Resource Geelong Football Club history

[Art Vandelay_]

Not a Geelong game but this footage of the 1953 Semi-Final between the Dogs and Essendon is sensational. Gives a real sense of what the game was like in a year when Collingwood (just) stopped us from achieving a three-peat.

I'm a bit surprised at the quality of that footage given it was 1953.... Not that far off the ch7 SD crap we've been getting in recent seasons

 

[RogersResults]

I'm a bit surprised at the quality of that footage given it was 1953.... Not that far off the ch7 SD crap we've been getting in recent seasons

The film was probably shot by Essendon committeeman and sports promoter, Ted Waterhouse* who also filmed the the 1951 and 1952 grand finals.

The 1951 and 1952 films were shot on 16mm film which depending on the quality of the lens in the camera and formulation of the film stock used, can have an equal or higher resolution than standard definition digital video.

The 16mm was format introduced in the 1920s as an amateur/home movie format as opposed to the the professional 35mm film format. The format was widely used during WW2 by combat cameramen, and consequently there was a massive increase of 16mm professional filmmaking in the post-war years. Films for government, business, medical and industrial clients created a large network of 16 mm professional filmmakers and related service industries in the 1950s and 1960s.The advent of television also enhanced the use of 16 mm film, initially due to its lower cost and greater portability compared to 35 mm. At first used as a news-gathering format, the 16 mm format was also used to create programming shot outside the confines of the more rigid television production sets.

Commercial television stations are run by ex-retail sales staff and accountants who have little or no interest in aesthetics or technical quality and will deliver whatever the viewing public will allow and will return the maximum profit. With Channel 7 having the free-to-air monopoly of AFL, its 'main' channel in the capital cities transmitting in standard definition and the free-to-air television business model going down the toilet, don't expect HD AFL for free anytime soon.

* Waterhouse is pictured here with John Coleman after Coleman's suspension on the eve of the 1951 finals - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/John_Coleman_1951.jpg (Waterhouse is the gentleman in the light coat with Coleman's hand on his shoulder for support - not the fanboy with his hand on Coleman's shoulder.) There is more about Waterhouse and his films on pp.119-120 of Classic Cats: The Story of Geelong's Premiership Years 1951-1952. Which if you don't have, is available for purchase here: http://members.optusnet.com.au/~brubarb/index.html.

 

[SJ]

Dick Grigg has been officially recognised by the club as the 1912 best and fairest:

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...-and-fairest-win/story-fnjuhovy-1227196173297

Family members had gasped in appreciation when Cats vice-president and Honouring the Past chairman Bob Gartland announced at a gathering that the club would formally acknowledge the grand Sheffield plate trophy which has long taken pride of place in the home of Grigg’s son John at Point Lonsdale.

The trophy names ‘R.R Grigg Esq, best all-round player’ for 1912. He was already credited with best and fairest wins in 1910, 1911 and 1914.

Mystery has long surrounded best and fairest winners from several years during the early 1900s and beyond, due to scarcity of documentation in club annual reports or Geelong Advertiser accounts of annual meetings or presentation nights.

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au...-and-fairest-win/story-fnjuhovy-1227196173297

 

[SJ]

156 years ago today the Geelong Football Club was formed during a meeting at the Victoria Hotel.

 

[FredLeDeux]

156 years ago today the Geelong Football Club was formed during at the Victoria Hotel.

A pi**-up?

 

[Teriyakicat]

156 years ago today the Geelong Football Club was formed during a meeting at the Victoria Hotel.

Happy birthday, Cats- you ol' felines, you!!
Give yourself a birthday present by smacking these young upstart doggies, hey?

 

[abet]

156 years ago today the Geelong Football Club was formed during a meeting at the Victoria Hotel.

Was it the Victoria Hotel or the Argyle Hotel?

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Was it the Victoria Hotel or the Argyle Hotel?

The Argyle.

 

[SJ]

The Argyle.

Not according to:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/146568011
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/146568035

 

[FredLeDeux]

Not according to:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/146568011
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/146568035

Suspect it may be one of those frequent cases where its official name was the Victoria, but it was known by another name to locals and habitues.

 

[SJ]

Suspect it may be one of those frequent cases where its official name was the Victoria, but it was known by another name to locals and habitues.

Or the social media employee just got it wrong.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Or the social media employee just got it wrong.

High probability.
But I think I've seen the same discussion somewhere else previously.

 

[SJ]

High probability.
But I think I've seen the same discussion somewhere else previously.

There was a Victoria Hotel on the corner of Malop and Moorabool Streets.

I'm going to place my chips on that.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Was it the Victoria Hotel or the Argyle Hotel?

There was a Victoria Hotel on the corner of Malop and Moorabool Streets.

I'm going to place my chips on that.

There you go, abet, we're now in your territory.

 

[the croucher]

Not according to:

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/146568011
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/146568035

Well done. Confirms what serious researchers have known for years. Club formation meeting was held at the Victoria Hotel, and the gentleman named Alexander McKenzie Mason is a forgotten "pioneer" in the club's history.

Mason is one of the two captains for the first intra-club match played the next week on Sat. 23 July 1859
as reported in the Geelong Advertiser on Monday 25 July 1859, see 3/4 way down first column here:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/17379598

The club's "official" position as posted on Facebook and Twitter is a joke with no evidence to support it, a sad reflection of how marketing means more than maintaining the integrity of history.
[GFC says original meeting at Argyle Hotel, and Tom Wills allegedly being involved !!]
The Argyle by the way is a completely separate site to the Victoria.

 

[SJ]

Well done. Confirms what serious researchers have known for years. Club formation meeting was held at the Victoria Hotel, and the gentleman named Alexander McKenzie Mason is a forgotten "pioneer" in the club's history.

Mason is one of the two captains for the first intra-club match played the next week on Sat. 23 July 1859
as reported in the Geelong Advertiser on Monday 25 July 1859, see 3/4 way down first column here:
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/page/17379598

The club's "official" position as posted on Facebook and Twitter is a joke with no evidence to support it, a sad reflection of how marketing means more than maintaining the integrity of history.
[GFC says original meeting at Argyle Hotel, and Tom Wills allegedly being involved !!]
The Argyle by the way is a completely separate site to the Victoria.

As a non-historian, but as someone who tries to respect history, I've found that this is a standard position for the AFL and its clubs.

1. Default position: no interest in history
2. If money is involved: exploit 'history' but overlook facts for benefit/convenience/laziness

I can think of next to no examples of the AFL or its clubs making the accuracy of the history of the sport, league or clubs paramount.

 

[thejester]

We Are Geelong (which is club endorsed?) mentions the meeting at the Victoria Hotel, Mason, and actively talks down the contribution of Wills.

 

[SJ]

We Are Geelong (which is club endorsed?) mentions the meeting at the Victoria Hotel, Mason, and actively talks down the contribution of Wills.

But the club has a colour picture of Wills which suits social media retweets and likes. So that wins.

 

[thejester]

But the club has a colour picture of Wills which suits social media retweets and likes. So that wins.

At the risk of being harsh, never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence etc etc.

 

[speedybundy]

I always wondered what would've happened if we'd stayed put at Corio Oval. It would just about be one of the most scenic grounds in Australia I reckon. Also wonder what effect it would've had on the city, what would have happened to Kardinia Park Oval? Would there be a train line out towards Eastern Park or would it be traffic chaos etc

Times like this we need a parallel universe or two!

 

[you pick one]

There was a Victoria Hotel on the corner of Malop and Moorabool Streets.

I'm going to place my chips on that.

Certainly was, it was situated where the Bendigo bank is now,as a side note the head barman there in the mid 60s had the worst rug on the scone you could ever imagine but he pulled a top beer.It was a great pub in its day.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Seeing as it is GF week how about having a look at our 1931 GF highlights. Hope they show highlights of our other flags this week, good for a bit of a nostalgia.

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/video/2015-09-28/magic-moment-1931-premiership

 

[RogersResults]

Seeing as it is GF week how about having a look at our 1931 GF highlights. Hope they show highlights of our other flags this week, good for a bit of a nostalgia.

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/video/2015-09-28/magic-moment-1931-premiership

If you are going Canberra, you can arrange a viewing of this at the National Film and Sound Archive.
("1967 VFL 1st Semi Final, Geelong v Richmond (4 mins)" may be the 1967 Grand Final)

Title No: 287561
Title: [VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE GRAND FINALS 1951, 1952, 1931, ASSORTED GEELONG FOOTBALL CLUB 1960S FILM FOOTAGE]
Date: c. 1931 - 1969
Produced as: Actuality
Categories: Indigenous as subject; Indigenous themes or stories
Media: Film
Summary: Contents: -- 1. 1951 VFL Grand Final, Geelong v Essendon including pre match crowd shots and player arrivals at the MCG (50 mins). Filmed by Ted Waterford. -- 2. 1952 VFL Second Semi Final Geelong v Collingwood (4 mins) -- 3. 1952 VFL Grand Final Geelong v Collingwood (18 mins) -- 4. same game as 3. but filmed from a different camera at a different ground location (7 mins) -- 5. Geelong team with coach Reg Hickey are filmed training at Kardinia Park in 1951 or 1952. Players seen include Neil Tresize (later Sports Minister in the Cain Labor government) (2 mins). Note: All the above are colour / mute. -- 6. 1931 VFL Grand Final Geelong v Richmond including narration and location sound (2 mins) -- 7. HSV 7 'Up There Cazaly' Sport Promo (circa 1980) -- 8. assorted World of Sport footage originally shot in film including 1963 VFL Grand Final post-match interviews conducted by Lou Richards and Ron Casey with Bob Davis, John Watts and Polly Farmer, Alistair Lord, Stewart Lord, Paul Vinar, John Yeates, some with wives and partners -- 9. Geelong v Melbourne end of season exhibition match in San Francisco - arrival in Hawaii (1 min) -- 10. Alistair Lord receiving the Brownlow Medal from the Governor of Victoria, Sir Dallas Brooks during the 1962 VFL 1st Semi Final, with former Brownlow medallists also in attendance and then a brief interview with Ron Casey (2 mins) -- 11. 1967 VFL 1st Semi Final, Geelong v Richmond (4 mins) -- 12. short highlights compilations of individual Geelong players of the 1960s including John Devine (flattening Essendon's Jack Clarke in Round 4, 1964), John Sharrock, Alistair Lord, Bill Goggin, Polly Farmer, Doug Wade and assorted team highlights from the 1960s. Vision also of coach, Bob Davis and Happy Hammond. (5 mins)
Country of Origin: Australia

 

[Art Vandelay_]

and as expected now we have the 1937 Premiership.

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/video/2015-09-28/magic-moment-1937-premiership

Also any guesses as to the funny quirk with the 1916 VFL season. Quite a rare feat.

 

[SJ]

and as expected now we have the 1937 Premiership.

http://www.geelongcats.com.au/video/2015-09-28/magic-moment-1937-premiership

Also any guesses as to the funny quirk with the 1916 VFL season. Quite a rare feat.

Fitzroy.