A brief history of our finals matches

[jeemak]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Excellent work PP.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I think Jack Collins missed this one due to suspension?

Spot on as always TD. Collins and Frank Tuck apparently went at each other all day in the final round match against Collingwood, both getting 4 weeks and missing the entire finals.

He was certainly a huge loss too, having already kicked 50 goals in a low scoring season.

[Twodogs]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Spot on as always TD. Collins and Frank Tuck apparently went at each other all day in the final round match against Collingwood, both getting 4 weeks and missing the entire finals.

He was certainly a huge loss too, having already kicked 50 goals in a low scoring season.

He would have been more valuable than Ted Whitten to the team at the time. Footscray supporters could probably hardly believe their luck that they had found a genuine elite youngster and a lairy gun forward at virtually the same time.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

He would have been more valuable than Ted Whitten to the team at the time. Footscray supporters could probably hardly believe their luck that they had found a genuine elite youngster and a lairy gun forward at virtually the same time.

More parallels?

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

OUR 8TH VFL/AFL GRAND FINAL

Having finally progressed through an Elimination Final, we went on to our first ever Preliminary Final.

Our opponent was something of a surprise, with Geelong (who had clearly been the best home and away team for the year) being defeated by Collingwood in the Qualifying Final. We played the Cats in front of 58,615.

Although Geelong were on top in general play through early passages, the Dogs (for once) took their chances and led 2.1 to 0.6 at quarter time, and then 3.4 to 2.7 at half time.

The game was again played in muddy and trying conditions. By all reports, Geelong's superiority was established after half time and the Dogs were ultimately overrun in the 3rd (3QT: Geel 6.10.46 v Foots 4.5.29) and final quarters, ultimately losing by 26 points; 8.15.63 to 5.7.37.

Best players were listed as tireless ruckman Harvey Stevens, Ted Whitten, Wally Donald and Herb Henderson.

Our goal scorers were Harvey Stevens (2), Alan Trusler (2) and Roy Harper (1).

The reports of the match laud the young Bulldogs year. Despite losing, Sutton was chaired from the ground in acknowledgement of his efforts over the season. In the rooms afterwards he spoke of how far the club had come in '53, mentioning the 5 teenagers who played in the Prelim and the club 'veterans' still in their early 20s.

Aside from the continued excellence of Whitten, Sutton, Donald, Henderson, Bryden and Box, the big plus for the Dogs in 53 were the development of teenagers Arthur Edwards, Don Ross, Ron Stockman, John Kerr and Ron McCarthy, all of whom played in the Prelim and played the bulk of the season.

Another big win was the move of Jack Collins to full forward. A Yarraville boy, Collins (23) had been alternated from CHF to CHB in his early years at the club. He was highly successful and won 2 best & fairests, but Sutton felt he could add something extra as full forward. Prior to Collins, we tended to have lumbering types, but Collins mobile, hard leading style greatly aided our playing style and was ultimately a key factor in further success.

The other big key in '53 was the recruitment of ruckman Harvey Stevens (22) from Collingwood. The son of former club great Arthur Stevens, he made a massive contribution, rucking single handedly most of the year, winning the club best and fairest and polling a season club high 12 brownlow votes.

[Twodogs]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I'd love to know how Harvey (love that name! ) Stevens found his way to Collingwood in the first instance.

Harvey wasn't just the son of a champion. His Grandfather was Chidda Stevens the multi premiership winning ruckman in the 20s.
I know he lived in Collingwood territory but here we are scooping pretty much every good kid in Melbourne and having a good look at them, Box came from Camberwell and there were lots of other players that came from the non western suburbs of Melbourne. And he was eligible under F/S to play with us. The father son rule had only just been invented (funnily enough because Ron Barrassi lived in Footscray but wanted to play at Melbourne) so surely the club had a look at who might be available?

But we let the young son of the third generation of a famous bulldog family go to Collingwood, win a B&F, play for Victoria and almost win a premiership before we notice him and think "oh yeah, Stevens, I wonder if he's any relation to those Stevens that played all that footy with us back in the day. Maybe he'd like to play with us".

There must be a back story.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I'd love to know how Harvey (love that name! ) Stevens found his way to Collingwood in the first instance.

Harvey wasn't just the son of a champion. His Grandfather was Chidda Stevens the multi premiership winning ruckman in the 20s.
I know he lived in Collingwood territory but here we are scooping pretty much every good kid in Melbourne and having a good look at them, Box came from Camberwell and there were lots of other players that came from the non western suburbs of Melbourne. And he was eligible under F/S to play with us. The father son rule had only just been invented (funnily enough because Ron Barrassi lived in Footscray but wanted to play at Melbourne) so surely the club had a look at who might be available?

But we let the young son of the third generation of a famous bulldog family go to Collingwood, win a B&F, play for Victoria and almost win a premiership before we notice him and think "oh yeah, Stevens, I wonder if he's any relation to those Stevens that played all that footy with us back in the day. Maybe he'd like to play with us".

There must be a back story.

According to The Bulldog Heritage Book Harvey Stevens was born in Footscray in 1930. He went to West Footscray Primary School. When he was 9 he moved to Reservoir. He went to Preston Tech at aged 12. He played with Collingwood starting in 1948. As an aside he used to work 5 hours in a butcher shop on a Satuirday and then played football. I can only assume he went to Collingwood because of the Reservior/ Preston connection.

[Webby]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I'll raise you one and tell you that Harvey lived on Gordon Street, opposite the WO and his dad captained the club. He also attended West Footscray Primary. However his family moved to Reservoir when he was 9 and he played DVFL for Reservoir - winning a flag in 1947. Father/son didn't exist and he was zoned to Collingwood.

He played a few years there, including many finals, but was never their b&f. He was simply delisted by the Pies prior to the '53 season and, after talking briefly with Fitzroy, did the logical thing and came home to the Dogs. He won our b&f straight off the bat.

Harvey's mother died when he was 16 and his father was very ill. He had much younger siblings to support (aged 8 & 4), so he worked as a butcher and footballer. Collingwood have always paid pretty well!

Anyway, there's a bit of background. He was a Doggies supporter, but simply zoned to the Pies. He lived in Watsonia from the early 1960's and coached East Ballarat for a couple of years prior to that.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I'd love to know how Harvey (love that name! ) Stevens found his way to Collingwood in the first instance.

Harvey wasn't just the son of a champion. His Grandfather was Chidda Stevens the multi premiership winning ruckman in the 20s.
I know he lived in Collingwood territory but here we are scooping pretty much every good kid in Melbourne and having a good look at them, Box came from Camberwell and there were lots of other players that came from the non western suburbs of Melbourne. And he was eligible under F/S to play with us. The father son rule had only just been invented (funnily enough because Ron Barrassi lived in Footscray but wanted to play at Melbourne) so surely the club had a look at who might be available?

But we let the young son of the third generation of a famous bulldog family go to Collingwood, win a B&F, play for Victoria and almost win a premiership before we notice him and think "oh yeah, Stevens, I wonder if he's any relation to those Stevens that played all that footy with us back in the day. Maybe he'd like to play with us".

There must be a back story.

Pretty sure Chidda was his father.

[Webby]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Yep and Chidda was killed during Harvey's first and b&f season with the Dogs when he was hit by a train in Reservoir.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Pretty sure Chidda was his father.

You are rght B4L, Athur 'Chidder' Stevens was Harvey's father. He played 6 years at Footscray ('27-'32), Captaining in 1929. Harvey also Captained the club ('57). As others have mentioned, Harvey played juniors at Reservoir and was stitched up by Collingwood early.

He was mainly trialled as a young full forward by Collingwood and played there in the 1952 losing GF team, but was one of several players released after the club was badly beaten in that match. At 22, he had 5 seasons at Collingwood, playing 54 games and kicking 56 goals. In his 5 years at Footscray, he rucked in our strongest era, played 72 games and kicked 71 goals - other honours included a club B&F ('53) and equal 3rd in the Brownlow ('54).

[Twodogs]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Pretty sure Chidda was his father.

Yep and Chidda was killed during Harvey's first and b&f season with the Dogs when he was hit by a train in Reservoir.

You are rght B4L, Athur 'Chidder' Stevens was Harvey's father. He played 6 years at Footscray ('27-'32), Captaining in 1929. Harvey also Captained the club ('57). As others have mentioned, Harvey played juniors at Reservoir and was stitched up by Collingwood early.

He was mainly trialled as a young full forward by Collingwood and played there in the 1952 losing GF team, but was one of several players released after the club was badly beaten in that match. At 22, he had 5 seasons at Collingwood, playing 54 games and kicking 56 goals. In his 5 years at Footscray, he rucked in our strongest era, played 72 games and kicked 71 goals - other honours included a club B&F ('53) and equal 3rd in the Brownlow ('54).

Cheers boys. So Harvey didn't blossom until he came to Footscray. That's even better. Does anyone know his grandad's name?

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

According to The Bulldog Heritage Book Harvey Stevens was born in Footscray in 1930. He went to West Footscray Primary School. When he was 9 he moved to Reservoir. He went to Preston Tech at aged 12. He played with Collingwood starting in 1948. As an aside he used to work 5 hours in a butcher shop on a Satuirday and then played football. I can only assume he went to Collingwood because of the Reservior/ Preston connection.

I went to that school for a couple of years in the 60s. I wonder how many footballers went there in the past?

[Twodogs]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I was at school for the moon landing. We had a telly in the classroom with that long telecast of the landing mission on it.

[jeemak]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I was at school for the moon landing. We had a telly in the classroom with that long telecast of the landing mission on it.

Awesome.

It's amazing how space exploration captivated us, and to be honest, I'm a little jealous of you.