Review The Great Leap Forward

[Kanga87]

For some reason today I was thinking about the VHS tapes my Auntie used to buy me and my brother at the end of every footy season in the early 90’s when we were young kids. They included highlights of the season in order of rounds, narration and interviews mainly with the coach. The one I remember most fondly was the recap of the 1993 season, “The Great Leap Forward”, I was about 7 at the time. Schimma was sacked in the pre-season of 93 after a belting by the Crows, Pagan was quickly appointed and Carey made captain at 21. The 93 season sparked North’s 90’s dominance and it brings a lot of joy and nostalgia to me and I’m sure many other North people. I managed to find the full VHS video on youtube so thought I’d share it, great to kill a couple of hours if you’re so inclined.



Edit: this really reminds me how bloody good A McAdam was in that year, absolute freak, also hearing some of the first hand accounts of some of the freakish things he did from coach and players off the field, what could have been.

 

[Groucho]

Yeah thanks for that Kanga87. Great memories indeed. I think a lot of North supporters have ‘93 as their favourite non flag year.

 

[goalieboy82]

 

[Kanga87]

North having the same policy as Mao Zedong’s is purely coincidental

 

[Mav]

 

[Bugsy Malone]

I enjoyed the pre season game against the pies at Arden St, when Pagan first took over. Beating * under lights when Carey took over and smashing the Pies at Vic park are the highlights of one of my favourite seasons. Thanks for sharing Kanga87

 

[DEVO]

Even though the season didn’t start well and we didn’t finish with the flag it is my favourite NMFC season. Our all out attacking mantra but so exciting and understandable with a forward line that included Longmire, Carey, McAdam, Roberts and Allison.
It was a record breaking season as well with Longmire, Carey and McAdam all kicking over 60 goals, the only time in history that has happened. Roberts also kicked 47 goals making it one of the most potent forward lines in history.
Also we were kicking goals at the rate of a goal every 15 possessions, which is about half last seasons.
Just a brilliant season.

 

[marklovesbeer]

Even though the season didn’t start well and we didn’t finish with the flag it is my favourite NMFC season. Our all out attacking mantra but so exciting and understandable with a forward line that included Longmire, Carey, McAdam, Roberts and Allison.
It was a record breaking season as well with Longmire, Carey and McAdam all kicking over 60 goals, the only time in history that has happened. Roberts also kicked 47 goals making it one of the most potent forward lines in history.
Also we were kicking goals at the rate of a goal every 15 possessions, which is about half last seasons.
Just a brilliant season.

For any team or just North?

 

[Groucho]

Even though the season didn’t start well and we didn’t finish with the flag it is my favourite NMFC season. Our all out attacking mantra but so exciting and understandable with a forward line that included Longmire, Carey, McAdam, Roberts and Allison.
It was a record breaking season as well with Longmire, Carey and McAdam all kicking over 60 goals, the only time in history that has happened. Roberts also kicked 47 goals making it one of the most potent forward lines in history.
Also we were kicking goals at the rate of a goal every 15 possessions, which is about half last seasons.
Just a brilliant season.

Also if Longmire had kicked one more against the Swans it would have been the only instance of two players from the same team kicking double figures in a game (McAdam-10,Longmire-9)

 

[Groucho]

Even though the season didn’t start well and we didn’t finish with the flag it is my favourite NMFC season. Our all out attacking mantra but so exciting and understandable with a forward line that included Longmire, Carey, McAdam, Roberts and Allison.
It was a record breaking season as well with Longmire, Carey and McAdam all kicking over 60 goals, the only time in history that has happened. Roberts also kicked 47 goals making it one of the most potent forward lines in history.
Also we were kicking goals at the rate of a goal every 15 possessions, which is about half last seasons.
Just a brilliant season.

Also if Longmire had kicked one more against the Swans it would have been the only instance of two players from the same team kicking double figures in a game (McAdam-10,Longmire-9)

 

[BoomerRoo]

Intersting side note, John Longmire worked for VEG (Visual Entertainment Group), the company that produced all the AFV "Name A Game" stuff. Barb Cheatley (an absolute ripper of a lady!) worked there, and that's how John came to be employed there I'd say.

I used to do the ordering for Brash's when I was working for them, that's how I got to know John. Never forget the day Schimma got the "move on", I got to speak to John a day or so after and embarrassed my self completely, by not rating the man who took over as coach, and yes, I did actually apologise to Dennis a few years later! He did have a laugh.... thank god!

 

[Black2Blue]

Also if Longmire had kicked one more against the Swans it would have been the only instance of two players from the same team kicking double figures in a game (McAdam-10,Longmire-9)

Twas an unbelievable game to watch. Complete domination like I'd never seen. Spent so much time thinking WTF as McAdam ran riot in just his second game, that Longmire's 9 goal haul was comparatively meh.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Loving this. Such an exciting team and footy was so great then - players getting fit and fast and the game so open if they were good enough to win hard contests for them to stretch out and show their skills.

Also I always think of Fridge in 1996 but in 1993 you can really see where the nickname came from.

 

[Gasometer]

Someone asked me about Pagan the day after the appointment and I said well he’s has success down the ranks so why not?

That was to a Carltank mate IIRC

 

[Jimmy's Hot Dogs]

Twas an unbelievable game to watch. Complete domination like I'd never seen. Spent so much time thinking WTF as McAdam ran riot in just his second game, that Longmire's 9 goal haul was comparatively meh.

The Swans were witches hats at Princes Park that day. Between coaches and not much confidence. I had a great time in the Hawthorn stand yelling myself silly.

 

[tazaa]

For some reason today I was thinking about the VHS tapes my Auntie used to buy me and my brother at the end of every footy season in the early 90’s when we were young kids. They included highlights of the season in order of rounds, narration and interviews mainly with the coach. The one I remember most fondly was the recap of the 1993 season, “The Great Leap Forward”, I was about 7 at the time. Schimma was sacked in the pre-season of 93 after a belting by the Crows, Pagan was quickly appointed and Carey made captain at 21. The 93 season sparked North’s 90’s dominance and it brings a lot of joy and nostalgia to me and I’m sure many other North people. I managed to find the full VHS video on youtube so thought I’d share it, great to kill a couple of hours if you’re so inclined.



Edit: this really reminds me how bloody good A McAdam was in that year, absolute freak, also hearing some of the first hand accounts of some of the freakish things he did from coach and players off the field, what could have been.

I have this video somewhere at home. So good!

36:40 in hahahaha
Hawkins fumbles the footy, runs past the ball and tries to take out Anthony Rock.
Rocky gets him cleanly and hurts him instead. And proceeds to let him know about it too lmao

Must see

 

[Hojuman]

Always say the flag was ours that year.
We played a game in Brisbane late in the year where about 4 or 5 important players sustained injuries.
Two average teams played off for the flag with the " baby bombers " getting up to win an unexpected flag.
Us at full strength that day would have pulverised them.


Still convinced of this.

 

[Gasometer]

Always say the flag was ours that year.
We played a game in Brisbane late in the year where about 4 or 5 important players sustained injuries.
Two average teams played off for the flag with the " baby bombers " getting up to win an unexpected flag.
Us at full strength that day would have pulverised them.


Still convinced of this.

Longmire did knee in last game

JYD suspended in last game

 

[DEVO]

For any team or just North?

Any team. And in 93 each team only played 20 games during the regular season not the normal 22. With an extra 2 games all 3 may have scored over 70 and Roberts could have kicked 50.

 

[Hojuman]

Longmire did knee in last game

JYD suspended in last game

Rd 16 v Lions at the Gabba.Bit hazy on the Brisbane injuries. Maybe Mastermind or alike can fill us in, but maybe Rock, Schwass, ? King,
Roberts.....?

Lost next 2 v Saints ( jesus ) & Cats then had a bye.
Knocked off Sydney / Richmond after that and lost the last round v Dogs ( the knife thru' our heart )

 

[scottywiper]

That last quarter against Essendon late in the season is the most pulsating quarter of North footy I've ever seen.

 

[shintemaster]

That last quarter against Essendon late in the season is the most pulsating quarter of North footy I've ever seen.

Sadly I can't even remember it. I moved to country Vic around 1991 and was a bit more removed from footy because of this. This is a good topic for a thread though. I can think of a few quarters from the last 10-15 years that were just amazing. They stand out at the time and you realise later on how amazing they were.

 

[Groucho]

Always say the flag was ours that year.
We played a game in Brisbane late in the year where about 4 or 5 important players sustained injuries.
Two average teams played off for the flag with the " baby bombers " getting up to win an unexpected flag.
Us at full strength that day would have pulverised them.


Still convinced of this.

Yeah injuries got us in the end. We only played the eventual grand finalists once during the year and cleaned 'em both up by 38 points. Should have been ours!
Loved the way they sang the song "North Melbourne will be premiers in 1993!" and it got louder and more emphatic as the year went on. I think it was Gerard Dowling who told the story of ,when the song was first introduced in the 20's and we struggled to win a game , that opposition supporters added a sarcastic "1993" because it was so far away and it seemed that we would have to wait that long for a flag. Luckily we didn't.

 

[Elroo]

Yeah injuries got us in the end. We only played the eventual grand finalists once during the year and cleaned 'em both up by 38 points. Should have been ours!
Loved the way they sang the song "North Melbourne will be premiers in 1993!" and it got louder and more emphatic as the year went on. I think it was Gerard Dowling who told the story of ,when the song was first introduced in the 20's and we struggled to win a game , that opposition supporters added a sarcastic "1993" because it was so far away and it seemed that we would have to wait that long for a flag. Luckily we didn't.

We dropped a few games during 1993 that cost us dearly in the end;

https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1993.html


Round 8

North up by 26pts at 3/4 time against the Crows, Modra goes crazy kicks 10 goals during the game and Crows win by 2pts.

Adelaide 4.5 10.8 13.8 19.9 123
North Melbourne 6.2 9.5 17.10 18.13 121

Round 13

North lead by 20pts at 1/2 time, 2pts at 3/4 time, then lose by 3pts. Carey kicked 5gls 3pts, Adrian McAdam kicks 3gls 7pts.

North Melbourne 2.3 7.6 8.10 11.14 80
Hawthorn 3.3 4.4 8.8 12.11 83


Round 14

North lead by 4pts 1/2 time, 17pts 3/4 time, end up losing by 1pt! Adrian McAdam kicked 4gls 4pts, Alistair Lynch kicked 7gls 3pts.

Fitzroy 8.3 11.4 13.7 18.11 119
North Melbourne 3.5 11.8 15.12 17.16 118

Round 22

Last game of the year, North goes into the game top of the ladder playing Footscray who were 10th with their season over. Longmire does his knee, players all day seem to not have their head in the game, looking towards the finals maybe?

North Melbourne 4.2 8.4 14.11 18.15 123
Footscray 5.6 15.10 18.11 20.15 135

North Lose round 22, drop from 1st and finish 3rd after Carlton beat Sydney by 1pt and jump over North into 2nd spot and getting the double chance. 1st Essendon and 2nd Carlton finish the season half a game infront of 3rd placed North after they played a draw during the season.

First Finals round

2nd Carlton v 1st Essendon, both side we beat during the year play each other with the loser getting a double change.

3rd North v 6th Eagles, drawn in a sudden death elimination game against the Eagles at Waverley Park rather than our home ground of the MCG. Players didn't seem to be in the game from the first bounce, Carey kept scoreless after he plays to Jackovicks strength by deciding to wrestle in contests rather than running off him.

 

[3051]

Theoretically, in a grand final and with every player fit and available, would this 93 team beat any other version of the 90's North teams?