1981 Revisited – Round 13: ‘Swingshift’

 

 

The gates are officially closed at Windy Hill by the time I arrive, twenty minutes before the bounce. Fortunately, my student membership card still allows me in. The lockout applies only to cash-payers.

 

Still, having entered on the outer wing, I face an almighty crush on the terraces. I can’t recall such a tight squeeze at any other game. By the time I’ve negotiated my way to my regular spot behind the goals, the match has started.

 

What unfolds over the next couple of hours is a microcosm of Essendon’s and Richmond’s fortunes in this topsy-turvey season. The Age report of the match describes Richmond’s second quarter burst as being a stunning return to their best 1980 football. Helped by some wayward kicking for goal from the home team, Richmond held their advantage in the third quarter, and started the final term positively. An early shot for goal by Michael Roach, just 25 metres out would put us 32 points up, surely a match-winning lead. He misses. Suddenly, our brilliant form evaporates. Inspired by some important positional moves, in particular S. Madden into the ruck and N. Daniher on the ball, the Bombers charge home. They almost muck it up with more inaccurate kicking — 5.8 to 1.2 — but take the lead for the first time just before time on, only to see Jess regain it for Richmond.

 

For the last two weeks, the Tigers have been saved by Kevin Bartlett, and the little champ has dobbed another four today. But this time, it’s another lethal small forward who decides our fate. Graeme Schultz won’t be widely remembered among the big names in this Essendon team, but on this day he was their hero, marking a loose ball and kicking the match-winner with two minutes remaining.

 

It’s hard for me to watch, but here’s that remarkable last quarter in full, complete with red shorts, mud, long, mid-winter shadows and nearly 31,000 spectators hanging from any handy vantage point.

 

 

 

 

The Bombers entered the top Five for the first time as a result of this victory and would not be budged from thereon.

 

And here’s one for numerology lovers. The Dons led by 26 points at the final change against Richmond in Round 3 only to squander the game by four points. This time the roles were exactly reversed.

 

The big upset of the round was Carlton’s defeat at the hands of Fitzroy. The Lions established a handy break during a sparkling 24-goal first half. It became a more dour affair after half-time but despite the efforts of the resurgent Wayne Johnston, the Blues were unable to bridge the gap. Chris Smith was best for the winners.

 

 

Carlton’s loss enabled Collingwood to regain top spot with its tenth straight win against St Kilda (a feat it also equalled last week against Footscray). The report of Moore gave the Pies temporary anxiety, but the charge was not sustained. Bill Picken starred for the winners.

 

At Geelong, the big pre-game headline was the arrival, by helicopter if you don’t mind, of East Fremantle champion, Brian Peake. The Cats had been courting Peake for seven years, as he accumulated several Premierships and a Sandover Medal at East Fremantle. Finally, today, they had their man and celebrated with a mammoth win — their biggest against the Roos, their biggest since World War II and the first instance of two consecutive 100-point wins. Ruckman Rod Blake kicked seven at full forward in his second game after injury. Neal and Bruns also starred for the Cats while Peake, the man of the moment, kicked two goals and was named among Geelong’s best, but this was to be a bright start to a short and underwhelming stint in the VFL. A lone four-goal hand from Steve McCann, normally a defender, was the only bright light on a dismal day for North.

 

Hawthorn retained their spot in the Five for another week, pulling away from a competitive South Melbourne. Terry Wallace was best afield while Silvio Foschini had an impressive five-goal game. The Swans continued their frustrating pattern of wilting late in games and were now well adrift of the finals’ contenders.

 

 

 

 

 

And in what turned out to be the decisive battle for the wooden spoon, Footscray won the day with a tidy victory over a depressed looking Melbourne.

 

 

 ROUND 13 RESULTS

 

MELBOURNE v FOOTSCRAY

 

Footscray 6.4 10.7 16.8 19.11 (125)
Melbourne 5.3 5.6 8.8 14.10 (94)

 

Goals –
FOOTSCRAY: Loveless 6, Knight 5, Edmond 2, Whitton 2, McAllister 2, N. Cordy, McConnell.
MELBOURNE: Crosswell 3, Jackson 3, Elshaug 3, Flower, Gordon, Byrne, Catoggio, O’Donnell.

 

Best –
FOOTSCRAY: B. Cordy, Knight, Kennedy, N. Cordy, Egan.
MELBOURNE: Elshaug, Giles, Pinnell.

 

Umpires: Chapman, Robinson.

Attendance at VFL Park: 15,599.

Receipts: $33,796.

 

 

 

COLLINGWOOD v ST KILDA

 

Collingwood 4.6 10.8 14.11 19.14 (128)
St Kilda 1.4 2.5 4.6 10.11 (71)

 

Goals —
COLLINGWOOD: Brewer 4, Erwin, Stewart, Allan, Daicos, Weideman 2, Fellowes.
ST KILDA: Dunne, Hewitt, Sutherland 2, Breen, Meehan, Bennett, Gorizidis.

 

Best —
COLLINGWOOD: Picken, Smith, McCormack, Worthington, Byrnes, Allan.
ST KILDA: Roberts, Hewitt, Thomas, Kellett, Smedts, Cox.

 

Umpires: Dargavel, Sawers.

Attendance at Victoria Park: 23,669.

Receipts: $27,467.

 

 

ESSENDON v RICHMOND

 

Essendon 4.4 5.7 7.14 12.22 (94)
Richmond 2.4 9.8 12.10 13.12 (90)

 

Goals —
ESSENDON: Schultz 3, Burdett 2, Neagle, N. Daniher, S. Madden, Watson, Thomson, J. Madden.
RICHMOND: Bartlett 4, Lee 2, Welsh 2, Jess 2, Weightman, Roach, Smith.

 

Best —
ESSENDON: N. Daniher, Watson, Buhagiar, Taubert, J. Madden, Hawker.
RICHMOND: Smith, Raines, Dunne, Bartlett, Lee, Weightman.

 

Umpires: Deller, Sutcliffe.

Attendance at Windy Hill: 30,718.

Receipts: $53,509.

 

 

HAWTHORN v SOUTH MELBOURNE

 

Hawthorn 2.3 7.11 14.12 20.18 (138)
South Melbourne 3.4 6.9 12.13 15.16 (106)

 

Goals —
HAWTHORN: Matthews 3, Davies 3, Goss 2, Dipierdomenico 2, Goad 2, Murnane 2, Graeme 2, Tuck, Scott, Eade, Ablett.
SOUTH MELBOURNE: Foschini 5, J. Roberts, Teasdale 2, Wright 2, Smith, Evans, T. Morwood, Moir.

 

Best –
HAWTHORN: Wallace, Murnane, Moore, Matthews, Dipierdomenico, Goss.
SOUTH MELBOURNE: Round, Foschini, Carter, G. Smith, Wright, Ackerly.

 

Umpires: Morgan, Quinn.

Attendance at Princes Park: 11,657.

Receipts: $17,486.

 

 

FITZROY v CARLTON

 

Fitzroy 6.1 14.3 16.9 20.11 (131)
Carlton 7.2 10.7 14.10 15.16 (106)

 

Goals —
FITZROY: Quinlan 5, Rendell 4, Poynton 4, Conlan 2, Murnane 2, Carlson 2, Braddy.
CARLTON: Johnston 3, Bosustow 2, Ashman 2, Marcou 2, McKay 2, Fitzpatrick, Sheldon, Maylin, McConville.

 

Best —
FITZROY: Smith, Hansen, McCarthy, Carlson, Quinlan, Serafini, Harris.
CARLTON: Johnston, Wells, Sheldon, Fitzpatrick, Harmes.

 

Umpires: Marcy, Nash.

Attendance at Junction Oval: 18,455.

Receipts: $35,581.

 

 

GEELONG v NORTH MELBOURNE

Geelong 6.1 10.6 18.11 26.14 (170)
North Melbourne 3.3 3.3 4.6 8.7 (56)

 

Goals —
GEELONG: Blake 7, Bruns 4, Turner 3, Featherby 3, Bright 2, Peake 2, Clarke 2, Witcombe, Reynoldson, B. Nankervis, Neal.
NORTH MELBOURNE: McCann 4, Good, D.Schimmelbusch, Dempsey, Wilson.

 

Best —
GEELONG: Blake, Neal, Bruns, Featherby, Mossop, Peake.
NORTH MELBOURNE: McCann, D. Schimmelbusch, Wilson, Icke, Spencer.

 

Umpires: Bryant, James.

Attendance at Kardinia Park: 27,395.

Receipts: $45,320.

 

TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 127,493

TOTAL RECEIPTS: $213,159

 

LADDER

	W	L	D	F	A	%	P
COLLINGWOOD	11	2	0	1600	1238	129.2	44
CARLTON	10	3	0	1460	1177	124.0	40
GEELONG	9	4	0	1347	1063	126.7	36
HAWTHORN	9	4	0	1486	1269	117.1	36
ESSENDON	8	5	0	1329	1140	116.6	32
Richmond	8	5	0	1460	1426	102.4	32
Fitzroy	7	6	0	1571	1471	106.8	28
North Melbourne	6	7	0	1503	1359	110.6	24
South Melbourne	4	9	0	1304	1597	82.6	16
St Kilda	3	10	0	1223	1512	80.9	12
Footscray	2	11	0	1161	1597	72.7	8
Melbourne	1	12	0	1135	1748	64.9	4

 

 

Read The Age, Monday 22nd Jun 1981, for coverage of all matches HERE.

 

 

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