A Season in the Country: 1975 in the Wimmera and Farrer Leagues – Episode 23

 

 

Lockhart Football Ground

 

Wheatbelt premiers:

Triumphant Tigers and Resurgent Rats

 

Late September is grand final time across the country. The rituals of footy grand final week in the bush essentially mimic those of the city, but with some country fanfare thrown in. There is the traditional media build up focusing on injuries and team training news, speculation at the lunch break of who wins and why, and the sudden presence of balloons in club colours outside the bakery, the paper shop and the butchery. But in the bush there is also the appearance of signs nailed to trees on the country roads and lanes shouting out support for the local team and streamers blowing in the breeze on roadside mail boxes. You also notice more onlookers at training on Thursday night eager to see how the boys are preparing and to partake in a barbeque and a few beers with a quiet conversation about “our” chances on Saturday. And when you pick up Friday’s local paper and see the teams replete with every player’s age, height and weight you know serious football business is just a day away. More often than not the weather is typically spring-like – sunny, windy, showery and sunny again all in the same afternoon. On some grand final days the mercury tops 30 degrees, on others it is miserably wet and cold. All roads led to Horsham and Yerong Creek on grand final day 1975. 

 

 

Farrer League

 

Grand Final: Wagga v Henty

Saturday 20th September 1975

at Yerong Creek

 

         

 

 

 

 

 

Tigers     v     Swans

 

 

 

(source: Daily Advertiser 19 Sep. 1975)

 

 

Preview

 

The Wagga press was somewhat ambivalent in its preview of the Farrer League grand final noting how evenly matched the teams are, but in the end pointed to a Wagga win. For both clubs it has been a long time between premiership drinks – for Henty 38 years and Wagga 13. The Swans were “bridesmaids” in 1971 and 1973, while the Tigers, runners up in 1965 and 1972, have built an unenviable reputation of being “big time losers when finals come around.” (Daily Advertiser 19 Sep. 1975)

 

One of the key duels will be between Henty’s power full forward Garry Mickan and 17 year old Wagga full back Alan Parr. The young Tiger defender did well in the second semi final to contain the Farrer League top goal kicker, Mickan, and showed no signs of finals nerves, but Parr will have to repeat the effort as the Henty spearhead is in top form. Another mouth watering clash will be the contest in the centre between two very experienced players, Max Sanbrook (Henty) and Peter Power (Wagga). But possibly the most telling facet of the grand final will be the ruck duels between Wagga captain coach Doug Priest and Henty’s Neville Habermann. Henty have a height advantage, with nine players over six feet compared with Wagga’s five. If the weather is fine, the match could be decided by whoever wins in the air. 

 

When asked about his thoughts on the match (Daily Advertiser 19 Sep. 1975), Wagga captain coach Doug Priest reflected on the outstanding form of both sides so far in the finals and predicted that the fixture would be close all the way. He added “… but one must crack and hopefully it won’t be us.”

The Grand Final at Yerong Creek will be umpired by Graham Polites from the VFL.

 

 

The match

 

A withering five goal burst from Wagga in the first eight minutes of the match blasted Henty out of the contest. From the first bounce the Tigers were sharp, while the Swans were sluggish. Before the Swans knew it, the game and their hopes of a premiership were all but gone. In those telling early minutes, Wagga full forward Garry Colvin marked everything that came his way and booted four goals. With another goal from ruckman Alan McMillan, Wagga had five goals on the board before Henty registered a score. The rapidly established 30 point lead was, coincidentally, exactly the same as the final margin. Henty were in complete disarray at the end of the first quarter and trailed by 32 points.

 

Colvin taking one of his screamers in the Farrer League Grand Final

(source: Daily Advertiser 22 Sep. 1975)

 

The second quarter was a tale of inaccuracy by Henty as they tried desperately to close the gap. Rovers Doug Wheaton and Jim Creek started to give more drive, but the Swans kicked atrociously, scoring two goals nine for the quarter. By half time they had managed to knock only five points off Wagga’s lead, however they were far from done. Then the Swans found their kicking boots, adding five straight goals in the third term, but could not slow Wagga’s march towards the flag. After an even third quarter, the margin was still 24 points and Henty needed a quick start in the final quarter to change the momentum of the match. 

 

A minute into the final term Wagga extended its lead to 30 points and looked home and hosed. Henty rebounded with a goal to centre half forward Evan Klemke, which reduced the margin to 22 points. Soon after, Henty missed one from close range which would have put strong pressure on Wagga. The Tigers quickly regained the initiative with a goal and held the Swans at bay until the final siren. 

 

Doug Priest with the ‘75 Farrer League premiership trophy

(source: Daily Advertiser 22 Sep. 1975)

 

It was a triumph for Wagga captain coach Doug Priest who led his side to victory in his fourth attempt after joining the club from Ariah Park-Mirrool. Priest was named best on the ground for his leadership and fine game in the ruck. The ‘year of the Tiger’ was complete when Wagga also won the reserve grade competition.

 

Finals score: Wagga 15.14 (104) defeated Henty 10.14 (74)

 

Goal kickers: Wagga – Colvin 4, Harris 3, McMillan 2, Jennings 2, Briggs 2, Osbeiston, Priest 

Henty – Schulz 3, Klemke 3, Mickan 2, Wheaton, Creek

 

Best: Wagga – Priest, Power, McElhinney, Osbeiston, Parr, Sheather, Wilson

 

Henty – Wheaton, Creek, Habermann, Heffernan, Spencer, Scholz, Klemke

 

Gate: $3134. Umpire: G. Polites (VFL)

 

Reserves: Wagga 12.10 (82) defeated MCU 5.11 (41)

 

 

Wimmera League

 

Grand Final: Stawell v Ararat

Saturday 20th September 1975

at City Oval, Horsham

 

 

 

Redlegs     v     Rats

 

 

 

(source: Wimmera Mail-Times 19 Sep. 1975)

 

 

Preview

 

Near neighbours Stawell and Ararat have staged some memorable finals matches over the years, none greater than the 1950 Grand Final won by the Redlegs in the dying stages. Since that day 25 years ago, Stawell players have not stood on the premiership dias.

 

The Ararat press were quietly confident of the Rats’ chances even though they will go into the game as underdogs. The Ararat Advertiser highlighted Ararat’s superior fitness and noted the number of cramped and weary Stawell players in the final quarter of the second semi final. Ararat showed their supreme fitness when they bolted away from Dimboola in the last quarter  of the preliminary final, which should give the side plenty of confidence in their ability to run out the game. And in their earlier meeting at Stawell during the season, the Redlegs suffered their biggest loss for the year, a 21 point defeat by Ararat. Coach Wilf Dickerson revealed his team’s tactics when he said pre-game: “if we can bring the ball to the ground and apply pressure and keep Stawell’s big players out of the game we can make them chase us more than in the second semi-final” (Ararat Advertiser 19 Sep. 1975).

 

An alternative preview was presented in the Horsham press. The Wimmera Mail-Times (19 Sep. 1975) predicted that Stawell will romp home with “everything going their way form, fitness and sheer ability.”  Bill Goodier anticipated Ararat would be desperate to put last year’s grand final loss behind them, but that Stawell would have the answers with its unmatched stars – brothers Greg and Chris Perry, Alan Poyner and Terry Carr. 

 

Both clubs named unchanged lineups. Top VFL umpire Bill Deller will officiate.

 

 

The match

 

For most of the afternoon it looked almost certain that Stawell would cap their wonderful season with a flag, but the last quarter revival by Ararat was simply amazing. Down by 22 points at the last change, the Rats kicked nine final quarter goals to record a 52 point turn around in the space of 30 minutes of scintillating football. Captain coach Wilf Dickerson led the way for Ararat playing one of his best games in Wimmera football for many years. But it was very much a team effort to pull the game out of the fire. Superior fitness, instilled by Dickerson, was certainly a big factor in Ararat’s stunning victory. Another was the burning desire not to finish runners-up two years in a row.

 

As the Redleg’s big men faded in the last quarter, the Rats started to take command. Hans Holz became a loose man in the Ararat forward line and booted three prize-winning last quarter goals. Small men Greg Kent and Bruce Olver were suddenly energised and with that the Rats’ forward line blasted into action. Centreman Terry Davis “looked a million dollars as he thundered around the diamond and drove the Rats into attack” (Wimmera Mail-Times 22 Sept. 1975). The backline brick wall, led by Dickerson, was rock solid in rebounding all forward thrusts by the Redlegs in the last quarter.

 

Stawell had its fair share of contributors on the day, including Terry Carr, Bob Dowdell, Ian Brilliant and Ross Jackson, but no match winners. The dream of a drought-breaking premiership for hot favourites Stawell would have to wait another three years to come true.

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Action from the 1975 Wimmera League Grand Final

(source: Wimmera Mail-Times 22 Sep. 1975)

 

 

The final margin at Horsham in the Wimmera League Grand Final, 30 points, was coincidentally identical to the margin when the final siren sounded at Yerong Creek in the Riverina. 

 

Final score: Ararat 17.19 (121) defeated Stawell 13.13 (91)

 

Goal kickers: Ararat – Todd 5, Holz 3, Harry 2, Olver 2, Kent, T. Mooney, L. Mooney, Stephens, Walker

Stawell – Carr 4, Brilliant 3, Jackson 2, Evans 2, Dowdell, Morrish

 

Best: Ararat – Todd, Olver, Davis, Kent, Walker, Dickerson, Holz

Stawell – Carr, Dowdell, Brilliant, Jackson, Poyner

 

Gate: $ 3731. Umpire: Bill Deller (VFL)

 

Reserves: Warracknabeal 19.13 (127) defeated Nhill 10.5 (65)

 

 

In the VFL

 

It was Preliminary Final day at VFL Park with North Melbourne opposed to reigning premiers Richmond. After having beaten Richmond in their two meetings during the season, North were desperate to make it three and avenge their grand final loss to the Tigers in 1974. The Kangaroos led at every change and held off a last quarter challenge by the Tigers to win by 17 points.

 

Final score: North Melbourne 10.16 (76) defeated Richmond 8.11 (59). 

 

The stage was set for another tilt at the title and the end of a 52 year wait for a maiden premiership by the North Melbourne FC. The 1975 VFL Grand Final was played a week after the wheatbelt premiership deciders, on Saturday 27th September. See the next episode of A Season in the Country – Epilogue – for a recount of all the highlights.

 

 

Meanwhile …

 

In one of Australia’s worst mining disasters of the 20th Century 13 men were killed at the Moura mine in central Queensland. Tragically, the Moura mines would claim another 12 lives in 1986 and a further 11 in 1994.

 

 

Read more of Peter Clark’s A Season in the Country  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.