Hall of Fame Thread. Fighting for Collingwood recognition

[Presti35]

This player played 230 VFL games for 707 goals. (19061922).

Only 20 players have kicked more goals in the history of the game. In fact from 230 games, only 7 of them he went goalless.

He was an 8x VFL Leading goal kicker. (1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1914, 1916, 1917 & 1919) (11x Collingwood leading goal kicker).

He was a club captain in 1920 and 1921.

He was a 3x Premiership player. (1910, 1917, 1919).

He is in the Collingwood Team of the Century.

He was a 19x Victorian representative (with 60 goals). (I need some confirmation on these numbers, if he played 19 games for the Big V, this would be close to a record wouldn't it?)

He was an out and out superstar.

He was one of the first great forwards in Australian Football with an ability to win the ball on the ground or in the air.

He would have won more than one Brownlow Medal if it existed before 1924. He twice (1910, 1915) won the Champion Player of the Colony, but there's been some dispute to the existence of this award. But some have labeled it as the greatest individual award that could be won at the time.

He was John Coleman, before John Coleman was John Coleman. But I guess this player actually played a full career and lived a longer life.

He played in a lot more games and kicked a lot more goals that Roy Cazaly did. But this player never had a song written about him.

It is long over due that this man be elevated to LEGEND status.

It could be argued that he should have been one of the first elevated, but since Gordon Coventry was ignored in the inaugural selections and it took until 2005 to elevate Jock McHale, I'm not surprised that this player has been ignored. It really is a joke.

If you haven't figured it out by now, Im talking about this man:

[3rd degree]

Good Call.

[Piesnchess]

Yes, the first real superstar, as a footnote, my late grandmother told me she danced with Dick Lee once, at a Collingwood Town Hall function, and she said he could not have been nicer. Honour him now. !

[Tubewayarmy]

Flogs from other clubs would say, back in the time there weren't many clubs, blah blah blah

Dick Lee was and will always remain one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

You could argue that players like him built the foundations of today's game.

[jatsad]

Yeah, but the knuckleheads at the AFL still won't elevate Louie Richards to legend even though he was a premiership captain, played over 250 games and has done more to shape the media side of the game than anyone else.

It's a disgrace that this has not happened yet.

[London Dave]

Absolutely... Lou has done as much as anyone for the game. And if Lee played for any club other than Collingwood, he'd already be a legend and have medals named after him!

[1892_]

Could well have been a 300 game, 1000 goal player if it were not for injury and shortened seasons in the war years. He missed 72 games throughout his career (assumedly due to an infected shin and later a knee injury) and another 13 due to shortened seasons in the war years.

His years as VFL leading goal kicker are even more remarkable when you look at the years he missed.

1907 - leading goal kicker
1908 - leading goal kicker
1909 - leading goal kicker
1910 - leading goal kicker
1911- 13 games
1912 - 1 game
1913 - 5 games
1914 - leading goal kicker
1915 - 4 goals short H&A, equal after finals
1916 - leading goal kicker
1917 - leading goal kicker
1918 - 7 games
1919 - leading goal kicker
1920 - 10 games
1921 - 1 goal short H&A, 1 goal ahead after finals
1922 - 14 games (Clover only played 2 more games for an additional 18 goals, so Lee was well short)

[Presti35]

Flogs from other clubs would say, back in the time there weren't many clubs, blah blah blah

I hate that comment. They'll be quick to tell us about any misfortunes we've suffered from our entire history, but wont recognise anything positive as it was "too long ago". (ie the 4-peat).

Dick Lee was and will always remain one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

You could argue that players like him built the foundations of today's game.

100%.

Yeah, but the knuckleheads at the AFL still won't elevate Louie Richards to legend even though he was a premiership captain, played over 250 games and has done more to shape the media side of the game than anyone else.

It's a disgrace that this has not happened yet.

Also true.

I feel as though they dropped the ball here. Lou is very old now and struggles to talk. Imagine the speech he would have given ten years ago when it should have happened.

Could well have been a 300 game, 1000 goal player if it were not for injury and shortened seasons in the war years. He missed 72 games throughout his career (assumedly due to an infected shin and later a knee injury) and another 13 due to shortened seasons in the war years.

His years as VFL leading goal kicker are even more remarkable when you look at the years he missed.

Thanks for your research/input 1892_.

[Piesnchess]

AND, quite possibly the most underrated Collingwood star ever, both by the damn League, and even by the Club itself, all you really hear of, is Coventry, Colliers, Regans, Thommo, Daicos, Bucks, Millane, McKenna, Price etc, rarely is Lees name mentioned, which is pretty weird, his record is awesome beyond belief for those old days of low scores and few games per season.

[Presti35]

^

I've always felt that Collingwood stars are ignored, underrated and highly disrespected. When you look at the AFL Team of the Century and you look at the inaugural Legends. When you look at statues around the MCG, when you look at the Coventry name being covered up by other clubs at Etihad.

It really is an insult to our club. I understand we are not a well liked club. And I get it.

But the fact is, we are one of the original VFL clubs, we have won more games than any other side, we have 15 flags and we have had some of the greatest players the game has ever seen, both historically and skill wise too.

It's about time the AFL. and in particular all these committees that decide these things( who by the way seem to all be ex players for other clubs) give Collingwood and its history some recognition and RESPECT.

I wonder if the committee that decided the fate of the 2012 Brownlow would have made the same decision if Dane Swan was the runner up?

[Piesnchess]

Yes, and I reckon we only have to improve next season, and we will go right back up to being the most hated and loathed team in the League, o fhat I have no doubt, we are despised by six times the amount of fans who barrack for us, I read that some years ago, somewhere. Yes, and why the hell hasn't the League put a statue of Jock McHale at the G, if they can put one up of Hungry bloody Bartlett, they can damn well should put one up of Jock, greatest coach ever.

[droversdog65]

Guys and girls from over 50 years experience I can say with utter and absolute certainty that Collingwood will NEVER, EVER recieve equal treatment.

Deal with it people.

[Jezza]

Good nomination Presti, but I doubt he'll get a look in with the AFL bureaucrats.

[Presti35]

I know, but the club should push this.

Dick Lee must be elevated to Legend status. It should have happened long ago. Instead the AFL will probably give James Hird the honour.

Other Collingwood players that could be considered for Legends status in the future:
Jack Regan (The Prince of Full-backs. Snubbed in the AFL ToC. Considered the best fullback of the VFL era by many).

Syd Coventry (Only he, Tuck and Reynolds are 4x Premiership captains. Syd of course was captain of the mighty machine, winning 4 in a row. A Brownlow medallist and Collingwoods ToC captain).

Lou Richards (Prob wont happen after being knocked back already. Perhaps his playing resume does not have the qualifications, but he has done HUGE things for this great game of ours).

Peter Daicos (A bit of an outside chance, but he really was a superfreak and the first of his kind).

Albert Collier (6 flags, a Brownlow, 200+ games) & Harry Collier (4 flags, a Brownlow, 250+ games). How cool would it be if these two were elevated together?

While I'm at it, these Collingwood players could have a great case to be inducted into the HoF:
Harold Rumney
Billy Picken
Thorold Merrett
Darren Millane
Marcus Whelan
Ray Gabelich
Ron Todd (Would have to be joint with Williamstown).
And of course Dane Swan when he becomes eligible.

[Presti35]

Come to think of it, Mick Malthouse is some chance to be elevated to legend status in the future.