A Season in the Country – 1975 in the Wimmera and Farrer Leagues: Episode 1

 

 

Lockhart Football Ground

1975 in the Wimmera and Farrer Leagues

 

Welcome to A Season in the Country where we will turn the scoreboards back 47 seasons. The tin and timber scoreboards at Wimmera and Farrer League grounds such as Henty, Warracknabeal, Collingullie and Rupanyup, together with the city and suburban scoreboards at grounds including The Lake Oval, VFL Park, Arden Street and the MCG will tell the tales of matches played in that glorious season of 1975.

 

Episode 1                           Comeback Harry

 

Featuring Culcairn’s Harry Gardiner

 

The Farrer League

 

 

 

 

Goannas           v             Lions

 

 

 

Match of the day: Mangoplah-Cookardinia United v Culcairn

Saturday 19 April 1975

at Mangoplah

 

Season 1975 in the Farrer League commenced with North Wagga taking on Wagga, ’74 premiers Collingullie opposed to Henty, Temora travelling to Lockhart, The Rock-Yerong Creek at home to Holbrook and Mangoplah-Cookardinia United (MCU) hosting Culcairn.

 

The village of Mangoplah, situated 35 km south of Wagga Wagga, is a typical Australian rural settlement. A pub (phone Mangoplah “2”), a general store and a rural produce outlet, a butchery, a couple of churches and a recreation ground provide the essential goods and services. Reminders of past days include an abandoned railway station and a recently closed primary school. The land surrounding Mangoplah is devoted to mixed farming, although gold mining once boosted the economy of the settlement. Its football history dates to 1913 when the first game was played between Mangoplah and the nearby village of Cookardinia. The two clubs merged in 1955 and produced one of the most successful ‘combines’ in Riverina football history.

 

 

Peaceful rural backdrop to the Mangoplah Recreation Reserve, 2019

 

 

MCU and Culcairn player lists 1975

Source: The Crier Vol. 16, No. 1

(courtesy of NSW Australian Football Historical Society)

 

 

Farrer League followers were shocked to hear the news that Culcairn coach Harry Gardiner had made a surprise appearance for the Lions in round one 1975. The veteran Gardiner, having not played for one and a half seasons, still had the smell of liniment in his nostrils and decided to line up with his young side. “Old Gunsynd” the players were calling him, predicted Harry was eyeing the 600 game mark. After the game Gardiner said “I do not know how long I will be playing, probably until the boys can adjust to my style.” It was 27 seasons since he first played senior football with Culcairn and he was widely regarded as a legendary figure not only for his home club and the Farrer League but also widely throughout the eastern Riverina.

 

At the Mangoplah Recreation Ground, a ball burster away from Burkes Creek, premierships had been celebrated as often as good farming seasons in the Riverina. ‘Mango’ had 16 flags in their trophy collection, while the combined club, MCU, had claimed a further seven. In 1975 the MCU ‘Goannas’ were coached by former Footscray player Graham ‘Curly’ Ion who made 107 appearances for the Bulldogs between 1958 and 1965. We will catch up with ‘Curly’ when he is featured in episode 14.

 

Harry Gardiner’s Lions were well in the game until three quarter time but were overwhelmed in the last quarter by the powerful MCU unit. The young Lions lacked the experience to counter the all round strength of the Goannas when the game was on the line in the last quarter. For the visitors, Gardiner kicked four goals, as did former Wodonga full forward Eddie Rogalski. Harry Gardiner’s nephew, 17 year old Trevor Gardiner, was named among the Lions best while for MCU Graham Ion, who played at centre half back, was in the list of his side’s best players.

 

Final scores: MCU 14.19 (103) defeated Culcairn 11.7 (73)

 

 

Around the Farrer League grounds

 

In the other matches North Wagga claimed an early season psychological advantage over in-town rivals Wagga Tigers, The Rock-Yerong Creek had a comfortable win over Holbrook, Henty upset the reigning premiers Collingullie and in a high scoring game Lockhart got the points over visitors Temora.

 

Individual performances in round one were headed by: Henty’s Garry Mickan who booted 10 goals; Steve Goodwin who kicked eight for Lockhart; and ‘The Bullet’, Peter Clarke (not to be confused with the author) who led the way with seven goals for the Temora ‘Kangaroos’.

 

Next week:     Temora take on MCU, North Wagga host Lockhart, Wagga play Collingullie, Henty are at home to TR-YC, while old Farrer rivals Holbrook and Culcairn meet.

 

 

The Wimmera League

 

Roundup

 

In western Victoria’s Wimmera League round one winners were Warracknabeal, Jeparit, Dimboola and Murtoa, while Ararat and Nhill staged a controversial draw at Ararat’s Alexandra Oval. ‘Rats’ players and spectators claimed their side had won by a goal, but official scores showed otherwise. Nhill’s captain coach Trevor Allen started the season in a forgettable fashion, being knocked out cold at the opening bounce after crashing into a teammate. Meanwhile, Jeparit’s full forward Doug Schumann kicked off the season in fine form with 10 goals.

 

Next week:     1974 Grand Finalists Horsham and Ararat play in the Anzac Day Friday match. On Saturday Stawell meet Warracknabeal, Jeparit are opposed to Dimboola , Murtoa are home to Rupanyup and Nhill host Minyip.

 

This episode’s featured player: Harry Gardiner (Culcairn)

 

 

 

 

Harry Gardiner joined the ranks of the Culcairn senior team at the age of fifteen in 1949. At the end of his playing career he had amassed a total of 546 senior games, including 453 for his home town, 43 with Rand, 32 with Jindera and one at Albury.

 

Gardiner excelled as a centreman and rover for Culcairn where he won the Farrer League’s best and fairest award, the Baz Medal, on four occasions – 1954, 1961, 1962 and 1964. He was runner up in the medal in 1963 and 1966. Gardiner topped the league goal kicking in 1964 and played in five premierships, three in a row for Culcairn in 1952-54 and two with Jindera in 1956-57. The 1957 premiership at Jindera, a 101 point victory over Walla, was the biggest winning margin in Hume League history up until that point. Gardiner was named best on ground in that performance which was the club’s third consecutive flag.

 

He represented the Albury and District League/Farrer League on fifteen occasions and the Hume League twice, being captain coach in 1958. A young player showing his promise was not going to be overlooked by VFL clubs and Gardiner was sought by four clubs before being included on Footscray’s list in 1953. But like many prodigiously talented country players at the time he turned his back on a city football career and chose to remain at home, playing with his two brothers and settling on a country life. He won his club’s best and fairest award on many occasions and was later awarded life membership of both the Culcairn Football Club and the Farrer League. In 2000 Gardiner was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for services to football and was inducted into the Hume League Hall of Fame in 2016.

 

In the VFL, it was round three. North Melbourne was yet to register a win after a comprehensive loss to Hawthorn in round one, a narrow loss to Melbourne in round two and another disappointment against Carlton that Saturday. Things were not looking bright for Barassi’s Kangaroos with the round four clash with Fitzroy posing as a vital pointer to their chances in 1975. Carlton, Essendon and Hawthorn stood undefeated on top of the ladder when the final sirens sounded to end round three. After the match North Melbourne’s Barry Cable warned the naysayers: “The critics would be unwise to write us off for 1975. Don’t dump North yet.” (The Age 21 April 1975)

 

Across town, St Kilda unearthed a classy 18 year old local recruit named Trevor Barker. Down the highway at Kardinia Park, Footscray rallied behind injured Neil Sasche to win a close tussle by eight points. At the Junction Oval ‘fabulous’ Phil Carman booted six goals in a best on ground performance for the Magpies.

 

And The Age headlined its football report with an early season observation: “Hawks look the class of ‘75”.

 

In next week’s episode of A Season in the Country we will travel to the wheat belt of the Wimmera for the match of the day between Ararat and Horsham. The featured player in episode two is Ararat captain coach Wilf Dickeson. We will also tune into the long running John Pitura saga, with the former Wagga player being mentioned in a possible deal between his club, South Melbourne, and Carlton in exchange for Brent Crosswell and David McKay. But according to the South Melbourne hierarchy, not to Richmond at any cost.

 

Meanwhile…

 

The daily newspapers in Australia were awash with photographs and stories depicting the imminent fall of South Vietnam. The US was busy amassing aircraft carriers for the evacuation of Saigon.

 

In Canberra, according to an Age Poll, ALP leader Gough Whitlam enjoyed a 12 point lead over new Opposition Leader Malcolm Fraser… but an election was not due for more than two years (wasn’t it!).

 

Inflation was running at over 16% p.a. and rising, prompting fears that economic conditions in Australia would worsen during 1975.

 

On the Australian music charts Bob Hudson’s “The Newcastle Song” was the number one single. And at the cinemas, the shearers took the spotlight in “Sunday Too Far Away” starring Jack Thompson.

 

 

 

Read more episodes of A Season in the Country – 1975 in the Wimmera and Farrer Leagues HERE 

 

 

To Geelong’s Record Run, click HERE.

 

 

Peter also wrote about St. Kilda’s premiership season in his 1966 and All That series. You can read that HERE.

 

 

To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?

And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE.

One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE.

Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE.

 

 

 

Comments

  1. Ta Peter.

    Barry Cable was so right about ‘not writing North off yet’. It took until Round 5 to win a game,beating Geelong at Kardinia Park, setting them on the way for their first flag. This was their third consecutive win at Kardinia Park.

    My grandparents came down from Corowa for the grand final. As you’d be aware a fair few of the North side were from up near that neck of the woods, with of course Peter Chisnall being from Corowa .

    I’ve been interested in going to Lockhart races for a while. The town of veranda’s has its annual picnic meeting in October though Covid has kyboshed it the last few years. I’ll get there , one day.

    Look forward to next week,and beyond, Peter.

    Glen!

  2. Riverina Rocket says

    The 1975 season is finally underway!
    A great read Peter.

    What a start to the season by North Wagga!
    No Lozza, but still able to knock off old foes Wagga Tigers.
    Rivals since the 1880s.
    And Henty beating the Gullie.

  3. A great kick-off, Peter.

    Thanks for compiling the series, and I certainly look forward to reading it each week.

Leave a Comment

*