The Final Story

[domus]

For all those who are of my vintage and have a slightly masochistic bent-this is a fascinating look at the 1970 GF nightmare. It scarred me for life and I'm sure the players were haunted by it. Nevertheless, the commentary from the players is interesting. I've not seen an analysis like this of most famous grand final before.

 

[Doc1763]

For all those who are of my vintage and have a slightly masochistic bent-this is a fascinating look at the 1970 GF nightmare. It scarred me for life and I'm sure the players were haunted by it. Nevertheless, the commentary from the players is interesting. I've not seen an analysis like this of most famous grand final before.

no, I just can't do it,

 

[Piesinmyeyes]

It should come with the obligatory “if an emergency break glass “ warning.

 

[Robroy22]

Just a side note, the familiarity of 1970 struck me when Danger took out Jeremy Cameron

5

Jeremy Cameron

Age

32

Ht

196cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

9.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

2.6

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

2.9

2star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.0

3star

G

1.9

5star

D

8.2

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.4

4star

G

2.0

5star

on the weekend. Had Tuddy missed McKenna in 1970 (just before half time) we'd have been playing 18 v 18 for the second half instead of 16 v 18....and the entire Barassi "supercoach" agenda would have been null in void.

Geelong had to endure a half of footy against a fit side with 2 vital cogs missing from their machine (just as we did in 1970) and look what happened....another 10 goal turn around.

History repeated itself.

Will I watch "The final story"?? Probably not, being there sort of burnt it into my psyche.

 

[nickyds35]

Just a side note, the familiarity of 1970 struck me when Danger took out Jeremy Cameron on the weekend. Had Tuddy missed McKenna in 1970 (just before half time) we'd have been playing 18 v 18 for the second half instead of 16 v 18....and the entire Barassi "supercoach" agenda would have been null in void.

Geelong had to endure a half of footy against a fit side with 2 vital cogs missing from their machine (just as we did in 1970) and look what happened....another 10 goal turn around.

History repeated itself.

Will I watch "The final story"?? Probably not, being there sort of burnt it into my psyche.

Wow never knew we were 2 down? Crazy

 

[sideswipe]

I'd rather re-watch Schindler's List.

 

[gouki88]

I'd rather re-watch Schindler's List.

With bamboo being slowly driven underneath my fingernails

 

[jmac70]

I’d rather watch Downton Abbey.

 

[Kes1984]

NOPE! Heard enough about this from my Dad!

 

[gouki88]

NOPE! Heard enough about this from my Dad!

Mine was 11 at the time. Tells a story of going to bed with his father sitting in his rocking chair, stationary. Got up the next morning and he hadn’t moved nor slept.

 

[Kes1984]

Mine was 11 at the time. Tells a story of going to bed with his father sitting in his rocking chair, stationary. Got up the next morning and he hadn’t moved nor slept.

this needed a sad and a laughing reaction

 

[Vicky Park]

Just a side note, the familiarity of 1970 struck me when Danger took out Jeremy Cameron on the weekend. Had Tuddy missed McKenna in 1970 (just before half time) we'd have been playing 18 v 18 for the second half instead of 16 v 18....and the entire Barassi "supercoach" agenda would have been null in void.

Geelong had to endure a half of footy against a fit side with 2 vital cogs missing from their machine (just as we did in 1970) and look what happened....another 10 goal turn around.

History repeated itself.

Will I watch "The final story"?? Probably not, being there sort of burnt it into my psyche.

I had the same reaction - Geelong on Saturday did a ‘Collingwood’ 1970 GF. Impacted two of their best players. Took out Cameron, and Danger was probably mentally affected. I’ll let him have that excuse, anyway.

I can’t bring myself to read, watch or listen to anything to do with the 1970 game.

It was a defining moment for me, a young girl watching the disaster unfold from a packed MCG. At 121k, it still holds the record for the largest footy crowd in history.

 

[domus]

Just a side note, the familiarity of 1970 struck me when Danger took out Jeremy Cameron on the weekend. Had Tuddy missed McKenna in 1970 (just before half time) we'd have been playing 18 v 18 for the second half instead of 16 v 18....and the entire Barassi "supercoach" agenda would have been null in void.

Geelong had to endure a half of footy against a fit side with 2 vital cogs missing from their machine (just as we did in 1970) and look what happened....another 10 goal turn around.

History repeated itself.

Will I watch "The final story"?? Probably not, being there sort of burnt it into my psyche.

I got a little riled when Big Nick said they knew we were fragile when the pressure was on. He said any other good side of that era would never have given up a lead like that. They also noted our players cramping and looking knackered at three quarter time. Tuddy and Twiggy both bemoaned our lack of march fitness and said Bobby never worked them hard enough at training. Macca said he was regarded as Bobby's pet because every time it rained at training he told him to go in and have a shower!

At halftime aside from the famous handball order from Ronald Dale, Barassi also told them they would never live down a thrashing by Collingwood in a grand final. That motivated quite a few players. Dunne said Bobby said the players must never handball in the back half of the ground, so seeing the Blues recklessly handballing from the back pocket after half time was quite a shock.

 

[domus]

I had the same reaction - Geelong on Saturday did a ‘Collingwood’ 1970 GF. Impacted two of their best players. Took out Cameron, and Danger was probably mentally affected. I’ll let him have that excuse, anyway.

I can’t bring myself to read, watch or listen to anything to do with the 1970 game.

It was a defining moment for me, a young girl watching the disaster unfold from a packed MCG. At 121k, it still holds the record for the largest footy crowd in history.

I bawled my eyes out. The next day I played in a grand final (grade six) against a team we had beaten easily three times in the season. We were undefeated. We lost by three points. I bawled again. As I was walking out of the car park an hour later my coach saw me and said- "You've had a great weekend haven't you?"

 

[domus]

Mine was 11 at the time. Tells a story of going to bed with his father sitting in his rocking chair, stationary. Got up the next morning and he hadn’t moved nor slept.

It really was devastating. It still hurts me. I don't think later generations can understand how fierce the rivalry was back then. It was genuine hate and going off to the opposing team's home ground could be a dangerous outing. The hysteria around peter McKenna is also something I've never seen replicated in our game. It was the equivalent of Beatlemania. It was truly a very different era. I miss it!

 

[domus]

With bamboo being slowly driven underneath my fingernails

Imagine how much guts it took for the Collingwood players to revisit that game-some sitting side by side with their Carlton opponent! Gags Gallagher actually became emotional at the end of the doco when talking about the magnificent sportsmanship of the Collingwood players. Thommo was one of his closest mates but he rattled off Tuddy, Price, Wayne Richardson and McKenna as amazing the way they dealt with such a devastating loss.

 

[domus]

I had the same reaction - Geelong on Saturday did a ‘Collingwood’ 1970 GF. Impacted two of their best players. Took out Cameron, and Danger was probably mentally affected. I’ll let him have that excuse, anyway.

I can’t bring myself to read, watch or listen to anything to do with the 1970 game.

It was a defining moment for me, a young girl watching the disaster unfold from a packed MCG. At 121k, it still holds the record for the largest footy crowd in history.

One interesting fact I learned. Ian Robertson's daughter is married to Lee Adamson's son!!

 

[Robroy22]

Did they touch on the Syd Jackson / Lee Adamson case? Syd shouldn't have made it to that Granny....but George Harris made him lie to the tribunal and label Adamson a racist for 40 years or so.

People not understanding us playing with 16 men against 18 need to understand that in 1970 you did have two subs on the bench but once a sub was made it was non reversible, so coach (Bobby Rose) was faced with replacing an injured team leader in Tuddenham (badly corked thigh that had seized during the half time break) and Key Full Forward McKenna who'd kicked 5 goals already in the first half (but was clearly concussed and in lala land). Barassi made his subs at half time and brought on goal sneak Ted Hopkins who kicked 4 in the second half, but Barassi did this out of desperation. He had no other choice.

Rose thought his team could contain Carlton enough to hold on so didn't make his subs in the third quarter (he only had a 6'10" ruckman and a winger on the bench and already had 2 ruckmen on the ground)....probably poor selection decisions in retrospect but looking back Bob Rose had many options he could have used.

Robert Dean was a 6'3" winger who successfully played forward when McKenna missed games in the years after 1970. He could have swung forward and Ricky Watt replaced him on a wing. Bob Heard the tallest player in the league at that point might also have been used at full forward in McKenna's absence but that move also didn't eventuate.

Rose chose to respect and be loyal to both McKenna and Tuddenham and he left them on the ground, this old school loyalty was very much of that era but it also proved to be Bobby's greatest weakness as a coach. As a player he had been ruthless (Leigh Matthew's tough without the elbows) but as a coach he was too nice to his boys.

By the time the subs came on for Collingwood momentum was 100% with Carlton and when Jezza's last kick took 3 or 4 lucky bounces and rolled through for the sealer....the Pies hopes were in the gutter.

Watching Geelong's lifeless last quarter when they had no way of stopping the tidal wave of Lions goals brought it all back. In some ways it was cathartic. We always knew it wasn't so much that Barassi had invented a new way of playing footy, rather that we'd fallen victim to critical loss of key players during a game and then our coaches not responding in a way that gave the players remaining on the field the chance to hold onto the lead. 16 v 18 for 60 minutes of pressure footy led to so many cramping bodies and cooked minds.

 

[HoraceStrasbork]

Did they touch on the Syd Jackson / Lee Adamson case? Syd shouldn't have made it to that Granny....but George Harris made him lie to the tribunal and label Adamson a racist for 40 years or so.

People not understanding us playing with 16 men against 18 need to understand that in 1970 you did have two subs on the bench but once a sub was made it was non reversible, so coach (Bobby Rose) was faced with replacing an injured team leader in Tuddenham (badly corked thigh that had seized during the half time break) and Key Full Forward McKenna who'd kicked 5 goals already in the first half (but was clearly concussed and in lala land). Barassi made his subs at half time and brought on goal sneak Ted Hopkins who kicked 4 in the second half, but Barassi did this out of desperation. He had no other choice.

Rose thought his team could contain Carlton enough to hold on so didn't make his subs in the third quarter (he only had a 6'10" ruckman and a winger on the bench and already had 2 ruckmen on the ground)....probably poor selection decisions in retrospect but looking back Bob Rose had many options he could have used.

Robert Dean was a 6'3" winger who successfully played forward when McKenna missed games in the years after 1970. He could have swung forward and Ricky Watt replaced him on a wing. Bob Heard the tallest player in the league at that point might also have been used at full forward in McKenna's absence but that move also didn't eventuate.

Rose chose to respect and be loyal to both McKenna and Tuddenham and he left them on the ground, this old school loyalty was very much of that era but it also proved to be Bobby's greatest weakness as a coach. As a player he had been ruthless (Leigh Matthew's tough without the elbows) but as a coach he was too nice to his boys.

By the time the subs came on for Collingwood momentum was 100% with Carlton and when Jezza's last kick took 3 or 4 lucky bounces and rolled through for the sealer....the Pies hopes were in the gutter.

Watching Geelong's lifeless last quarter when they had no way of stopping the tidal wave of Lions goals brought it all back. In some ways it was cathartic. We always knew it wasn't so much that Barassi had invented a new way of playing footy, rather that we'd fallen victim to critical loss of key players during a game and then our coaches not responding in a way that gave the players remaining on the field the chance to hold onto the lead. 16 v 18 for 60 minutes of pressure footy led to so many cramping bodies and cooked minds.

Great post man

 

[domus]

Did they touch on the Syd Jackson / Lee Adamson case? Syd shouldn't have made it to that Granny....but George Harris made him lie to the tribunal and label Adamson a racist for 40 years or so.

People not understanding us playing with 16 men against 18 need to understand that in 1970 you did have two subs on the bench but once a sub was made it was non reversible, so coach (Bobby Rose) was faced with replacing an injured team leader in Tuddenham (badly corked thigh that had seized during the half time break) and Key Full Forward McKenna who'd kicked 5 goals already in the first half (but was clearly concussed and in lala land). Barassi made his subs at half time and brought on goal sneak Ted Hopkins who kicked 4 in the second half, but Barassi did this out of desperation. He had no other choice.

Rose thought his team could contain Carlton enough to hold on so didn't make his subs in the third quarter (he only had a 6'10" ruckman and a winger on the bench and already had 2 ruckmen on the ground)....probably poor selection decisions in retrospect but looking back Bob Rose had many options he could have used.

Robert Dean was a 6'3" winger who successfully played forward when McKenna missed games in the years after 1970. He could have swung forward and Ricky Watt replaced him on a wing. Bob Heard the tallest player in the league at that point might also have been used at full forward in McKenna's absence but that move also didn't eventuate.

Rose chose to respect and be loyal to both McKenna and Tuddenham and he left them on the ground, this old school loyalty was very much of that era but it also proved to be Bobby's greatest weakness as a coach. As a player he had been ruthless (Leigh Matthew's tough without the elbows) but as a coach he was too nice to his boys.

By the time the subs came on for Collingwood momentum was 100% with Carlton and when Jezza's last kick took 3 or 4 lucky bounces and rolled through for the sealer....the Pies hopes were in the gutter.

Watching Geelong's lifeless last quarter when they had no way of stopping the tidal wave of Lions goals brought it all back. In some ways it was cathartic. We always knew it wasn't so much that Barassi had invented a new way of playing footy, rather that we'd fallen victim to critical loss of key players during a game and then our coaches not responding in a way that gave the players remaining on the field the chance to hold onto the lead. 16 v 18 for 60 minutes of pressure footy led to so many cramping bodies and cooked minds.

Sure did! They did delve into it very honestly. Syd Jackson was one of the Carlton players involved in the documentary. It annoyed me because he tried to place all of the responsibility on the George Harris and co- he said they told him he'd miss his chance to play in the GF if he didn't use the racial abuse excuse. I call BS on Syd. He could have simply said NO! Imagine smearing a good man and a teacher with such a nasty claim.

The Collingwood Football Club published a response to the accusation in the Sun the following morning refuting the accusation and maintaining Adamson spoke no such slur. Jackson played a role in that comeback too.

 

[jmac70]

Sure did! They did delve into it very honestly. Syd Jackson was one of the Carlton players involved in the documentary. It annoyed me because he tried to place all of the responsibility on the George Harris and co- he said they told him he'd miss his chance to play in the GF if he didn't use the racial abuse excuse. I call BS on Syd. He could have simply said NO! Imagine smearing a good man and a teacher with such a nasty claim.

The Collingwood Football Club published a response to the accusation in the Sun the following morning refuting the accusation and maintaining Adamson spoke no such slur. Jackson played a role in that comeback too.

What would have happened to Syd if he said no to the powerful white men?

 

[Kirby]

What would have happened to Syd if he said no to the powerful white men?

Don’t ruin Domus’s victim impact statement.

 

[budge27]

I made the mistake a few years ago of watching this GF a few years ago during the GF marathon….and could not believe the 1st qtr. The Pies totally dominated that qtr but only kicked 4.8 missing some absolute sitters, Carlton hardly had the ball in their forward half at all and managed just 0.3. If they Pies had even kicked 8.4 in that qtr we would have been up by 50 points at qtr time and I dont reckon we would have lost it from there. Carlton looked like a rabble at the 1st break.

 

[60 Yards Out]

For all those who are of my vintage and have a slightly masochistic bent-this is a fascinating look at the 1970 GF nightmare. It scarred me for life and I'm sure the players were haunted by it. Nevertheless, the commentary from the players is interesting. I've not seen an analysis like this of most famous grand final before.

Probably interesting, but it’s not for me. Too soon.

 

[cfc19902010]

This game was a real horror show after half time
So much pain we had to endure .1981 still sits even worse for me than 1970 ..