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Specky
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A spectacular mark (often called a specky, speckie or speccy for short, alternatively known as a screamer or a hanger) is a term for a type of mark in Australian rules football. A spectacular mark involves a player jumping up on the back of another player in order to take the mark, or catch. Many of the winners of the annual Mark of the Year competition could be considered 'speckies'. A notable example was Shaun Smith's 1995 leap, which was named 'Mark of the Century'.
The movement of other players beneath a marking can cause the flyer to lose balance in mid air and land or fall awkwardly, enhancing the spectacular nature of the mark. In the 1980s, some exponents of the spectacular mark achieved elevation by levering or propping the hands or arms off the shoulders of opponents. If the player being launched off is an opposition player then this is illegal interference, however sometimes umpires may interpret in favour of spectacular play if the interference is minor and deemed to be part of the jumping action (although the AFL has further cracked down on this in 2007 with the advent of the "hands on the back" rule).
HistoryThe first speckies in the game of Australian rules football began to appear in the 1880s, a time in which the popularity of the sport was heightened. Charlie Pearson was one of the first high flyers. Albert Thurgood was a later exponent at the turn of the century. Dick Lee pulled down consistent high marks in the early 1900s.
It wasn't until the 1897 with the push in the back rule that high flyers were protected from being pushed in mid air. This prevented potential serious injury. In 1904, "unintentional interference" paved the way for forwards to climb up opposition players backs to take spectacular marks.
Notable ExponentsGreat players known for their ability to take "speckies" include:
Current players that regularly exhibit spectacular marking include Chris Tarrant, Jeff White, Russell Robertson, Aaron Edwards, Michael Newton, Brett Burton, Luke McPharlin, Leon Davis, Leo Barry, Matthew Richardson and Dale Thomas.
Specky in Popular CultureThe specky has been widely celebrated in popular Australian culture.
The phrase "The Big Men Fly" to describe the game of Australian Rules is about the specky and has spawned a play. Alex Jesaulenko's specky spawned the catch phrase "Jesaulenko You Beauty!". Songs like "Up There Cazaly" also celebrate the popular spectator phenomenon.
There are also a series of football-related children's novels by ex-player Garry Lyon and children's author, Felice Arena named after their protagonist, "Specky Magee". This character is named after the slang term.
In Australian slang, stepladder describes the player over which another player marks to take a specky. In the past, fullbacks have been renowned for regularly acting as stepladders. The stepladders of famous marks are very rarely remembered or recorded in the history books. The only notable exception to this was Graeme "Jerker" Jenkins who was the stepladder for Alex Jesaulenko's mark — Melbourne band TISM even wrote the song "the Back upon Which Jezza Jumped" about him. Strong fullbacks Gary Pert, Michael Martyn, Chris Langford and Matthew Scarlett have been stepladders for speckies on multiple occasions.
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