When it comes to football, Barry Edmunds was a teenage sensation. A best and fairest winner at Albury as a 17-year-old was testament to his ability. But Edmunds will be the first to admit he despised training and as a result never reached his full potential as a player. A groin injury would bring a premature end to his career. Edmunds caught up with The Border Mail's Brent Godde during the week.
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BRENT GODDE: Tell us a bit about your playing career?
BARRY EDMUNDS: I played all my junior football at St Patrick's. I remember my last game in the juniors in the under-17s we were playing in the semi-final and I kicked 14.1. The one I missed hit the post. I didn't class myself as a gun or anything like that. I played mainly at full-forward as a junior and I could kick straight.
BG: I believe you joined Albury in 1968 as a scrawny 17-year-old?
BE: Both North Albury and Albury spoke to me. Ralph Rogerson was a former Fitzroy player and was coaching North Albury while Bob Spargo was about to take the reins at Albury and had obviously played at Footscray. I thought I would join Albury because I had just started a job in the bank and it was down the end of Dean Street only a drop punt away from the Sportsground.
BG: Were you big for you age?
BE: Not at all. I reckon I was 68kg at the time and played a couple of practice matches at full-forward. I had some decent form and I was picked in the seniors for the opening round.
BG: That's not a bad effort. Tell us about your senior debut?
BE: I was nervous as a kitten and lined up a centre half-forward which probably wasn't my best position. I played on Bernie Killeen from Wangaratta and his son, Michael, played for Lavington and coached Culcairn. I ended up having a real good game but the only problem was I kicked seven points straight.
BG: How would you describe yourself as a footballer?
BE: I thought I was a good kick until I played in that first game for Albury. I had a bit of pace and could jump a little bit. I wasn't dedicated to training enough. Looking back I got a game at Albury more through my natural ability. When it got cold and the going got tough I used to look at every reason to get out of training.
BG: How did you rate your first season?
BE: I ended up winning the best and fairest. Spargo wasn't allowed to play the first six matches because of a contract dispute with West Perth. He was just a magic player. Anyone could have played centre half-forward because Spargo would get it 30 times a match and hit you on the chest 30 times.
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BG: Wow, best and fairest as a 17-year-old is a fair effort.
BE: I consider the achievement the highlight of my playing career.
BG: Any stories that you can share about Spargo?
BE: Bob was a great talker and motivator of men. His son, Paul, is a clone of him. Anyway we were playing Yarrawonga this day and there was a bit a stake because we needed to win to make the finals and they needed to win to get the double chance. We were eight goals down at half-time and Spargo ordered everyone out of the rooms except for the players. Well I've never seen a spray like it and nobody was excluded. But it worked. With three minutes to go we were 17 points down. We kicked three goals in three minutes to snatch the win.
BG: Did you cop any other sprays from Spargo?
BE: Yeah one day I was starving and at half-time of the reserves went and bought two hot dogs. I love hot dogs, always have and always will. So I was munching on one and had the other one in my other hand and Spargo caught me eating them. Geez did he give me a rev up. Thankfully I played a good game that day in fear that I would cop another one of his sprays if I didn't. It's fair to say I never had another hot dog at the footy when I was playing.
BG: Did you spend your playing career at Albury Sportsground?
BE: No. The Albury president offered my a job at BFC Finance and I took the job and it was the best thing I ever did career-wise looking back. But after three seasons at Albury I had to relocate to Sydney and played for St George.
BG: What was the standard like?
BE: It was a high standard of footy and I ended up making the state side. It was coached by John Northey who obviously went on to coach Richmond. David Sykes was captain and was a former Fitzroy champion who also coached North Albury. In the state game I lined-up on a forward flank and ended up against Mark Maclure who was representing the ACT before he went to Carlton. Geez, did he towel me up.
BG: How long were you in Sydney for?
BE: After two years I got another promotion back to Albury which I was rapt about. I've always said Sydney is a nice place to visit but I despised living there.
BG: I'm guessing you ended back at the Sportsground?
BE: Yeah I did but in my first season back I injured my groin badly when playing against Myrtleford who was coached by Martin Cross at the time. Albury took me down to South Melbourne to see a masseur. He thought I needed an operation but I decided against it. It never really repaired and I was never the same. I wasn't really dedicated to the rehab and was concentrating more on my job.
BG: You were still in the prime of your career. What happened next?
BE: After a couple of more years playing I retired. Done and dusted with 92 games at Albury under my belt at the age of 24.
BG: Was it a tough decision to make?
BE: Not really, to be honest I hated training. My job was demanding but it was more important to me than football.
BG: Who do you rate as the best player you have seen at the Sportsground?
BE: Glenn Page for Albury and Robbie Walker was the best of the opposition.
BG: What was it like as a coach when you knew you were up against Walker?
BE: I remember Jeff Duck usually got the job on Walker. It was like watching Peter Knights and Paul Vander Haar go at it. It was outstanding to witness.
BG: What about the best player you played with?
BE: Phil Baker was full-forward when I was centre half-forward at Albury. He went on to play for North Melbourne and took Mark of the Year and won a grand final under Barassi. I always told him the only reason he got to North Melbourne was because I used to kick it to him and made him look good.
BG: Best opponents?
BE: Wodonga's Brian Gilcrist was a champion, Kevin Smith from Myrtleford and Ken Fraser who coached Yarrawonga.
BG: Best player you coached?
BE: Tim Scott who I recruited from Geelong West. He arrived with a big reputation but showed nothing in the practice matches. So I called him aside after training before the first match and told him he hadn't made the side. He was a bit dumbfounded but to his credit, copped it on the chin. So he played seconds against Myrtleford and got 45 kicks. I put him in the seniors the following week and he had a cracking season and finished third in the Morris Medal. He won the next two Morris medals. Every time I see Tim now, he is quick to remind me I cost him a third medal by playing him in the seconds that day.
BG: Did you stay involved in football after your retired?
BE: Not initially, I just focused on my career for the next two decades before I decided to buy the Mighty Mart take-away on Union Road.
BG: That's a bit of a career change from the finance industry? Was that a good move or a bad move?
BE: I went from being a pen pusher to a white Greek cooking fish and chips. It was a demanding business to own, seven days a week starting at 5.30am every morning and you wouldn't get home much before 9pm.
BG: I believe you owe your untold wealth to the humble dim sim?
BE: Dim sims were a big hit back then and I could sell 300 of them on a busy day. I used to call them gold nuggets. I bought them in bulk for 5 cents each and was selling them for 45 cents. If the tax man is reading this, I only really sold 30 a week.
BG: What was it like on a Friday night during peak hour?
BE: It was bedlam. I'd be cooking, my wife, Margaret would be taking the orders and without a word of a lie it would be 20 deep in the shop. I remember the second week we were there and the shop was full of customers who we didn't know and they didn't know us. Anyhow some friends come into the shop and could see we were under the pump and yelled out to Margaret "How's the business going?" Marg said "It's flat out, the only good thing is I'm sleeping with the boss." It was hilarous looking at the reaction on the faces of the customers.
NEXT WEEK: Barry Edmunds reveals the most bizarre incident he has ever seen on a football field while coaching Albury.
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