Major Help Needed!!!

[Northern Pie]

Hey Guy n Gals,

Just wondering if you could help me out...just wanted to find out as much information as possible about a player form back in the 50's, 60's named Thurrold Merrett....as much information needed as possible....is he still around..if not when did he pass on etc....really need help with this on guys....

Cheers


"NEVER LEAVE, NEVER GIVE UP ON THEM AND ALWAYS BE THERE AT THE END TO CLAP THEM OFF THE GROUND. WE ARE COLLINGWOOD SUPPORTERS SON, EVEN IF THEY BEAT US, WE ARE STILL BETTER THAN THEM!"(quote from my mum when I was 8 years old)

[London Dave]

Just off the top of me head......

came to Vic Park from Cobden in western Vic, with the ability to stab pass a pellet of wheat up a chooks bum from 30 yards (so they say!)

played from 50-60, wore no 17, career ended by broken leg, was only 26 or 27. Played 180 odd games from memory, 53 and 58 flags.Did win a copeland or two, think he won it in 58, would've been a life member for 10 yrs playing. Pretty sure he was never captain, but may have been vc for a year or two. Ran sport shops in Melbourne (there were at least 3 or 4 at one time) for quite a few years with Lindsay Hassett (ex Aus Test capt) which I think were bought out in the early 80's, by whom I cannot recall. I used to buy my footy boots from him! Was a panelist on ABC for years if my memory serves me correct to.

Pretty sure he's still on this mortal coil.



[This message has been edited by London Dave (edited 30 August 2002).]

[khartoum]

Thorold Merrett was one of the smallest blokes going around during the 50s. London Dave is right in that he played around 180 games, and I think he kicked almost 150 goals. Came to Victoria Park as a 16-year-old after being rejected by Richmond. He was a beuatiful left foot kick, and spent most of his career on the wing. He played in five grand finals including '53 and '58, but his career was cut short by injury. I don't think he was much older than 25 when he retired.

[Murray]

He is still alive. He was the past player tribute at the North Melb game at Colonial about 8 weeks ago. He actually looked quite fit and healthy.

Only Collingwood people know what we feel - the rest will never understand.

[Melsa5]

Northern Pie, email me, and I will forward alot of information to you. Thorold was at the 1953 to 1958 dinner the other night.

My dad has done a lot of research on him as he was a big fan of his.

Ciaow

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

He was named in our team of the century.
On the wing I believe...Don't hold me to that though.

KILL FOR COLLINGWOOD

[Ed from WA]

1958 Grand Final
Collingwood v Melbourne
There has probably never been a Grand Final where the pride of the Collingwood Football Club was so much on the line as the 1958 decider against Melbourne. Just under 98,000 people were at the MCG that day to see the Demons attempt to equal Collingwood's four-in-a-row Premiership feat of 1927-28-29-30.

Melbourne went into the match as red-hot favourites, but Collingwood fought ferociously to shut down the Demons' engine room and emerged 18-point winners. Melbourne began with five first-quarter goals, but could only manage another four for the match. The Magpies were behind by 17 points at the first break but drew ahead by two points at half-time.

In wet and uncomfortbale conditions, Barry 'Hooker' Harrison and skipper Murray Weideman threw their weight around, targetting Demon ace Ron Barassi with good effect. The Magpies' following division of Graeme Fellowes, Harrison and Thorold Merrett was superb and when the final siren sounded the Pies had kept their consecutive-Premiership record intact, a record that remains unbroken to this day.

Merrett recalls that Collingwood coach Phonse Kyne made use of the people sitting in the stands to inspire the Magpies to victory. "There wasn't a lot of individual tactics used in those days, it was just a general team address. But the things he appealed to were the emotions of the players because the magnitude of the occasion was the club facing the chance of someone equalling our valued record of four premierships in a row.

"So he pleaded to the deeds of the past champions, the sacrifices and the individual hardships that these men had to endure. He would say, 'Do you want to see that disappear, do you want to be a member of a team that was defeated ... of course you don't.' He then said, 'Think of all your parents, your relations, your brothers and sisters, they have come along here today to see you play, to save this famous record of the Collingwood Football Club. Are you going to let that disappear ... no, you're not.'

"And the hairs on the back of our necks just raised with passion and there was no way know we were going to be defeated after that address."

[Ed from WA]

look in archives around the start of march 2002,this topic came up then amd mike put in an old footy card pic and a few others had info.

[MagpieMad]

Melsa5 don't be shy m8, post it so we can all read about this Collingwood champ.

NICK THE PIE MAN just had a quik look and He's named in the centres with Marcus Whelan and Darren Millane.

Collingwood champions never die, they live forever in our hearts.

[Ed from WA]

COLLINGWOOD
This week the club paid tribute to Collingwood legend Thorold Merrett.
Thorold was presented to the crowd at Colonial Stadium during the prematch activities with a short video package on the scoreboards highlighting his outstanding football career.
Thorold Merrett: 180 games, 148 goals; Copeland Trophy 1958, 59; Vice- Captain 1960; Interstate representative 52, 55, 57,59; Committee 1977-82; Life Member