Happy 50th birthday to Mil Hanna.
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From the Blueseum
Mil Hanna
Career: 1986-1997
Debut: Round 1, 1986 vs Hawthorn
934th Carlton Player
Games: 190
Goals: 83
Last Game: Round 22, 1997 vs Richmond
Guernsey No. 47 (1 game) and 13 (189 games)
Height: 186cm
Weight: 89kg
DOB: 5 April, 1966
All Australian: 1992
Premiership Player: 1995
Milham Hanna was an extraordinarily well built but enigmatic wingman / defender for the Blues in between 1986 and 1997. As an outstanding junior footballer he always seemed destined as being a future senior player with the Blues. He was selected in the All-Australian Team for the 1983 Teal Cup after representing Victoria in the carnival. Hanna was a local lad recruited from East Brunswick.
More commonly called “Mil”, or affectionately as “the Cranium” for Rex Hunt fans after Hanna’s golden barren dome (Hanna was prematurely bald at a very early age, with only fuzzy sprigs of hair at the commencement of his career), Hanna played 190 games for Carlton before retiring in the 1997 season.
Hanna’s debut is perhaps one of the greatest horror stories that can be suffered by a footy player. Much like the Carlton debut of Dean Rice, where he suffered a severe knee injury, but even worse as it was Hanna’s first game overall, Hanna busted his knee in Round 1 of 1986 against the Hawks. He was retained by the Blues but not seen again until Round 7, 1987.
Of Lebanese descent, Hanna had a long right foot kick on him but hardly ever used his left. Sometimes famous for his turnovers, Hanna’s pace and agility meant that he could be played in many positions across the wing or half back, plus the occasional stint up forward. A 5 goal game against the Hawks at Waverley in 1995 sticks in the mind – he was kicking them from everywhere on that day. Hanna also had a distinctive action when tackled of immediately dropping the ball and flapping his arms, giving away the occasional holding the ball free kick.
Hanna was to become a regular in the team over 1989 and 1990, with over 20 games each year, and a 100 game player by the time the Blues hit their straps in the early to mid 1990’s. Interestingly, Hanna was also in our top 5 goalkickers in 1991 with 23 majors at over a goal per game.
Hanna played 19 games in 1993, including our Grand Final loss to the Bombers, a game in which he was knocked heavily by tough-man Dean Wallis in what was arguably a defining moment of the match.
Hanna would play all games in 1994 and 1995, including playing on the wing in the Grand Final. Hanna’s brilliant opening quarter in the “Grannie” cannot be underestimated, with Hanna scorching the outer wing on Aaron Lord (our nemesis from the 1994 finals campaign) and delivering beautifully to Brad Pearce for one special goal in our first quarter onslaught. Geelong switched the wings in the second quarter, giving Kouta to chance to dominate – as he did. But there is no doubt Hanna was a key player at the start of the game.
Mil began to slow down over 1996 and 1997, departing in 1997 after only a handful of games for the year. But he would retire a 190 game Premiership Player for the Blues.
As a footnote, it was common amongst Carlton fans of the era to believe that Hanna’s lack of hair was due to disease. However, my research indicates that it is just baldness, plain & simple. Presumably this will be correct until this section of the Blueseum is updated for a more correct ‘truth’. (Steve)
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Milestones
50th Game: Round 5, 1990 vs Footscray
100th Game: Round 15, 1992 vs Richmond
150th Game: Qualifying Final, 1994 vs Melbourne
Career Highlights
1985 – Reserves Best First Year Player Award
1985 – Reserves Equal Runner-up Goalkicker 38 goals
1987 – Reserves Premiership Player
1988 – 3rd Reserves Best & Fairest
1989 – 5th Best & Fairest
1991 – Equal 9th Best & Fairest
1992 – 2nd Best & Fairest
1992 – All Australian
1995 – Premiership Player
1997 – Pre-Season Premiership Player