Best Wins & Worst Losses

[footyfan1978]

After the hysteria of post '79 and George Harris (the only man to come out of Changi Prison fatter than he went in, so the legend goes), and the Pies fans lining up to pot us, we end up with Percy as coach, one new player Maylin, v the Carringbush at VP Round 1, 1980..........first bounce WoW Jones goes Peter Moore, and we blitzed 'em. Johnston gets 7, at one stage we are out to 14 goals......the next days Sunday Press (comped by the Age hacks, produced by us good guys on Flinders St) had a back page pic with Dominator fist in the air, and the headline screamed 'It's a Grand Old Game'.

One of the more satisfying wins I've ever seen.

Dominator 7 goals against the enemy on their home patch. You gotta love it.
I think the PM gave Dom $100 bucks after the game just for pure entertainment value.
Blueseum site has this down for that game.


Carlton 4.5 29, 7.11 53. 15.18 108, 19.18 132
Collingwood 0.3 3, 4.11 35, 5.13 43, 13.16 94
Venue: Victoria Park Date: Saturday March 29, 1980
Result: Win by 38 points Umpires: B.Deller & K.Smith
Goalkickers: W.Johnston 7, W.Jones 2, M.Fitzpatrick 2, K.Sheldon 2, R.Ashman 2, P.Maylin 1, P.McConville 1, M.Maclure 1, P.Francis 1.
Best: W.Johnston, R.Austin, M.Fitzpatrick, R.Klomp, M.Maclure, M.Young, A.Marcou, K.Sheldon.
Reports: NilInjuries: V.Perovic (bruised thigh)


Game Review
After another poor preseason, Carlton were rank underdogs in this grand final replay at Victoria Park. Wayne Johnston was not a 100% fit and Carlton were unsure if he would play , but history showed he did and was 'Best on the Ground". Carlton welcome their new recruits in Val Perovic (from St Kilda who refused to live in Melbourne and against their President's Lindsay Fox wishes and was traded) and Phil Maylin (who had been named as an emergency).

Carlton had won this game by three quarter time and took their foot off the pedal and allowed Collingwood to score 8 goals in the last quarter.

An interesting byline was that footage from this match was used in the David Williamson's movie of "The Club". The justification for this, was that by having a premier club also in the footage playing the Magpies, this would hopefully attract their supporter base to watch the movie.

The match was also the debut of Peter Jones as senior coach, with Val Perovic in defence and Phil Maylin from SA. Maylin came with little fanfare (he came from the lowly unfashionable Woodville club, which may explain his relative obscurity). So much so that in a practice match he was listed as Phil Mahlin!!!

This game is remembered fondly by Carlton fans, and is considered one of our best wins in the Home & Away rounds of the 1980's. For more games like this, please clickhere.


In the Grand Final replay at Victoria Park Wayne Johnston of Carlton, paved the way for the Blues victory against arch-rivals Collingwood with a match-winning seven goals. He was brilliantly supported by Blues Rod Ashman who finished the game with two goals. - Inside Football Player of the Year.

Pre-season form not a true guide. So much for pre-season form, the classic form reversal came from Carlton. The Blues probably could not have looked worse in their pre-season matches. They lost all their practice matches against other League sides and were thrashed by WA club South Fremantle in an Escort Cup match. That defeat was extremely humiliating for last year's League premiers. Critics wrote Carlton off because of their poor form, but with four premiership points at stake, the Blues bounced right back to flag favoritism with a resounding first-up victory. We're told every year, just before the first match, not to take any notice of pre-season form. But we continue to fall for the same trap. Perhaps from now on we'll think more carefully before writing teams off or heaping too much praise on teams before the season proper kicks off with the Blues being a fine example of this. - Tony Greenberg Inside Football.

Carlton's brilliant opening round victory against Collingwood at Victoria Park on Saturday could be an omen for new Blues' coach Percy Jones. It was at Victoria Park on May 13 1978 that Jones predecessor at Carlton, Alex Jesaulenko made his coaching debut. The Blues had started 1978 season disastrously. Coach Ian Stewart was forced to resign because of ill health and the side lost five of their first six matches. Then enter Alex Jesaulenko. He guided Carlton to a gutsy backs-to-the-wall victory against Collingwood, a win which started an amazing Blues revival duirng the rest of that season and last year. Jezza led Carlton to 35 wins in 42 matches, including last season's premiership. Now, as everyone knows, Jezza is no longer at Carlton and Percy Jones has the coaching reins. The big question is can he emulate Alex Jesaulenko's coaching feats? His first-up coaching effort certainly suggests he can. And the "omen" is there. - Tony Greenberg Inside Football

Carlton's Wayne Johnston has developed into one of the most dangerous forwards in the game. Johnston made an excellent debut in the VFL last season and carried on the good work in Saturday's opening match against Collingwood at Victoria Park. His match statistics sum up his outstanding contribution to Carlton's victory. He relentless attack on the football resulted in 18 kicks, nine marks, five handballs and booted seven inspiring goals. - Tony Greenberg Inside Football

The mosquito fleet were at it again on Saturday. The Carlton small men in Sheldon, Buckley, Marcou, Ashman and Johnston all played well in the side's win over Collingwood. Opposition sides will definitely have to play smaller and faster men against the Blues in future weeks, if they are to overcome Carlton's many match winners. - Ray Shaw Inside Football.

''Carlton Crushed Critics
The critics said it could not be done, but first-year coach Peter Jones and a second season recruit Wayne Johnston paved the way for its opening round 38 points victory over Collingwood on Saturday. Carlton's poor pre-season form and an expected on-field flow-on from a political administrative battle were reasons for Collingwood becoming red-hot favorites for the return Grand Final clash. However the Blues had no "hangovers" and romped away with victory to return to the top of the charts as the team to beat again for this season's flag. It was a personal triumph for Jones, who many doubted had the qualities to be a League coach, and if anything, he would have been disappointed only in not being one of those on the field to have played in the match. One of Jones prime moves as a coach was that of playing Val Perovic, who was cleared from St Kilda last week, on potential match winning centre half-forward Allan Edwards. Perovic kept Edwards under constant pressure and this allowed his fellow backmen, Bruce Doull, Rod Austin and Kevin Heath the chances to repel attacks. Newly appointed captain Mike Fitzpatrick outrucked 1979 Brownlow medalist Peter Moore as he did in last year's Grand Final. He was more mobile around the ground and created many opportunities for his smaller teammmates. But it was Johnston, who, in his 21st game for the Blues, was the main destroyer of Collingwood. He booted seven goals and most of his kicks came from his diving into packs to clear the ball. The loss placed Collingwood at the bottom of the ladder, a position it held after the first game last season. - Football Record.''

Memories
We went to the game, but couldn't get in, it was a lockout.
What to do? The next best thing to being there!
We went back into the city to the Graham Hotel in Swanston Street, bought a round of beers, and stood in front of the pub on the footpath, and watched the game live on the large sepia video screen from across the road in the city square!

Team

B: 10 Alan Mangels 21 Rod Austin 11 Bruce Doull
HB: 33 Peter McConville 15 Val Perovic 22 Robbert Klomp
C: 47 Peter Francis 5 Ken Sheldon 13 Phil Maylin
HF:7 Wayne Johnston 36 Mark Maclure (vc) 34 Alex Marcou
F: 2 Warren 'Wow' Jones 41 Peter Brown 16 Jim Buckley
Ruck: 3 Mike Fitzpatrick (c) 19 Michael Young 14 Rod Ashman
Interchange: 4 Vin Catoggio 18 Kevin Heath
Coach: Peter Jones


Milestones
Debut: Phil Maylin
Debut (Carlton):Val Perovic
Debut (Coach):Peter Jones

 

[Blues177]

Some memorable non grand final games:

1970's:
1978 at Victoria Park vs the pies when Jezza took over as captain coach. A gutsy win that starts our revival and sets up another dynasty.
1979 Princes Park - Stan Magro flattens Jezza who ends up going to hospital at half time. The blues are down by at least 5 goals but the senior players rev up the rest of the players. The side stages a memorable comeback to win by 3 goals and the place rocked with jubilant blues supporters in the last quarter.

1980's
Finally breaking our dreaded Essendon/Sheedy 5 year hoodoo late in the 1985 season at home and by a big margin. Then inflicting Essendon's next defeat the following year on Anzac day at Waverley.
1986 second semi final vs top team Hawthorn at Waverley. We were underdogs but finally won our first final since the 1982 grand final.
1987-Kernahan's goal after the final siren in the last round vs North Melbourne, we won by <6 points, kept top spot on the ladder and had a week off.

1990's
1991- Beating the undefeated West Coast in round 12 by 2 points.
1992-Beating reigning premiers Hawthorn in round 2 at princes park. That signalled our return as a winning side after 3 mediocre seasons,
1992-The centenary game against the pies at the G. Huge buildup to this game. We only had a 4 day break after the dogs smashed us but we defeated the pies comfortably and Kernahan kicked 7 goals.
1995-That epic game at Subi when we beat the eagles by 1 point.
1999 The best of all....prelim v Ess. We all know what happened on that glorious day.

2000's
2007-Coming back from 48 points behind to beat Essendon by 3 points and Fev kicking 8 goals.
2003-2007 - The fact that Pagan had a positive win/loss record against Sheedy.

2010's
Beating the pies twice in 2012.
That great comeback in the last quarter to beat Port Adel by 1 point at AAMI stadium (the last AFL game to be played at that stadium) in the last round to make the finals.
Elimination final wins v dons in 2011 and tigers in 2013.

 

[reg_lower91]

^^^That 2007 game v Dons was a pretty memorable one. Fev couldn't be stopped in the second half.

 

[chunkylover53]

I may be remembering it wrong but, round 22 against hawthorn in 2008, getting beaten by 10 goals by hawthorn and Fev was on 99 goals and they triple teamed him, I always thought Clarkson was scum after that. It was the one thing we blues were cheering for in a terrible year.

Don't think Clarko triple teamed him. In fact I remember when Fev nearly had his 100th, we were 80 odd down and Clarko moved the spare man in defense out of the way so Fev could get a run at it.

Fev gave away a free kick in a contest under a high ball which allowed time for 2 Hawks players to get to him... I think.

I vividly remember the commentators and the crowd cheering when the bloke sitting in Fevs space got out of the way though.

 

[chunkylover53]

Anyway,

99 prelim easy for me

Have the round 21 game in 1995 vs WCE on DVD and watch it often (the Spalding/McKenna game). Still to this day the best all-round game I have seen us win. Tough as hell, skillful, brilliant teamwork. I reckon it won us the flag the year (we got up by 1 point). In my eyes the perfect game of football, from both teams.

 

[footyfan1978]

Anyway,

99 prelim easy for me

Have the round 21 game in 1995 vs WCE on DVD and watch it often (the Spalding/McKenna game). Still to this day the best all-round game I have seen us win. Tough as hell, skillful, brilliant teamwork. I reckon it won us the flag the year (we got up by 1 point). In my eyes the perfect game of football, from both teams.

That 95 game v West Coast was a ripper. One of best home and away games of the 90's.
Also might of been next year in 1996 maybe, a night game where SOS played up forward in Perth and kicked 6 goals was a ripper too, I think SOS virtually knocked himself out going for a mark in last quarter where he kind of dived head first. Crazy bastard...lol

 

[lukep_86]

Few wins that stand out for me.

Obviously too young to have been at the 1970 GF, but what a game! I've watched it on DVD many times and it's hard to believe we won considering how far down we were at half time.

Pretty young in 95, but I'll never forget that day. Obviously was very happy with the win, I remember driving down to Optus Oval after the game and the whole are was going off!

Round 11, 2000 v North at Optus Oval. Great performance from Kouta. I can still remember the dodgey score board flashing Kou-ta Kou-ta and everyone chanting that as we left the ground.

Round 3, 2001 v Essendon. Kouta, Bradley and SOS all late outs and we still managed to get up. Even better that we were sitting right near the Essendon cheer squad that night.

2007 v Essendon. Was at work but was getting constant updates from the shop in front of ours, couldn't believe what I was hearing and definitely couldn't wait to catch the replay. Fev was unstoppable that day.

Elimination finals in 2011 & 2013 were pretty special. Hard to pick which one was better but last year was pretty special, never been in a crowd that big and the roar when Juddy put that goal through is something I will never forget.

 

[Dramoth]

1970 grand final... Jezza... thats all I have to say

The game against the wet toasters in Perth in 95... I was actually at Subi that day collecting their supporters tears... they were especially tasty that day

And the 1999 prelim... * you Wallis you loser... tried to run around the dog and got nailed