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Sainternist wrote: ↑Sun 17 Sep 2023 12:38pm
It’s a sad day for the club and the football world. Not long after Barassi’s passing.
RIP Cowboy
Kevin “Cowboy” Neal and Ron Barassi dying at the same time and same age. I hope they kick the footy around upstairs and reminisce about the games they played against each other. RIP Cowboy Neal and Ron Barassi.
Cowboy was 78 while Barrassi was 87.
Both suffered from dementia Though.
Cowboy loved the Saints. Barrassi didn't.
I knew both of them. Cowboy I liked.
Yeah, always got the impression Barassi had no love for St.Kilda.
Correct. He once said to me" You wouldn't begrude the swans beating the Saints, would you? It would be good for the game."
I said something like 'Of course I would." He wasn't impressed but I couldn't have given a s***.
5 goals in a grand final these days would be considered good enough to win a Norm Smith Medal. 5 of 10 goals in a premiership winning performance would have made Cowboy a certainty.
My favourite Cowboy performance was against Essendon at Moorabbin in 1968. EIGHT SECOND-HALF GOALS! Of his 6 third-quarter goals, 4 came in the first 10 minutes to erase our 23 point half-time deficit. He had played the first half in the backline, yet he turned all that around and we won by 23 points. One of the greatest single-handed performances of all time, largely forgotten today.
Many years ago I was at a pre-game function when St Kilda came to play Brisbane, Cowboy Neale and Neil Roberts had all of us in tears of laughter with their tall tales of their playing days.
A larger than life character who's passion for the club was boundless, he'll be sadly missed but always fondly remembered!!
Them were the days.....
"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."
"Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen."
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910) American writer and humorist
A wonderful hero for a young fan to meet.
I recall my dad urging me to go get my jumper signed
Cowboy, who was very engaging, says, like he knows me,
'Hey come on Benny, come get your jumper signed young fella, I won't bite ya.' Always remembered my name and had a smile and a pat on the head for me.
Straight to the legends room when ya get up there Cowboy. RIP champ.
Wore number 18 on the back of my saints footy jumper from around 1968 onwards. He was a fantastic player and really tough. I was talikng to my cousin about the great collision between Cowboy and Leigh Matthews out in the centre of waverley park around the 74 or 75 season. Ball was between them and they both charged in at the ball full throttle, they both knew what was coming but neither of them flinched not one single inch!! And BANG...it was a huge hit, they both staggered monentarily before carrying on. It was old fashioned footy where getting hit was part of the game.
I want to stand for something. I'm a loyal person and I think at the end of my career it will be great to look back and know that I'm a St Kilda person for life.
- Nick Riewoldt. May 19th 2009.
Sainternist wrote: ↑Sun 17 Sep 2023 12:38pm
It’s a sad day for the club and the football world. Not long after Barassi’s passing.
RIP Cowboy
Kevin “Cowboy” Neal and Ron Barassi dying at the same time and same age. I hope they kick the footy around upstairs and reminisce about the games they played against each other. RIP Cowboy Neal and Ron Barassi.
Cowboy was 78 while Barrassi was 87.
Both suffered from dementia Though.
Cowboy loved the Saints. Barrassi didn't.
I knew both of them. Cowboy I liked.
Yeah, always got the impression Barassi had no love for St.Kilda.
Correct. He once said to me" You wouldn't begrude the swans beating the Saints, would you? It would be good for the game."
I said something like 'Of course I would." He wasn't impressed but I couldn't have given a s***.
All part of his push for a national comp. I used to enjoy the arguments between him and Bobby Davis over that on 7’s Sports Sunday.
Curb your enthusiasm - you’re a St.Kilda supporter!!
Cowboy is a true legend of the club. As others have posted , he had some amazing performances up forward, but he was even more effective when moved to defence. In the early 70s, when Lou/Bobby/Jack read out the Saints team “ from the backline- Judson, Murray , Neale”, you knew the opposing forwards were in for a very tough day.
His love for the club was palpable, as evidenced by his continued involvement post-retirement.
He is in our team of the century, and deservedly so.
My earlier recollection of Cowboy's 8 goal, second half haul was in 1967, not '68. (My memory is failing!)
Also, a great anecdote of his other 8 goal haul against South Melbourne. I watched him in disbelief having witnessed his 2.7 at Kardinia Park the previous week. I admit sat on the branch of a tree directly behind the Barwon River-end goal that day and none of his set shots came anywhere near me.
