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TO watch Anthony Koutoufides lope around the football field was an experience of beauty, one where he sometimes appeared to be playing to his own rules.
A laconic style belied a rare gift where he could change the course of games, and he could do so by playing in any position on the ground.
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He was assisted by a 191cm and 97kg build and a junior athletics career where he was Australian U17 champion in the 110m hurdles (14.18 sec, record) and U16 high jump champion (2.08cm). But those athletic gifts didn't ensure he could get the football.
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In "Kouta's" case he could do so one-handed, a signature movement at stoppages that became his speciality. On his day, and there were many days, he was able to accumulate large numbers of significant possession in quick time.
When you watched him he ensured you left the game fully aware of his skill set, making it all the more remarkable he was only named All-Australia twice and was rewarded with just two Robert Reynolds trophies as Carlton's best and fairest.
Koutoufides with his family: wife Susie, Jamie 11, Monique 9, Lukas 3. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia
Or maybe he was one of those players who couldn't be measured by statistics. After all Gary Ablett Sr won just one best and fairest at Geelong and like Koutoufides never seriously challenged in a Brownlow Medal count.
If "Kouta" was going to win a Brownlow then it would have been in 2000 when he entered the award a hot favourite only to finish five votes behind shock winner Shane Woewodin. It was a season where he played regularly on the ball, 12 years after he first played junior football at Carlton.
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"Our property steward, Wayne 'Bulldog' Gilbert, had seen me play at Lalor and got the club to send me a letter. The next year I played for Victoria in the U15s and WA had this man mountain called Glen Jakovich," recalls Koutoufides, 41, who was given 43, a number he liked because his mum Anna was born in 1943.
An emergency for the 1993 Grand Final after a promising season, he came of age in 1994 when coach David Parkin moved him to a wing. His size and athleticism meant he was thrown around the ground prior to that.
KOUTA IN PICTURES
"I couldn't get into the midfield because there were so many stars so I played the wing and liked it. Then I ended up playing as a midfielder which probably best suited my game," said the husband of Susie and father of son Jamie, 11, Monique, 9, and Lukas, 3.
It was on a wing where he helped destroy Geelong in the 1995 Grand Finals, casually picking up 31 possessions and being beaten by Greg Williams for the Norm Smith medal. The next year he took 18 marks in a home and way game against West Coast, at a time when you didn't pick up cheapies hanging across half-back as sides flooded forward.
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Two seasons later he was the finest player in the land, averaging 30 possessions, nine marks and two goals per games between Rds 5-20. He regards the period between 1999-2001 as his best, when he was fit enough to meet his high standards.
"After that I got some injuries and the coach and game plan changed. 'Parko' (David Parkin) is a great mate of mine who taught me a lot about life but Wayne Brittain and Barry Mitchell were my two greatest mentors at Carlton. They understood me best.
Koutoufides with son Lukas 3. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: News Corp Australia
"I didn't flourish under Denis Pagan. I loved him when he coached me at Teal Cup but his game style stayed the same despite the game moving ahead. He had a wonderful career but his game plan was never going to work at that time."
The 1999 preliminary final will forever be etched in his mind, a match which he believes club President John Elliott produced the motivation.
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"Essendon had thrashed us twice during the year but before that game John Elliott was walking around the rooms, and just kept saying he had this really good feeling," Koutoufides recalled.
"It started to spread around us. I played most of the game in the back pocket then got a few kicks in the last quarter when moved on the ball."
Stephen Kernahan still regards Koutoufides' final quarter as one of the best he's witnessed.
THE BEST
Seen: "Definitely Gary Ablett Sr. His marking, his aura, his ability to change a game so quickly. He mastered more facets of the game better than anyone."
Played with: "Greg Williams. A non-athlete with a huge heart and an advanced football brain. His handball was like a kick and you couldn't tell the difference between his left and right foot.
Played against: "Matthew Richardson was more gifted athletically and I couldn't keep up with him. His endurance was far advanced on mine."
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