A brief history of our finals matches

[Bulldog4life]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handball_(Australian_rules_football)

The flick pass was re-instated before the 1934 season. In the late 1950s and early 1960s it re-emerged as a common technique to achieve centre square clearances from scrimmages, particularly at VFL club Fitzroy. Of the 88 handballs executed during the 1961 VFL Grand Final, 18 were flick passes. The flick pass was abolished permanently in 1966

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

VFL/AFL FINAL #14 (CURRENTLY 5-8)

Having taken care of StKilda, EJ's young Dogs are into the '61 Preliminary Final.

We could not have come up against a tougher opponent than Melbourne, who had competed in the previous 7 grand finals (5 flags), finished the '61 season 2nd with clearly the best percentage and narrowly lost the first final by 7 points.

On paper they were clear favourites, and on experience they were miles ahead with 9 players with over 100 games and 3 players under 21 (2 20 and 1 19). By comparison, we had 1 100 gamer (Whitten of course) and 9 under 21 (4 20 and 5 19).

In total, Melbourne took 1660 games of experience into the match, to our 891. But we'd earnt the right to have a crack and the match took place at the MCG in front of 86,118.

As happened so often in our finals history, we hit the ground running in the first quarter, with a mixture of fierce defence and hard running attack (and the wind) leading to a dominant quarter time scoreline of Footscray 4.3.27 to Melbourne 0.2.2.

Melbourne rallied slightly in the 2nd but didn't fully capitalise on it's 5 scoring shot to 2 quarter, and the Dogs led at half time, 5.4.34 to 2.5.17.

A 17 point half time lead was handy, but the Dogs smashed Melbourne in the 3rd, with a 6 goal to 2 qtr leaving them 7 goal leaders at 3QT (11.6 to 4.6), before ultimately cruising to a 27 point victory, 13.7.85 to 8.10.58.

Leading goalkickers were Jack Slattery 4, Merv Hobbs 3, Ted Whitten 2 and Barney MacKellar 2.

Best players were listed as dominant ruckman John Schultz, CHB John Hoiles, Centreman Bob Spargo (who defeated 4 opponents through the day), Alec Gardiner and Charlie Evans.

(Little fact I learned: I have seen photos of the legendary mark rover Merv Hobbs took in this match. What I didn't realise was that he took it over a much taller opponent, 15 metres from goal (and converted) in the midst of our 3rd quarter goal spree - what a highlight that would have been.)

Remarkably, Melbourne's great era was bookended by 2 comprehensive losses to Footscray. We smashed them, in their first GF appearance of the era in '54 and now knocked them out of their chance for a 8th consecutive GF at the last hurdle.

Happy days, but we had bigger fish to fry - in the form of Hawthorn, our opponents in the 1961 VFL Grand Final.

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I love Whitten in that photo too. Bandaged, bruised, rapt but ready to pounce.

[The bulldog tragician]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

This is wonderful stuff PP. it is incredible to think that this was the last occasion we won a preliminary final. Scrap that, it's mortifying. It's time, you young Dogs, to create a new story for us...

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

This is wonderful stuff PP. it is incredible to think that this was the last occasion we won a preliminary final. Scrap that, it's mortifying. It's time, you young Dogs, to create a new story for us...

Cheers BT. Sadly, it's not only our last Prelim win, it's our only win (skipped Prelims entirely in '54). By my count we are 1 from 10. An ugly aspect of our VFL/AFL history that needs to be amended - hopefully this could be the year (if not, soon)!!

[merantau]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Thanks PP, great reading. The Melbourne player in the photo was Trevor Johnson. The win was a real boil over. No one gave us a chance.
Merv Hobbs was printer by trade and when he finished with football he opened a business opposite the Plough Hotel in Victoria St (???) appropriately named "High Mark Press".

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Thanks PP, great reading. The Melbourne player in the photo was Trevor Johnson. The win was a real boil over. No one gave us a chance.
Merv Hobbs was printer by trade and when he finished with football he opened a business opposite the Plough Hotel in Victoria St (???) appropriately named "High Mark Press".

Yep. Merv had a lot of interests in Willy, was involved with the footy club for years and also ran the Crown Hotel - I used to get down there on occasion, can remember him behind the bar. He must've been a little gun of a player, kicked 115 goals in 74 matches before injuries derailed his career at 23. Originally came from Daylesford, same town as Chris Grant.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Yep. Merv had a lot of interests in Willy, was involved with the footy club for years and also ran the Crown Hotel - I used to get down there on occasion, can remember him behind the bar. He must've been a little gun of a player, kicked 115 goals in 74 matches before injuries derailed his career at 23. Originally came from Daylesford, same town as Chris Grant.

I was at the prelim final and was lucky enough to see the mark live. i can still remember it. Incredible. Also saw Hobbsy kick 8 goals against South Melbourne at the Lakeside Oval in the 60's. He was a gun that had his career cut short.

[merantau]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Yes, he was a very good player. He must have enjoyed playing against South - I saw him kick seven against them at the Whitten Oval.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Great stuff PP.
Loving all the write ups.
Keep up the great work.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Any chance PP when you get to 2010 can I request a write up of the NAB cup GF.

I know it was only a pre cursor to the real stuff begining but a glorious balmy night of Bazza turning it on in the last with 6 of the best against Shit.Kilda.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I missed that match I was at Status Quo at the Palais such bad timing

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I missed that match I was at Status Quo at the Palais such bad timing

Me too, I was attending a National Sports event supporting my daughter.

[Twodogs]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

And the 2014 VFL premiership.