Do you Remember.............Grenville Dietrich

In his prime, Grenville Dietrich smoked at least a packet of cigarettes daily, indulged in fried pub meals on game-day eve and would drink alcohol between five and seven times a week.

It is inconceivable to imagine a modern-day footballer succeeding living that lifestyle, given the changes in the sport’s demands, expectations and professionalism. But Dietrich’s habits didn’t stop him from booting 517 career SANFL goals and becoming arguably North Adelaide’s second greatest fullforward, behind only the incomparable Ken Farmer.

If anything, Dietrich’s lifestyle enhanced his output, according to the man himself.
“Friday was pub night and I’d have pub meals, generally oven-fried sandwiches, that sort of thing,” said the ever-popular ‘80s cult figure. “Every Friday night before a game I would have a few drinks. “I’d get a bit nervous and the nerves affected me if I didn’t have a drink, so I found that having a few drinks helped me play better.”

Whether it was at his own home, the footy club or his favoured watering holes such as the Reepham Hotel and the Wellington, Dietrich’s routine ability to make imperial pints look like tiny shotglasses before fronting the next day and kicking a bag is the stuff of legend.

The only player in SANFL history to have twice booted 100-plus goals in a season without being the League’s leading goal-kicker (109 goals in 1983, 101 in 1984).

“Sometimes on a Friday evening, (coach) Mick Nunan would have half a dozen beers for me, to get me in the mood - he knew I liked a drink.”

In June 1983, Central District made a brazen and innovative - but ultimately unsuccessful - attempt to curb Dietrich’s influence. They wined and dined the burly forward the day before the Round 11 North versus Central clash.
It backfired big-time on the Bulldogs!
“Rick Vidovich, who was a selector for Centrals, decided to take me out on the turps on the Friday before we played them,” Dietrich said.
“He picked me up on Friday morning, took me to Cobbs restaurant for lunch and then to Regines nightclub in the city, buying all my drinks.
“Rick dropped me off home around two the next morning. I remember walking into the North rooms the next day and all the boys moved away from me - I obviously still smelt like a brewery. “Early in the game, I took a onehander next to the point post. I lined up to have my shot and kicked the ground and the ball at the same time. “The ball went under Stephen Boehm’s arm for a goal and I knew I’d have the luck with me that day.
“Mick Nunan on the replay was shaking his head, but he was happyin the end because I kicked 12 of our 18 goals and we won the game.”

An urban legend was and still is, Grenville.

im friends with him on facebook

You run a bar don't you Sarge?
Why am I not surprised the big fella is your friend?

i work in a bar, i actually went to high school with his son, and he came out to westies a few years a go to help players with their goal kicking