In a career that spanned some 18 seasons, John Nicholls did it all at Carlton.
The Blues fans loved "Big Nick", and those fortunate enough to play with him were in awe of his football talents, intelligence and hardness.
On the field, he had presence with a capital P. He intimidated opposition players with his size, skill and will. You messed with him at your peril. In turn, his teammates grew in confidence and stature knowing he was always there to protect you.
Nicholls came from the central Victorian town of Maryborough, following older brother Don to Carlton. At age 17, he made his debut. For the next 18 seasons, he was the game's dominant ruckman. He could palm the ball with either hand and would work for front position to block his opponent's run at the ball. This required smarts and courage.
Week-in, week-out, Nicholls' legs and back would be cut and bruised as the boots and knees of his opponents ploughed into him. He never flinched. And he was durable. He played 328 games for his beloved Blues and a record 31 for Victoria. That's an average of 20 games a season over an 18-year period.
The amazing thing about the ruck master was that he was only 189 centimetres. That's the same height as current Carlton captain Chris Judd - six feet two-and-a-half inches in the old. Basically, it was Nicholls' bulk, courage and brain that made him the best.
In my first game for Carlton, the ball went out-of-bounds in the forward pocket. As the ruckman got set for the throw-in, I looked at "Big Nick". He stared at me with those ice-cold, steely blue eyes, and then he stared at a piece of vacant grass to the side of the pack. I thought, "I think he wants me to run there". So I did. And the ball was palmed down my throat. It was the first of many gifts I would receive.
For years, set in stone, was the Carlton ruck division of Nicholls, Serge Silvagni and Adrian Gallagher. They complemented each other. John with his taps, Serge with his strength and Adrian with his nimbleness.
Nicholls won five best-and-fairest awards at Carlton. No one else has done that. He loved the camaraderie of his teammates and that of respected opponents. As a young footballer on the field, I found it intriguing to hear the good-natured banter that Nicholls shared with Ted Whitten, Bobby Skilton and Darrel Baldock.
For a man of his size, Nicholls had amazing pace. He would often run smaller opponents down. And he was strong overhead and an accurate shot for goal, even though his flat punts wobbled in all directions. Nicholls kicked 307 goals for the Blues, with his six in the 1972 grand final being the highlight.
Nicholls captained Carlton for eight seasons. It would have been more, but he stepped aside when Ron Barassi arrived in 1965. Nicholls played in the 1968 and '70 premiership teams under Barassi's coaching.
When Barassi left, Nicholls was appointed captain-coach and in his first season in that role, 1972, he steered the Blues to an amazing premiership victory. It was the highest-scoring grand final of all time and it was Nicholls who single-handedly masterminded the victory.
He was the best coach I played under when it came to assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition, and he gave senior players ownership of the team long before it became the done thing to do. Players simply wanted to play for him, wanted to earn his respect.
