Games you would like to have seen

As for games I wish I’d seen, what I wouldn’t give to see more of that 1950 side. I’ll pick a game slightly at random - round 6 vs * at Arden st in front of 25,000 people. Came from behind at 3/4 time to defeat the powerhouse and eventual premiers *essendon by 15. Spencer kicked 6 for the winners, Coleman 5 for the other team. Foote, Dyson, Jarrard, Pat Kelly, Jock McCorkell in the shinboners' lineup, Reynolds, Hutchison, Bigelow on the other side.


From the match report in The Age
The Argus report on the same game


Front page of that evening's Sporting Globe

And the NM v * match report.


Added bonus for those of us of a certain age: Harry Beitzel was the umpire.
 

Hojuman

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The Argus report on the same game


Front page of that evening's Sporting Globe

And the NM v * match report.


Added bonus for those of us of a certain age: Harry Beitzel was the umpire.



" are you there Tommy ? " 😄
 
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And the NM v * match report.


Added bonus for those of us of a certain age: Harry Beitzel was the umpire.

1585353509763.png


A practice that has my full support in reviving. :thumbsu:
 
As for games I wish I’d seen, what I wouldn’t give to see more of that 1950 side. I’ll pick a game slightly at random - round 6 vs * at Arden st in front of 25,000 people. Came from behind at 3/4 time to defeat the powerhouse and eventual premiers *essendon by 15. Spencer kicked 6 for the winners, Coleman 5 for the other team. Foote, Dyson, Jarrard, Pat Kelly, Jock McCorkell in the shinboners' lineup, Reynolds, Hutchison, Bigelow on the other side.


From the match report in The Age
Essendon won all three grades that year, and is probably the greatest team in the history of the VFL/AFL (top three at least) so to come away with a win, coming from behind, is one of our clubs great achievements from our early years in the VFL.

Along with games, there are a heap of players from the past that I would have loved to have seen play and a number of them are from our 1949-50 team. Guys like Foote, Kelly, Spencer, Condon, the Reeves and Dynon. Dynon in particular interests me because he was a rather tall (179cms) for a mid in those days, but was also quick and just a great sports person generally.
 
I would like to have seen a couple of games from our "invincibles" from our VFA days. I think it would have been amazing to see guys like Barker Snr, Hardy, Moran, Carpenter, Hawkins and Stevens in full flight burying Footscray or Prahran in a Grand Final.
 

Hojuman

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Only read the first page, will see the rest a bit later, but just want to say seeing Xavier Tanner stream through the middle of the ground is a beautiful sight. One of my all time favourite players.



That one handed pick up and drop punt from 60m for a goal. Beautiful.

Funny l remember that '75 qual. final really well. Ball coming towards the boundary line where our seats were and Vinnie Waite ( hard nut and Jared's old man ) thought he could clean up Schimma as the ball was going out. Schimma saw it coming and stepped outta his way. Vinnie smacked straight into the fence and regretted it immediately. My old man gave him a great spray 😄😄😄
 
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I would like to have seen a couple of games from our "invincibles" from our VFA days. I think it would have been amazing to see guys like Barker Snr, Hardy, Moran, Carpenter, Hawkins and Stevens in full flight burying Footscray or Prahran in a Grand Final.


It would have been cool to attend the pre-1930's Arden Street games too.

You can never have too much rock throwing or hat pin stabbing practice.
 

Goggin Our Best

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Seeing theres no football at present - i thought id make a post to a game i went to many many years ago - and it was a really hard game where goals were precious - and it was a big name - the 74PF at the MCG between NM and Hawthorn

I was only a kid at the time - and it was one of those games where you ended up and you dont know why - my father must bought the series or something - but i had a seat ( and i wasnt even sitting next to him ) at the Punt Rd forward pocket members side

As for the game - it was a wet day - dead still -but just continual steady rain - one of those days where you needed a piece of plastic - but you still ended up getting soaked

I was favouring NM- simply because Doug Wade was playing full forward - amazing how you can remember things - i can remember Wadey taking a mark in the 3rd qtr i think next to left hand point post - punt rd end - right where i was sitting - he didnt run out the right - he tried to thread the needle - with a wet ball - and nearly got it - he hit the post

The other thing i can remember is Hawthorns start - they had 4 goals to nothing in the 1st 10 minutes - were they up and about - they had one foot in the GF - and the thing about Haw back then - if you look at it fairly - is that even though they didnt play Rich n finals e one teams in home and away games that troubled didnt fear them . Where as bar a few games - Rich had it all over Carl and Coll and most other teams - because they were a powerhouse - so if the Hawks had prevailed they would have fancied their chances the following week against the Tigers in the GF

But NM after getting jumped at the start - slowly grinded their way back into it - looked to have finally got the uperhand - but clung on at the death - it was a really good game and i havent forgotten it
 

Bertie22

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Another was a qual. final v Carltank at the M.C.G. in '75. How many remember that ?

I am surprised that this match is not mentioned more. After that one, I and many others believed our time was nigh. It was a pressure game and we were in front at every break. Carlton's accuracy had them closer than I would have liked, but we got there in the end, I think by about 3-4 goals. There was a lot of self belief on both sides of the fence after that one. A couple of sidelights- we had a player called Richard (Dick) Michalczyk who had become a very handy utility player for us. He kicked a pressure goal at a key stage but had hurt his knee in this match and never played for us again. Another one of those tragic stories with talented players in our history. Could arguably have been in our first Premiership team. Similarly Graeme Melrose, second rover to Cable. In one of the next finals he broke his thumb and missed the Premiership. Sadly did his knee in 77 during the season. Wretched luck.
 

Hojuman

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I am surprised that this match is not mentioned more. After that one, I and many others believed our time was nigh. It was a pressure game and we were in front at every break. Carlton's accuracy had them closer than I would have liked, but we got there in the end, I think by about 3-4 goals. There was a lot of self belief on both sides of the fence after that one. A couple of sidelights- we had a player called Richard (Dick) Michalczyk who had become a very handy utility player for us. He kicked a pressure goal at a key stage but had hurt his knee in this match and never played for us again. Another one of those tragic stories with talented players in our history. Could arguably have been in our first Premiership team. Similarly Graeme Melrose, second rover to Cable. In one of the next finals he broke his thumb and missed the Premiership. Sadly did his knee in 77 during the season. Wretched luck.



Still breaks my heart with Melrose and Michalcyzk.
Dick had a brilliant season. Knights equal in fact in '75. And Knights was the best c.h.b. l have seen. Reminds me so much of Steward as well 😥. Steward actually played and won a W.A.F.L. flag that year so was always happy about that.

Graham actually worked with my old man at Ampol. Got him to visit me at home one night. Childhood highlight.

Spose those two being out allowed Farrant and Feltham to become premiership players Bertie.
 
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Bertie22

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Still breaks my heart with Melrose and Michalcyzk.
Dick had a brilliant season. Knights equal in fact in '75. And Knights was the best c.h.b. l have seen. Reminds me so much of Steward as well 😥. Steward actually played and won a W.A.F.L. flag that year so was always happy about that.

Graham actually worked with my old man at Ampol. Got him to visit me at home one night. Childhood highlight.

Spose those two being out allowed Farrant and Feltham to become premiership players Bertie.
Yes, it is the luck of the draw. Garry Farrant had been at North through some tough times for over his two stints and I always thought Paul Feltham was a great team man, not unlike Peter Chisnall. I think Doug Wade did not play in that QF match and somehow worked his way back in by the Grand Final.
Re Peter Steward, there was karma for him in winning a WAFL Premiership the same year. He actually lined up against North and Arnold Breidis specifically a few weeks later for the Australian Club Championships, or whatever they were called. I recall he handled Arnold pretty well in a losing side.
 

Hojuman

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Seeing theres no football at present - i thought id make a post to a game i went to many many years ago - and it was a really hard game where goals were precious - and it was a big name - the 74PF at the MCG between NM and Hawthorn

I was only a kid at the time - and it was one of those games where you ended up and you dont know why - my father must bought the series or something - but i had a seat ( and i wasnt even sitting next to him ) at the Punt Rd forward pocket members side

As for the game - it was a wet day - dead still -but just continual steady rain - one of those days where you needed a piece of plastic - but you still ended up getting soaked

I was favouring NM- simply because Doug Wade was playing full forward - amazing how you can remember things - i can remember Wadey taking a mark in the 3rd qtr i think next to left hand point post - punt rd end - right where i was sitting - he didnt run out the right - he tried to thread the needle - with a wet ball - and nearly got it - he hit the post

The other thing i can remember is Hawthorns start - they had 4 goals to nothing in the 1st 10 minutes - were they up and about - they had one foot in the GF - and the thing about Haw back then - if you look at it fairly - is that even though they didnt play Rich n finals e one teams in home and away games that troubled didnt fear them . Where as bar a few games - Rich had it all over Carl and Coll and most other teams - because they were a powerhouse - so if the Hawks had prevailed they would have fancied their chances the following week against the Tigers in the GF

But NM after getting jumped at the start - slowly grinded their way back into it - looked to have finally got the uperhand - but clung on at the death - it was a really good game and i havent forgotten it



Brilliant Goggin. Thanks mate 👍

Now. There was a funny incident in that game that got a laugh outta the players at the time. You or Bertie remember what is was ?
 

Bertie22

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Brilliant Goggin. Thanks mate 👍

Now. There was a funny incident in that game that got a laugh outta the players at the time. You or Bertie remember what is was ?
Hmm, not from that game, but best I can do... I remember the footy burst as David Dench marked it in the 1974 Q Final against the Hawks. He and the umpire (Kevin Smith I think) and a few others had wry grins.
 

Hojuman

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Hmm, not from that game, but best I can do... I remember the footy burst as David Dench marked it in the 1974 Q Final against the Hawks. He and the umpire (Kevin Smith I think) and a few others had wry grins.



Yes ! Not the prelim Bertie ?
I was 14 and used to cut out the newspapers and pictures. Still remember that picture the next day with Denchy holding the ball out to Lethal with a huge smile from what might have been the Observer ?
 
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R17 1938. We copped a 9 goal hiding from the filth at Vic Park that day. The great Ron Todd kicked 7 and they were destined for a grand final showdown with Carlton a few weeks later. Something remarkable did happen though. A young, skinny left footed kid from West Melbourne, playing only his 20th game for the NMFC, found himself against a backline containing two Collingwood Team of the Century legends in Whelan and Regan. What did the kid do? Well; he kicked a lazy 9 goals! His name? Selwyn Murray. Now that would have been something to see.
 

Bertie22

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Yes ! Not the prelim Bertie ?
I was 14 and used to cut out the newspapers and pictures. Still remember that picture the next day with Denchy holding the ball out to Lethal with a huge smile from what might have been the Observer ?
My grey cells are 7 years older than yours mate, so they might fail me on this occasion. I will bow to your judgement...and documentary evidence. "The Sunday Observer?" Crikey. I am getting on. Better make sure I see a few more North Premierships. Over to the boys!
 
R17 1938. We copped a 9 goal hiding from the filth at Vic Park that day. The great Ron Todd kicked 7 and they were destined for a grand final showdown with Carlton a few weeks later. Something remarkable did happen though. A young, skinny left footed kid from West Melbourne, playing only his 20th game for the NMFC, found himself against a backline containing two Collingwood Team of the Century legends in Whelan and Regan. What did the kid do? Well; he kicked a lazy 9 goals! His name? Selwyn Murray. Now that would have been something to see.
Since I’m in a Trove-y mood today ...
Sporting Globe report will need some careful attention to decipher but is complimentary in the lede.

The Age is a bit more legible.
 
R17 1938. We copped a 9 goal hiding from the filth at Vic Park that day. The great Ron Todd kicked 7 and they were destined for a grand final showdown with Carlton a few weeks later. Something remarkable did happen though. A young, skinny left footed kid from West Melbourne, playing only his 20th game for the NMFC, found himself against a backline containing two Collingwood Team of the Century legends in Whelan and Regan. What did the kid do? Well; he kicked a lazy 9 goals! His name? Selwyn Murray. Now that would have been something to see.
Also Murray really hit the ground running as a key forward. Kicked 74 in his first 22 games. By the end of his 121-game career his 3.81 goals per game was behind only Pratt, Todd , Coventry, Fanning, and Moriarty to that point, and still stands as the 14th highest gpg average of all time.
 
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Also Murray really hit the ground running as a key forward. Kicked 74 in his first 22 games. By the end of his 121-game career his 3.81 goals per game was behind only Pratt, Todd , Coventry, Fanning, and Moriarty to that point, and still stands as the 14th highest gpg average of all time.
No North player to this day has a higher goal per game average. 3rd fastest in VFL/AFL history to register 300 goals- 73 games. His game/career goal tallies tracked almost identically to that of Ron Todd who was way more feted than our bloke. Yet Todd played in teams with a winning strike rate of 70% compared to Murray of only 30%. I read a newspaper article where a top South Australian State of Origin defender of his time, who played on both players in State games, said Murray was the better player. I've said it before, It's a travesty Murray never made our team of the Century. Royal Commission stuff.
 

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Seen both the 96 and 99 GF live as well as the 1994 QF against the Hawks but would have loved to have had the privilege to attend the Jason McCartney game.
 

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Matthews is in my top 5 ever. Careyesque in his ability to change the result of a game.
I have nothing but respect for his abilities as a player, and as you've said, it was his capacity to change a game that was key. Unfortunately, many times against us, whether through the middle or up forward. As a kid, I hated the guy as a player, but grew to admire him later on.
 
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