Opinion
Carlton did not quite have enough unusual nicknames to fill a list of 40, so the last few may be a bit less interesting.
40. ‘Harry’
Henry JW Gyles played only one game in the inaugural VFL season of 1897.
39. ‘Gordon’
Thomas Ross (1900) came from the University of Melbourne via Fitzroy.
38. ‘Roly’
Roland Faust (1923) came from Brunswick and played 13 games.
37. ‘Ned’
Edward Bennett (1900) was ex-Montague.
36. ‘Fen’
Fenley J McDonald (1911) played as a back pocket or half back. He was killed in the landings at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915.
35. ‘Ike’
Isaac Little (1906) came from North Melbourne and was forward pocket in the 1906 premiership.
34. ‘Mick’ number four
Rover and forward pocket Albert Price (1936) gave sterling service to Carlton, playing 102 VFL games and kicking 163 goals. Among his appearances were the 1938 and 1945 grand finals in which the Blues respectively defeated Collingwood and South Melbourne.
33. ‘Mick’ number three
South Australia-born William ‘Billy’ Dunn – better known by his nickname of ‘Mickey’ Dunn – started his career at Carlton during the dire days of World War 1. At he first a wingman. He later played as a defender and occasional full back.
32. ‘Mick’ number two
Clarence Clowe (1920) made his debut for Carlton in the same match as Blues legend Horrie Clover against Richmond at Punt Road in May 1920. And like Clover, Clowe’s VFL career began after he had served his country in the Great War of 1914-18.
31. ‘Mick’ number one
Ernest Carter (1910) was from Balmain.
30. ‘Percy’
Peter Jones (1966) was one of the game’s great characters. He moved from Tasmania in 1966 and his career almost never got off the ground. He injured both legs in a car accident and did not make his senior debut until the third last game. He played second fiddle as a ruckman at various times to John Nicholls and Mike Fitzpatrick but always maintained his exuberance and celebrated every Carlton goal.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/AFL Media/Getty Images)
29. ‘Mocha’
Maurice Johnson (1927) was a rugged follower who threw everything at his work. He was a solid player who was a fair mark and had plenty of pace.
28. ‘Lofty’
A big, strapping footballer, Alf Williamson (1912) was raised in Gippsland and combined football with teaching at Melbourne High School. He was killed in action in 1917.
27. ‘Soapy’
Although he retired 85 years ago, Harry Vallence (‘Soapy’ because he was slippery) (1926) is still the number two goal scorer for the Blues with 722 goals – 16 behind Stephen Kernahan.
26. ‘Stumpy’
W Herb Turner, a former Bendigo player, played on the wing in the 1945 premiership and was in the forward pocket in 1947.
25. ‘Frosty’
Jim J Miller (1964), a full forward from Garfield, achieved more fame after his move to VFA club Dandenong, where he kicked 855 more goals than he did at Carlton.
24. ‘Chooka’
Jack Howell Jnr was an agile big man, but had an awkward gait that looked like a Chook, hence the nickname. Like his father Jack and his son Scott, he came from Chelsea. He played in the 1947 premiership.
23. ‘Socks’
Known as ‘Socks’ because he always wore his socks around his ankles, Ron Cooper (1932) was a talented centre man/rover.
22. ‘Farmer’
Ross Ditchburn (1982) had only two seasons with Carlton but was an excellent full forward. He topped the Blues’ goal kicking in 1982 and played in the premiership that year.
21. ‘Bomba’
Ken Sheldon (1977) was a brilliant rover recruited from Mitiamo. He played in the 1979, 1981 and 1983 Carlton premiership teams and later coached St Kilda to the finals.
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