Sunday Shout: Peter “Buzz” Bosustow’s reflections on a remarkable footballing life

Carlton great Peter “Buzz” Bosustow, conducted his last interview of significance with this masthead before his sad passing. The mercurial forward reveals why he made the jump to the Blues.

Jon Anderson

Bosustow wins mark and goal of the year in 1981

4 min read

12 hours ago

News Sport Network

The mercurial Peter “Buzz” Bosustow, who died last weekend aged 67, conducted his last interview of significance with this masthead.

Here are some of his reflections from a career with WAFL club Perth and Carlton (two premierships, 65 games, 146 goals, 1981-83), one that saw him become a human highlight reel.

JA: How did you get to Carlton from your WAFL club Perth (141 games, 378 goals)?

PB: In 1980 Carlton tried to get me over during the year by flying me from Perth to Sydney in May when the Blues played Essendon in an exhibition game at the SCG. They took me up to my seat in the stand where there were two brown paper bags. From memory there was around $15,000 in them.

JA: Money aside, why Carlton?

PB: Their coach David Parkin said I would be playing in a team with a halfback line of Ken Hunter, Val Perovic and Bruce Doull, and a half-forward line of Wayne Johnston, Mark Maclure and Peter Bosustow. I liked the sound of it.

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An icon of the Blues passed away last week.

JA: Didn’t Jack Dyer, when asked by Lou Richards, once describe you as “a good ordinary player”?

PB: He did. The next week I kicked eight goals against South Melbourne and Lou asked him again (on World of Sport). Jack replied: “He’s now a VERY good average footballer.”

JA: Lou Richards interviewed you in The Sun before you played a game which raised eyebrows?

PB: I told him I could jump over tall buildings which had a few of the Carlton boys saying, “what have we got here?” So I had to back it up. And while I could jump over tall buildings (laughter) it was the defensive element of my game that won respect from my teammates.

JA: What advice would you give budding AFL players?

PB: Highlight the defensive part of your game, what you do when you haven’t got the ball. That will stick in the minds of recruiters. Or you can take Mark of the Year and kick Goal of the Year in the same season, as some bloke did for Carlton in 1981 (Bosustow, laughter).

JA: At Carlton you played with Bruce Doull, Geoff Southby, Wayne Johnston, Ken Hunter and Mike Fitzpatrick, all of whom were named in the club’s Team of the Century. Who was the best?

PB: The one superstar in my time at Carlton was Rod Ashman. We had champions and legends, and you can add Jimmy Buckley, Wayne Harmes, David McKay, Mark Maclure and Ken Sheldon to that above group. But in my eyes Rod Ashman was the superstar. A 175cm rover who could play centre half-forward. Should have won a Brownlow.

Ken Sheldon and Peter Bosustow in 1981.

JA: Did you keep in contact with your Carlton teammates after heading back to Perth in 1984?

PB: When I was first diagnosed with cancer, 50 of the 55 Carlton blokes I played with made contact, including Bruce Doull who spoke for four minutes on the phone. So I told him I was coming over to Melbourne and would like to take he and his wife Sandy out for coffee, lunch or dinner to say thank you. He said, “I don’t do coffee, I don’t do lunch and I don’t do dinner”. Then he hung up (laughter).

JA: Did you hear from any opponents?

PB: Yeah, this bloke rang up and said he had played one of his first ever games against me, and that he had heard of my cancer plight and wanted to sign a few jumpers to help out. His name was Tony Lockett.

The Carlton great named Neale Daniher as his toughest opponent. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

JA: You were a huge fan of Neale Daniher as an opponent?

PB: He was the best I played on. I just struggled to find ways to beat him. As he was a seriously intelligent footballer, which he carried over to his coaching. Richmond’s Graeme Landy was another but at least I broke even with him, unlike Neale Daniher who was just a very smart player.

JA: For all of us who watched you play, we missed your brilliance when you returned to Perth in 1985.

PB: So did Carlton president John Elliott, who offered me $100,000 in cash to return, which would have helped run my family’s sports stores. Thanks anyway, Jack.

TASSIE’S FIRST COACH?

Looking for a really well-qualified candidate for the Tasmanian Devils coaching gig? Try the name of a young man named Zane Littlejohn, 38, a former teacher who aside from a public profile, ticks every other box.

Littlejohn is a premiership coach with North Launceston, a development and academy coach with the Brisbane Lions and is currently coaching Box Hill in the VFL while also working in development at Hawthorn.

Zane Littlejohn is a name to remember.

STILL LOVE FOR SOS

While his absence was well documented, Stephen Silvagni still received a warm reception when Stephen Kernahan mentioned his contribution at the 1995 Carlton premiership reunion last Sunday.

Kernahan added that Silvagni had sent him an email reflecting on that glorious year and expressing his enjoyment at being part of it. Hopefully down the track there will be a coming together.

AN UNLIKELY COMEBACK?

Former Bomber and Giant Andrew Phillips enjoyed a conversation with some past teammates in the Essendon rooms and you wonder if the Dons tried to twist his arm for a comeback.

Phillips is happily retired but wandered down to the rooms on Thursday night with a typical smile and some handshakes, one of the few happy faces in what was a saddened winning rooms after the injuries to Harry Jones, Jordan Ridley and Jade Gresham.

Phillips retired to go back to his native Tasmania and before Thursday had played two games for Lauderdale this season in the Southern Football League, named best-on for the Bombers – Lauderdale that is – on Anzac Day.

Former Don Andrew Phillips. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

With Nick Bryan and Sam Draper both gone for the season due to injury, the Dons are looking at young options for ruck support in the mid-season draft.

Tom Liberatore was not in the North Melbourne rooms post-match, after being part of a presentation for ex-teammate Caleb Daniel ahead of his 200th match.

Liberatore and some fellow Dogs, including Marcus Bontempelli, took in the Roos-Bombers game from a corporate box at Marvel Stadium, but “Libba” was seen heading for the exit at the last change, before a thrilling final quarter.