1996 Counterfactual

Feb 1993: Port v Collingwood

COLLINGWOOD 13.12 90
PORT ADELAIDE 13.9 87
SCORERS - Collingwood: Houlihan 5.2, Starcevich 2.1, Barwick, Monkhorst, Rocca 1.2, M. Richardson, Shaw, Crosisca 1.0, Rowe 0.2, Watson 0.1.
Port: Tylor 6.3, Gaffney, R. Smith, D. Wakelin 1.1, Cockatoo-Collins, Ginever, McKay, P. Kemp 1.0, T. Bond, Fiacchi 0.1, rushed 0.1.
BEST - Collingwood: Houlihan, Shaw, Starcevich, Fraser, Rocca.
Port: Tylor, R. Smith, Northeast, Foster, Gaffney.
UMPIRES - Mark Westgarth, Tim Pfeiffer. CROWD - 22,253.

Couldnt find a full team list of who played the game. Someone might still have the Budget from that night?

As we know both clubs played in their traditional guernseys. Nathan Buckley was expected to play in a last hurrah before signing for Brisbane, but a couple of injuries meant he had to sit out, even though Nathan was keen to get out there.

Collingwood led at every change by 7, 11 and 9 points and Port charged home kicking the last three goals but ran out of time.
 
May 1993: Port v Essendon

PORT ADELAIDE
F: McKay, Tylor, Troy Bond.
HF: R. Smith, D. Smith, Rizonico.
C: Angove, Williams, Cockatoo- Collins.
HB: Foster, Phillips, Northeast.
B: Lyle, Delaney, Mead.
1R: Chalmers, Borlase, Ginever.
Inter: Settre, Kemp, Burton, S. Bond, S. Wakelin.

Essendon
Harvey, Mercuri, Wanganeen, Hird, A. Daniher, Hills, Symons, Long, Kilpatrick, Doolan, Misiti, Fox, Allessio, Flood, Delaney, Watson, Ross, A. Bruns, O'Connor, Winkel, Oleranshaw, Calthorpe, Murrihy

Was Tim Watsons comeback game.

ESSENDON 3.2 6.6 10.12 10.16 (76)
PORT ADELAIDE 2.2 3.6 5.7 9.10 (64)
BEST - Essendon: Doolan, Misiti, Watson, Long, Grenvold, Manton.
Port: Cockatoo-Collins, Rizonico, Delaney, Borlase, Williams, S. Bond.
SCORERS - Essendon: Symons, Ross 3.1, Calthorpe 1.2, Misiti 1.1, Bewick, Watson 1.0, Mercuri, Franken 0.2, Long, Sporn, Doolan 0.1, rushed 0.4.
Port: Cockatoo-Collins 2.0, Williams 1.2, Kemp, Tylor 1.1, Bond, McKay, R. Smith, Borlase 1.0, Rizonico, Settre, D. Smith 0.1, rushed 0.3.
INJURIES - Essendon: Cransberg (knee). Port: S. Bond (bruised ribs).
UMPIRES - Greg Inge, Jeff Jeanes.
CROWD - 13,634.

Kevin Sheedy said that this game inspired him to draft Che.
 
That Essendon and Port game in May 1993was when both clubs had the bye. I think the 1994 game was pre season. IIRC somebodies nose got out of joint that Port and Essendon organised the 93 game when both had byes.
 

Toots Hibbert

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You could not imagine it happening in todays football world. I've always had a soft spot for the Bombers as a result of Sheedy's willingness to help Port advance it's cause in getting to the AFL.
 

Natman

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Essendon were lucky we didn't throw our league team at them! :D

Some memorable names there ... and some that never went anywhere. That must've been just about Bartsch's only game for Port. Right up there with (in fact ahead of) Wes Fellowes and Shane Crothers as great ruck recruits ... I'd mention a guy called 'Pancho' Gonsalves who we cunningly beat Woodville to the signature of at the start of 1979, but that's just too obscure and cruel.

Ford - I have been trying to remember the details about the recruiting of Gonsalves - wasn't he recruited along with a few others from the old VFA - a 'marvelous' recruiting drive that one.

Would appreciate any more info that you have.
 
Ford - I have been trying to remember the details about the recruiting of Gonsalves - wasn't he recruited along with a few others from the old VFA - a 'marvelous' recruiting drive that one.

Would appreciate any more info that you have.

Gonsalves came over and played a trial game for Woodville in the 1979 pre-season. I don't know how, but he played out of his skin and really impressed. Bob McLean snuck in under Woodville's guard and signed him up after that game. IIRC Chris Natt was looking for a clearance to Torrens, Jack Spry had given up the ghost, Murrie Batt had buggered off back to Collingwood for another crack (or had returned to country football) and Port were struggling for ruckmen. But somewhere between the ink hitting the paper and Pancho's return to SA to play with Port, all of the ability (as it was) drained out of his body, never to return. All I can remember of him is a tall, skinny, woolly headed ruckman who never seemed to get near the ball. Maybe he had an evil (good?) twin? The corollary of the ruck story was after being linked to a few high profile VFL ruckmen - Mick Nolan and Graeme Teasdale among them - Port recruited third string Norwood reserves ruckman Robert Sticks Dolan who went onto Port legend status by rucking single-handed against South's highly-regarded ruck combo of Peter Hynes and Andy Bennett in the 1979 GF (Natt had returned as Port refused to clear him, but was suspended for that game). Dolan backed it up with a premiership in 1980 against Norwood. Interestingly, just having a look back at John Wood's "Gentleman Jack", John Nicholls gave Dolan specialist ruck coaching in the months leading up to the GF. Nicholls, of course was the champion Carlton ruckman and Glenelg coach in the 1977 GF.

The others I can remember from the VFA recruiting drive were Peter 'Ocker' Stephens, a CHF from Geelong West who stuffed his knee fairly early on. When he recovered his CHF mobility was completely impaired and he became an ok reserves standard occasional ruckman. But too small for league (not that tall and light with it). I think he was at Port pre-79 but made a bit of a comeback attempt as a ruckman around that time.

Russell Jessop who was supposed to be an opportunist HFF came in, but couldn't score a goal when it mattered, after yet again impressing in trial games. He hung around the reserves team for a while, wound up at half-back IIRC, then slipped from sight with barely a whimper.

I think Port also recruited Tasmanian Haydn Smart around that time, who was playing reserves at CHF with Collingwood. I think he was unveiled after the June 30 deadline, but had signed ealier, but wasn't fit (bung knee or broken leg, something like that). He turned out to be a pretty handy cricketer... :eek:. I think he hung around for another year, but stuck to cricket after that.
 
Port v Geelong 1990

Port Adelaide: Abernethy, Borlase, Greg Boyd, Russell Boyd,
David Brown, Crerar, Fiacchi, Foster, Ginever, Grimm, Hodges,
Hutton, Hynes, Johnston, Northeast, Phillips, Rizonico, Settre,
Darren Smith, Rohan Smith, Tregenza, Tylor, Stephen Williams,
Wanganeen.

Geelong: Ablett, Tim Bourke, Brown, Brownless, Bruns, David
Cameron, Gary Cameron, Couch, D'Arcy, Exell, Fletcher, Hamilton,
Steve Hocking, Gary Hocking, Kol, Keane, Lindner, Malakellis,
Morgan, Poole, Rogers, Stoneham, Troy, Welsby, Yeates.

GEELONG 3.4 12.8 15.14 22.18 (150)
PORT 2.5 3.8 10.10 14.14 (98)

BEST - GEELONG: Stoneham, S. Hocking, Couch, Ablett, Yeates, D. Cameron, Kol, Bruns,
Morgan.
PORT: D. Smith, Brown, Williams, Settre, Phillips, Crerar, Fiacchi.

GOALS - GEELONG: Ablett 5.1, D. Cameron 4.1, G. Cameron 2.1, Excell 1.4, Couch 1.2, Phillips 1.1, Stoneham 1.1, Bruns 1.0, Yeates 1.0, Lindner 1.0, Brown 1.0, Keane 1.0, G. Hocking 1.0, Fletcher 1.0, Brownless 0.2, Hamilton 0.1, Rogers 0.1, rushed 0.3.

PORT: Settre 2.5, D. Smith 2.1, Hynes 2.1, Hodges 2.1, Borlase 2.0, Willaims 1.1, Wanganeen 1.0, Hutton 1.0, Tregenza 1.0, Rizonico 0.2, rushed 0.3.
INJURIES - GEELONG: Bourke (concussion), Kol (knee), Troy (hamstring).
UMPIRES: Michael Abbott, Ross Castle.
CROWD: 27,743
 
As I said, both teams played in their traditional guernseys. Port wore its prison bars. Collingwood wore its white guernsey with black stripes.
 

Natman

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Gonsalves came over and played a trial game for Woodville in the 1979 pre-season. I don't know how, but he played out of his skin and really impressed. Bob McLean snuck in under Woodville's guard and signed him up after that game. IIRC Chris Natt was looking for a clearance to Torrens, Jack Spry had given up the ghost, Murrie Batt had buggered off back to Collingwood for another crack (or had returned to country football) and Port were struggling for ruckmen. But somewhere between the ink hitting the paper and Pancho's return to SA to play with Port, all of the ability (as it was) drained out of his body, never to return. All I can remember of him is a tall, skinny, woolly headed ruckman who never seemed to get near the ball. Maybe he had an evil (good?) twin? The corollary of the ruck story was after being linked to a few high profile VFL ruckmen - Mick Nolan and Graeme Teasdale among them - Port recruited third string Norwood reserves ruckman Robert Sticks Dolan who went onto Port legend status by rucking single-handed against South's highly-regarded ruck combo of Peter Hynes and Andy Bennett in the 1979 GF (Natt had returned as Port refused to clear him, but was suspended for that game). Dolan backed it up with a premiership in 1980 against Norwood. Interestingly, just having a look back at John Wood's "Gentleman Jack", John Nicholls gave Dolan specialist ruck coaching in the months leading up to the GF. Nicholls, of course was the champion Carlton ruckman and Glenelg coach in the 1977 GF.

The others I can remember from the VFA recruiting drive were Peter 'Ocker' Stephens, a CHF from Geelong West who stuffed his knee fairly early on. When he recovered his CHF mobility was completely impaired and he became an ok reserves standard occasional ruckman. But too small for league (not that tall and light with it). I think he was at Port pre-79 but made a bit of a comeback attempt as a ruckman around that time.

Russell Jessop who was supposed to be an opportunist HFF came in, but couldn't score a goal when it mattered, after yet again impressing in trial games. He hung around the reserves team for a while, wound up at half-back IIRC, then slipped from sight with barely a whimper.

I think Port also recruited Tasmanian Haydn Smart around that time, who was playing reserves at CHF with Collingwood. I think he was unveiled after the June 30 deadline, but had signed ealier, but wasn't fit (bung knee or broken leg, something like that). He turned out to be a pretty handy cricketer... :eek:. I think he hung around for another year, but stuck to cricket after that.

Thanks Ford - all of that stuff brings back memories and goes to make up the rich history of the club and the things we went through in good times (many) and bad (few).

With respect to Gonsalves, IIRC there were 3 or 4 smaller type VFA players that came in a package - some names you mentioned were in that group, but a couple of other escape me.
 
I have a feeling there was a group of three - Gonsalves, Jessop and one other(not Stephens who arrived in 76, somewhere around there). I'll have to find an old Footy Budget and look at names.
 
As I said, both teams played in their traditional guernseys. Port wore its prison bars. Collingwood wore its white guernsey with black stripes.

And you could fairly easily tell them apart. I think we wore hooped socks.
 
And you could fairly easily tell them apart. I think we wore hooped socks.

Actually, that was Collingwood. You were actually barracking for Lethal's men that day.
 
It shows we had a pretty decent side in 93 in my opinion that we could push the eventual Premiers and Collingwood who just lucked out of the finals pretty far, even though they were missing a few key players.

To me 93 was a flag that got away. We finished 2nd, had lost only 1 game to Round 14, then had our traditional s**t patch and we beat the Eagles twice in the minor round.

We spanked Glenelg in the final, the match was over at 1/4 time after Scotty kicked 6 goals in the first quarter (9 for the match) and we led by 7 goals.. The injuries kicked in though, we missed Scotty (crows), and Che (injury), whilst Burton, Phillips and Lyle were nursing injuries for the other two games. We were spanked by the Eagles and then we disspaointingly lost to Norwood in the Prelim. I feel if we got over Norwood we would have avenged the 2nd semi loss in the big one, as we did the following year.
 
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