The New Magpies 1982-86

[Nuwanda]

I went to their rally at Dallas Brooks Hall. The place was packed and we heard all the promises about a new level of professionalism being installed after the Hafey sacking.
We’d just lost 4 Grand Finals in 5 years and were ready and ripe for a change. There was anger about being so close so many times.
We spent heaps on big name recruits but lost just as many stars like Moore, Kink & Walsh for ultimately little reward.
Hired the best from S.A in John Cahill as coach - a bold move. He was ok, but didn’t hang around long.
The team were disjointed with so many changes. In the end they even got Bob Rose back to coach us as the wheels began slowly falling off.
In the end we almost went bust and missed finals in 83, 85, 86, 87. Only making it in 84 under Cahill.
A tumultuous time squeezed between the Hafey and Matthews eras.

View attachment 801050

Never trust a man wearing a skivvy under a sport coat.

 

[Nuwanda]

Just looking at that 1984 team and we had an 18yr old Darren Millane and a 22 yr old Darren McLaine.

 

[kallangur pie]

I stayed till the end of the 84 preliminary final. The wins over Fitzroy and Carlton were fantastic.
And yes, David Bloke played exceptionally well, mainly in the ruck.

I live in Qld and thank god I was not there in person,I was traumitised enough by tv.I also just want to wish everyone in the southern states goodluck today on what maybe a hard day for everyone there,Godspeed everyone.

 

[raymond35]

I live in Qld and thank god I was not there in person,I was traumitised enough by tv.I also just want to wish everyone in the southern states goodluck today on what maybe a hard day for everyone there,Godspeed everyone.

Yeah, being thousands of miles away doesn't stop the emotions. 1990 gf was at the mcg and relatively calm and controlled.
2010 gf was in Queensland and jumping upand down crying my eyes out.

 

[McOrist]

How was the recruiting: Mike Richardson, Gary Shaw, David Cloke, Geoff Raines, Bruce Abernathy, Graeme Teasdale. Who have I forgotten?

No wonder we went broke.

Another we picked up at great expense in mid 1984 was Glenn McLean from Melbourne. He finished 5th in the Dee's B&F in '83 rucking alongside Peter Moore. His clearance to the 'Pies was fought by Melbourne all the way to the Supreme Court. Rumour at the time was that Ranald MacDonald personally paid for most of the final transfer fee paid to Melbourne. McLean played a couple of games in the 2's for us while waiting on the clearance -the VFL eventally deducting the 4 points for win gained with McLean playing. He played 2 games in the seniors in '84 then was dropped back to the reserves and never returned. He was sacked before the '86 season. The New Magpies regime had no difficulty in splashing cash.

 

[raymond35]

Another we picked up at great expense in mid 1984 was Glenn McLean from Melbourne. He finished 5th in the Dee's B&F in '83 rucking alongside Peter Moore. His clearance to the 'Pies was fought by Melbourne all the way to the Supreme Court. Rumour at the time was that Ranald MacDonald personally paid for most of the final transfer fee paid to Melbourne. McLean played a couple of games in the 2's for us while waiting on the clearance -the VFL eventally deducting the 4 points for win gained with McLean playing. He played 2 games in the seniors in '84 then was dropped back to the reserves and never returned. He was sacked before the '86 season. The New Magpies regime had no difficulty in splashing cash.

How he came 5th in the their B and F is as amazing as the fact Strawbs O 'Dwyer actually won one. Not only wasn't he a very good player, he wasn't even physically equipped to play in the ruck. Pies were just desperate for a ruckman at that point.

 

[magpie_marty]

Was this the guy that wanted to make Victoria Park a boutique ground.
And protect our past our culture and heritage.
If so sure he blundered but he had Collingwood in mind.

 

[TradeDraft]

Guess Getting David Cloke help us get his 3 Boys and Travis was a Big Part of the Team that won the Flag in 2010

 

[kallangur pie]

Guess Getting David Cloke help us get his 3 Boys and Travis was a Big Part of the Team that won the Flag in 2010

ALL 3 BOYS came here rather than Richmond where Cloke senior had won 2 or 3 flags so yes in that respect it was good.

 

[Horaceg]

Think Annear started with us and went to Richmond with Phil Walsh, Craig Stewart, Neil Peart and Wally Lovett during the 'pies/tiger recruiting wars. Could easily be wrong though.

Walsh had just won best 1st year player and was poached. (In response to Cloke and Raines to be fair.)

Peter Moore was a massive loss but he allegedly led the player upheaval against Hafey. Kink left. But did at Essendon what he did at Collingwood: failed in GF's. No loss.

Teasdale was the big letdown I reckon. Brownlow medalist and was cooked when he arrived. Gary Shaw on heaps at the time failed to produce. Abernethy and Cloke were very good for the 'pies. Raines and Richardson were talented mercenaries.

And the banner read something like.......”we’ll get Annear the flag than you because we’ve walshed away our problems” it’s been a long time but it was that or thereabouts

 

[35Daicos]

There's a good read on the Collingwood-Richmond 'poaching war'/New Magpies era here: https://forever.collingwoodfc.com.au/the-poaching-wars-collingwood-v-richmond/

 

[StylesMedia]

The bad
- the new Magpies emblem, a monstrosity.
- Ranald McDonald ( if that WAS his real name )
- complete financial incompetence

The good
- John Cahill did a great job
- some of the recruiting was excellent, leading up to the 1984 season being brilliant to watch

Yet Still they were no Math in Star Power to Carlton, Hawthorn and even Essendon during this Period/

 

[StylesMedia]

But How does Essendon Supporters feel at the Moment with their AFL Side losing Seven Straight Finals Matches dating back to the 2004 Semi Final against Geelong? The Current Curse is Similar to the Colliwobbles of 1977-81.

 

[Mostfamousclub_Pies]

Was this the guy that wanted to make Victoria Park a boutique ground.
And protect our past our culture and heritage.
If so sure he blundered but he had Collingwood in mind.

His intentions were good, but his blind ambition lead to financial ruin.
I met his daughter many years later - she told me her old man still adored the Pies.

 

[jmac70]

But How does Essendon Supporters feel at the Moment with their AFL Side losing Seven Straight Finals Matches dating back to the 2004 Semi Final against Geelong? The Current Curse is Similar to the Colliwobbles of 1977-81.

Not similar at all. No Grand Final defeats.

 

[60 Yards Out]

His intentions were good, but his blind ambition lead to financial ruin.
I met his daughter many years later - she told me her old man still adored the Pies.

I suspect it wasn’t ambition, but managerial shortcomings. His day job was as chief executive of David Syme & Co, publisher of the Age. IIRC his main qualification for that role was that he had married a Syme. The Age was unassailable in those days, with a rock solid market position underpinned by the Rivers of Gold. My point is that in his business life he functioned more as an ambassador than a day-to-day manager and he would never have faced the sort of competitive, financial and personnel challenges involved in restoring the fortunes of the Collingwood Football Club in that era. While my theory is just that, it certainly is not contradicted by the known facts — ie. the comprehensive failure of the New Magpies programme.
Having said all that, I do tip my lid in Ranald’s direction for having the guts to step up to the challenges. I just wish it had gone a little better.

 

[kallangur pie]

The best decision we made in those far off days was the off field one to bring Leigh Mathews here as as he finished playing at Hawthorn that was a great decision.

The result of that was the 90 flag and my biggest disapointment in missing the 92 flag in where we finished equal top and lost 1 game to St Kilda and were out that was truly heartbreaking.

 

[jmac70]

The best decision we made in those far off days was the off field one to bring Leigh Mathews here as as he finished playing at Hawthorn that was a great decision.

The result of that was the 90 flag and my biggest disapointment in missing the 92 flag in where we finished equal top and lost 1 game to St Kilda and were out that was truly heartbreaking.

The death of Millane had a massive impact in 92. It was remarkable we got as far as we did.

The news of his passing was truly horrific.

 

[kallangur pie]

The death of Millane had a massive impact in 92. It was remarkable we got as far as we did.

The news of his passing was truly horrific.

We may have different opinions in the Beams thread but I agree Pant,s passing was horrific but I actually think it had a galvanizing effect on the playing group and I am certain if we had won against The Saints we would have won the lot that year.

I remember it like it was yesterday,Saints had a bye the week before and were fresh as daisy,s and we lost by 8 pts and nearly every player was in tears,it was so unfair joint top and no 2nd chance,we had their measure during the season as we had against all our finals opponents we just won all the close ones that year.

It just breaks my heart still although close to 30 yrs have passed and sometimes you think we have been jinxed all these yrs,in 92 nearly every football pundit had tipped us to win after we had partied too hard the yr before.