Bulldogs in the 1970s Video Archive

[W W Biscuit]

I began following the Doggies in 1975, barely out of nappies, and become very excited when I find previously unseen footage of Footscray games from this era. The Dogs so rarely made the Saturday night replays, so the vast majority of my childhood memories are just that - flickering and fading mental images of early heroes such as Laurie Sandilands, Bernie Quinlan, Gary Dempsey, Alan Stoneham and Ray Huppatz. So I was elated to find this:



Kudos to the Yellow and Black YouTube channel for posting this Richmond vs Footscray match (much of the final quarter) from Round 22 1973, particularly as the Tigers lost the game narrowly. It was slightly before my time, so not knowing the result of the game, I found myself barracking hard for the Doggies in a match that was decided almost fifty years ago (the wife was amused). It was also interesting to hear the commentators mention that we had defeated Carlton the week before - i.e., in the final two weeks of the home and away season, Footscray defeated both eventual grand finalists. Perhaps more evidence that we massively under-achieved during this era? We finished ninth on the ladder, with only seven wins (but won four out of the last five).

Anyway, I post this here for your enjoyment. And welcome any reminiscences or other videos from the 70s you happen to find on your travels.

 

[footscray1973]

I began following the Doggies in 1975, barely out of nappies, and become very excited when I find previously unseen footage of Footscray games from this era. The Dogs so rarely made the Saturday night replays, so the vast majority of my childhood memories are just that - flickering and fading mental images of early heroes such as Laurie Sandilands, Bernie Quinlan, Gary Dempsey, Alan Stoneham and Ray Huppatz. So I was elated to find this:



Kudos to the Yellow and Black YouTube channel for posting this Richmond vs Footscray match (much of the final quarter) from Round 22 1973, particularly as the Tigers lost the game narrowly. It was slightly before my time, so not knowing the result of the game, I found myself barracking hard for the Doggies in a match that was decided almost fifty years ago (the wife was amused). It was also interesting to hear the commentators mention that we had defeated Carlton the week before - i.e., in the final two weeks of the home and away season, Footscray defeated both eventual grand finalists. Perhaps more evidence that we massively under-achieved during this era? We finished ninth on the ladder, with only seven wins (but won four out of the last five).

Anyway, I post this here for your enjoyment. And welcome any reminiscences or other videos from the 70s you happen to find on your travels.

I go back a few years further than you, but have watched this one a few times. I actually remember the game, especially Dempsey getting fired up and celebrating after the siren, as he rarely appeared demonstrative. Interesting that he stayed forward for most of that last quarter and the big Fish rucked. Also, sadly was Robert Rose's last league game. (And I had Gary Steel as a substitute teacher in about 1979 at secondary school.)

Another game I was at, was this one:



I remember at the game that the adults I was with complained about how Crimmins was protected by the umpires - a few decisions in the video seem to bear this out. (KB was another hated figure at WO in those days, both he and Crimmins were viewed as cheating the system when deliberately playing for frees!) Plus Geoff Leek(?) in commentary when I think Bremner(?) gets a free - "I don't know what it was for, but it was there"!

Also, not our game as such, but this is worth a watch too:

 

[stevieg1969]

I began following the Doggies in 1975, barely out of nappies, and become very excited when I find previously unseen footage of Footscray games from this era. The Dogs so rarely made the Saturday night replays, so the vast majority of my childhood memories are just that - flickering and fading mental images of early heroes such as Laurie Sandilands, Bernie Quinlan, Gary Dempsey, Alan Stoneham and Ray Huppatz. So I was elated to find this:



Kudos to the Yellow and Black YouTube channel for posting this Richmond vs Footscray match (much of the final quarter) from Round 22 1973, particularly as the Tigers lost the game narrowly. It was slightly before my time, so not knowing the result of the game, I found myself barracking hard for the Doggies in a match that was decided almost fifty years ago (the wife was amused). It was also interesting to hear the commentators mention that we had defeated Carlton the week before - i.e., in the final two weeks of the home and away season, Footscray defeated both eventual grand finalists. Perhaps more evidence that we massively under-achieved during this era? We finished ninth on the ladder, with only seven wins (but won four out of the last five).

Anyway, I post this here for your enjoyment. And welcome any reminiscences or other videos from the 70s you happen to find on your travels.

The FNWB YouTube channel has a number of Footscray matches from the 70’s onwards.

 

[W W Biscuit]

I go back a few years further than you, but have watched this one a few times. I actually remember the game, especially Dempsey getting fired up and celebrating after the siren, as he rarely appeared demonstrative. Interesting that he stayed forward for most of that last quarter and the big Fish rucked. Also, sadly was Robert Rose's last league game. (And I had Gary Steel as a substitute teacher in about 1979 at secondary school.)

Another game I was at, was this one:



I remember at the game that the adults I was with complained about how Crimmins was protected by the umpires - a few decisions in the video seem to bear this out. (KB was another hated figure at WO in those days, both he and Crimmins were viewed as cheating the system when deliberately playing for frees!) Plus Geoff Leek(?) in commentary when I think Bremner(?) gets a free - "I don't know what it was for, but it was there"!

Also, not our game as such, but this is worth a watch too:

I couldn't really appreciate just what a great player Gary Dempsey was as a kid. I was far too young when he nicked off to North Melbourne. But every piece of footage I see of the Doggies from this era stamps him as a bonafide champion.

Essential question...did you get Gary Steel's autograph?

That 1973 documentary is really good too. Had to laugh at 13.25 when the commentator describes Paul Hurst's grubber as a beautiful kick.

 

[footscray1973]

I couldn't really appreciate just what a great player Gary Dempsey was as a kid. I was far too young when he nicked off to North Melbourne. But every piece of footage I see of the Doggies from this era stamps him as a bonafide champion.

Essential question...did you get Gary Steel's autograph?

That 1973 documentary is really good too. Had to laugh at 13.25 when the commentator describes Paul Hurst's grubber as a beautiful kick.

Dempsey was one of my first footy heroes. For his height, was surprisingly mobile, drifted forward and kicked goals, drifted back and took towering marks to repel oppo forward thrusts. Automatic pick for state teams for years.

Gary Steel - haha. As a footy nerd and one of only a couple of Dogs supporters, I was probably the only one in my class who suspected he'd even played VFL. I did ask him in the first class he took if he was the same Gary Steel, and he said he was, but then he went off on a bit of a weird ramble/rant. I'm not sure if he was stressed about teaching, as he would have still been in his mid-20s, and we only had him for a few days. I remember I wanted to ask him more about his time at the club and playing VFL, but he didn't come across as very approachable at the time - may have been just the circumstance in which we met!

Seems he achieved a lot beyond teaching a bunch of teenage boys in 1979:

Gary Steel: books, biography, latest update

Follow Gary Steel and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com's Gary Steel Author Page.

www.amazon.com

Wrote a book, and the author profile is interesting, to say the least!

 

[W W Biscuit]

Dempsey was one of my first footy heroes. For his height, was surprisingly mobile, drifted forward and kicked goals, drifted back and took towering marks to repel oppo forward thrusts. Automatic pick for state teams for years.

Gary Steel - haha. As a footy nerd and one of only a couple of Dogs supporters, I was probably the only one in my class who suspected he'd even played VFL. I did ask him in the first class he took if he was the same Gary Steel, and he said he was, but then he went off on a bit of a weird ramble/rant. I'm not sure if he was stressed about teaching, as he would have still been in his mid-20s, and we only had him for a few days. I remember I wanted to ask him more about his time at the club and playing VFL, but he didn't come across as very approachable at the time - may have been just the circumstance in which we met!

Seems he achieved a lot beyond teaching a bunch of teenage boys in 1979:

Gary Steel: books, biography, latest update

Follow Gary Steel and explore their bibliography from Amazon.com's Gary Steel Author Page.

www.amazon.com

Wrote a book, and the author profile is interesting, to say the least!

View attachment 1436240 View attachment 1436244

Wow, that is seriously impressive. I'm always excited when a footballer absolutely smashes the stereotype.

Not Bulldogs related, but reminds of a former St Kilda player, Chris Stone, who played 20-odd games in the late 70s. I googled him one day to find that he is married to the Belgian Prime Minister.

 

[footscray1973]

Wow, that is seriously impressive. I'm always excited when a footballer absolutely smashes the stereotype.

Not Bulldogs related, but reminds of a former St Kilda player, Chris Stone, who played 20-odd games in the late 70s. I googled him one day to find that he is married to the Belgian Prime Minister.

Yeah, one of my mates (Saints supporter) told me about that. He became a successful businessman, then met and married her. She is no longer PM, I think was foreign minister, but unfortunately she has taken leave of absence this year to care for him, as he has been diagnosed with a brain tumour.

 

[Chicago1]

Gary Dempsey got me interested in the footy and especially the Doggies. First match I saw he had what I thought were a million marks(he had 15). I had never seen anything like it. I was hooked. Round 1 1976.