miller was an Alan Killegrew hot gospeller type. My way or the highway. From memory was a good Under 19's coach where the his style was better suited, but didn't cut it with the men. Pretty sure he was my brother's Under 19's coach. Was a shocking choice right from the go.Comment
-
I think he won a premiership in the Under 19s. Like you Nico, my brother was coached by him and my dad was friendly with him. The under 19 premiership probably got him the job but he wasn't a success. Norm Smith got us to finals a couple of year's later in 1970. Lot of 'hotgospelling' around in those days.IIRC Miller was an Alan Killegrew hot gospeller type. My way or the highway. From memory was a good Under 19's coach where the his style was better suited, but didn't cut it with the men. Pretty sure he was my brother's Under 19's coach. Was a shocking choice right from the go.Comment
-
All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated, and well supported in logic and argument than others. -Douglas Adams, author (11 Mar 1952-2001)
Comment
-
Comment

.
Comment