Almanac Teams: First Game of the Year in a Final

 

 

This week’s side is based on players since 1980 who played their first game for the season in the finals. From what I can see on AFL tables there are 20 players since 1980 and it includes seven debutants and two players whose first game for the year was the Grand Final.

 

If I’ve missed anyone, please advise.

 

 

FB:         Travis Gaspar (WCE)               David O’Halloran (Haw)         Tyson Goldsack (Coll)

 

CHB:     Zac Williams (GWS)                 Kevin Walsh (Ess)                     Darcy Wilmot (Bris)

 

C:           Damian Drum (Geel)                Richard Hadley (Bris)            Marlion Pickett (Rich)

 

CHF:     Frank Dunell (Ess)                    Scott Howell (Carl)                  Graham Osborne (Fitz)

 

FF:        Andrew Hooper (WB)               Dermott Brereton (Haw)       Ricky Nixon (St.K)

 

Ruck:    Nick Smith (Melb)                    Paul Spargo (NM)                     Noel Lovell (Coll)

 

Interchange: Tim Callan (WB), Daryl Freame (Rich), Colin Waterson (Rich)

 

 

Travis Gaspar

Preliminary Final 2005

28 games (2001-2005)

In what was his last year Travis came into the Eagles’ side for his first game of 2005 in the preliminary final. He replaced Brett Jones in the backline who was injured. Gaspar had not played since Round 10, 2004 because of foot injuries but had come back into the WAFL for the previous two months. He had 10 disposals and was cited by the match review panel and was given two weeks’ suspension. Gaspar appealed and played in the 2005 Grand Final, his last game.

 

David O’Halloran

Grand Final 1985

160 games (1976-1985)

O’Halloran played most of 1985 in the reserves before he was initially named emergency for the semi final then called up for Peter Knights who was omitted for the 1985 Grand Final. 1985 was the complete opposite to his 1978 season where he played every other game but was injured for the grand final. O’Halloran started on Paul Salmon before he was swapped with Chris Mew when Salmon got some early goals. However he ended up with 16 disposals and was named in Hawthorn’s best by The Age. O’Halloran played in the 1976 and 1983 premierships. The 1985 Grand Final was his last game.

 

Tyson Goldsack

Qualifying Final 2018

165 games (2007-2018)

Goldsack had suffered a knee injury in the 2018 preseason and after two reserve matches was brought into the Collingwood side for the qualifying final against West Coast alongside Jeremy Howe for Jack Magden and Nathan Murphy who were both omitted. Goldsack played on Josh Kennedy in this game and then three weeks later in the Grand Final. He played in all four finals at full back and like Gaspar and O’Halloran it was also his last game.

 

Zac Williams

Elimination Final 2018

154 games (113 games GWS 2013-2020, 41 games Carlton 2021- )

Williams ruptured his Achilles tendon in preseason training and missed most of the season. He was one of four changes for the Giants in their elimination final against Sydney after they had lost to Melbourne by 45 points the week prior. GWS beat Sydney by 49 points; Williams had 23 disposals. He played in the semi final loss to Collingwood and had 19 disposals. Williams also played in the 2019 Grand Final before he moved to Carlton in 2021.

 

Kevin Walsh

Elimination Final 1991

162 games (1981-1991)

Walsh is the fourth defender in this team whose last game was in a final having come into the side for the first time that year. Walsh had started the year in the seconds before he broke his arm in Round 5. Walsh had played the last seven games in the reserves before being brought in for the final against Melbourne as Mark Harvey’s replacement, who was omitted. He played on Darren Bennett and held him goalless however Melbourne won by 38 points. Walsh retired at the end of the year aged 29 with two flags.

 

Darcy Wilmot

Elimination Final 2022

52 games (2022- )

Since making his debut Wilmot has not missed a game – 53 straight – which included holding his spot for the semi and preliminary finals. Neale was one of three changes for the Lions with Cameron Raynor and Noah Answerth injured. He was impressive with 11 disposals and a goal in their two point win against Richmond. Wilmot played in the 2023 Grand Final.

 

Damian Drum

Qualifying Final 1989

63 games (1982-1989)

Drum had struggled throughout 1989 with hamstring and calf injuries and played just eight games in the reserves before he was brought in for Gary Cameron, who was omitted. He had 13 disposals and played in the semi and preliminary finals before he re-injured his calf in the prelim. Drum missed out on the grand final with Mark Yeates recalled after he missed the previous game due to suspension (Yeates was suspended for a week and had another week suspended; Dermott Brereton probably wished he had served the full two weeks). Drum is another player that retired at the end of the season.

 

Richard Hadley

Semi Final 2003

66 games (41 games Brisbane 2001-2007, 25 games Carlton 2008-2009)

Hadley’s first AFL game was in Round 3 of 2001, but he had to wait until the semi final in 2003 to play his second…by his fourth game he was a premiership winner. He came in for Tim Notting who was injured and held his spot for the two remaining finals. Hadley had eight disposals in the semi and kicked a goal in the 2003 Grand Final. He played 23 games in 2004 including the Grand Final but struggled with knee injuries afterwards; he missed the whole 2005 and 2006 seasons before he played his last games at Brisbane in 2007 and then joined Carlton for three seasons.

 

Marlion Pickett

Grand Final 2019

91 games (2019-2024)

Pickett was not even on Richmond’s list at the start of 2019, he was selected with Pick 13 in the mid-season draft. Once selected Pickett missed the first few matches for Richmond with a broken finger he’d acquired when playing for South Fremantle in the WAFL. He played well for Richmond’s reserves but there was no spot for him when the Tigers found form at the end of the year. In the preliminary final on the Friday night Jack Graham injured his shoulder which ruled him out for the next week. On Sunday Pickett was the VFL Grand Final’s best on ground and won the Norm Goss Medal, for this effort he was selected to debut. Pickett had 22 disposals and a goal and garnered four Norm Smith Medal votes. Pickett also played in the 2020 Premiership.

 

Frank Dunell

Elimination Final 1981

115 games (100 games Essendon 1979-1986, 15 games Brisbane 1987-1988)

Dunell had played 14 games in his first two seasons but had a horror 1981 with injury, he broke his arm in preseason and then on his first game back in the reserves he suffered a stress fracture in his foot. After five reserves matches Dunell was called upon for the elimination final with Michael Thomson for Neville Fields and Allan Reid who were omitted. He had 11 disposals in the 15 point loss to Fitzroy. In 1983 Dunell was dropped for the grand final after playing 17 games but played in the 1984 Premiership after he was a late out in the preliminary.

 

 

 

Scott Howell

Semi Final 1980

39 games (1980-1985)

Howell is a member of an extremely rare club. Scott, his dad John ‘Chooka’ and grandfather Jack are the only members of the three-generation premiership club. He was selected on the interchange bench as a backup ruck with Warren Jones injured. Howell had one disposal in Carlton’s 50 point loss to Collingwood. In 1981 after he’d played 13 games with his last in Round 21, Howell was recalled at the expense of Geoff Southby for the 1981 Grand Final.

 

Graham Osborne

Elimination Final 1984

37 games (1984-1989)

Graham is almost 18 months older than brother Richard, but Richard made his debut two years earlier. Osborne came in for Doug Barwick who was injured. He was named on the bench and had 15 disposals in a 46 point loss to Collingwood.

 

Andrew Hooper

Semi Final 2010

7 games (2010-2012)

Hooper was a small forward at 172cm who joined the Bulldogs with Pick 35 of the 2010 Rookie Draft. He came in for Shaun Higgins who was injured and had five disposals and kicked a goal in the Bulldogs’ five point win over Sydney. Hooper though was dropped for the preliminary final with Dale Morris back from injury. He played five games from Round 15-19 in 2011 and then one in 2012.

 

Dermott Brereton

Semi Final 1982

211 games (189 Hawthorn 1982-1992, 7 games Sydney 1994, 15 games Collingwood 1995)

Brereton debuted in 1982 as a 19 year old with red hair wearing number 47. He was selected in place of Michael Moncrieff who was omitted. David Dench was one of his first opponents and he managed 5.2 in a 52 point win for Hawthorn. Brereton was quieter the next week in a preliminary final loss; just three disposals and 0.2. This was one of Brereton’s rare quiet finals; he played 26 of them and kicked 53 goals including eight in the 1985 decider. Brereton claimed five premierships from eight grand finals.

 

Ricky Nixon

Elimination Final 1991

63 games (4 games Carlton 1983-1985, 51 games St. Kilda 1986-1991, 8 games Hawthorn 1992-1993)

St. Kilda’s elimination final against Geelong was Nixon’s last game for the club. After he’d spent the year in the reserves with hamstring issues Nixon was brought in with Danny Craven at the expense of Tim Allen and Brett Bowey. He was on the bench for most of the first half and had eight disposals and a goal. St Kilda lost by seven points and Nixon was delisted at the end of the year. He was drafted by Hawthorn in the preseason draft and played two seasons and four games each year. Nixon last game was another elimination final loss, this time against Adelaide.

 

Nick Smith

Semi Final 2006

4 games Melbourne (2003-2006)

Smith played three games in 2003 but did not play his next game until a semi final in 2006. Smith was called in for the trip to Perth as backup ruck to Jeff White due to an injury to Mark Jamar. He had three disposals and three hit outs in the 28 point loss to Fremantle. Like several others, this was also Smith’s last AFL game.

 

 

Paul Spargo

Semi Final 1985

90 games (81 games North Melbourne 1985-1992, 9 games Brisbane 1993)

Paul is the son of Footscray grand final player Bob. Somewhat ironically Spargo debuted against Footscray aged 18 in the number 56 jumper. Spargo had been named emergency for the elimination final against Carlton before he earned his debut game at the expense of Michael Passmore who was omitted. He had 10 disposals and a goal in the 30 point loss.

 

Noel Lovell

Preliminary Final 1981

20 games (16 Games Collingwood 1981-1984, 4 games Richmond 1985-1986)

Lovell was the first player to make his VFL/AFL debut in a preliminary final since Len Thompson in 1965. He was one of five changes Collingwood made from its previous week’s winning semi final team. Lovell aged 20 came in with Graeme Allan, Ian Cooper, Craig Stewart and Mark Weideman with Stan Magro, Peter Moore, Andrew Smith out injured, and Russell Ohlsen and Kevin Worthington omitted. Lovell started on the bench but was on soon after Ross Brewer injured his ankle. He had nine disposals and held his spot for the following week in the grand final against Carlton where he started on the bench again and had eight disposals.

 

Tim Callan

Qualifying Final 2010

34 games (15 games Geelong 2003-2006, 19 games Western Bulldogs 2008-2010)

In 2009 Callan had played only one home and away game in Round 9 before he came into the Bulldogs side for the semi and preliminary finals. In 2010 he was initially named emergency for a qualifying final but was a late inclusion for Easton Wood who was injured. Callan had eight disposals in the Bulldogs’ 62 point loss to Collingwood. The following week he was omitted for Easton Wood who was fit to play. Callan was delisted at the end of the season.

 

 

Daryl Freame

Semi Final 1980

17 games (1977-1981)

There is a great story on Daryl Freame on the Almanac by Richard Griffiths that tells of Freame’s 1980 season and how he got selected. In summary Freame was named emergency for the qualifying final against Carlton. The following week he came in for the semi final after he’d played 13 games in three years. Richmond made four changes with Freame one of the inclusions alongside Bruce Monteath, Stephen Mount and Merv Keane for a suspended Graeme Landy and Bryan Wood. Barry Rowlings was also out injured. Freame had nine disposals and kept his spot for the grand final. As Richard mentioned, Freame had to wait to be included as Wood, Rowlings and David Cloke came in for the injured Paul Sarah and Bruce Tempany and an omitted Ian Scrimshaw. At selection the Tigers named five on the bench: captain Bruce Monteath, Scrimshaw, Michael Nugent, Denis Collins and Freame. Collins was favoured to play but he had missed a team psych session; he instead elected to go to the movies with his girlfriend. The selection committee unimpressed, Freame was then selected though not advised until Saturday morning. He started on the bench and did not come on until eight minutes to go for Dale Weightman, he had two disposals which included the kick to Kevin Bartlett where he kicked a famous goal after he baulked Stan Magro. Freame played two games the following year.

 

Colin Waterson

Qualifying Final 1980

13 games (1978-1981)

Waterson debuted in 1978 but did not play again until the qualifying final against Carlton in 1980. Being a tall forward Waterson came in to the side for an injured David Cloke. Waterson may have had little game time as he failed to record a disposal. He was dropped for the semi final and named an emergency but was not in the final side for the grand final. Waterson played 10 games the following year; in one match he had 30 disposals and kicked three goals before he moved back to East Fremantle in 1982.

 

 

While this list is from 1980 some notables from earlier years are:

 

Keith Batchelor

1952 Grand Final on debut

42 games (21 games Collingwood 1952-1955, 21 games North Melbourne 1956-1957)

 

Jack Cassin

1947 Grand Final

150 games Essendon (1936-1947)

 

Denis Cordner

1948 Grand Final

152 games Melbourne (1943, 1948-1956)

Cordner made his debut 1943 while on leave from the Royal Australian Navy for one game, his second was the 1948 Grand Final and third was the replay.

 

Don Cordner

1941 Semi Final

166 games Melbourne (1941-1950)

Don Cordner’s second game was a premiership.

 

Doug Heywood

1948 Preliminary Final

54 games Melbourne (1943-1951)

Heywood was also a legendary ABC commentator.

 

Robert Hyde

1979 Elimination Final

63 games (62 games Collingwood 1973-1977, 1 game Essendon 1979)

 

Billy James

1920 Grand Final

1 game Richmond (1920)

 

Dick Reynolds

1951 Grand Final

320 games Essendon (1933-1951)

 

Len Thompson

1965 Preliminary Final

301 games (268 games Collingwood 1965-1978, 20 games South Melbourne 1979, 13 games Fitzroy 1980)

 

 

 

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