Resource The NMFC History thread

[kangaroo7]

Is there anybody on the Board that can confirm whether a John Johnson played for NM about the start of world War 1 ( pre admission to the VFL).

I have found a newspaper report that indicates a Lieutenant J Johnson who played brilliant football for NM died in World War 1 (in 1918).

Presently we have only 1 player listed as having died in a World War 1 - a Peter Martin.

Yes. J. Johnson played in the 1910 premiership side and until at least 1913. Apparently he had some sort of accident in the 1912 season but resumed in 1913 when he was consistently among North's best. He played in the losing Final team against Footscray.

 

[Twinkletoes]

You're a star k7.

 

[royals1922]

Yes. J. Johnson played in the 1910 premiership side and until at least 1913. Apparently he had some sort of accident in the 1912 season but resumed in 1913 when he was consistently among North's best. He played in the losing Final team against Footscray.

Well our Wikipedia article lists only Peter Martin as the only NM player to die in World War 1. I've always doubted that figure and if you go to the History Board, you'll see the citation for the reference to J Johnson and specifically says he was one of NM's best players.

I'm trying to track down all the blokes who gave their lives for the country especially with this year being the 100th anniversary of World War 1.

 

[Whippet1]

Yes I remember those player cut-outs. They were between the grand stand and the social club. Don't know when they tore them down.
"Wee Willy" tried out for Aussie rules at North but was far too slow to make the grade. Not sure if he played a couple of reserves games.

those player cutouts.....I fair dinkum thought I had imagined them as a kid as no-one in my family could remember them. My parents started taking me to Nth games in 1972( a one win season if I recall but good times weren't far away). I sat on the rail seats in front of the social club and I always had a vague recollection of those player cutouts on top of a grandstand or something. They were quite unique. John Dugdale and maybe Laurie Dwyer up there? They must have come down around 72-73. Wow thanks for the memory.

 

[goalieboy82]

does anyone have (on dvd) the full 1996 and 99 grands finals (including commercials, pre and post game). would like to see the game (i have a vhs of all north grand final wins and 77 draw and replay but never seen the full telecast).
timmy

 

[royals1922]

I've been doing some research on the origins of the name "Shinboners" on the Footy History Board. Now there is no reference to NM being the shinboners before 1935(incidentally in a local Williamstown Newspaper) in any of the newspapers on Trove - not one single reference.

However I'll repost the post I made on the Footy History Board today:

"
I think I've got another angle on the shinboner's name.
In 1933, and two years prior to the Williamstown articles referring to the Shinboners in 1935, there are articles in the popular press calling NM the "butchers".
In the Argus of 2 August 1933 at page 7, there is reference to the then manager of the Victorian team, JF Meere (?) saying that he was proud to be a representative of the NM team which only a little while ago was called the "butchers" ( and laughter followed).
The Referee of 15 June 1933 at page 13 says that St Kilda and other supporters were calling NM the "butchers" and then opined that a more fitting name was "the destroyers" and then pointedly said "we have a more fitting name for "the northeners" ( using the traditional name for NM and not the shinboners).The article then referred to NM's ruggedness and determination.
This all arose out of a particularly fractious match between St Kilda and NM in which complaints were made and threats were made to a NM player ( and baseball bats brought in) and the NM players were labelled butchers by St Kilda ( cf Argus 3 June 1933 at page 17).
The Saints ended with 15 men and actually struck a medal for valour( Barrier Miner at page 6 of 17 June 1933( and there's a photo of the medal). There's a good photo of the Medal in the Adelaide New s of 13 June 1933 at page 3.
Incidentally there were no reports in the game.
A report of the game can be found in the Adelaide Advertiser of 29 May 1933 at page 19 where incidentally the Saints captain Hindson copped a broken ankle.
There is no reference to NM being the shinboners in any of the press in that year which given the allegations made against NM in that game would
likely have occurred and the fact that the NM person actually laughed at the name "butchers" but did not refer to the name "shinbone" at any time suggests they did not take a step backward in regards to the game."

 

[Contra Mundum]

North v. Melbourne - here are two match reports from the North Melbourne Gazette by "Rover"

(1895) http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/107124549?searchTerm=Football&searchLimits=l-title=384

(1894) http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/107120642?searchTerm=Football&searchLimits=l-title=384

 

[Hearts to hearts]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...uld-be-turned-on-its-head-20140620-zsglu.html

Interesting Caro article in today's Age, saying that the Commission are planning to change the written history of the VFL/AFL so it doesn't start in 1897 when the VFL broke away, but in 1877 when the VFA was formed. That would formally recognise the six founding clubs including NMFC that are still in the competition.

I'm torn. I'd live to see some of North's early history recognised as part of how the top competition was formed. But my archivist background makes me uncomfortable about different organisations being shoehorned together into a narrative. If the AFL history co-opts VFA 1877-1897, what about the continuing VFA since then?

 

[Twinkletoes]

Eddie McChins has been going off about this for the last half hour on SEN, pointing to the fact it's being chaired by Mike Fitzpatrick and the rewriting of history would result in Carlton being recognised as having 22 flags.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Eddie McChins has been going off about this for the last half hour on SEN, pointing to the fact it's being chaired by Mike Fitzpatrick and the rewriting of history would result in Carlton being recognised as having 22 flags.

Not surprised - adding the previous history reinforces that Collingwood was formed much later than Carlton and six other clubs. Ha.

 

[danj]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...uld-be-turned-on-its-head-20140620-zsglu.html

Interesting Caro article in today's Age, saying that the Commission are planning to change the written history of the VFL/AFL so it doesn't start in 1897 when the VFL broke away, but in 1877 when the VFA was formed. That would formally recognise the six founding clubs including NMFC that are still in the competition.

I'm torn. I'd live to see some of North's early history recognised as part of how the top competition was formed. But my archivist background makes me uncomfortable about different organisations being shoehorned together into a narrative. If the AFL history co-opts VFA 1877-1897, what about the continuing VFA since then?

Yeah i heard this on the radio this morning and wondered if it means we will be able to claim our pre VFL Flags, sometime ago i posted here with a query about why we can't count all our premierships I think it was you MM who kindly explained why they don't count at the moment, if this revision goes ahead does that mean we get to claim another 10 (?) premierships???

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Yeah i heard this on the radio this morning and wondered if it means we will be able to claim our pre VFL Flags, sometime ago i posted here with a query about why we can't count all our premierships I think it was you MM who kindly explained why they don't count at the moment, if this revision goes ahead does that mean we get to claim another 10 (?) premierships???

No, they are only talking about the period before the VFL started when the VFA was the pre-eminent competition. And North/Hotham won nothing in that time. Luckily for Mike Fitzpatrick, Carlton won a few.

As I say, I would like more recognition for the founding clubs who built the VFA before newbies like Collingwood jumped in. But pretending there's a continuum from VFA to VFL to AFL is pretty dodgy. And it will kick off the usual rants about other state leagues too

 

[goalieboy82]

does Arden Street still have the siren? if so, is there a way for someone to get the sound of it for me. would use it at my ice hockey games. if not, would like the MCG.
timmy

 

[numchuks]

does Arden Street still have the siren? if so, is there a way for someone to get the sound of it for me. would use it at my ice hockey games. if not, would like the MCG.
timmy

Don't think it does, I'm afraid timmy.

 

[goalieboy82]

Don't think it does, I'm afraid timmy.

does anyone have an MP3 of the MCG Siren (and can email it to me).

 

[Contra Mundum]

North v. Essendon..in August 1896: bit of a bummer there was a "total absence of rowdyism": http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/107124757?searchTerm=North Melbourne and Essendon&searchLimits=l-title=384

August 1895 (a victory): http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9369176?searchTerm=North Melbourne and Essendon Football&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom|||dateTo|||l-advtitle=13|||sortby

Premiership quarter in 1915 - Wellsy is older that he looks: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1522652?searchTerm=North Melbourne and Essendon Football&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom|||dateTo|||l-advtitle=13|||sortby

 

[Rooboy 96]

Yeah i heard this on the radio this morning and wondered if it means we will be able to claim our pre VFL Flags, sometime ago i posted here with a query about why we can't count all our premierships I think it was you MM who kindly explained why they don't count at the moment, if this revision goes ahead does that mean we get to claim another 10 (?) premierships???

how can you claim premierships you have already won? they are part of our history and thus have been claimed, or do the efforts of those North Melbourne sides not matter?

 

[ShinbonerBaz]

North v. Essendon..in August 1896: bit of a bummer there was a "total absence of rowdyism": http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/107124757?searchTerm=North Melbourne and Essendon&searchLimits=l-title=384

August 1895 (a victory): http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/9369176?searchTerm=North Melbourne and Essendon Football&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom|||dateTo|||l-advtitle=13|||sortby

Premiership quarter in 1915 - Wellsy is older that he looks: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1522652?searchTerm=North Melbourne and Essendon Football&searchLimits=exactPhrase|||anyWords|||notWords|||requestHandler|||dateFrom|||dateTo|||l-advtitle=13|||sortby

Love this bit..

"Throughout the game was fast; seldom congested, conspicuously fair, and notable for good high marking and long kicking by both teams-two features not often seen nowadays."

 

[Contra Mundum]

Love this bit..

"Throughout the game was fast; seldom congested, conspicuously fair, and notable for good high marking and long kicking by both teams-two features not often seen nowadays."

SB - the guy that wrote most of these reviews went under a pen name of "Rover"- I am going to write a story for the North annual publication about them

 

[Lavy_Panther]

You can add Dan Currie to this thread now.

 

[shintemaster]

This post just a placeholder for when we become the first team to win the Premiership from outside top 4 under the current system.

 

[Reginald0]

Clearing out some of my dads stuff, quite a few old footy records from the 90s, is the club interested in them?, not pristine but not falling apart either
also videos

 

[utility]

Clearing out some of my dads stuff, quite a few old footy records from the 90s, is the club interested in them?, not pristine but not falling apart either
also videos

Yes. Please PM the details.

 

[Reginald0]

Yes. Please PM the details.

OK
will advise in the next few weeks wot is there

 

[kangaroo7]

1914 Season in Review

Last month an anniversary slipped past unnoticed--the centenary of one of the club's most satisfying premierships. In a year that began badly North recovered to not only win the flag but begin a golden era that would see them go through the next season as undefeated champions and repeat this feat after the war in 1918. They came close to doing it again in 1919 only to fall in the finals.

I'll endeavour to review the 1914 season from information I've accrued over the years. History buffs may be interested. Anyone who isn't--no need to read. I'll do it in instalments and continue if sufficient posters want it. It's fascinating and it's therapy for me.


THE BEGINNING--BACKGROUND

Although a reasonably strong team, North were coming off two frustrating seasons. They had lost the 1913 Final to Footscray by a solitary point --a great effort considering they went into the game without their two ruckmen Barker and Rawle. The year before that they had gone down in the Final to Essendon by four points when they conceded a goal seconds before the bell.
Despite their strong showing, the 1913 season had been marred by internal dissensions and player suspensions. Rawle was disqualified for the rest of the season after the Round 7 match against Prahran. Laver received a 5 week suspension a few weeks later. But the most noteworthy incident was the Syd Barker disqualification--imposed by the club! Barker had been accused of not doing his best in the Round 17 match against Brunswick. There had been rumours of "squaring" in the VFL and VFA. North's committee hastily met after the game had been lost and suspended Barker indefinitely.

As the new season dawned North decided a change of guernsey was in order. They abandoned the stripes (again) for a solid dark blue design. Most of last year's players were available.

PLAYERS LOST

Treloar---Had taken over the captaincy after Barker's suspension but now left for Broken Hill.

G.Elliott---The crack forward and goalkicker,who had been suspended along with Barker obtained a clearance to Richmond.

Roach---to Hawthorn

PLAYERS GAINED

Harden--a ruckman from Williamstown possibly picked up to fill the hole left by Barker.

W. Smith--from Melbourne City which had dropped out of the VFA after two winless seasons.

Cave--talented winger who returned after a year at Fitzroy.

W. Hart--from Footscray.

A. Franks--a fiery ruckman originally from WA. Crossed over from South Melbourne after a turbulent career.

Wood---from the North juniors

Woodington--as above

R "Dingo" Moran--a forward who returned to the club after a time at Carlton.

Speakman--the club's great goal-keeper returned after a year's absence. He had walked out in 1912 but could not get a clearance. This would be a real plus for North.

Condon

With Syd Barker still in limbo (and having been refused a clearance to Essendon by the VFA) Charlie Hardy was elected to lead the team. They would face their old antagonists Brunswick first up.



TO BE CONTINUED?