As part of an ongoing peek back into Uni Blues history and with an eye fixed on this Saturday’s 70s & 80s Day, we recall the arrival of a Uni Blues giant from this era…
Another charismatic player to emerge in the 1970s was Michael Yeo. Having been named captain of Old Carey at 19 years of age, Yeo was sought by a host of A Section clubs. As a 21-year old medical student, he was doing an internship at Heidelberg’s Austin Repatriation Hospital when the newly graduated Peter Brukner asked the ruckman to join him for lunch. Over a sandwich in the hospital café, Yeo agreed to attend a training session with the Blues. Brukner’s response was to rush to a phone and ring Alan Salter.
Before Yeo’s first game for the Blues, against Caulfield Grammarians in the opening round of 1978, Brukner commented that his prized recruit would be the best player in the competition. Blues insiders were sceptical until Yeo, wearing the No. 31 guernsey, took a series of strong marks in the opening minutes. At quarter-time former Blues coach Dave Mithen sidled up to Brukner and confirmed that his prediction about Yeo might be right. Blues won by 124 points. Yeo was best on ground.
Yeo went on to finish in the top three in the Woodrow Medal in both 1978 and 1979, despite playing out the 1979 season with a cyst on his knee. In an attempt to recover from the damage, he spent the following pre-season avoiding running, and switching his energies to gymnasium work. The result was one of the most dominant seasons by a player wearing the University jumper. As well as taking spectacular marks and booting the ball 50 metres, Yeo took to splitting packs. While opponents had plenty of reason to fear, teammates also became wary. Mark Tyquin, playing at centre half-back, realised it was pointless calling, “Mine, Blues”, if the ball was in the air and Yeo was in the area. If he saw Yeo from the corner of his eye, he would subtly drift from the pack before the ruckman arrived.
This is an extract from “Black & Blue – The Story of Football at the University of Melbourne”.
“Black & Blue...” is available for purchase by clicking here: http://www.melbunifootball.com/news.htm
