Almanac Footy: SA v WA 1978 – Not so golden years

Many now-superannuated Croweaters will have a rosy view of the health of SA footy and the strength of SA State teams of the late 1970s. In reality the red, navy and golds remained a distant third behind Victoria and Western Australia after successive losses to WA in 1977, which included an embarrassing home loss in the SANFL Centenary Match.

 

WA and Victoria had already commenced playing matches on a State of Origin basis in 1977, and in 1978 the Big V thumped WA 25.13 (163) to 8.15 (63) on May 20 at VFL Park.

 

This 1978 match between the two Leagues saw SA attempt to prove that 1977 was an aberration. South Adelaide’s coach Haydn Bunton Jr was the man in charge of the state’s fortunes and his selectors were Geof Motley and Harry Kernahan.

 

 

 

 

The leaping pair on the cover were the same pair displayed on the Centenary Match Budget. The unfortunate misspelling of ‘versus’ opened the linguistic floodgates and a new verb entered the lexicon, giving us the related ‘versing’ and ‘versed’.

 

 

 

This version of League Football In South Australia was a must-have for any footy nerd, which doesn’t explain why it took me forty years to get a copy.

 

 

 

At least ‘versus’ gets a run on this page along with the frosted soft-focus style popularised at the time by David Hamilton (if you are going to look him up, don’t do it at work…or home for that matter). The day was mercifully free of any non-football distractions; the word ‘activation’ was yet to be used in a footy sense, nor was the phrase ‘match-day experience’.

 

 

 

 

 

WA coach Ken Armstrong looks much like Kanga Kennedy at first glance. His grandson Steven Armstrong was to be a AFL premiership player with West Coast. I think that is a Parker pen poking out from beneath his jumper and that must be an adidas tracksuit top as his top layer.

 

 

 

How many snaps of potential Kellogg’s Lucky Football Shoppers were taken each week? Or was this whole contest business a ruse and once your mugshot was taken in Aisle 4 alongside the KY Two Fruits, it was only a matter of waiting for it to appear in the Budget so that you could claim your ‘$30 hamper’?

 

 

 

Speaking of ruses, why would Brian Adamson have dished the dirt on his former statemates so readily? No mention was made of Wim Rosbender’s string of Palme d’Or awards. There were several players in the squad that would go on to play in the VFL, namely Wiley (Richmond, West Coast), Hunter (Carlton), Valli (Collingwood, Essendon), Bryant (North Melbourne), Kelly (North Melbourne), Day (Essendon), Rioli (an ‘Aborigine’ apparently) (Richmond), Peake (Geelong) and Sewell (Footscray). Moss (Essendon, Brownlow Medal ’76), Miller (Fitzroy) and Duckworth (Fitzroy) had stints in the VFL prior to 1978. Featherby had moved to Footscray for the 1975-1976 seasons) and headed east again in 1979 for five more seasons. Stephen Curtis showed real football nous and later joined Port Adelaide for fruitful period which yielded an All-Australian blazer in 1983 and Duckworth’s two years at Central District where he was the 1979 Magarey Medallist are fondly remembered at Elizabeth.

 

Of course, the best of the lot was Stephen Michael, who stayed put, twice winning the Sandover Medal in 1980-1981 and was All-Australian Captain in 1983, the year he also won the Tassie Medal.

 

In hindsight, WA was always going to win with such a stellar lineup. ( (Swish)Ed: I think this is referred to as ‘burying the lede’)

 

 

 

 

Ray Trenorden was no doubt thrilled when he saw this writeup. High Schools skipper Clisby was an inaugural Crow in 1991 but was never called up for active duty. He did however rack up 279 SANFL appearances for the Roosters. Michael Aish went ok too.

 

It was very reassuring to learn that the NFL Director of Coaching John Warren had gained his Leaving Certificate and was a prefect, although at 46, I reckon he was a tad old for school. And there is the lingering thought that the selectors may have gone for the wrong Mr Football.

 

 

 

Hamley Bridge’s Peter Bubner and future Pecker Ian Dettman were the pick of the other High Schoolers, although it should be pointed out the Mark Bishop (brother of Glenn) had a couple of years on his team-mates, which came in handy when someone was needed to purchase the after-match refreshments or pop down to the TAB for the coach. For the remaining fee-payers, Fos’ lad Stephen and Duncan Fosdike had noteworthy careers, but Oren Klemich is your man if you are in the market for some prestige real estate. You can’t go past Dr Peter Sharley, erstwhile Chairman of the World’s Greatest Football Club as the most important person on this list.

 

The High Schools outpointed the Independents 10-10 to 10-6. Charlie Drew and Michael Errey were best for the winners, Michael Aish and Daryl Brown for the spooners (silver and otherwise).

 

 

 

Kickers boots and Golden Breed tops.

 

 

 

Badminton, gymnastics, lawn bowls were what the Comm Games were all about. With an emphasis on the past tense.

 

 

 

Girl of the Week. You’ve come a long way, baby.

 

 

 

Siri, show me some padding.

 

 

 

 

It was rumoured that some of the players brought both their wives and their girlfriends to the bbq, that’s how serious they were. HB Jr’s record was quite something.

 

 

 

You could get a lot for $8,000 back then. A lifetime of penury for example, at the prevailing lending rates.

 

 

 

As depicted here, the national night series was somewhat lessened in prominence by the absence of the VFL teams. South Adelaide flogged Glenelg in the final.

 

 

 

Harry Kernahan’s effort in 1962 was most deserving of a Simpson Medal, finishing the game with a busted collarbone. Metsal – brilliant font, crap logo.

 

 

 

Mead was a pretty good man in white, even in Port games. The Futuro ad was a bit coy, wasn’t it. Or maybe they weren’t too sure how to spell ‘knackers’.

 

 

 

This Dairy Vale ad got a pretty good run in the late ’70s, but they didn’t see out the century.

 

 

 

There was a fair turnover of State players during 1977-1978. Of the twelve players who were retained in 1978, Hodgeman (North Melbourne), Copping (Essendon), Cornes (North Melbourne), Taylor (Collingwood), Davies (Hawthorn) and Klomp (Carlton) all nipped across to the VFL within the next few seasons. Of the 1977 players, James went to South Melbourne in 1978 so was unavailable here, Faletic would have a couple of seasons for St Kilda and Ebert proved his worth at the Kangas in 1979. Kerley, Dunstan and Stevenson all came to SA from VFL clubs, Robbins was a former Oakleigh (VFA) player and Glynn Hewitt had returned after a brief go with Richmond in the mid-70s.

 

 

 

I’m not sure where Ampol’s evidence was.

 

 

 

This page of WA-related factoids would have been improved slightly if the captions for Peake and Spencer photos were placed under the correct photo. Does Graham Moss still spruik hot water heaters?

 

 

 

The headline here was fairly ‘amatuerish’. I wonder if it’s too late to snag the remaining issue of the Football Times?

 

 

 

 

SA’s Sleepy Annear was a late scratching and the late Mark (son of Gordon) Schwartz skippered the home team to a meritorious win in a contest where the typical West Lakes winds had a telling influence. The curious decision to append the late Daryl Lowry’s nickname bears some explanation. You wouldn’t know it from here, but these states were competing for the Southwark Cup. And yes, that’s the Bucky for WA.

 

 

 

 

This centrefold is indeed the money shot. Although the players and officials may have felt like Coqs after the game, they looked the goods in this Peak ’70s get up in the leadup. The squad was outfitted by business partners Motley (also a selector) and Ebert.  The latter was a non-starter due to a jaw injury, although no mention of this injury was made elsewhere in the Budget. And why is Paul Weston smiling? Could it be more than just the sight of Harry The Horse in a skivvy?

 

 

 

Fare’s fair.

 

 

 

More waflfootyfacts with some South Australian Easter Eggs embedded there too.

 

 

 

Kenmax sounded snappier than KeithBowden I guess.

 

 

 

Rub it in why don’t ya? Stewy Palmer proudly wore the SA jumper once, but this was the closest that Kinnear and Howard were to a State berth.

 

 

 

Garrison was the preferred style for the dog owners of the northern suburbs.

 

 

 

Rub it in again. While you’re at it, look up the correct use of apostrophe’s. The GFC’s ‘superb selection of salads’ may have included Masterfoods Three Bean Mix, Heinz Potato and Edgell Corn Kernels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These very line-and-length pen pix could have been written by Scott Boland.

 

 

 

Building Societies – bring ‘em back.

 

 

 

Thanks to Brian Adamson’s WA rundown on Page 7, there was nothing much left to say by this point. Ken Hunter’s ‘first interstate debut’ would have to wait for another day as he was discarded from the final twenty. The debuts of Ken Inman and Maurice Rioli were non-tautological.

 

 

 

Those Comm Games get another mention thanks to West Lakes Sports Store proprietor Chris Fisher. That’s archetypal journeyman Graeme Robertson.

 

 

 

Look away now, especially if you are Ron Hateley. Making their SA debuts were Greg Phillips, Carl Fragomeni, Paul Weston, Hateley, Mark Williams, Dirk Inglis and (after representing the Big V in 1975) Neville Roberts, who would have an unforgettable game for the wrong reasons. Graham Cornes was named as captain with Rick Davies his deputy. Peter Meuret was left out of the starting twenty, as was Ken Hunter for the Sandgropers. Scores and match summary to follow.

 

Phillips (Collingwood), Williams (Collingwood, Brisbane) and Weston (Essendon) all made a very good fist of their time in the VFL (and AFL in Williams’ case).

 

 

 

Made just down the other end of Underdown Road, across the road from Mofflin Reserve, but I’d moved by then.

 

 

 

Like I said, we weren’t as good as we remember.

 

 

 

The asterisks represent Carnival matches.

 

 

 

Gee Jack Clarke must have been good, both of them in fact.

 

Rick Schoff must have been really good considering the other names that he’s been bracketed with. Either he or Abley would have been more worthy of a photo here than Bob ‘Three Clubs’ Keddie.

 

 

 

Archie Duda’s nephew did a bit of work on my sacrum last year. Small world. Is it too late to get on Tim Evans for the SANFL top goalkicker? Hope not.

 

 

 

Who can follow the game these days?

 

 

 

That’s Chris Natt – I’ll take the boots thanks, the ones with the orange whateveritis and matching moulded sole. Size 8. Thanks.

 

 

 

Basket suppers and fashion parades were still going strong in 1978.

 

 

 

Mellor Brook into Domax for the Double.

 

 

 

Would Cornes have been Captain if Ebert got over the line? He wouldn’t have been pleased with his individual effort, especially after half-time. His time at North Melbourne was very brief in 1979, but Cornes returned to Glenelg mid-season and was the Simpson Medallist in his next SA appearance in Perth. A Tassie Medal during the 1980 State of Origin Carnival and dual All-Australian selection (1979, 1980) proved that Cornes was indeed a player of the highest calibre. He was entrusted with the future of SA footy in 1990 when announced as the inaugural coach of the Adelaide Crows.

 

 

 

Sigh.

 

 

 

Someone very close to the author started full-time work in one of those ‘attractive’ green uniforms.

 

 

---

 

 

The Outcome

 

Given first use of a strong breeze, the home side had most of the play in the first quarter, piling on the scoring shots but not necessarily the majors. Ominously, WA’s Peter Featherby was giving Mark Williams a hiding in the pivot but SA defenders Robbert Klomp, Paul Weston and Taylor repelled time and again.

Quarter Time: SA 3.9 (27) WA 1.1 (7)

 

SA rattled on three early goals and the game looked over. However, when the friendly fire of Taylor saw Neville Roberts break his cheekbone for the second time in 1978, WA took the opportunity to slam on five majors. Were SA rattled or had they relaxed? The Croweaters were still in front, but WA looked to have more winners across the ground.

Half Time: SA 6.10 (46) WA 6.7 (43)

 

The early stages of the third term saw WA match SA goal-for-goal, despite the locals with the wind at their backs. On-ballers Wiley and Valli were first to the ball more often and Moss continually outmarked the hapless Phillips, bringing up his fifth goal so far from a forward pocket. SA conceded another handful of consecutive six-pointers to fall behind, but they were still in the game if they were good enough.

Three Quarter Time: SA 10.14 (74) WA 14.9 (93)

 

SA weren’t good enough. The final term was all WA, as players such as Rioli, Peake and Kelly got in on the act. Slamming through ten goals, each major heralded an exodus of a couple of thousand local fans until only about a third of the day’s attendance of 38,110 remained to see  ‘WA make us football’s doormat’ according to scribe Gordon Schwartz.

Full Time: SA 13.15 (93) WA 24.18 (162)

 

The Sunday Mail front page was festooned with ‘DISGRACED’ and ‘Our darkest day’ while skipper Cornes said that the loss was a ‘humiliating experience’.

 

Best for the victors were Moss, Featherby, Peake, Wiley, Valli and Kelly. Moss (7 goals), McKay, Sewell (3), Wiley, Valli, Rioli and Michael (2) led the scoring.

 

SA’s best were Davies, Hateley, Sewer, Cunningham and Stringer, with Inglis (4 goals), Cunningham (3) and Hodgeman (2) the major contributors up front.

 

 

 

This latest loss left a listless South Australia with only five wins and eleven defeats since 1970. The youngsters recently blooded at state level such as Phillips and Williams were out of their depth at the highest level. The Golden Years of the SANFL would have to wait a year or three.

 

1979 would prove to be a turning point in the fortunes of SA footy, but that’s another story.

 

 

 

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.