Games you would like to have seen

[RobZombie]

I’ll go for another one. Round 19, 1949. The last H&A round of the season.

In their first 24 seasons and 18 rounds, North had spent a total of one week at the top of the ladder. After round 4 of 1927, thanks to a pair of close upset wins over Fitzroy and Essendon, and a 2-point loss to Geelong, they had the good fortune to be fixtured to play a hapless Hawthorn. A 77-point win saw them ahead of Collingwood, Melbourne and Geelong on percentage. They would not win another game that season, finishing 11th, 3-15 with a percentage of 73.5.

In 1949 it was all coming together. Heading into round 19 they were 3rd on percentage: level on 13 wins with Carlton and Collingwood, a game ahead of Essendon and two games clear of Melbourne in 5th. Finals guaranteed, for just the second time in the VFL.

They were to face Carlton. Double chance guaranteed for the winner, an elimination final against a strong Essendon for the loser. The 35,116 that turned out to Arden Street remains the ground's record crowd.

After a hard fought first half in which it looked like inaccuracy might hurt the shinboners, they went into the sheds with a 9 point lead, 5.12 to 5.3. But after the break they broke it open with an 8.2 to 0.3 quarter, Spencer kicking 4 of his 8 in a 5 minute burst in the 3rd term.

By 3/4 time word got to the ground that St Kilda was likely to upset Collingwood, and despite North still taking out the last quarter with 4.4 to Carlton's 2.4, it was those 2 late ones for Carlton that nudged their percentage ahead of Collingwood's. So with North's time-honoured tradition of conceding red-time and Junk-time goals, they found themselves backing up against a fired-up Carlton instead of an injury-hit Collingwood in the 1st semi.

But let’s imagine we don’t know what the finals series has in store (just like 2015 - losing the prelim to a team that would get massacred in the GF by an all time great team, against whom we surely would have put up a better show) and bask in the historic achievement.

Sporting Globe

NORTH SWAMP THE BLUES: BIG GAME - MAGPIES FALL TO 3RD PLACE - Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954) - 27 Aug 1949

North Melbourne (56 points) finished on top [?]f the League Premiership Ladder, a clear game in [?]ont of Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon, in that [?]der, on percentages. ...

trove.nla.gov.au

CARLTON ROUTED IN GREAT BURST[?] BY NORTH - Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954) - 27 Aug 1949

With a magnificent burst in the third quarter, North Melbourne routed the Blues in most determined fashion, before 30,000 at North Melbourne. Splendid balance and co-operation made the Blues ...

trove.nla.gov.au

The Age

Late Rally by Blues Saved Double Chance - The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) - 29 Aug 1949

A last-minute revival at North Melbourne saved Carlton a double chance for the finals. The Blues realised Collingwood would go down to St. Kilda, and needed a boost to their percentage figures. ...

trove.nla.gov.au

 

[RobZombie]

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.

Yeah it’s one reason I picked that game. Aside from it being one of the GOAT NM wins it also featured an opposition with some amazing players.

 

[DarwinRoo]

All I could find:

3. Cable
2. Alves
1. Dench

HM: Tanner, Cowton, Kennan

 

[Hojuman]

3. Cable
2. Alves
1. Dench

HM: Tanner, Cowton, Kennan

Think Snake kicked 2.6 and two out on the full. And he's hardly in the highlights.
Pies shoudda seen it coming the next week

 

[ivan rassmussen]

G’day, not sure which thread this should go in on here, so please move if not this one, but this came up on a FB page I follow:



I’ve seen the photo of Dugdale many times over the years, but 2 of the comments caught my eye:
1. One was that he didn’t mark it - can anyone confirm that?
2. Saints needed to win to play finals for the first time since 1939 - and 12th placed North gave them a fright at home - 22 scoring shots each and only 5 pts in it: STK 10-12-72 NM 9-13-67

Love old photos and footage, and miss all the old suburban grounds (well maybe not Moorabbin!).

 

[Hojuman]

G’day, not sure which thread this should go in on here, so please move if not this one, but this came up on a FB page I follow:



I’ve seen the photo of Dugdale many times over the years, but 2 of the comments caught my eye:
1. One was that he didn’t mark it - can anyone confirm that?
2. Saints needed to win to play finals for the first time since 1939 - and 12th placed North gave them a fright at home - 22 scoring shots each and only 5 pts in it: STK 10-12-72 NM 9-13-67

Love old photos and footage, and miss all the old suburban grounds (well maybe not Moorabbin!).

Can confirm 1. He didn't mark it. But Bertie or Mastermind will give you the answer to 2.

 

[gokangas]

G’day, not sure which thread this should go in on here, so please move if not this one, but this came up on a FB page I follow:



I’ve seen the photo of Dugdale many times over the years, but 2 of the comments caught my eye:
1. One was that he didn’t mark it - can anyone confirm that?
2. Saints needed to win to play finals for the first time since 1939 - and 12th placed North gave them a fright at home - 22 scoring shots each and only 5 pts in it: STK 10-12-72 NM 9-13-67

Love old photos and footage, and miss all the old suburban grounds (well maybe not Moorabbin!).

Interviewed Dugdale at a NMFC function. Quality bloke. He confirmed he didn't hold the mark and regrets it as probably would have been one of the greatest of all time. He played with terrible eczema and after some games they had to cut his jumper off him. Under rated at times Dugdale. As genuine a shinboner as any other NMFC player.

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Can confirm 1. He didn't mark it. But Bertie or Mastermind will give you the answer to 2.

Sorry, should have worded better - comment 2 caught my eye, then confirmed myself, was just interesting that playing last round at home at Junction, 3rd placed Saints with finals on the line nearly got done by 12th place Roos. Wonder if you guys put in a blinder with nothing to lose, or Saints nearly choked under the historic pressure - or a bit of both?

 

[ivan rassmussen]

Interviewed Dugdale at a NMFC function. Quality bloke. He confirmed he didn't hold the mark and regrets it as probably would have been one of the greatest of all time. He played with terrible eczema and after some games they had to cut his jumper off him. Under rated at times Dugdale. As genuine a shinboner as any other NMFC player.

Given the paucity of footage from that era and earlier, it’s still at least one of the greatest photos of our game, whether he held it or not. (Thanks for the eczema info - jumpers from that era wouldn’t have made a skin condition any more bearable. )

 

[Colbys Boots]

The most complete obliteration of Leigh Matthews in his entire career.

Cable was 34 and at the end of his VFL career. Matthews was 25 and at the peak of his powers (he kicked 91 goals as a midfielder and averaged 27 disposals a game that season). I rate Matthews as the best midfielder that I ever saw. But he was very well beaten that day.

 

[Hojuman]

Bit of a shame. Alotta old finals from the 70's on you-tube but just about all Carl. Coll. & Rich.

 

[Bertie22]

Given the paucity of footage from that era and earlier, it’s still at least one of the greatest photos of our game, whether he held it or not. (Thanks for the eczema info - jumpers from that era wouldn’t have made a skin condition any more bearable. )

G'day Ivan, great to hear from you. Remember you from your Doggies days and then the VFA. Dugga was a hero of mine as a boy. Like gokangas, I had the pleasure of meeting him at a match day function a few years ago. Top fella...we had a great chat. No, it was not paid a mark. John said that because he flew so high and the umpire was so shocked, it took his breath away and he had none left to blow the whistle! Great yarn. It's an all time great photo, including other legends such as Verdun Howell. Allen Aylett and Neil Roberts.

On a related note, without being too specific, I have had opportunities in my adult life to meet some of my childhood sporting heroes (and not always those from the teams I followed.) It is fantastic that having met them as an adult, I have not been disappointed.

 

[shinboner magic]

A lot of old geezers know how to use the internet

Great to hear the old stories - would of been great to of been there

 

[Hojuman]

A lot of old geezers know how to use the internet

Great to hear the old stories - would of been great to of been there

That's " Boomer " to you son ( pffftttt.......
geezer )

Respect is spelt......( never mind )