BRENT GODDE: You are well-known for your nickname 'Ocker'?

CARL DICKINS: My Auntie Mary christened me that because as a kid I used to hide in the bin and scare the garbage man. So it started out as Oscar and somehow ended up being 'Ocker'.

BG: You made your senior debut for Oaklands as a 15-year-old under coach Brian Payne in 1989?

CD: It was a less than a spectacular debut. I came on just before quarter-time and didn't touch leather the whole match.

BG: You credit Steven Way with your early development?

CD: Steve did a power of work for junior development and as a result there were a few talented kids from Oaklands.

BG: Despite your forgettable debut you held your spot in the seniors and played in Oaklands most recent flag in 1989?

CD: It was a memorable day for me because I played alongside my father Andy, two uncles in Max Dickins and Tom Comtesse, and cousins Corey and Clint Dickins.

BG: Your uncle Tom was severely deaf?

CD: It was amazing how he could still play. Tom played full-back and was 95 per cent deaf and had to communicate with sign language and lip reading. He was a good player, hard at the contest and could kick the ball a mile.

BG: How did the grand final unfold?

CD: We played Coreen and nearly had the match won at quarter-time after kicking eight goals to one. Our full-forward Brian Payne was on fire and kicked six and ended up with nine for the match.

BG: Did you touch leather this time?

CD: Coreen's Derek McLaughlin gave me one in the chops at the first bounce. As a 15-year-old kid it was a steep learning curve but kudos to Derek.

BG: Did your teammates fly the flag?

CD: They did that day as they had all year. It was a young side with Justin Way, Ben Beattie, Corey and Clint Dickins and myself. But we knew we could be cheeky little p***ks because we had blokes like the old man, Brain Payne, 'Crash' and Patrick Beattie who had our backs.

BG: Winning a senior flag as a 15-year-old is a huge achievement. How did you celebrate the win?

CD: I got torched but from memory it only took me about six stubbies. I took Monday and Tuesday off school. The boys partied hard but I didn't know how to party back then.

BG: The following year in 1990 you joined rival Coreen league club Daysdale?

CD: Dad got the coaching job so it was a no brainer I was going to follow him.

BG: You went from winning a flag to a wooden spoon?

CD: It was a long year and the club didn't win a match. Dad sent me into Corowa-Rutherglen before clearances closed because he didn't think chasing butt at Daysdale was any good for my development.

BG: You only played one reserves match at Corowa-Rutherglen before being elevated into the seniors?

CD: I was a bit surprised to be honest because Jim Silvestro was coach and Phil Godde assistant coach and they were both rovers. I thought I had no chance to take one of the coaches positions but I ended up sneaking into the midfield.

BG: You also played in the Teal Cup that season?

CD: I played alongside blokes like Gavin McMahon, Sean Drennan and Todd Davey.

BG: You also played against Damien Houlihan in the Teal Cup?

CD: We both got into a bit of strife when we snuck out of our rooms and met up for a night on the drink when we were away playing in Darwin.

BG: So you both got pinged?

CD: We both got put in the naughty corner and were suspended for a couple of matches. It was a bit of a learning curve I suppose. Looking back it turned out to be one of many.

BG: Did any AFL clubs show any interest in you?

CD: I had a bit of a yarn to Sydney and Collingwood but that was about it.

BG: You quickly established yourself in the senior side at Corowa and in 1992 you played in your first O&M grand final against Wodonga?

CD: I remember it being a mind-blowing experience at the time.

BG: There were rumours in the lead-up that Wodonga were going to go the knuckle early in the decider and Tony Gayfer had a target on his back?

CD: We were bracing ourselves for a fiery opening which didn't eventuate and Wodonga played some good footy to open up a handy break at the first change.

BG: Corowa put Brett McKenzie on Bulldog giant Steve Murphy in case a brawl erupted?

CD: We put big 'Macca' down there for a bit of an intimidation factor. But the first contest he split his head in a contest and was off for the remainder of the match. So that plan backfired didn't it?

BG: It ended up being a tight tussle for most of the decider?

CD: It was eight goals each at the main break but Wodonga had a buffer of two goals for most the second-half and had the answers every time we challenged.

BG: Corowa caused a boilover in the preliminary final to make it into the decider?

CD: We played Wangaratta Rovers who were an awesome side at the time. We kicked a goal in the dying minutes to hit the front by three points and cause an upset.

BG: It's fair to say the players went over the top with the celebrations considering the grand final was the following week?

CD: In hindsight we did party a bit too hard after the win. We didn't expect to make it, so that's why blokes got carried away. We sort of forgot the biggest match of the season was the following week.

BG: The preliminary final celebrations spilled over to the Morris medal count on the Monday night before the grand final?

CD: A lot of us got blind at the Morris medal. Mark O'Donoghue looked like he had a huge chance of winning it before Steve Murphy polled a few votes late.

BG: That 1992 side had a stack of young talent?

CD: There were blokes like Marc 'Finna' Duryea, Damian Houlihan, Travis Mills, Simon Palubiski and myself.

BG: Houlihan was only a pup?

CD: I think he had just turned 17 and kicked three but I thought Neville Nugent beat him on the day.

BG: There were a couple of incidents where you and 'Finna' Duryea got on the drink when you shouldn't have.

CD: I reckon we were only 14 and were billeted out for a few trial games at Terrigal. Anyhow the bloke we were staying with fed a few stubbies into us the night before we played.

BG: Did you get a kick?

CD: I think I got BOG but 'Finna' didn't touch leather.

BG: Silvestro also found out you were both on the drink at a deb ball on a Friday night during the 1992 season?

CD: I was easily led astray back then and 'Finna' was a bad influence on me. We went there intending not to drink but that quickly went out the window. One thing led to another and all of a sudden it was 3am and we were hammered.

BG: What was your punishment?

CD: Little Jimmy Silvestro put his angry hat on and made us do a stack of 400m sprints at training the following week.

BG: You also had a stint in Queensland during the mid 1990s.

CD: Neville Shaw got me up there after he had finished coaching Lavington.

BG: Shaw was appointed coach of West Brisbane?

CD: I think Corey Lambert was also playing there at the time.

BG: You weren't a fan of West Brisbane?

CD: It just didn't feel right being there so I quit. The bloke I was staying with, Tony Cigoni, wasn't happy with me doing nothing and smoking drugs in his house so he got in contact with Morningside and I decided to sign with them.

BG: Speaking of drugs, there are rumours you used to smoke pot before some matches on game day?

CD: I won't hide away from the fact that I smoked pot quite regularly before matches for most of my career.

BG: How often are we talking?

CD: Probably during the late 1990s when I stopped getting a lift to football with mum.

BG: It became a pre-match ritual for you?

CD: I would go around to a mate's house at Corowa and play table tennis and have a few bongs.

BG: Why play table tennis?

CD: I found table tennis helped get my reflexes going before a match.

BG: It was a proven formula for you on game day?

CD: Put it this way, I didn't play many bad matches after I started doing it.

BG: You made an instant impression at Morningside?

CD: They were having an intra-club and I was on the bench for the first half. I came on in the third quarter and kicked five goals.

BG: It didn't take Morningside long to sign you?

CD: They more or less had the cheque book out straight after the match.

BG: That was the first time you had been paid to play?

CD: Before that I think I was on $50 a win at Corowa.

BG: The money Morningside offered you was a bit of an eye-opener?

CD: It was because I think I was only in my early twenties. I was on the rock 'n' roll (dole), they found me a job and I was getting paid to play as well.

BG: So you were double dipping?

CD: I was but I wasn't there to save money and it soon went.

BG: The style of football was good for your development.

CD: Daryl Bourke was at the club who had previously played for Melbourne and took me under his wing. Daryl won a few league medals and taught me a helluva lot about football.

BG: Who did you see as a role model when you were a teenager at Corowa?

CD: I always looked up to Tony Gayfer. Tony was just an unbelievable athlete and was talented at everything. He trained hard and played the same way.

BG: There were some handy players running around in the league?

CD: Blokes like Darren Bradshaw, Mal Michael and Michael Voss. I played on The Gabba every second week. I played in a grand final up there but we couldn't get it past Danny Dickfos who was a star for North Brisbane before joining Brisbane in the AFL.

BG: Your mother and father got divorced while you were in Queensland?

CD: I would have stayed in Queensland a lot longer but I decided to head back home and help out mum and my two sisters.

BG: Morningside relocated your mother to Queensland for a while so you could still play football?

CD: The club shipped mum up there and also paid for my youngest sister to go to school.

BG: Your mother wasn't a fan of Queensland?

CD: Being one of eight kids and living in Oaklands most of her life, she soon got homesick so we moved back home.

BG: How many seasons were you at Morningside for?

CD: Just the two unfortunately.

BG: You had an eventful last night in Queensland?

CD: I went out with all my teammates for a farewell party to a nightclub. The bouncers got hold of me and literally nearly bashed me to death.

BG: What happened?

CD: I just remember waking up on a couch somewhere and the football club doctor stitching me up. I was supposed to catch the bus home that morning but I had to put that back a week so I could recover a bit.

BG: How much damage was there?

CD: I literally looked like The Elephant Man but 10 times worse. Even when I caught the bus home a week later I got off the bus and mum and my sisters were waiting for me. They walked straight past me because they didn't recognise my face. I was still that bad.

BG: What was their reaction when they realised it was you?

CD: I said 'how are you going girls' and they were initially in shock and then dropped to the ground crying when they saw the state of me.

BG: Did you deserve the flogging you got?

CD: It was probably one of the rare occasions where I copped a flogging and I did nothing wrong. It's no secret that my mouth has got me into trouble on countless occasions.

BG: You dropped a bombshell and joined Wodonga Raiders in 1996?

CD: Jimmy Silvestro got the coaching gig at Raiders and asked me if I was interested in going to Birallee Park and they were offering a bit of cash.

BG: You didn't own a car at the time?

CD: The deal was if Raiders bought me a car that I would have no excuse not to train each week because I was travelling from Corowa.

BG: What kind of rocket did you score?

CD: Jake Kowski got me a Volkswagen which was a lemon and broke down on the first day I had it so I hardly trained after that. And Jake wonders why most car salesmen have a bad reputation?

BG: Your mum had to give you a lift to the football most weekends after your car broke down?

CD: I remember one day we had to go to Benalla. Corowa had the bye that week so I partied with the Corowa boys on the Friday night.

BG: You had a fair session?

CD: I can't remember what time I got home but I just remember mum banging on my bedroom door after midday and I had to be at Benalla to play by 2pm.

BG: How was the hangover?

CD: I was as crook as a mangy dog and slept in the car all the way to Benalla. Mum only woke me up when we got to the gate because I had to pay to get in.

BG: It didn't take long for Nic Conway to realise you had a big night?

CD: He came up to talk to me and pulled me into the toilets and said 'Ocker, your reek of alcohol, what time did you get home?' I said 'I would tell you if I remembered.'

BG: Did you start on the bench?

CD: Surprisingly I didn't. What was more surprising was I nearly got leather poison in the first quarter and kicked three goals.

BG: Silvestro dragged you at half-time after he found out you had been drinking?

CD: Jimmy wasn't happy and said I had to spend the second-half on the pine.

BG: It cost the Raiders four points?

CD: We were up by five goals at half-time and got beat by three goals.

BG: Your mum wasn't happy with Silvestro?

CD: Mum gave Jimmy a serve after the match for making her drive all that way and then her son only got half-a-game.

BG: What was it like playing against your former Corowa teammates?

CD: It's funny Corowa were ordinary that year and I think only won a couple of matches. But they beat us at Birallee Park because they all lifted when they saw me running around in a Raiders jumper.

BG: Anyone try to clean you up?

CD: 'Rocket' Lane got me once but I bounced straight up and said 'is that all you have got?'. Ash Phillips then turned around and cleaned up 'Rocket'. Ash was a bit of a loose cannon and the sort of teammate you loved to have on your side.

BG: You enjoyed your time at Birallee Park?

CD: I had a good time and got to play with the likes of Bernard Toohey, Craig Smith, Jamie Macri, Paul Knight, Simon Bone and Stephen Clarke who were all great blokes.

BG: Your time at Birallee Park ended on a sour note after a regretful incident?

CD: The Raiders' reserves played in the grand final that year and Damian 'Hose' Houlihan and myself made the trip over to watch and ended up at the clubrooms later that night.

BG: No prizes for guessing you and 'Hose' had had a fair session?

CD: We had a fair lick and I ended up urinating on the bar in the clubrooms.

BG: It sparked a confrontation?

CD: A few people saw it and arked up a bit which I can't blame them for. I was lucky Ash Phillips was there and was able to calm a few people down.

BG: Did Raiders sack you after your indiscretion?

CD: To be honest, I had no intentions of playing there again the following year so we just parted company..

BG: The following season in 1997 you returned to John Foord Oval under coach Ron McKeown?

CD: Ron was different and a fairly quiet sort of bloke. To be brutally honest, he wasn't a great coach in my opinion.

BG: I sense you two didn't get along?

CD: Not really, I reckon he just came and got Corowa's cheque book and then took off again.

BG: In 1999 Peter Tossol was appointed coach of Corowa?

CD: I think when Peter first arrived and met me, he thought straight away that I wasn't his cup of tea so to speak. It was a fairly lean year and we only won a handful of matches.

BG: Tossol was able to turn things around fairly quickly?

CD: I have got a lot of admiration for the bloke. Coming from a powerhouse like Wangaratta Rovers Peter knew what a winning culture was like and was able to instill that into the playing group.

BG: Getting access to the Murray Kangaroos players was a game changer?

CD: We were able to get players the calibre of David Teague, Luke Henderson, Craig Tafft, Scott Thompson and David Willett who were the cream of the 18-year-old crop at the time.

BG: Tossol brought a new level of professionalism to John Foord Oval?

CD: Alongside president Rod Campbell and Brian Houlihan who was football manager. The three of them were instrumental in turning around the fortunes of Corowa.

BG: You signed with Swan Hill over the pre-season of 2000?

CD: I got a sign on fee of $5000 at Swan Hill and blew the lot at the casino the night I got it.

BG: You didn't play a match for Swan Hill?

CD: Rod Campbell got me back to Corowa. I don't know how he did it but Swan Hill cleared me back to Corowa and I didn't have to pay back a cent. I didn't ask any questions at the time.

BG: You regard Tossol as one of the best motivational talkers you have ever heard?

CD: Peter's pre-game speeches were unbelievable and he was just a great motivator. To his credit, he knew how to get the best out of me. The first 10 minutes of every match helps set the scene and you would run through a brick wall for him after he spoke.

BG: Corowa won the 2000 flag by a record margin of 108-points and were simply a class above your rivals?

CD: It was an unbelievable side and we had three ruckmen in Brendan Eyers, David Lucas and Sean Harrap. I was also fortunate enough to play alongside the two best centre half-backs of their era in Dennis Sandral and Craig Taft. I can't speak highly enough of Dennis and Craig.

BG: You had an unbelievable understanding at stoppages with Eyers and were a bit like Batman and Robin for Corowa?

CD: Everybody used to rave how good David Lucas was. But Brendan and I just had this chemistry. What Brendan did for me as a player was incredible and he doesn't get the accolades he deserves.

BG: Damian Houlihan produced one of the great grand final performances in O&M history after kicking 10 goals. But you weren't a fan of how Damien went about things around the club?

CD: To be brutally honest I didn't like Damian as a player after he came back from Collingwood. We grew up together and when he came back in 2000 and was spruiking to everyone that he was only there to play one game which was the grand final and that he was going to kick 10 goals.

BG: You thought that was arrogant?

CD: I take my hat off to him, Damian did kick 10 goals in the decider. But we had to put up with his arrogance for the whole season.

BG: Did Houlihan train much that season?

CD: Damian wouldn't train with us, that's how good he thought he was. I thought he was a selfish player. Another thing that used to irk me was he would turn up to matches and strut around in his trench coat thinking he was Alphonse Gangitano or some sort of gangster.

BG: Did you rate Houlihan as a player though?

CD: Kudos to Damian, he could play. He's not the best player I saw but was a very good footballer.

BG: Houlihan won the Did Simpson medal in the decider but a lot of good judges felt you were stiff to miss out on the honour?

CD: I get asked that question a bit and if I've had a few beers my usual response is the full-forward is the bloke that always gets the glory.

BG: The premiership celebrations lasted for a while.

CD: The celebrations were unbelievable and the best part was the whole community was behind us because we hadn't won a flag since 1968. I think there were 17 kegs donated to the players. We couldn't get through them all but we had a crack trying.

BG: You joined Wahgunyah in 2002?

CD: I was good mates with Malcolm 'Mitsy' Smith who was coaching and wanted to have a year playing alongside him.

BG: It proved a smart move because Wahgunyah won the flag?

CD: I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Wahgunyah. I think Ray 'Razor' Robins kicked more than 130 goals that year and we beat Coleambally in the grand final.

BG: The following season you returned to Corowa and won another premiership. How does the 2000 flag compare to the 2003 triumph?

CD: 2003 was really against the odds after we started the season 2-5 and we didn't lose another match to scrape into finals and then go all-the-way.

BG: It was a stunning turnaround?

CD: All the players went on a bus trip about mid-season and we had a few blokes who got up and spoke and we had a bit of a heart-to-heart which was what we needed to do to turn things around. Beau Longmire spoke passionately and was a big driving force behind the turnaround.

BG: You rate the grand final victory against Wodonga right up there in your career highlights?

CD: I do mainly because of the position we were in, it just made it that more satisfying to win against the odds. The side comprised mainly all local talent as well.

BG: The following season in 2004 you joined Chiltern as coach?

CD: I got offered a fair bit of cash and I had just had my first girl Taleaka. I think I was the fittest I had ever been. Usually I wasn't a big fan of training but I wanted to set the right example.

BG: You return to Corowa mid-season?

CD: I think we were 3-6 just before clearances were about to close and I just had it in my head that I didn't want to be at Chiltern anymore. I felt like I still had a lot to offer in the O&M.

BG: So you quit?

CD: Chiltern wanted me to see out the season as coach but I didn't have it in me. I didn't take any money from the club and we went our separate ways. Looking back I was probably too young to coach.

BG: You spent another two-and-a-half seasons at Corowa before joining Rand-Walbundrie in 2007?

CD: A good mate of mine Marcus Osborne got the coaching gig so I followed him out there.

BG: You felt Osborne and yourself got a raw deal from the umpires during your time in the Hume league?

CD: I thought we were crucified by the umpires and as soon as we touched an opposition player we gave away a free kick or got sent off. The novelty wore off fairly quickly and it was hard to enjoy playing.

BG: One of your great mates is the late John 'Juice' Kingston?

CD: 'Juice' is a bit of a touchy subject with me but it's fair to say that we probably both led each other astray on occasions.

BG: You have the utmost respect for 'Juice'?

CD: I can't speak highly enough of the bloke and I get a bit emotional knowing that he is not with us anymore. The sad part is Jake, Grace and Ella are terrific kids and they haven't got a father. The bloke was a champion.

BG: Dennis Sandral got the short straw and had to room with 'Juice' and yourself on a football trip away to the Gold Coast.

CD: It was Dennis' first ever trip away. 'Juice' and I got home the first night and Dennis was asleep and wouldn't get up. So we started throwing stuff off the balcony like the TV until Dennis got up.

BG: You never seemed to poll well in the Morris medal?

CD: I think my highest finish was fourth one season. Old Ken Wright and his mates didn't like me much because I used to give them a bit of cheek.

BG: You were a lippy player on the field?

CD: That was one of my weapons, get inside the oppositions head with a bit of sledging and then carve them up with the ball.

BG: You had a big tank and would quite often play midfield for an entire match?

CD: I couldn't play any other position really and I prided myself on trying to match the best midfielders in the competition.

BG: You would always do your homework on your opponent each week?

CD: I didn't like training but I would always know who I was going to play on and what his strengths and weaknesses were.

BG: It's fair to say that you played hard but partied harder throughout your career?

CD: Let's say I liked to celebrate a win.

BG: What was your attitude towards training?

CD: I didn't enjoy it and would try and get away with training once a week. I didn't mind training on a Thursday because there wasn't much running and it was mainly ball work.

BG: Did you have any favourite excuses to get out of training?

CD: Murray Longmire reckons I used to like watching Home and Away but I deny that. I was just a lazy prick that didn't like training.

BG: What would you rate as the highlight of your career?

CD: Playing alongside dad in the grand final as well as the flags at Corowa and Wahgunyah.

BG: Any regrets?

CD: Probably smoking bongs before matches. But I went through a rough patch after mum and dad got divorced which is probably the same time I started experimenting with drugs.

BG: You weren't strict with your diet on match days?

CD: Hell no, a can of coke, pie or a hot dog whatever the lovely ladies at the canteen would give me. You wouldn't catch me eating a salad roll, muesli bar or a banana, put it that way.

BG: Making the O&M Team of the Past 25 Years must have been a huge thrill?

CD: I'm probably not a bloke that craves the spotlight. But I took my daughter along to the function and she loved the night.

BG: You also made Corowa's Team of the Century?

CD: I regard myself fortunate to be named in that side. I think there was a points system and I beat Paul Bartlett by a point to get the last spot on the bench.

BG: What would you rate your biggest asset as a player?

CD: Probably my hands in heavy traffic.

BG: You were a fearless player for your size?

CD: I suppose I was just taught from an early age to get in and get the ball.

BG: Did you get cleaned up much?

CD: Albury's Josh Maher cleaned me up at Corowa one day. The trainer came out to me and said 'it was number 23 Ocker.' I said 'can you go and get him for me because I'm stuffed.'

BG: Is there any O&M side that you dislike the most?

CD: I hated Lavington mainly because of Tim Sanson and his big mouth.

BG: You didn't play much interleague?

CD: The O&M was playing at Lavington one day against Goulburn Valley when Bob Craig was coach who I wasn't a fan of.

BG: Mick Stevens was in good form for Goulburn Valley?

CD: I started on the bench and then Craig told me to go on and try to stop Stevens.

BG: You had a punch-up with Stevens?

CD: I started niggling him to put him off his game and we came to blows.

BG: Craig wasn't happy with you.

CD: Bob told me that's not what interleague is about. I basically told him to jam it and never bothered to play again.