WHERE ARE THEY NOW DEAN TALBOT CHAMPION BELL PARK DEFENDER
DRAFTED to Geelong after a best-and-fairest season at East Perth, Dean Talbot forged a distinguished career in the SANFL and VFL before finishing his career as a premiership player at Bell Park. AO: I noticed there’s a D. Talbot running around in the twos at Bell Park. That wouldn’t happen to be you, would it? DT: (Laughing) Don’t let that secret out. We’ve been a bit light on in recent weeks with injuries, so I’ve had to get in and help out. So it is me.
AO: How is the body reacting to the wear and tear? DT: It’s good. I try to keep myself in shape the best I can and I’ve always done (fitness) stuff, so it hasn’t been too bad. I wouldn’t say I haven’t been sore, but I keep myself in reasonable condition.
AO: Now, you were on Geelong’s list in the mid ‘90s, is that
right? DT: Yeah, ‘95 and ‘96, and then I went to Adelaide and played with South Adelaide for five years before I came back and played VFL at Coburg for a few years, then I was player-coach at Bell Park for a couple of years.
AO: OK. What took you to South Australia? DT: I just wanted to keep playing the best footy I could. The SANFL had a reputation as the best state league going around, so I went there and I had enough flexibility with work at NAB that I could find opportunities for a transfer, so it was fairly easy.
AO: How close were you to cracking a game at the Cats? DT: I don’t know, it’s not for me to say. I broke my ankle and missed the bulk of the second year. I was 21 at the time and I’d had the best preseason that I’d ever had, but I missed the first 15 or 16 weeks and that made it pretty hard.
AO: You were at Coburg for a while as well. DT: We were aligned to Richmond at that stage, and by the time I got back from Adelaide, I was 28 and I played VFL footy until I was 31 and I decided it was getting a bit too serious and I wound it back. My wife at the time was a Geelong girl, so I took the opportunity to coach at Bell Park. I coached in 2005 and 2006, and from 2007 onwards “Fitzy” (John Fitzgerald) took over and coached until 2011 when I played in a premiership.
AO: And you played in three grand finals, is that right? DT: We played in four grand finals in that period and South Barwon beat us in three. I played in 2007, 2010 and ‘11.
AO: Which of the defeats hurt the most? DT: 2010. We won the second semi and lost by four or five goals. We had similar sides in ‘10 and ’11 and we were a little bit annoyed at ourselves for losing in ‘10.
AO: Who did you play on that day? DT: It was a combination. Wellsy (Clinton Wells) played forward and centre half-forward for most of it, so I played a bit on Luke Buckland as well, but it was mainly Wellsy. I think he kicked two.
AO: Who were some of the best forwards you played on? DT: At GFL level, there were players like Wellsy, Nathan Saunders and Jake Carmody. I played a little bit against Nathan at VFL level and we had the same careers at state footy. I played against Bryan Beinke at the Crows and Ryan O’Connor, who went to Port Adelaide, and I became a teammate with O’Connor at Coburg later on.
AO: What accolades did you win over the journey? DT: I won East Perth’s best-and-fairest when I was 19 and I got drafted to Geelong. When I finished at Geelong I won two best-and-fairests at South Adelaide and then won one at Coburg and two at Bell Park. I spent a lot of time at Bell Park and I love the club and my two boys are playing there.
AO: Aside the occasional kick in the twos, what are you up
to nowadays? DT: I’m involved in the club at senior level, I play competitive basketball and I’m a devoted dad. I’m living in Torquay and I commute daily to Melbourne. I’ve got a reasonably professional job as a senior executive at a small bank, so I’ve got lots of things to do.