FD36a Docker JUL05-REV.indd - Fremantle Football Club

Two Tons2004 Doig Medallist“He was everything I remembered before he leftand came back to the club and showed why he’s achampion.“He’s a really funny bloke and always crackingjokes and I reckon if he wasn’t playing footyprofessionally he’d be an actor or a comedian.“He has this character he calls Nev who is likea footy groupie who is always hanging around andknows all the players names and knows what theyget up to on the weekend, how they play and askingthem personal questions.“As a leader of the club he is a serious guy witha lot of knowledge and can always help you out andthen on the flip side he has this comical side and is agreat person to be around socially.“He can flick the switch from the ultimateprofessional he displays at training and on matchday, then can act like the class clown and be a funbloke to be around as well.“He can distinguish between the two very easilywhich a lot of people can’t do and are either one or theother while he is the all round package,” Shaun said.Fellow inaugural Fremantle player Jason Norrishalso joined up again with Peter in 2001 and recallshow he “witnessed an amazing transformation froma bloke who was quiet and unassuming in his firstyear at Fremantle in 1995, to a Captain of the Club,multiple Doig Medal winner and All Australian.”“You have to respect a player who has forged asuccessful career after being told at the end of hisfirst year at Fremantle that he was to be delisted and‘the best you are going to be is a solid WAFL player’.“Belly has become one of the most admiredplayers in the AFL who leads from the front bothon and off the field.“The position of President of the AFLPA istestament to the high regard in which he is held inthe football community Australia wide.“He is a selfless person who will always putothers in front of himself, someone who throughsheer determination has succeeded and someone forwhom you could never begrudge their success.“Outside of the football arena Belly has alsobeen the recipient of a Law Degree and is the mostnervous racehorse owner I’ve ever seen.A fellow 100 game Fremantle player, Norrishcongratulated Belly on his 100 games andwelcomed him into the ever expanding 100 club.The final word on Fremantle’s inspirationalcaptain was left to current coach Chris Connolly.“Peter Bell is an outstanding leader,” Connollysays. “I think it’s about leading from the front onthe ground and the consistency of his performanceshas been outstanding.”“Probably the thing that will be etched ineveryone’s memory is the severe pain he playedthrough during the second half of last year.“The people at the club who knew the severity ofthe injury were gob-smacked at his ability to cope withthe enormous pain and still contribute to the team”.Connolly has seen Peter’s leadership reachanother level in 2005.“We have set up a strong leadership group whohave a say in how the team is functioning and thereare a lot of things that they deal with and Peter hasbeen the real key in that process,” he said.“We need a Captain who sets an example inthe way he prepares himself to play and then playswhen it counts most and they’re perhaps his mostendearing qualities.“To think that he was a player who was delistedand all the hurdles he has had to overcome to be theplayer he is has been an unbelievable effort.“He puts his body on the line every week, workshard at his game all the time and just wants to win.“He has a great feel for the game, doesn’tunderestimate his responsibilities and really caresabout the Fremantle Football Club and I think getsupset when it gets painted in a poor light.“He can be very serious but you often see hisvery good sense of humour, the players tell me hecan be the life of the party, and that’s what makesPeter a good leader.“I think you need balance in life and particularlyin the pressure environment of the AFL, and Peterhas achieved that balance.“He is an outstanding Australian, an outstandingWestern Australian, an outstanding footballerand hopefully he can be one of the leaders of asuccessful era at Fremantle,” said Connolly.s o100 AFL games for two clubsBernie Quinlan 366 games (177 Western Bulldogs, 189 Fitzroy)John Blakey 354 games (135 Fitzroy, 219 Kangaroos)David Cloke 333 games (219 Richmond, 114 Collingwood)Gary Dempsey 329 games (207 Western Bulldogs, 122 Kangaroos)Barry Round 328 games (135 Western Bulldogs, 193 Sydney)Paul Salmon 318 games (218 Essendon, 100 Hawthorn)Roger Merrett 313 games (149 Essendon, 164 Brisbane)Alastair Lynch 306 games (120 Fitzroy, 186 Brisbane)Russell Greene 304 games (120 St Kilda, 184 Hawthorn)Gavin Wanganeen 285 games (127 Essendon, 158 Port Adelaide)Greg Williams 250 games (34 Geelong, 107 Sydney, 109 Carlton)Robert Scott 245 games (132 Geelong, 113 Kangaroos)Paul Hudson 245 games (134 Hawthorn, 107 Western Bulldogs, 4 Richmond)Stephen Paxman 240 games (102 Fitzroy, 138 Port Adelaide)Dean Rice 234 games (116 St Kilda, 118 Carlton)Anthony Daniher 233 games (115 Sydney, 118 Essendon)Darren Jarman 230 games (109 Hawthorn, 121 Adelaide)Ian Hampshire 224 games (113 Geelong, 111 Western Bulldogs)Tony McGuinness 222 games (109 Western Bulldogs, 113 Adelaide)Tim Pekin 219 games (107 Fitzroy, 112 St Kilda)Earl Spalding 211 games (109 Melbourne, 102 Carlton)THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW10 ABOUT PETER BELLAsked to provide an insight into their formerteam mate at the Kangaroos, Adam Simpson,Glenn Archer and Shannon Grant decidedthat while there was so much to say abouttheir good friend, it is probably better to giveFremantle fans an insight to the man that isPeter Bell by outlining the ten things that arenot widely known him:10 He has to shave at least three times a day.9 He is Mexican not South Korean.8 He regularly goes to the solarium.7 He can fit a standard-size tennis ball in hismouth.6 He has cankles (refer to the movie ShallowHal).5 He can clear a room quicker than a firealarm when he sings karaoke.4 He has been seen at the races in a whitesuit, white bowler hat, white driving glovesand a cane.3 He once threw out a brand new pair of Filasports shoes because he stepped in dogpoo before he got out his front gate.2 He got his Law Degree from Footscray TAFE.1 He spent the night of the 1996 Grand Finalwith his girlfriend, now wife, instead ofcelebrating with the boys.TwoTonsfremantlefc.com.au July 2005 Docker 13