BomberBlitz.com Exclusive Interview - Paul Salmon

BomberBlitz – Tell us all about it Fish! Which little pond did you actually start swimming in?
Paul Salmon – Started playing at Our Ladies Primary School, in Ringwood, as a 9 year old, which was lucky, because my three older brothers had to wait until they were 10, so I was special! grins From there, went to North Ringwood, and at 15 I headed for the under 19’s at Essendon.
BB – 15! That was young!
PS – I was already 6 ft 7, but quite light, so wasn’t ready for seniors – under 19’s was a good way to start.

BB – Are you still in touch with any of your former coaches? Who would you count among your biggest influences?
PS – Still in touch with Sheeds, and with Schwab, who was my coach for a year. Sheeds was an enormous influence, as well as my parents, particularly my father, who was a good footballer in his own right. Sheeds – was like a second father – taught me a lot about life. Which is quite scary – Sheeds teaching anyone about life!

BB – Just a tad! Actually, speaking of your dad, we notice he was ruckman in North Ringwood’s team of the century. Did he ever try out for VFL at Essendon or any other club?
PS – He was a very talented junior, but had quite a strict father, who took him out of school early, and into the bank. They lived in Canterbury, and he was having a kick with mates at Glenferrie one day and ended up in the Hawks under 19’s for a game or two, but then his father took him out of footy as well! So he didn’t really start back in footy until he was in his early 20’s. I guess you’d say he was a “could’ve been”! He ended up playing until he was 42, in various different teams, including some in the country – South Bendigo, Kerang.
BB – How tall was he?
PS – 6 ft 4… and he had a particular flair for the drop kick and the hangar! He was a coach as well, at North Ringwood, Boronia… I remember being there, as a kid, watching him in awe! So, perhaps it’s a son’s bias, but he was a good player, with the potential to be a great player!

BB – Did you see yourself mainly as a ruckman or a full forward? You got quite irritated at times with people asking that didn’t you?!
PS – When I was playing, it did get frustrating – people wanted to know one way or the other. I really didn’t see myself as one or the other… and if I’d said one, they would have said I wasn’t taking the other seriously. But given my size, and that I ended up purely in the ruck for five years at Hawthorn, I’d say I was born a ruckman, and a full forward was created.

BB – How many do you think you could have kicked in 1984 if you hadn’t done your knee? Do you think you could have given Peter Moore a scare in the Brownlow?!
PS – oh, hundreds! grin No doubt back then in my deluded mind I would have broken Bob Pratt’s record! laughs Well, there were about 9 games, with finals, to go, so it was reasonable to think I would have reached 100 goals. I don’t stop to think about it too much, but guess I would have liked to reach that milestone.

BB – What did you first say to Geoff Raines when he came to play at Essendon?!
PS – laughs Yeah! I remember when we first found out… Sheeds was being all smug in the team meeting, and he announced that the first drill we’d be doing would be smothering, and that he’d pair us up! But look, as usually happens, the damage done isn’t deliberate, he didn’t set out to do it. He was a good guy, we ended up being good mates.

BB – You were quoted as saying that you probably wouldn’t have played 300 games had you not done your knee. What did it teach you at the time?
PS – nods Perspective – it taught me a big lesson! That the thing I loved most was fragile, that I needed to respect it… let me learn early what footy meant to me, learn something about myself and what made me tick, and I didn’t take it for granted again.

BB – Who were the best ruckmen you played against and with? How good was Peter Somerville?
PS – Simon Madden – he was a great mentor – and technically the best of his era. Against : Scott Wynd… Justin Madden was always a handful… and Jim Stynes kept you honest, great mobility. Peter… look, it wasn’t Peter’s fault that I didn’t get to play ruck much. I’d waited 13 years… it was a very long apprenticeship… 3 times the length of the average footy career… so when the promised role of main ruck wasn’t forthcoming, I had to question what I was doing, and where I was going. But I had no issue with Peter. He was just the other guy who was in the same position.

BB – Who was the best rover you played with?
PS – Two standouts… at Essendon, Darren Williams, and at Hawthorn, John Platten…. with Shane Crawford giving it a very close nudge, he’s a very good player.

BB – What was the impact of the Bradbury/Carey sackings on the club?
PS – As a group, it impacted on the chemistry. Obviously they’re two very different guys… Carey was outgoing, gregarious, a voice of the group… Bradbury was the worker, out there setting high levels at training. So we not only lost two pieces of the jigsaw, but also two good friends of a tight knit group. But we wanted another premiership, so… we had to buy into the idea that the new guys could help us win that next cup.

BB – What was the dirtiest act you ever saw on the field?
PS – Saw a few ordinary ones but also saw 100 fold of courageous acts… Footy is a great test of character. But yeah, in the odd pack, you heard the occasional yelp, and you knew someone had copped something a little more serious than a wedgie!

BB – Which games do you remember as your best?
PS – Home and away games… there was the Essendon v Geelong game in 93 at the ‘G‘…. I also remember there was a game against West Coast at Windy Hill, where I played mainly in the ruck, but got 16 marks and kicked 6 goals. There was also the comeback game against Melbourne in 92 when I kicked four in the last quarter. And for Hawthorn… laughs you guys probably aren’t interested in this! grins but there was a game against St Kilda, where we came back from 13 goals down… prior to the Essendon comeback against North, that was the biggest ever comeback!

BB – Which period of your career was most enjoyable?
PS – At Essendon, in the mid 80’s.. was a vibrant time. Also at Hawthorn, when I first went there… they were on the rebound, after overcoming the possible merge… was quite a tumultuous time, but there I was, at the club I’d barracked for as a kid.

BB – Most frustrating?
PS – When I did my knee… coming back from doing the knee.

BB – Most challenging?
PS – probably the mid 90’s… when I was questioning why I was playing, where I wanted to play.

BB – When do you consider you were playing your best football?
PS – Mid 80’s, early 90’s…. and late 90’s.

BB – Why did you take so long to line up for goal? can’t be that hard can it?! grins What do you think of the 30 second rule?
PS – I don’t like the 30 seconds… goal kicking is too much an important part of the game and just can’t be compared to the kick in from the full back. I don’t have a problem with the idea, but not 30 seconds… if they need to limit it, 40 seconds is more reasonable. My routine… when I first started training at Essendon, Gary Bryce was teaching me how to get more distance, and accuracy, and encouraged me to establish a routine, so I elaborated on one I had as a kid. However, I’m not sure when I starting adding to that… tucking my self in, doing my hair… and I’d like to formally apologise to everyone for putting you through that! Sometimes now I see old games and say to myself “hurry up”! I was actually sitting at a game back in ‘02 behind Mr & Mrs Lloyd, and Matty went into his routine, and Mrs Lloyd leaned across and said “you know, this is all your fault!” grins

BB – When it comes to the crunch are you an Essendon or Hawthorn man? Was the offer from Brisbane at all tempting?
PS – It was tempting, yes…. in terms of money, it was unfamiliar territory, and I was 27, didn’t know how much longer I’d be playing… thought maybe three years… and they were offering the number 1 ruck role. But, I made the decision to stay in Victoria because of my love for Essendon and family. And Hawthorn or Essendon… look, I don’t discern. I can’t. Both teams mean so much to me. Naturally though, of course, whenever a young fan comes up, I say the one they barrack for! grins

BB – You were known for your love of a practical joke. What was the best one you have seen and who were the best at playing them at Essendon and Hawthorn?
PS – The funniest… was probably the placement of the chickens in Harves car! He played a few, was known for placing carcasses in lockers! We used to have team dinners, and I remember turning up for one, dressed in my neck to ankle dryzabone, boots, whipper snipper helmet… I’d been tipped off that I was going to be the target of a food fight that night! And sure enough, as soon as I stepped towards the table, it was on! I was actually a double agent type… set blokes up, got others to carry out my dirty work!grins

BB – Do you know the vast majority of Essendon supporters love you, and the ones that booed you were in the minority and should be ashamed of themselves?
PS – Yes, I do. I never really bought into it… took a fairly philosophical approach… it was kind of a backhanded compliment in a way! At my last game, Channel 9 were walking around the ground, doing a sort of vox pop of what people thought… there were some mixed comments, including one woman, with a kid on her shoulders, that said she basically couldn’t care if I died
tomorrow… Reminded me of the depth of passion supporters can feel.

BB – Why the comeback? What was your immediate reaction when you first learned Sheedy wanted you to come out of retirement and play again? Was it a complete surprise, or had you been thinking about it anyway?
PS – grins I laughed! That was my immediate reaction to Adrian Dodoro! Hadn’t been thinking about it. But there were Sheeds and Hirdy, a couple of mates, suggesting I could make a difference and very serious about it.

BB – How had Sheedy changed in the time you had been away from Windy Hill?
PS – he hadn’t! At the first training session, I went to Hirdy, and said “Am I in a time warp?!” There were a few differences, but basically, the message was similar!

BB – What’s your biggest regret ON the field? And off?
PS – Regrets….I don’t think I have any on the field…. thinking back … handballing to Mark Harvey in the goal square during the 1985 Grand Final is one! Pretending to be Jason Dunstall’s room mate on an interstate trip wasn’t clever as he hated company, found myself and my belongings nearly thrown over the balcony!
BB – I read that you were generally seen as the happy, easy going type guy, and the one time that you did hit someone, it didn’t sit well with you.
PS – I was who I was… didn’t try to manufacture aggression but played my game with my focus on the ball and feeding smaller scavengers like Ezard and Bewick – unlike your hard men such as the Harveys and your Merretts grins and yeah, hitting people wasn’t something I generally did! Off the field… oh, yeah, another thing, there was a Rap song I did with one guy from each club, it was terrible!
BB – Thank your lucky stars that you didn’t get captured on vinyl like Tim Watson did then!
PS – laughs Tim Watson has a lot to answer for!!

BB – Can we have your opinion on our current ruck stocks?
PS – I like what’s been gathered. Essendon were generally blessed with the big fellas through the 80’s, and yeah, I think Essendon are in good hands for the next 8-10 years!

BB – Who do you consider the best ruckman playing today?
PS – Everitt is the best technician

BB – We had some hassles last year with injuries to our rucks. If we do end up with another ruck shortage, any chance of you making another comeback?!
PS – laughs Sheeds has my number! We would need disabled access onto the field though!

BB – How is the media role going? Do you find it a challenge to critique current day players? Any approaches by C7 to get you back into the fold for the 2007 season?
PS – I’ve deliberately stepped away at the moment, to concentrate on my business. I do one show, called Back Page, for Fox Sports. But I do love the media… and if the opportunity arose again, I’d probably consider it.
BB – What else do you have on the go at the moment?
PS – Business wise, Premium Brands Group – a business connection and branding solutions company.

• Editor’s note – should readers want to find out more, the website is www.premiumbrandsgroup.com.au

BB – If you could have played in any game throughout history, which game would it be and why?
PS – Probably…. Essendon v Carlton, in the ’99 prelim
BB – Ouch!! I don’t remember that day!
PS – laughs

BB – Knee, achilles, back, cheekbone, hernia, calf – any lingering injuries/pain after a couple of years retired?
PS – laughs and that’s the short list! I continue to look after my lower back, take care of that but it doesn’t help when your wife is 5 foot tall!!

BB – Ever a chance of a return to Essendon in a coaching role?
PS – Always a chance!

BB – When shopping, do you ever pause when you see a tin of Safcol premium salmon, nod and go “yep…the good stuff”? or is John West the best?
PS – grins I actually hate salmon! Can’t stand the smell, taste, anything about it! But I think everyone else appreciates a good chunk of salmon as it is very good for you!

BB – Do you remember the letter you sent 18 years ago?
PS – Of course… it was one of my best! grins

BB – Do you remember patting a nine year old on the head at Syndal swim centre one Saturday morning in 1986, and do you
still drive that blue commodore with FISH05 personalised number plate?
PS – Now… I don’t want you to misconstrue this… but I seemed to pat a lot of heads at swimming pools over the years! grins And that’s actually Dad’s car and it was ‘03!

BB – When is Lachlan is eligible for the draft? How’s he shaping up so far?
PS – He loves his footy, but loves computers a bit more! He’s 15 now…
BB – and how tall?
PS – He’s 6 ft 3
BB – so only a couple more years… grins
PS – He’s pretty raw. But he is a Bombers supporter too!

BB – When playing poker do you like to bluff or just sit back until you get a dream hand?
PS – Definitely the bluff…. I like taunting people!

BB – Why are you so tall?
PS – Just lucky I guess. Of course, it could have been the manure my mum put in my shoes as a kid…. grins

BB – Ever had the urge to punch Robert Walls? If not, why not?
PS – Haven’t had the urge to punch him, no. Run over him, yes! grins Seriously though, I have enormous respect for him.

BB – Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?
PS – I’d better say brunettes! Short ones!

PS – Any more “lightning strikes”?
BB – Thank god, no! I only unzip indoors now!

BB – How did you get your nickname?
BB – I smell! grins

BB – Are you a cinnamon, iced or jam centred type donut man?
PS – Have to say all of the above!

BB – If you could hold a Guinness World Record, what would it be for?
PS – Worst singer and gutter cleaning without a ladder!

BB – What music do you listen to? What would the “Paul Salmon” theme song be?
PS – Rock.. U2… Smashing Pumpkins… but I also have Robbie Williams in the cd player at the moment… James Blunt… an eclectic mix! And my theme song… thinks probably “Too Big” by Suzi Quattro!

BB – Which song would you pick for karaoke?
PS – Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You! Great ice breaker.

BB – If someone made a film of your life, who would you like to play the lead role?
PS – Danny DeVito

BB – Three words/phrases to describe yourself?
PS – Not particularly funny…. outgoing… and apparently tall!

BB – What is your favourite colour M&M?
PS – Bring em all on! I don’t even chew!!

BB – Do you think milk should be added to instant coffee prior to boiling water or after?
PS – I don’t actually drink tea or coffee

BB – Shorts or pants man?
PS – Shorts – my pins are a sight to behold!

BB – Shoes or thongs?
PS – thongs

Word association

BB – James Hird
PS – The Apprentice

BB – Warrick Capper
PS – shorts… small sack!

BB – Rex Hunt
PS – entertaining

BB – Coaching
PS – consumed

BB – Collingwood
PS – Bomb

BB – Paul Van Der Haar
PS – I can’t keep up!

BB – Dick Reynolds
PS – legend

BB – Dermott Brereton
PS – Ouch!

BB – Knees
PS – Bloody things!

BB – The Phantom
PS – comic relief

BB – Gary O’Donnell
PS – folded undies!

BB – All-Australian
PS – honour

BB – Lightning
PS – ouch!

BB – Mark Johnson
PS – shut up!

BB – Kevin Sheedy
PS – yes sir!

BB – And that’s all the questions! Thanks Paul!
PS – No problems Carla. It was a good trip down memory lane!

Posted 29 March 06 in News