John Nicholls

Elroy · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:02 pm

Good article by Wallsy in today's Age.

I love the quote about his first game - hilarious!

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/legend-no-4-john-nicholls/2008/07/01/1214678038819.html

AGRO · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:02 pm

You couldnt help but walk taller on the field of battle with Big Nick leading the way.

A great Captain will do that. :wink:

camel · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:15 pm

Would love to have seen Big Nick running around.

buzzaaaah · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 10:31 am **Posts:** 17897

The idea of a 189cm player being the best ruckman of all time is astounding.

AGRO · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 2:33 pm

buzzaaaah wrote:

The idea of a 189cm player being the best ruckman of all time is astounding.

The 200cm ruckman around his era used to "faint" a lot. :wink:

moshe25 · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2005 1:23 am **Posts:** 11671

BTW, don't make the mistake of thinking that they were all that short. Nick regularly beat taller ruckmen (Thompson and Fellowes come to mind - coincidentally both from Collingwood......... <snap>)

He is for me clearly the best player I ever saw, followed by daylight, with Jezza third.

Jarusa · **Joined:** Sat Feb 26, 2005 9:00 am **Posts:** 23123

I'm surprised he doesn't get more of a mention for his efforts in the 1970 grand final.

If you watch the last quarter his efforts in the forward line were so important in getting the Blues in front. He had a huge influence on the result of that game.

AGRO · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:24 pm

moshe25 wrote:

BTW, don't make the mistake of thinking that they were all that short. Nick regularly beat taller ruckmen (Thompson and Fellowes come to mind - coincidentally both from Collingwood......... <snap>).

My reference to 200cm ruckman of his era "fainting" refers. :wink:

budzy · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:17 am **Posts:** 8128

It begs the question.. what's more important to pro footballers these days, money or respect?

murraycray · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:38 pm

moshe25 wrote:

BTW, don't make the mistake of thinking that they were all that short. Nick regularly beat taller ruckmen (Thompson and Fellowes come to mind - coincidentally both from Collingwood......... <snap>)

He is for me clearly the best player I ever saw, followed by daylight, with Jezza third.

Totally agree. Big John was the most influential Carlton player I've seen.

Noonamah Blue · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:02 pm

I feel priveledged that I was lucky enough to see him play. A great article by Wallsy about a living legend of the game. I have his book "Big Nick" which was published sometime in the seventies. A good read if you can get your hands on it.

AGRO · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:16 pm

Noonamah Blue wrote:

I feel priveledged that I was lucky enough to see him play. A great article by Wallsy about a living legend of the game. I have his book "Big Nick" which was published sometime in the seventies. A good read if you can get your hands on it.

I have it at home and have often used it as a source of reference to win an argument in this forum.

It is a great read albeit through 'rose coloured glasses' - but these were before the Andrew Morton/Kitty Kelly" unauthorized biographys of today.

When I get home I will reference the page on "Big Nicks" discussion about the famous "Len Thompson" fainting incident. :wink:

thehalford · **Joined:** Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:52 am **Posts:** 12812

Noonamah Blue wrote:

I feel priveledged that I was lucky enough to see him play. A great article by Wallsy about a living legend of the game. I have his book "Big Nick" which was published sometime in the seventies. A good read if you can get your hands on it.

It is a great read, picked it up at a second hand bookstore for $20 when I was in Melbourne a few weeks back. One of the smartest, most erudite autobiographies of a footballer I have read, and a lot of fascinating insights into the starts of the day in Gags, Serge and co. :-D

Budsyblues · **Joined:** Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:33 pm **Posts:** 965

I was there the day Ken Boyd knocked him cold, I think he got 12 weeks.
Nicholls was a champion player and an awesome presence on the ground, but there was another bloke around the same time who wasn't shabby, name of Farmer.

AGRO · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 4:50 pm

Big Nick ranked 4 and Farmer ranked 5 - in the latest attempt by the experts to rank the top 50 players of all time.

:wink:

chubbyruss · **Joined:** Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:59 am **Posts:** 8632

murraycray wrote:

moshe25 wrote:

BTW, don't make the mistake of thinking that they were all that short. Nick regularly beat taller ruckmen (Thompson and Fellowes come to mind - coincidentally both from Collingwood......... <snap>)

He is for me clearly the best player I ever saw, followed by daylight, with Jezza third.

Totally agree. Big John was the most influential Carlton player I've seen.

Totally Agree

klakker · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 5:57 pm

He's about my age and I saw him play a lot , although I was playing myself at the time . Definately Carlton' s best player since the 1950's .

Budsyblues · **Joined:** Tue Apr 08, 2008 6:33 pm **Posts:** 965

I was in the city one Saturday morning when I was about 12, walking down Little Bourke Street and Big John was walking the other way to me.
I can remember as he got near me that to a 12 year old he had legs like tree trunks and had an aura about him that was overwhelming.
A few years later I was behind the goals at the Punt Road end when he led us to our first flag for more than 20 years
I had his number on my jumper.

Mickstar · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:40 pm **Posts:** 7998

" Big Nick ".For mine,our greatest ever player.

uncle john · **Posted:** Wed Jul 02, 2008 8:44 pm

Mickstar wrote:

" Big Nick ".For mine,our greatest ever player.

You're not alone there.

John Nicholls

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