TOPIC:

I’m doing some research and writing about 1979 and need to find out what happened to Ken Newland that season. He was recruited over from Geelong at the start of 79, played the game against Swans but never played league again. 
My question is did he play out the year in the ressies? Walk out on the club? Or some other reason? 
I asked Budgie recently and he remembered him being around the club in 79 but wasnt sure as to why he only played the one league game…
cheers

Strange one SD.  Seems that after Geelong and Footscray, he disappeared from the footy world.  Typical Victorian attitude, if they’re not playing vfl, they’re not playing!!
I’ll have a look through all my old stuff from back then, but don’t think I have anything on him.

I do remember Brad Smith / East Fremantle were searching for an experienced full forward in 1979 and Newland was probably tried to fill that
but he must have been 30 or over by then and would have been past his best - the WA game was much higher tempo than the VFL and there were a few ex-VFL players who found that out
And you're right his name has never been mentioned since anywhere here that I can recall

so then Ian Thomson (EP/VFL) was recruited later in the 1979 season
Later I recall Colin Waterson also going to EF from Perth via the VFL I think and of course Mark Olsen (SD) and Murray Couper (P) 

it was a time in football where an increasing amount of player movement was commencing and some older VFL players were trickling back the other way - it was the beginning of a little era of explosive highly entertaining football and some very notable footballers were beginning their careers around then  

 

Southerner wrote:

I do remember Brad Smith / East Fremantle were searching for an experienced full forward in 1979 and Newland was probably tried to fill that
but he must have been 30 or over by then and would have been past his best - the WA game was much higher tempo than the VFL and there were a few ex-VFL players who found that out
And you're right his name has never been mentioned since anywhere here that I can recall

so then Ian Thomson (EP/VFL) was recruited later in the 1979 season
Later I recall Colin Waterson also going to EF from Perth via the VFL I think and of course Mark Olsen (SD) and Murray Couper (P) 

it was a time in football where an increasing amount of player movement was commencing and some older VFL players were trickling back the other way - it was the beginning of a little era of explosive highly entertaining football and some very notable footballers were beginning their careers around then  



 

Ian Thompson, ex EP turned out to be excellent value as was Colin Waterson, but I didn’t know he was ex Perth.  I think Olsen and Couper had seen better years, but Old Easts were pretty strong back then.  As for Newland, there was a bit of excitement about bringing him over, but for the life of me, I can’t remember too much about him.  I’ll get my B.I.G and see if I have anything. But not holding out hope.

Swandog, bit late then never, but my brother used to drink with big Ken, apparently after one reserves game for EF where he kicked something like 2.14....he chucked his boots into the Swan and said he was done.....or something on those lines my brother said.....but then again the author and audience were all three sheets to the wind apparently....

Freezin wrote:

Swandog, bit late then never, but my brother used to drink with big Ken, apparently after one reserves game for EF where he kicked something like 2.14....he chucked his boots into the Swan and said he was done.....or something on those lines my brother said.....but then again the author and audience were all three sheets to the wind apparently....

Are you sure that game wasn’t the 2014 prelim Freeze?

Darren "Daisy" Williams the ex Essendon & Vic State player was another vfl player who only managed a few games at EF in that same era.
Of course he later went on to play in 2 vfl flags at the Bombers and play for Vic in State games.
Just goes to show how strong the WAFL was back in that late 70s early 80s era.

DG, pretty sure the EF 2014 prelim side must of watched  a grainy VHS of Newlands effort of 79 pre match mate....shocker of an effort by both parties!!

Yeah BH, Williams came over as a 19 yr old, think he got dragged in one game, got the hump and flew back home the next day....as for another ex Essendon player in  Nifty Neville Fields....the less said the better.

Slight change of subject but interesting to see big Teakle got delisted by Port, another mid season theft that the AFL teams happily dismiss. If he doesn't get another AFl offer hopefully he heads back west where every club especially mine would be chasing him, but most likely will head back home to the gummies.

Cheers mate, BH did pass on your message about Ken. Great yarn.