Resource The NMFC History thread

[Registered User]

I found this this morning on a Vic history Facebook page. The owner of the photo says it's her uncle and other North players in 1930. Going by the poster's info, it's gotta be Bert Peters

 

[Registered User]

So, if they are North players in 1930, why wouldn't they be wearing the V jumpers? Could they be training jumpers?
Or reserves wearing old jumpers? Intriguing

 

[FootyGeek]

Interview with Laurie Dwyer

 

[danj]

Wrote on here a couple of years ago asking the question why aren't our VFA flags recognized? Seems like someone else albeit at Gbong had the same question and the AFL has officially considered the question, see link below. After reading the article I'm still not convinced and would like to know who the prominent game historians are. I realise we were not part of that cadre that broke away to form the VFL however we did try and join for a number of years and were kept out by *. Perhaps this was the sticking point recognise the founding clubs VFA premierships and you would have to recognise other clubs like North? Too many Premierships?!?!?

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-06-09/afl-knocks-back-cats-bid-for-extra-flags

 

[Crazy Horse]

Great picture from the Guardian in an article about sports photographer Bruce Postle

From the article

Postle’s magical shot of coach Ron Barassi curled up asleep with the 1975 premiership cup balanced on a ledge above his head is, he tells me, exactly as it seems. He took it when the football legend ducked away from the post-game party at North Melbourne president Allen Aylett’s house.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ce-postles-half-century-of-iconic-photographs

 

[Twinkletoes]

A pic for the ages. Great find Crazy Horse.

 

[giantroo]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...d/news-story/b0960c5bbbc5649ba03dbf26ac488bf7

Arson and an elephant: the long history of Arden St footy ground

Christopher Talbot, Herald Sun

ARDEN Street has been the home of the Roos for more than 125 years.

It used to be called the North Melbourne Recreation Reserve and started out serving the Hotham Cricket Club until the Hotham Football Club — as North Melbourne was known then — moved to the ground in 1882.

Before then, the Hotham Football Club had been playing home matches at Royal Park, near the present site of the Melbourne Zoo.

The first game of footy was played at Arden Street on April 29, 1882, with Hotham beating Royal Park by two goals and nine behinds.

The first game at Arden Street reported in The Argus newspaper in 1882. North Melbourne was known as Hotham at the time, and they won by two goals and nine behinds. Picture: Trove.

When the Town of Hotham changed its name to North Melbourne in 1888, the football and cricket clubs followed suit.

Before long a war was being fought between the cricket and football clubs — both quibbling over their right to use particular parts of the ground — and by the late 1890s the two ended up in court over a dispute about the use of the cricket pavilion by a visiting football team.

The court eventually ruled that since it was Crown land, it was illegal to fence off any part of it for the benefit of either party.

By 1906 the first grandstand was built at the Fogarty Street side of the ground, at a cost of £850. There are still remnants of the old stand at the ground, including the concrete players’ race and the base of one of the external staircases.

Crowd at Arden Street watching the 1910 VFA Grand Final. Picture: North Melbourne Football Club.

The old players’ race — which remains at the ground today — was part of Arden Street’s first grandstand built in 1906. Picture: HWT Library.
In 1921, the Essendon Football Club attempted to move to the ground after the East Melbourne Cricket Ground was closed, and the North Melbourne Football Club disbanded as it sought to amalgamate with Essendon.

But the State Minister for Lands stopped Essendon’s move, and they instead relocated to Essendon Recreation Reserve, and the re-formed North Melbourne returned the following season to Arden Street.

North Melbourne Football Club in 1932, pictured at Arden Street. Picture: North Melbourne Library.

In 1922, ownership of the ground was transferred to the football and cricket clubs and they set about making vast improvements for spectators and players, including installing hot showers in the change-rooms.

By 1925, North Melbourne joined the VFL and the club had record numbers of supporters — leading to a further upgrade of the ground with a new grandstand in 1928. It was at this time that it started to be referred to as Arden Street.

Aerial view of Arden St in the 1960s. The field had a greyhound racing track around the outside which was used for race meets between 1957 and 1962. Picture: HWT Library.

The Arden Street grandstand, which was built in 1928. Picture: HWT Library.

The eight-inch wide, unbacked wooden seats in the Arden St grandstand.

Between 1957 and 1962, the Melbourne Greyhound Racing Association used Arden Street for race meetings on Monday nights. The dog track went around the perimeter, with the footy ovals in the centre.

The Greyhound races lead to the building of the betting ring behind the grandstand in 1928, which was subsequently used as a carpark when the dogs departed the track.

Letter outlining North Melbourne’s move to Coburg City Oval. The move was intended to be long term but the Roos returned to Arden street within eight months. Picture: North Melbourne Football Club.

In 1965, North Melbourne made a move away from its home of almost a century. Its playing and training base relocated from Arden Street to Coburg City Oval.

It was intended to be a permanent move, with the initial negotiations for a long-term lease of 40 years. However it was cancelled after only eight months, meaning North Melbourne was free to return to Arden Street in 1966, the North Melbourne Football Club says.

A new admin building and social club was built when the club returned, the first new buildings at the ground since the construction of the 1928 grandstand.

An elephant, spooked by the crowd, takes off around the boundary line before a football match between North Melbourne and Collingwood at the Arden St ground. Street. The elephant was promoting the Sole Brothers Circus in 1978. Picture: HWT Library.

While the 1970s marked North Melbourne’s first two premierships, Arden Street was more well remembered at the time for the infamous elephant incident.

Former marketing manager and Roo fullback Barry Cheatley described the incident in the Herald Sun in 2004.

“The elephant was part of a circus promotion we got involved in. We were playing Collingwood at Arden St in front of a (then) record crowd of 31,424 in 1978,” he said.

“The elephant came on at halftime and as he was leaving, complete with rider and handler, Collingwood ran onto the ground and a roar went up.

“It startled the elephant who broke into a jog as he headed towards the crowd and his handler stopped him a few feet before absolute carnage broke out.”

North Melbourne's Kevin Dynon watches the flight of a ball he kicked in 1947. One of the iconic features of Arden Street was the gigantic gasometer that towered over the ground. Picture: Bob Buchanan.

The North Melbourne Football Club continued to use the site as its home ground until 1985, when the club began using the Melbourne Cricket Ground for its home matches.

The last VFL match was played there on 17 August 1985 when North Melbourne defeated Richmond by 50 points. The record attendance at the ground is 35,116 in 1949, and the highest score was North Melbourne’s 29.19 (193) in 1983 versus Carlton. Pretty satisfying to be the highest scorer at your home ground.

In total, Arden Street hosted a total of 529 VFL matches.

North Melbourne continues to use Arden Street as its training ground — continuing the long relationship with the beloved ground.

The aftermath of a fire that destroyed buildings at the Kangaroos home ground at Arden Street in 2006. Picture: HWT Library.

An arsonist destroyed the club’s gym, offices and the betting ring in 2006. Picture: HWT Library.

In 2006 an arson attack at the ground razed several portable buildings including the gymnasium, coaches’ offices, players’ lounge and the betting ring.

During the summer of 2012-2013, the Arden Street oval was resurfaced, increasing the ground dimensions to the same size as Etihad Stadium.

 

[Old Shinboner]

From the Museum Victoria. Another one of Arden Street greyhounds, taken from Im guessing the old brick press building that was on the forward flank.

 

[Twinkletoes]

That's a great find OS.

 

[kangaroo7]

Here's an intersting photo from the 1910 VFA Final. (Won by North)




Notice players from both sides are wearing different jumpers to each other. Some North players have the blue with white yoke while others have all blue with white monogram. Brunswick players are wearing both black and white stripes and black and white hoops.

 

[Orange Peanut]

Nobody could strike an attitude quite like ol mate Jinksy

 

[Orange Peanut]

Jinks = the personal jinx.

 

[Snake_Baker]

WOW.........just WOW.

I thought this thread had disappeared in to the void.

Not only did I reunite with it, but I find it full of more outstanding contributions.

Amazing effort people. Well done to all and sundry.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Here's an intersting photo from the 1910 VFA Final. (Won by North)

K7, how certain are you that this is the final? Isn't that the Brunswick Brick Works in the background?

 

[Snake_Baker]

Tef, come back mate we need your input on this one.

Sorry mate, i'm a bit late with getting back to you.

Rick Mangidis has this well covered at the club website, but if I remember correctly, there is also data claiming that the North Melbourne Council informed the merger parties that any club based at Arden Street, must be titled North Melbourne, as the ground was a council grant to the citizens of the North Melbourne borough.

Essendon supposedly went cold on the whole thing at this point.

Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a merger, it would have been a takeover.

I'll see if I can dig it up and pass it on to the club.

 

[kangaroo7]

K7, how certain are you that this is the final? Isn't that the Brunswick Brick Works in the background?

Definitely the final. This picture is taken from the Weekly Times of 15 October. The match was played on the 8th. Here's some more:

 

[Snake_Baker]

Thanks K7, fantastic to see you, and well done on the great contributions post 2013.

That picture shows what looks like a railway gantry in the foreground of that factory, so I assume the picture is taken from somewhere near the old scoreboard pocket?

I wonder where the cup is that is in the inset of this picture? I assume it's the 1910 VFA premiership cup.

 

[Twinkletoes]

What a great thread this is.

 

[Grogg]

What a great thread this is.

It's the best thread on here bar none.

No bitching, no arguments, just pure North Melbourne

 

[Twinkletoes]

It's the best thread on here bar none.

No bitching, no arguments, just pure North Melbourne

Agree mate. I also stumbled upon a bloody good group filled with old North pics on Facebook this morning. If I can re-find it I'll post the link later.

 

[danj]

Definitely the final. This picture is taken from the Weekly Times of 15 October. The match was played on the 8th. Here's some more:


View attachment 374103


View attachment 374106

Serious question, could be the angle but the goal posts look shorter and closer together than in the modern game, has there always been a standard height to posts and width between them or has it varied over the years?

 

[kangaroo7]

Thanks K7, fantastic to see you, and well done on the great contributions post 2013.

That picture shows what looks like a railway gantry in the foreground of that factory, so I assume the picture is taken from somewhere near the old scoreboard pocket?

I wonder where the cup is that is in the inset of this picture? I assume it's the 1910 VFA premiership cup.

In 1910 a new trophy was donated to the VFA by Netherlands Distilleries, makers of Wolfe-Schnapps, a popular drink of the time. the conditions were that the winner of the premiership held it until the following season when it was given to the team who won the premiership then. It would become the property of one team if they won it twice in succession or three times in total. I don't know how long it lasted as there is no further mention of it. it was on display at a grocery store in Erroll St after the 1910 game.
The VFA itself did not award a cup to the premier team. Only a pennant which was usually flown on a pole at the premier team's ground and eventually rotted away.

 

[Snake_Baker]

The great John Rantall.

Kept Leigh Matthews to 0.2 in the 1975 grand final

 

[kangaroo7]

In 1910 a new trophy was donated to the VFA by Netherlands Distilleries, makers of Wolfe-Schnapps, a popular drink of the time. the conditions were that the winner of the premiership held it until the following season when it was given to the team who won the premiership then. It would become the property of one team if they won it twice in succession or three times in total. I don't know how long it lasted as there is no further mention of it. it was on display at a grocery store in Erroll St after the 1910 game.
The VFA itself did not award a cup to the premier team. Only a pennant which was usually flown on a pole at the premier team's ground and eventually rotted away.

Further research on this shows that the cup ended up with Essendon (VFA) as they won the 1911 and 1912 premierships and got to keep it. I wonder if they still had it in their trophy cabinet when they merged with North.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Skipper Wayne Schimmelbusch holds aloft the 1980 night premiership cup won in controversial circumstances.

NORTH MELBOURNE 1.5 (11) 2.6 (18) 5.9 (39) 8.9 (57)

COLLINGWOOD 0.4 (4) 4.5 (29) 4.5 (29) 7.12 (54)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne: Glendinning, W. Schimmelbusch, Blight, Greig,Ramsay,Henshaw

Collingwood: Moore, T. Shaw, Magro, Byrne, Morris, Davis

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne: Good 4, Blight 3, McCann

Collingwood: Edwards 2, Davis, Byrne, Daicos, Kink,Twomey