Mick Nolan (footballer)

Mick Nolan

Personal information
Birth	16 February 1950 (1950-02-16) (age 61)
Recruited from	Wangaratta Rovers (O&M)
Height and weight	194cm / 135kg
Death	27 May 2008(2008-05-27) (aged 58),
Playing career¹
Debut	Round 6, 1973, North Melbourne v. South Melbourne, at VFL Park
Team(s)	North Melbourne 107 games, 40 goals
Coaching career¹
Team(s)	Mayne (QAFL)
¹ Statistics to end of 1980 season
Career highlights
North Melbourne Premiership Side 1975

Mick Nolan (9 November 1949–27 May 2008) was an Australian rules football player for North Melbourne. Because of his weight of 135 kg and height of 194 cm, Nolan was dubbed the "The Galloping Gasometer" by commentator Lou Richards. Until the emergence of Aaron Sandilands in the early 2000s, Nolan was the heaviest ruckman to play VFL/AFL football. He was nevertheless surprisingly agile and regarded as one of the best "palm" ruckmen of the 1970s. Nolan had a long kick and was unusually effective, for a big man, in picking up the ball at ground level.

As a child in Tarrawingee, Victoria, Nolan supported St Kilda and had the ambition of playing in their first ever premiership. He was recruited by North Melbourne from Wangaratta Rovers and reportedly knew little about North when he arrived, including the fact that the Kangaroos at the time had never won a flag.^{[citation needed]} Nolan made his senior debut in 1973.

North Melbourne rover Barry Cable said that Nolan was the best ruckman he had played with,^{[citation needed]} because of his ability to palm the ball directly into Cable's hands. Nolan's efforts were rewarded with a place in the Kangaroos' team for the 1975 VFL Grand Final, a game in which he dominated the ruck, playing a crucial part in North's first premiership. Nolan finished third that year in voting for the Kangaroos' best and fairest, the Syd Barker Medal. This in itself was remarkable, given that nine members of the 1975 Kangaroos team were later included in the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

In a famous incident, during a game against Carlton at Arden Street, Carlton player Mark Maclure while running for the ball, decided to run into Nolan, who stood his ground and looked likely to be knocked over. However, Mclure bounced off Nolan and fell to the ground, while Nolan casually picked up the ball and handpassed to another North player, as if nothing had happened.

Nolan was regarded as unlucky not to play in the 1977 VFL Grand Final, since he played 19 games that year.

After Nolan finished his career with North Melbourne in 1980, he was recruited by then VFL president Allen Aylett, to move to Queensland, to develop Australian rules in that rugby-dominated state. Nolan coached the Mayne Tigers in the QAFL from 1981 to 1986, winning a flag in 1982. Nolan also served as captain and coach of the Queensland state team.

Nolan died on 27 May 2008 following a short battle with cancer.^[1]

References

1. ^ Barrett, Damien (2008-05-28). "Battle over for North Melbourne legend Mick Nolan". Herald Sun. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23771076-19742,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-28. 

• Mick Nolan (footballer)'s statistics from AFL Tables
• Fullpointsfooty profile

Persondata
Name	Nolan, Mick
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	16 February 1950
Place of birth
Date of death	27 May 2008
Place of death