Brian Royal                                                                               

Number

  33

Height

   

Weight

   

Birthday

  12 December 1958

Period on list

  1983 to 1993

Senior Games

  199

Goals

  299

Disposals

   

Recruited From

  Bairnsdale
Honours   State selection (Vic). Club Best & Fairest 1983. VFL 'Recruit of the year' 1983. All-Australian 1986. Team of the Century. All-Australian. Third Brownlow medal 1987.

                                 

Usual position was Rover. He was regarded for many years as the best in the business and when teamed with co-rover Tony McGuinness they were the best pair in the competition. He was quick thinking, fearless and could read the play very well.  
     
  He was known to the fans as Choco Royal or just 'Choco' after the well known brand of chocolate biscuits - Chocolate Royals. He was many fans' all-time favourite bulldog player. Was a fantastic rover (2nd best in the league throughout the 80's behind Flea Weightman - those 2 gave great service in those classic state of origin games in the mid to late 80's).  When he lost a yard in pace he became a deadly forward pocket specialist.
     
  It was a tragedy that he finished on 199 games and 299 goals, courtesy of a ruptured achilles towards the end of 1993 season. Also, in his first year he did a knee robbing him of another year of football. The introduction of Choco, Wallis, Purser and co was responsible for taking us to near grand finalists in the space of 2 years. It also kept us super competitive during the rest of Malthouse era.

If you think Huddo (Paul Hudson) was a hog near goals, you should have seen Choco in his prime! In the West Aust-Vic classic State of origin game in 1986, when Choco went for glory in the last minute instead of dishing off to Gerard Healy his effort was smothered, but he was BOG that day kicking 5-6 goals
     
  Loved the trademark quick shake of the head whenever he scored a goal. Gun. He was always a bulldog, ever since he was a kid, his idols were Geoff Jennings and Georgie Bisset. Choco is a 'CAN DO IT' man. One day he may coach the Bulldogs to a premiership.
     
 

After retirement he returned to Gippsland where he coached Leongatha from wooden spooners to premiership winners in a season. This impressed the Western Bulldogs who appointed him to the coaches' panel. After success that included two preliminary finals, he crossed to Melbourne as an assistant coach in 2000. He was successful at Melbourne taking them to the 2000 grand final. In 1994 joined the coaching staff at North Melbourne.

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