Resource The NMFC History thread

[NorthernLights]

Top effort mate. Gave us a good insight into a largely bleak period in our history but with the odd glimmer of hope, brilliant moment, and not to mention a host of NMFC legends.

Also gives those of us that didn’t live through the 30s-60s some idea of how those that did must have felt when the 70’s rolled around

 

[DEVO]

when is the birthday of North Melbourne (day of Founding)

February 11. I think.

 

[kangaroo7]

February 11. I think.

How do you arrive at that date?

 

[DEVO]

February 11. I think.

The date used to appear in the AFL record yearly guides.

 

[Snake_Baker]

The date used to appear in the AFL record yearly guides.

Any chance you could scan, cut & paste that mate?

 

[DEVO]

From the 2014 edition of AFL Record Season Guide. This was the last time the date (February 11) appeared.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Dunno how accurate it is, but great find DEVO.

 

[DEVO]

The fact that it hasn't appeared in the last 4 guides suggests they can't confirm that the date is correct, but someone must have done some research previously to come up with February 11 in the first place. They can't have plucked it out of thin air. At least I hope not.

 

[Snake_Baker]

The fact that it hasn't appeared in the last 4 guides suggests they can't confirm that the date is correct, but someone must have done some research previously to come with February 11 in the first place. They can't have plucked it out of thin air. At least I hope not.

It has certainly piqued my curiosity.

I know it's not mixed up with our VFL admittance date, as that date was the 10th of January 1925.

 

[Snake_Baker]

The North side that defeated Melbourne at Punt Rd, round 7, 1945. This was the year we also played VFL finals for the first time.



Back Row: Alan Crawford, Herb Wood, Eddie Morcom, Jack Crane, Arthur 'Sid' Slater, Alf Crump, Ted Jarrard, Les Foote
Middle Row: Tom Roulent, Cam Bogie, Bill Findlay, Dally O'Brien, Fred Fairweather, Jack Doherty
Front Row: Dick Abikhair, Don Condon, Syd Dyer, Jim Malone, Keith McKenzie


NORTH MELBOURNE: ARGUS 1ST June 1945
Backs: Ablkhalr. Crane, Roulent.
Half-backs: Bogie or Doherty, Harrison, O'Brien.
Centres: Malone, Foote, McKenzie.
Half-forwards: Morcom, Crump, Condon.
Forwards: Jarrard, Slater, Findlay.
Followers: Fairweather, Crawford. Rover: Dyer.
Emergencies: Délller, Turner, Wood.
In: Harrison. Out: Doherty or Bogie.

North Melbourne 18.11 (119) def Melbourne 10.12 (72)

 

[Snake_Baker]

Arden Street 1909



Arden Street 1910

 

[Snake_Baker]

Hold! The! Presses!

I have uncovered some evidence that the 12th of April 1877 could be the actual birth date of the club.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Okay, the interesting date provided by DEVO set me off on a search in regards to the actual birthdate of the club, and I came across this. Unearthing a long lost best and fairest winner was the highlight of my NMFC amateur historian research, but this could completely rewrite the record books:

1) The North Melbourne Football Club that existed between 1869 to ? was disbanded. It is not connected to the club of 1877.
2) The North Melbourne Football Club that exists today was spawned from the Hotham Cricket Club on the 12th of April 1877.

Very interested to see any input from kangaroo7 and others.

Read on:

 

[Snake_Baker]

 

[Snake_Baker]

Okay........here it is:

 

[Snake_Baker]

Source: https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d0FVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MpUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7328,1231143

 

[DEVO]

Nice find Snake, but according to all the sources I have read (historical records, books, websites), we didn't disband in 1876, but merged with Albert Park to form "Albert Park cum North Melbourne" and then after a reasonably successful season "unmerged" to form the Hotham Football Club.
Those sources know about the meeting at the Sutcliffe's Hotel on April 12 1877, but they don't record it as a formation of a new club, but as a re-constitution of the existing North Melbourne (now (1877) Hotham) Football Club.

 

[kangaroo7]

Nice find Snake, but according to all the sources I have read (historical records, books, websites), we didn't disband in 1876, but merged with Albert Park to form "Albert Park cum North Melbourne" and then after a reasonably successful season "unmerged" to form the Hotham Football Club.
Those sources know about the meeting at the Sutcliffe's Hotel on April 12 1877, but they don't record it as a formation of a new club, but as a re-constitution of the existing North Melbourne (now (1877) Hotham) Football Club.

Yes that's how I understand it. There was a Royal Park club in existence in the 1860s, but this had disbanded by around 1866 with many of their players going to Carlton. Pennington's history explains it well:

 

[DEVO]

Yes that's how I understand it. There was a Royal Park club in existence in the 1860s, but this had disbanded by around 1866 with many of their players going to Carlton. Pennington's history explains it well:

View attachment 626093


View attachment 626099

Do you have all of Mark Pennings Origins Of Australian Football volumes?
I have pdf copies of Volumes 2, 3 and 4. It's an very interesting read on the history of Australian Football in Melbourne.

 

[kangaroo7]

Do you have all of Mark Pennings Origins Of Australian Football volumes?
I have pdf copies of Volumes 2, 3 and 4. It's an very interesting read on the history of Australian Football in Melbourne.

I have the same as you. Yes great reading.

 

[Snake_Baker]

The great Sel Murray (1939)

A season where he kicked 78 goals in 18 games (@4.33 goals per game).

 

[kangaroo7]

The great Sel Murray (1939)

A season where he kicked 78 goals in 18 games (@4.33 goals per game).

View attachment 632776

North's first superstar full forward. Also North's first VFL leading goalkicker, but not recognised as such until the Coleman Medal was instituted--and even then not until 2004. Prior to 1981 finals goals were counted in the player's goal tally. In 1941, Sel Murray topped the goalkicking list after the home and away games with 88 goals. Close behind him were Norm Smith (Melbourne), Jack Titus(Richmond) and P. Schmidt (Carlton). Those three teams all made the finals--North didn't-- and their players added to their goal totals. Smith passed Murray to finish on 89 goals and was declared leading goalkicker. The Coleman Medal, which is awarded now to the top goalkicker,does not count finals goals and Murray was retrospectively awarded a Leading Goalkicker Medal (not a Coleman Medal) in 2004.

Murray went to Richmond in 1945--a pity as North could have really used him in the first semi final that year. He returned to North in 1948 and the club's next full forward, Jock Spencer, learned the trade by watching Murray from behind the fence.

 

[RobZombie]

The Kick To Kick podcast is up to the mid-1920s and are taking the time before the '25 episode to look at the 3 new clubs' pre-VFL history. This week it’s NMFC and they’ve had a chat to Fr Gerard Dowling.

In terms of content most of the hardcore North nuts here will likely already know most of it, but it’s nice to hear Fr Dowling on the pod.

 

[giantroo]

https://twitter.com/1999Shinboners?s=09

 

[giantroo]