Number: 31
Games: 253
Years at NOBs: 1990-2005
Chunky. Muffler. LJ. The Boyle. There are many more nicknames for NOBs Life Member Luke Boyle. But he’s not just a man with numerous nicknames; also he is arguably one of the finest small forwards the club will ever produce.
Luke came to the club in 1990, as an old boy coming from St. Joseph’s. He played the first of over 200 senior games that year, what he described as a “big thrill”. He started off as a crumbing forward, with deadly accuracy in front of goal. This was the pattern for the majority of his career, as he spent most of his time up forward, but for his latter years when he has become a cunning old backman. Although the cries of “Boyle for the forward line” can still be heard occasionally at the Gillon. Often from Lukey himself….
And having played for such a long time with North, he has played under a number of different coaches. He identified three as “very good”;
Robert Hyde (Professional)
Frank Dunell (Crazy)
Garry Foulds (Normal)
Memorable Games:
During his time Luke has played in some memorable games for the purple and whites. He names his most memorable games as;
Kicking a goal on the siren to beat De La Salle in the clubs last year in A-Grade (’95)- When playing De La in 2003 he was heard to be still bragging about this goal to De La’s Ben Mannix, who was the man on the mark Lukey danced around.
A win against Xavs in 1992 (oh and Luke kicked a lazy 8)
Defeating St Bedes in the 2nd Semi Final of 1997 to ensure the club returned to B-Grade. He calls it a “great team effort” as we were down at the half.
Smashing Old Scotch by over 100 points in the 1991 A-Grade Preliminary Final.
Kicking 8 goals against De La in 1993, as North win in a close one.
And his greatest disappointment is the heartbreaking 1991 Grand Final loss. To come so close to scaling the mountain remains Luke’s biggest disappointment, and he says that he “would love to be able to have that game back.”
Other recent disappointments include the 2002 preliminary final loss to Old Haileybury at the Trevor Barker Oval in Sandy, and also the 1997 C-Grade Grand Final loss to Marcellin.
As for highlights, well were do I start. He’s captained the club for two years, was vice for another five. He won the 2004 B&F, 2nd in a club best & fairest, a most consistent player award, 2nd in VAFA competition B&F, 6 times leading goal kicker (nearly won the League title in A-Grade once, and Luke is always more than happy to tell you his sob story of how he nearly won it-its just about as popular as his infamous “We need the Sheo” story), making the end of year combined side in the record in 1992, and finally reaching 200 games for NOBs in 2001 then 250 in 2005.
Best Team Mates
During his long career he has played side by side with a number of NOBs legends. He has split up the best players he has played with at NOBs into two groups;
During the first half of his career
* Anthony Egan- for his ability and on field leadership
* Steve Brazil- a great centre half forward
* Tim Jones- tough and highly skilled
* Damien Cerini- quick and very competitive
* Paul Booth- for his ability to win the one on one contests
* Owen Abrahams- no fear
* Bruno Conti- poise, grace, class and for his penchant for prancing over the turf in his size 40 shorts.
And during the second half of his career
* Joe Barker- strong mark and great goal kicker
* Brett Collison- long kick and had ability to play at either end of the ground
* Daniel Tonkin- very quick and always had the better of his direct opponent.
Best Opponents;
* Dan Richardson (Xavs)- (although I can’t imagine him playing on you Luke???)
* Paul Capes (St Bernards)
* Bernie Carter (Therry)
And his thoughts on the other members of the Fab Four;
Joe Barker – ” I played against Joey in juniors, and then played with him at St.Joseph’s. Joey came down to NOBs in 1993, when Damien and I took him under our wing. We got him into the gym with us. We called it the bulk train. He was keen to learn at first, asking lots of questions about workouts and lifting massive kilograms of iron. Then once he milked us of the information, he went on his own way. Sure we would still workout at the same time but he would only do bench presses and dumbbell curls, saying that it was all you needed to do to look good in the Nightclubs.
Joe was a great player for NOBs, he could take a pack mark and kick the important goal. He played well when the team needed him to. And also played with injuries and doing it for the jumper when not 100% fit.”
Paul Booth – “Was always an important player in NOBs sides. He was sensational at winning the one on one contests (i.e Booth running with his opponent, chasing after the football he would win the ball, get past his opponent with ease, such that he would do a U turn and give his opponent a second chance, but only for his opponent to lose again).
Paul was very consistent, never playing a shocker. He was very durable, rarely missing a game, and too his credit he never criticised his teammates.
Brett Collison – “Collo came to the club in 1990. He was a very skilled player who could play most positions. Played on the wing early in his career, using that penetrating kick effectively. He then moved to the backline where he was most effective before finishing off his career with more time spent in the forward line, where he thought he should have been for the previous ten years.
Collo was underrated in a few areas; one was his drinking ability and his fashion sense. He would roll up to social functions in his tweed jacket with the patches on the elbows, the cords, the desert boots. Everyone would laugh and joke behind his back until someone felt sorry for him and let him into the shout. Well could he drink? He would be the last man standing everytime. And Lukes joke is what if you played a word association game, it would be; Frank- Brett. “All jokes aside Brett was a great player at NOBs.”
And a final word from LJ.
“NOBs have been a great club to play with and we have a strong band of very loyal supporters.”
