1986 – A Year With The Blacks AAFL Carnival Week: Coming Up, Shorts

As I preluded to last week, the Tassie Ammo state team were hosted by the Blacks during last week’s carnival. Poor barskets.

The first thing they did when they alighted from their Ansett flight at West Beach on Friday, well second thing after they dumped their gear, including their commemorative Norwellan Bluey duffle coats, at the Hilton Hotel (Mile End, not Victoria Square), was to seek out some legendary SANFL branded footy shorts, the latest in 1980s high sporting fashion.

Smart guys these Taswegians, electing to divide and conquer. Stumpy and Bongo took on Nelson and Casey, cornering the market in light blue shorts. Fearless, Wally and Prof were sent down the Port, gathering a dozen assorted white/black and black/white from Carl Fragomeni’s. Two Mums, Gator and Donkey ventured down North East Road and cleaned Rodney Robran out of red knicks, leaving Zac, Flipper and Davo to stock up on the navy with red trim from Packer and Poulter. The best Tosser could do was a couple pairs of size 32 yellows from Smith and Weston.

They’d heard that the Blacks had organised a trip to some toffy wineries following their first game on the Sunday, they wanted to fit in with the locals, so the shorts were just the thing.

In the safe and steady hands of Uni’s Malcolm ‘Rulebook’ Ashwood and Bob ‘Boz’ Maloney, they were given their itinerary at a lively Queen’s Head post game recovery session, after going down to SA by a dozen goals earlier that Sunday afternoon, just down the hill at SACA HQ.

Rulebook instructed them to assemble on the South Road side of the Hilton carpark at 9:30am the next morning, for a leisurely northerly jaunt to the Barossa. Rulebook gave similar instructions to Boz (“leave it with me mate, I’ll organise this one, you can sort out the dinner on Wednesday night”), similar in all respects except for the bit about an 11:00am pickup en route to the Southern Vales (on Tuesday, just to be safe).

The Hilton bottleshop was already open for breakfast at pickup time, so the Tassies loaded up with supplies, forsaking their usual Boag’s and/or Cascade for the delights of Southwark and West End Export longnecks, with a couple of bottles of Hall’s Fruita for the driver.

And what a day Rulebook had planned.

Much sought after

Cheaper by the Dozen

 

Unfortunately, those plans fell at the first hurdle, just outside of Lyndoch. The guys with lady bits on their footy jumpers were captivated as they pulled in to the world class facilities at Kellermeister. “Yowsa, chocolate flavoured plonk. This beats the Cadbury Factory hands down”. Per diems pooled, eight dozen bottles of the signature Sable liqueur were bought, half of which were opened and sculled sipped elegantly on the bus in the car park. Woof was coincidentally the first to bark, some of it making it out of the bus window, which was surprising seeing that it was closed at the time. Baz, Flaz, Flanners and Donga didn’t last much longer, also passing out deciding to rest up before Wednesday’s clash with the Big V.

Tassie making shorts work of it

Tassie making shorts work of it

Next to Seppeltsfield, where some of the lads recovered to partake in the traditional grape treading competition. For many of them it was the closest they got to getting a kick the entire week.

Sprung

Sprung

After that, the travelling Tassie team was poured into the Angaston Hotel for a countery.

Around two-ish, an irate Boz stormed in, furious at the lack of respect for and control of the visitors exhibited by their Uni chaperone. How Boz got there and how he knew where they were, had Rulebook comatose baffled. Boz ordered them all back onto the bus, took over the driver’s seat himself and stormed back into the big-by-Tassie-standards smoke, dumping them at South Road with the warning, “bring your mouthguards tomorrow”.

Why mouthguards were required at the next day’s Festival Theatre, Art Gallery and Museum tour was never fully explained.

Tassie’s form went down even further in the following days. I believe an official request from the TAFL to be hosted by Kilburn next time they are in town was given short shrift.

 

 

Sarge

Sarge

 

Hally in the Oval slop

Hally in the Oval slop

 

A Antonello B Life, M Elbows, All Australian

A Antonello Bachelor of  Life, Master of Elbows, All Australian

Uni’s three state reps, Sarge Schulz, Trevor Hall and Andrew “All Australian Amateur” Antonello represented themselves and the Blacks with distinction during the carnival. As usual, the Victoria version of Spooners (an even more egregious version than our locals) won the final by six goals, mastering the Adelaide Oval slop better than SA.

Results from the Carnival, and commentary from the League are below:

 

Sunday June 29th 1986

S.A.Team v Tasmania

Adelaide Oval

The first match was played against Tasmania, and S.A. began well to lead by 10 goals at half time through a winning attack led by Greg Juniper at full forward. Another 9 goals in the third quarter sealed the match beyond all doubt.

S.A. 8.7 17.10 26.12 29.16 (190)

Tasmania 4.2 7.5 11.7 16.10 (106)

Goalkickers: Juniper 7, Roach 5, Howells 4, Parker 4, Kemp 3, Allen 2, Barnett, Gatoudis, Horwood, Hurley

Best Players: Juniper, Tait, Antonello, Hurley, Hall, Prest

 

Victoria 5.3 12.9 19.10 28.13 (181)

W.A. 1.4 3.5 7.10 7.19 (61)

 

Wednesday July 2nd 1986.

S.A.Team v W.A.

Adelaide Oval

Despite continual rain, Adelaide Oval was in fair condition for the match against W.A. S.A. again started well kicking 7 goals in the first quarter, and then continued to outscore W.A. each quarter, with its defence led by Andrew Antonello well on top.

 

S.A. 7.2 10.9 13.10 18.13 (121)

W.A. 2.1 2.4 3.9 5.14 (44)

Goalkickers: Parker 5, Allen 4, Roach 3, Botten 2, Barnett, Coles, Howells, Kemp

Best Players: Antonello, Mason, Simpson, Tait, Parker, Hamill

 

Victoria 3.1 7.6 12.10 17.13 (115)

Tasmania 3.1 3.5 4.7 4.9 (33)

 

Saturday July 5th 1986

S.A.Team v Victoria

Adelaide Oval

Following more rain on Thursday and Friday, Adelaide Oval had become very heavy by the Saturday of the deciding clash between S.A. and Victoria. The opening quarter was a battle of defences, then the Vics went to a 4-goal lead in the second quarter, only to see S.A. come back to within 5 points at half time. The Vics then got more run into their game as they adapted better to the conditions, and despite several moves by David Marsh to counter their attacks, were too good in the second half and won by 38 points.

Victoria 3.2 8.2 14.4 17.10 (112)

S.A. 2.1 7.3 10.4 11.8 (74)

Goalkickers: Kemp 2, Roach 2, Allen, Antonello, Botten, Hall, Juniper, Parker, Willsmore

Best Players: Walker, Tait, Mason, Hamill, Howells, Hall

 

W.A. 1.5 6.9 8.17 15.25 (115)

Tasmania 2.3 3.4 6.6 9.6 (60)

 

Six South Australian players had the honour of being selected in the All-Australian team after the carnival, namely Antonello, Hamill, Mason, Parker, Roach and Tait.

Oh, I was to report on the Sty Council visit to the Aldinga Sharks, but I’m afraid that Melon Culley and Spaceman Forbes gave me the slip at the Top of Taps and they, along with the rest of the team, haven’t been seen since. Let’s hope they make it back for their rematch with the Lutherans this week, although news of last week’s Barossa carnage may have got back to the corner of South Tce and Goodwood Rd via the, well, grapevine.

Next week I’ll be sending young Mike Gucci around the grounds to provide a summary of all Blacks teams after Round 12. I’ll bet those A3 clowns are still propping up the ladder.

Gordon Agarston

 

** Gordon may have grabbed some of his photos from Wally Herzfeld’s Adelaide, Portrait of a City. Thanks Wal.

About Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt

Saw my first SANFL game in 1967 - Dogs v Peckers. Have only ever seen the Dogs win 1 final in the flesh (1972 1st Semi) Mediocre forward pocket for the AUFC Blacks (1982-89) Life member - Ormond Netball Club -That's me on the right

Comments

  1. Rulebook says

    Swish entertaining as always and even some truth as there may have been a accidental ( cough cough ) miscommunication with Boz re the time of departure for the wine trip and yes I can vaguely remember it was a huge day

  2. I see the SANFL shorts in the photograph. Nice touch on the details of the divide and conquer. But I am surprised nobody bothered to casually check out Rowe and Jarman’s.

  3. Rulebook says

    Cameron O Brien who had played 1 game for Collingwood dominated the final for Victoria kicking 8 goals with the longest and best kicking for goal I have ever seen got picked up and played a few games for Brisbane Bears after the carnival

  4. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Book – Thanks for that snippet. Gordon did Anton a disservice, failing to mention that he was runner up in the carnival B&F to O’Brien

    https://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=AcwnAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9JIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2507,4593305&hl=en

    Thanks 6%, – No Rowe and Jarman , no Kym Hodgeman,, goes to show how clueless their local support was.

  5. Dan Hansen says

    I remember there was a Paul Meldrum lookalike playing for the Vic Ammos. He had a quiet game in 1986 but was dominant in 1987. He featured heavily in the official Amateur League commentary as provided by Rulebook, Papa Raschella and myself.

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