Former Merrigum premiership coach and three time Kyabram district league leading goal-kicker Robbie Walters has vivid memories of the two occasions he took the field against football’s “man of the moment’’ Neale Daniher.
Neither, however, cast the eldest of the four famous brothers in a leading role.
Daniher, at this time of year for the last decade, is a central figure in the Fight MND Big Freeze at the G event.
“I remember both the games I played against Essendon in 1979,“ Walters said, speaking from his home in Queensland.
Walters played against an Essendon team featuring Neale Daniher on three occasions, twice in 1979 and again in 1980.
In round seven of 1979, at Windy Hill, he remembers dislocating his shoulder and missing out on the next five matches.
On that day the noted goal-kicker had just nine disposals and kicked 1.1 before leaving the field early in the 82 point loss. Daniher had 17 possessions and his brother, Terry, kicked 7.3 in the win.
The second meeting, however, produced a much different result and Walters made headlines in the Melbourne media for his role in the match.
It was Saturday, August 4 at the MCG and the Demons emerged as 29 point winners on the back of nine goals from Walters in a best-on-ground display.
“I remember the day as clear as a bell. I remember Terry playing because he was coming back from a broken jaw,” Walters said.
In that match Terry Daniher kicked four goals, but his brother Neale had just 11 disposals.
Walters started the match on Essendon 300-gamer Garry Foulds, who he kicked six goals on in the second quarter alone. He had seven at half-time as Melbourne went from 11 points down at quarter time to lead by 17 points at the long break.
“They moved Ken Fletcher (father of 400-gamer Dustin, who himself played 264 games) onto me for the second half.
“I remember the day well because big Carl (Ditterich) flattened (Paul) Van der haar,” Walters said.
Also in the Melbourne team was Tongala recruit Phil Seaton and Seymour’s Ken Whitfort — alongside legendary figures Robbie Flower and Greg Wells.
Ironically, the week before that nine goal game the Demons had been smashed by Fitzroy — which kicked a record 36.22 (238) to Melbourne’s 6.12 (48). Bob Beecroft kicked 10 goals in that match.
“I played in the seconds that week and big Carl (coach of Melbourne at the time) put me in the back pocket for that Commodore Cup game.
“We played at Moorabbin and I couldn’t believe how easy it was. The next week he picked me in the team and I played full-forward,” Walters said.
Walters won the Kyabram District Football League goal-kicking on four successive occasions from 1987 to 1990. He kicked 100-plus goals in three of those seasons, including 132 in 1987.
In his four Kyabram district seasons Walters kicked 47 goals in Murchison’s four finals series.
When he left Melbourne, in 1981, Walters played in the premiership at Seymour, coached by Ian “Bluey’’ Shelton.
He coached Merrigum to a premiership in 1990, a side including Col Robinson, Rob Mansfield and Shane Fitzsimmons.
“Reg Poole was the president at the time. We moved to Queensland in 1994,” Walters said.
Originally from Romsey, Walters maintains a connection to the area through several close friends and recently caught up with district football icon Peter White in Queensland, when White was visiting friends.
– Maurice Wingate had his hands full in the round 21 match between Melbourne and Essendon in the 1980 season.
While he was more than aware of the Daniher brothers, Neale and Terry, it was a 19-year-old half forward named Tim Watson that was the focus of his attention.
Wingate and the Demons lost the match by 21 points, the then 22-year-old saying his memory was vivid of a young Tim Watson.
“He was a real handful, he was super quick and you couldn’t give him an inch.
“He was also as strong as a bull,” Wingate said.
On that day Watson had 25 possessions and kicked three goals, spending half his day in the mid-field. Wingate finished with 15 disposals.
He said, of Neale Daniher, that he read the play well, was a great mark and super courageous.
“He wasn’t overly quick, but he had a big tank and was a typical Daniher — fiercely competitive,” he said.
Wingate later got to know Terry Daniher well, when he left Kyabram and was assistant coach at ACT club Ainslie for a number of years under — when Daniher was at Wagga Wagga.
While recalling the strong Goulburn Valley influence on the Melbourne teams of the era, through Shane Fitzsimmons, Kelly O’Donnell, Phil Seaton and Des Campbell, he said it was John Sparks who could have become a household name
In just his fourth game, as an 18-year-old against Collingwood at Victoria Park in 1975, John (christened David) Sparks kicked four goals and had 18 disposals for Melbourne as a rover against Collingwood.
He was struck down by injury and only played nine games across three seasons.
Wingate has lived in Yarrawonga since 2005, but remains connected to Kyabram through former teammates and Kayne Pettifer — who worked in his Wangaratta business.
“I followed him when he was at Yarra, where he played some fantastic football.
“He was playing across half-forward when Fevola was full-forward. They had half a dozen AFL players at that time and were really strong,” he said.
Wingate said he had played a role in organising a reunion of 1970s Melbourne players last year.
“We had it at the Hawthorn and Melbourne game and blokes came from everywhere, including Piggy (Robbie Walters),” he said.
