Discussion SANFL 1969 Grand Final

Jun 27, 2010
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I know it's as obscure as a thread title could be, but having logged into this highlights reel from the SA Football Archive, I was surprised at how it resonates in mildly interesting ways today.



* Adelaide Oval is really loud.

* Royce Hart, having played for Richmond in the VFL GF the previous week, is turning out for the Bays. He gets whacked in the first minute of the game, Mark Yeates-style, and is concussed, but ends up as one of Glenelg’s best. He was eligible because he was doing National Service in SA, and the SANFL finals had been delayed a week by a draw in the first semi-final.** Hart was paid $2000 for his efforts.

* Other AFL connections:
Sturt:
Dean Ottens (father of)
Mike Nunan (Fitzroy’s last coach)

Glenelg:
Harry Kernahan (father of)
Graham Cornes (Crows coach, father of)

* Fred Phillis breaks Ken Farmer's 33-year-old SANFL goalkicking record in the last quarter. Finishes with 137 for the season.
* Coaching legends Oatey v Kerley (playing coach) face off.
* Sturt’s score of 24.15 is still an all-time SANFL grand final record.

* The fine subliminal ads inserted by the sponsor, Rothmans. You barely notice the people smoking.




** Fun fact: The draw was between West Adelaide and West Torrens, Torrens having scraped into the finals after winning their last 10 games straight. Sounds familiar? They got smacked in the replay.
 
Sep 21, 2002
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It still amazes me to this day that people say they remember Royce Hart getting knocked out early and taking no further part in the game. This, or course, is absolute dribble. Even Rick Schoff mentioned that on the Footy Show a couple of weeks ago. Hart was taken to the sideline, assessed, and came back on the gather over 25 possessions and be one of Glenelg's best.
 
Sep 21, 2002
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One of the events of a Sturt Grand Final back in the 60s was the emergence of former 1961 Hawthorn premiership ruckman Malcolm Hill as a finals specialist. They used to bring him over from the Berri Hotel in the finals. I don't have the records with me, but for memory, in his last 7 games for Sturt, he played in 4 premierships. :)
 

benji2

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It was before my time but fascinating viewing.

Some more things I've learnt though:
- It marked Glenelg's ascendance as ... well not as a power :p ... but a big team in the SANFL. Between this game and 1992 they'd play in 14 Grand Finals...but only win 3 :oops::cry:

- In 1971 Sturt full-forward Malcolm Greenslade would play 2 games for Richmond ironically enough also while on National Service

- Sandy Nelson's son Ben also played 40 games for Carlton and 12 for the Crows between 1997-2002
 
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35Daicos

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killer

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It still amazes me to this day that people say they remember Royce Hart getting knocked out early and taking no further part in the game. This, or course, is absolute dribble. Even Rick Schoff mentioned that on the Footy Show a couple of weeks ago. Hart was taken to the sideline, assessed, and came back on the gather over 25 possessions and be one of Glenelg's best.

Sandy Nelson quoted in the Sturt history book (Lysikatos 1997)
"There was nothing in the incident. I was standing Hart and we followed the ball to the eastern boundary in front of the temporary scaffolding stand"
I gave Royce a push on his side and he stumbled hitting his head on Trevor Clarke's hipbone and he went out cold. Clarke was coming in the opposite direction. Neil Kerley ran in and tried to pick up Hart to take his kick,because in those days if you didn't take the kick the ball was bounced, but Hart didn't move and the umpire bounced the ball The crowd especially the Glenelg supporters in that boundary went berserk and all it was, was a gentle push."
 
Sep 21, 2002
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Those Sturt teams of the mid-late 60s revolutionised the way the game was played. Port Adelaide had been dominant with the power mark and kick game. They had talented big men who could take big grabs in packs and kick long to packs downfield. In the 1965 GF, Port only had 12 handballs for the game, 3 of them by one player.

Sturt handballed more, created run, and kicked 50 metres downfield to a player leading to position. Less contested ball and quicker movement. Mind you, they also had an amazing skill level. Incredible to think that in their 5 premierships in a row 1966-1970, they only won 2 minor premierships, but were always the best team once the finals came around.

For the record, minor premiers for those seasons:
1966 Sturt
1967 North Adelaide
1968 Sturt
1969 Glenelg
1970 Port Adelaide
 
Jun 27, 2010
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Legendary Sturt coach Jack Oatey played in the VFL - 5 games for South Melbourne in 1944 - also while doing war service.

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/J/Jack_Oatey.html

As a fan of the Double Blues and the Swans that's immediately become one of my favourite footy facts. Thanks!

The other VFL connection was Bob Shearman, the Sturt captain, who played 64 games for the Dons from 1956-60. Played 16 years in the VFL/SANFL. Not bad for that era. Also had a fabulous dropkick.
 

killer

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brilliantly skilled...but tended to tank at championship of Australia games

Sturt 1969
F....Nunan Greenslade ottens
HF..Bagshaw Schoff Tilbrook
C....Clarke Shearman Hicks
HB...Brooks Nelson Short
b.....Adcock Jarrett Burgan
R.....Wild Chessell Rigney
Reserves.....M Hill Endersbee
 
May 8, 2007
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- In 1971 Sturt full-forward Malcolm Greenslade would play 2 games for Richmond ironically enough also while on National Service

In the first game he did this:
180px-Malcomgreenslademark1971.jpg


2nd game he kicked 6 goals.

The boy could play.

A couple of other points.

- Good to see the old South Australian method of bouncing the ball - holding at at 90 degrees to the way we are used to.

- Who is the commentator? Is he a regular Football commentator? Because he clearly refer's to 'Ken Palmer' when discussing the goal-kicking record (at 11.30). Any serious commentator would know who Ken Farmer was.
 
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35Daicos

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In the first game he did this:
180px-Malcomgreenslademark1971.jpg


2nd game he kicked 6 goals.

The boy could play.

A couple of other points.

- Good to see the old South Australian method of bouncing the ball - holding at at 90 degrees to the way we are used to.

- Who is the commentator? Is he a regular Football commentator? Because he clearly refer's to 'Ken Palmer' when discussing the goal-kicking record (at 11.30). Any serious commentator would know who Ken Farmer was.
I've no idea who the commentator is, but almost certainly not a regular commentator! He also managed to stuff up the pronunciation of 'Magarey' (Medal), just after the 'Ken Palmer' one!! Fascinating to watch, overall though.
 
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Hart was stationed in Adelaide for National Service. He trained at Glenelg during the week and flew to Melbourne each weekend to play with Richmond.

AS explained above, Nunan and Greenslade did the reverse in 1971 - stationed in Melbourne, they played a couple of games for Richmond (can anyone confirm whether they played in the SANFL in 1971)?
 

35Daicos

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Hart was stationed in Adelaide for National Service. He trained at Glenelg during the week and flew to Melbourne each weekend to play with Richmond.

AS explained above, Nunan and Greenslade did the reverse in 1971 - stationed in Melbourne, they played a couple of games for Richmond (can anyone confirm whether they played in the SANFL in 1971)?
http://www.sturtfc.com.au/history/honour-board

Greenslade was Sturt's leading goalkicker (49 goals) in 1971.
 
Sep 21, 2002
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In a Grand Final after not having played a game all year?

That’s ridiculous

Unless you know the rules of the time, it's best not to worry too much about them. They were designed because League Footballers could be stationed anywhere at any time due to national service, and allowed them keep playing. Many players playing footy in difference states during WW2 and the Vietnam War. Sturt had the option to select Hart first but decided against it.
 

elTango

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I was at the ground that day - a big disappointment -Glenelg had been the best side in the minor round and folded a bit like the Crows in the 2017 GF against Richmond. From '69 to '92 Glenelg played in 14 SANFL GFs and only won three - then came the AFL and it all changed. I watched the highlights on youtube and the standard was pretty high - much better than the SANFL of today.
 
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