Happy 60th to Rod Ashman.
————-
From the Blueseum
Career: 1973 – 1986
Debut : Round 5, 1973 v Fitzroy, aged 18 years, 153 days
Carlton Player No. 838
Games: 236
Goals: 370
Last game: Round 15, 1986 v Fitzroy, aged 31 years, 214 days
Guernsey No. 14
Height : 175 cm
Weight : 76 kg
DOB : 3 December, 1954
Premiership Player: 1981, 1982
Carlton Hall of Fame (1993)
Team of the Century
Rodney Ashman was one of Carlton’s greatest rovers. A brave and skilful player who was part of two Premiership teams, he continued to serve the Blues for many years after his wonderful playing career ended.
As a junior in his home town of Eaglehawk, “Ashy” was a strong-marking, straight-kicking full forward until he stopped growing and was forced out of the goal-square by taller and heavier opponents. He turned himself into a clever centreman/rover and soon caught the eye of VFL scouts. Zoned to Carlton, he arrived at Princes Park following the Blues’ 1972 Premiership season. He was given guernsey 14 and played his first senior game off the bench in 1973, aged 18.
At 175 cm and 73 kg he wasn’t the biggest or fastest on-baller in the game, but Ashy was a superb ball handler. His disposal by hand or foot was always accurate and his bravery was legendary. By 1979 he was firmly entrenched among the elite rovers of the VFL, only to be bitterly disappointed when injury kept him out of that year’s Premiership team. All that changed in 1981, however, when the nuggety blonde terrier was a star in the Blues emphatic Premiership win over Collingwood. That flag capped a fabulous year for Ashy; he had represented Victoria, finished second in the Brownlow Medal and was pipped by one point by Ken Hunter in Carlton’s Best & Fairest award.
In 1982, The Blues did it again; defending their title with a gutsy Grand Final victory over strong favourites Richmond. Ashman kicked two vital goals at crucial times to see the Blues home by 18 points. In the maelstrom of the packs that day, Ashy suffered concussion for the umpteenth time in his career. So from then on the Club doctors insisted that he wear a lightweight padded bicycle helmet every time he played. It made little difference to him; he just kept boring in regardless.
By coincidence, Rod’s senior career started at Waverley Park against Fitzroy in May 1973, and ended at the same venue – against the same opponent – thirteen years later. But even so, he wasn’t quite done. He played out the year in the Reserves team, and claimed another flag victory on Grand Final day 1986, when the firsts crashed to defeat against Hawthorn in Bruce Doull’s last game. Rod would play no more, but he wasn’t lost to his beloved Blues.
He was elected to the Carlton Board of Directors in 1987, and became the seniors’ skills coach the following year. In 1989 he took over as Reserves coach and guided his young team to another Premiership in 1990. Three years later, he was elected to the Carlton Hall of Fame, and in May 2000 – to the acclaim of the football world – he was named in a forward pocket in the Blues’ Team of the 20th Century. Rod Ashman is also the uncle of Blues great Peter Dean.
Rod’s enormous contribution to the Carlton Football Club continued in 2007, in the role of Player Welfare Officer.
In 1989, the Bendigo Football Netball League named the Best on Ground award for the U/18’s Grand Final the Rod Ashman Medal in honour of the champ from Eaglehawk. Ashman also won the League’s best and fairest in the U/18’s in 1971 the same year they won the premiership.