1983

[Remi Moses]

Re: 1983

Remember the ANZAC Day match v Collingwood in 1987, at Vic Park, we got beaten by 4 points after missing too many shots. Tony McGuinness was on fire kicked 4.3 and had 26 disposals.

Further proof there was Anzac Day existence before 1995.
Gotta correct myself , as the best win in 83 was coming from 7 goals behind at 3/4 time v the Aints at Moorrabin .Ian Williams from the boundary 50 out .Went absolutely spare behind the goals

[Webby]

Re: 1983

Fantastic reading WOOFERS. I was living in London for a year, 1982, during this period, so missed out on what was going on. Now I know why Mocca Dunstan isn't revered as much as I would have thought and what happened to Geoff Jennings etc

Yeah, Dunstan moved to North, but was injured and couldn't crack a game in '83. North had a strong side and actually finished top that year. I vividly remember suffering through a 115 loss at Arden Street that year. I think it was Footscray's last ever game there. In a strange quirk, North themselves suffered a 150 point loss to Fitzroy that year. I think it was actually North's second biggest ever defeat... (Remembering we beat the Roys by 8 goals in '83!) Strange, not only for the fact that North lost by 25 goals in a minor premiership year, but also because they were perennial strugglers for their first 50 odd years in the VFL. They racked up a lazy 13 wooden spoons (1 every 3.6 years), for example, yet they saved their second heaviest ever defeat for a year in which they finished first!!

North bowed out of the finals in straight sets with two heavy losses. Dunstan didn't get a game for them until '84, by which time North were a rabble. They finished 2nd last (by percentage) and Dunstan only managed 7 or so games... And the following year we knocked them out of the finals. Dunstan was 30 years old and, with some kudos as a triple b&f, may well have been in our side, had he stayed! He might have even been chaired off the ground once he retired. But, as it was, the average North fan just thought he was a muppet.

Just one other thing, Ted Whitten junior did his knee during 1982 aged 26 and never played again. It was remiss of me not to mention that, because (if you can forget his old man for a moment), Ted Whitten junior was a very, very handy footballer. Very clean and very smart. The loss of Ted jnr was yet another reason to feel very, very flat by the end of 1982!

[Twodogs]

Re: 1983

Webby said
Yeah, Dunstan moved to North, but was injured and couldn't crack a game in '83. North had a strong side and actually finished top that year. I vividly remember suffering through a 115 loss at Arden Street that year. I think it was Footscray's last ever game there.

We played our last game there in 1984 and won by 63 points. Chops Rickman kicked a lazy 7 on Keith Greig.

Just one other thing, Ted Whitten junior did his knee during 1982 aged 26 and never played again. It was remiss of me not to mention that, because (if you can forget his old man for a moment), Ted Whitten junior was a very, very handy footballer. Very clean and very smart. The loss of Ted jnr was yet another reason to feel very, very flat by the end of 1982!

Remember how Templeton would start leading ass soon as Jr got the ball and he'd hit him on the chest lace out? Beautiful to watch.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: 1983

Yeah, Dunstan moved to North, but was injured and couldn't crack a game in '83. North had a strong side and actually finished top that year. I vividly remember suffering through a 115 loss at Arden Street that year. I think it was Footscray's last ever game there. In a strange quirk, North themselves suffered a 150 point loss to Fitzroy that year. I think it was actually North's second biggest ever defeat... (Remembering we beat the Roys by 8 goals in '83!) Strange, not only for the fact that North lost by 25 goals in a minor premiership year, but also because they were perennial strugglers for their first 50 odd years in the VFL. They racked up a lazy 13 wooden spoons (1 every 3.6 years), for example, yet they saved their second heaviest ever defeat for a year in which they finished first!!

North bowed out of the finals in straight sets with two heavy losses. Dunstan didn't get a game for them until '84, by which time North were a rabble. They finished 2nd last (by percentage) and Dunstan only managed 7 or so games... And the following year we knocked them out of the finals. Dunstan was 30 years old and, with some kudos as a triple b&f, may well have been in our side, had he stayed! He might have even been chaired off the ground once he retired. But, as it was, the average North fan just thought he was a muppet.

Just one other thing, Ted Whitten junior did his knee during 1982 aged 26 and never played again. It was remiss of me not to mention that, because (if you can forget his old man for a moment), Ted Whitten junior was a very, very handy footballer. Very clean and very smart. The loss of Ted jnr was yet another reason to feel very, very flat by the end of 1982!

Wow Webby, this puts a lot in perspective for me. Dunstan was outstanding for us, yet it seems the end to his career was so ignominious. I haven't heard of him since.
Ted jnr was the best pass I have ever seen, a beautiful judge of distance and accuracy with his kicks. He fed Templeton. He was even a better pass than Doug Hawkins. Thanks for the perceptions!

[Twodogs]

Re: 1983

If Ted jr played now hhis foot skills would make him elite.

[Missing Dog]

Re: 1983

I love this thread 83 was when I first started following the doggies as a 15 year old.I remember all my mates laughing at me but really when you swap clubs for football reasons and not for flags win lose or draw you are ahead. I have many friend who follow the "stronger" clubs who no longer have a passion for the game simply because their heart is not in it while i remain as passionate as i was when i first screamed BEAZZA as i 15 year old child.

[ratsmac]

Re: 1983

^^Where is the like button ^^

[Missing Dog]

Re: 1983

Ted jnr was the best pass I have ever seen, a beautiful judge of distance and accuracy with his kicks. He fed Templeton. He was even a better pass than Doug Hawkins. Thanks for the perceptions!

Outside of that dogs combination,I would rate Billy Goggin and Barry Cable stab passing to Doug Wade slightly higher. Wade was a champion (great lead, mark and kick) and to then get two gun centremen in one footballing career, is probably without parallel.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Re: 1983

Outside of that dogs combination,I would rate Billy Goggin and Barry Cable stab passing to Doug Wade slightly higher. Wade was a champion (great lead, mark and kick) and to then get two gun centremen in one footballing career, is probably without parallel.

Interesting that Cable and Goggin were both passing to Wade but in different teams.
Loved the stab pass and I could do it too, needed the head over the ball and at speed it would come out like a bullet.

[Twodogs]

Re: 1983

Interesting that Cable and Goggin were both passing to Wade but in different teams.
Loved the stab pass and I could do it too, needed the head over the ball and at speed it would come out like a bullet.

Finally someone who understands the mechanics of how to kick a football! Exactly, head over the ball at the point of impact with your foot. It's not that hard.

Are you a left foot kick BIDS54?