Round 18 – Collingwood v Fremantle: Uncovering some history (Floreat Pica Society)
Collingwood v Fremantle
1:45PM, Saturday July 15
MCG
History
As a part of the FPS, I also send out our Match Report, DRs and Haiku to a couple of dozen committed Pie supporters who LOVE them. Most often prefer ‘our’ reports above the usual media’s.
I’m sure that a number of you do as well.
The one and only exception to the Collingwood connection is a mate that I met through business nearly 30 years ago – Ken and his lovely wife, Leonie, Western Australians and Fremantle supporters to boot. Or, more correctly, South Fremantle supporters.
Ken and I have connected on many levels and one which is close to both of us, like so many, is our love of the game.
He is a regular contributor to The Coodabeens and has penned a couple of songs for Greg Champion that have been broadcast.
Although living in Perth, Ken grew up fascinated by and with a passion for the VFL and he tells me that from 1972 he used to subscribe to Inside Football as it wasn’t sold in WA newsagents at that time, so he could get his fix of VFL news. In the years prior to The Winners on ABC, Channel 7 would screen VFL highlights on Perth TV after flying the tape across west each weekend. Ken never missed it.
Strangely enough, Ken never really aligned himself to a particular club, although he did closely follow teams that had Western Australian players and particularly South Fremantle players. For example, Stan ‘the Man’ Magro was one of these, and Collingwood was one team of interest. (Strangely enough, Stan was a neighbour of Ken’s recently and they became good friends.)
Anyway, Ken and I bang on about footy and life in general quite a bit and we share bits and pieces along the way.
As I put my hand up to write the match report today, I was looking for an angle so to speak, and I was thinking of the history of the Fremantle Football Club and the VFL/AFL and Collingwood in particular.
It goes back further than you think.
Now according to Ken:
The Fremantle Dockers entered the AFL in 1995.
Their initial heritage drew upon South Fremantle and East Fremantle. Two of the strongest in the WAFL.
Up until 1953 they shared the same ground of Fremantle Oval.
The games against each other were fiercely contested.
These derbies were the highlights of the WAFL season and the name was adopted for Dockers and Eagles clashes.
The Dockers’ headquarters were at Fremantle Oval until around 2016.
It’s fair to say, like me, Leonie and Emily [their daughter], South Fremantle supporters adopted the Dockers as their AFL team given the Fremantle heritage.
Now, not being a Western Australian, I had no idea of the long history of Fremantle clubs at state level clubs prior to the formation of the Eagles and the Dockers.
Anyway, looking up the Google machine, I checked out the ‘first’ game that we played against the Dockers in the AFL.
We played them in Round 8, 1995 at Vic Park and won by 38 points, 20.11 to 14.9. Attendance 22,466.
This was not the first time that we had played a Freo side. South Fremantle was the first in 1951 when Collingwood travelled west to play the (then named) WANFL premiers South Fremantle at Fremantle Oval at the end of the season. The Pies probably celebrated too much on the trip as they lost the game.
But there was a return match…
Out of the blue earlier this year Ken sent me some newspaper reports about a mid-season tour by South Fremantle in 1954.
In his email to me he said:
‘I can remember my dad telling me, many times, about how good South Fremantle were in the late forties and early fifties, and how one year they travelled over and beat Collingwood mid-season.
One of my favourite and fondest memories, which I can still vividly see in my mind, is the day you met him at our old home in Mount Hawthorn. When I said you were from Victoria and barracked for Collingwood, he was ready to take you on!!! [I also remember this encounter. That look in his eyes…]
Today I got very excited when on a WAFL Memories Facebook page, someone loaded a copy of program/ itinerary for South’s tour of SA and Vic in 1954. Each page is attached as an individual photo and is worth a read. The thing that jumps out is obviously a strong relationship with Collingwood.
No flying back then. South left by train mid season on Tuesday 20 July, took two days to get to Adelaide, and played a game against the second SA side as prelim to a SA v VFL match.
Then by train overnight to Melbourne.
On arrival on Tuesday they had lunch with the Collingwood Football Club.
I love the program for Wednesday 28 July:
2.30 pm Play the Pies at Vic Park
5 – 6 pm Guests at Collingwood Club Rooms
6.00 pm Guests of the Collingwood Football Club at a Complimentary Dinner to be held at the Collingwood Town Hall Supper Room
8.30pm Guests of the Collingwood Football Club at a “Welcome Dance” to be held at the Collingwood Town Hall
Footscray also held a dinner for them and Fitzroy held a ‘Complimentary Smoke Social’ on their first evening in Melbourne.
They also did must-see tourist tours – Myer Emporium, GM factory, Carlton Brewery and MacRobertson’s Chocolate Factory. And they went to experience snow at Mt Donna Buang – all arranged by the Pies.
Back on the train to Perth arriving 4 August. No impact on their playing performance. They won the premiership that year. Three in row and 6 in 8 years.
Different and wonderful times back then.
I note that we made the preliminary final in 1951 and won the flag in 1953 and we were a pretty good side as well.
Looking at our team list for 1954, I was curious about a couple of well known VFL/AFL surnames.
PLACINGS FOR TOMORROW:
COLLINGWOOD
BACKS.
Sutton Hamilton Turner
HALF-BACKS.
Kingston Tuck Lucas
CENTRES.
Healey Hower Walsh
HALF-FORWARDS.
Tarrant Waites * Young.
FORWARDS.
Little W. Twomey Kupsch
RUCK.
M. Twomey Gabelich
S’R.- Richards •; .
‘RESERVES: Fellewes. Weideman’
Jack Hamilton, Turner (Ken Turner – son of Jamie?), Tuck (Hawthorn?), Lucas (Essendon?), Tarrant (related to Chris?), Healey, Walsh, Waites?
I was unaware that Ray Gabelich was a Western Australian and he had to get special permission to play due to the parochial and complicated clearance system at the time.
I reckon that a couple in the fraternity will have the answers here…
Thanks Ken, much appreciated.
Anyway, the match.
Preamble:
Well, what a shambles. Running a tad late – small change of plans – I arrive in Northcote to pick up my son-in-law, Tim, my grandson, Harrison, and five-year-old grand daughter, Lottie, for her first game ever.
On the way in and hear that the Hurstbridge line is completely CLOSED for the weekend.
Bugger.
The traffic is horrendous – nearly gridlocked all the way from Northcote Hill all the way to Langridge St. where I usually park. Thought that we’ll be lucky to make it by half time. Passing black and white clad citizenry everywhere with similar furrowed brows and concerned looks. Passing a pile of discarded e-scooters at the Jolimont rail bridge, we actually get to our seats just as the second quarter begins…
First Quarter (thanks Moods)
Opening bounce (I thought that jumper clashes were against AFL policy, even our own and Freo players are struggling to locate their teammates).
Aish started on Naicos, and I hear the guy say next to me say ‘Nick’s going to rip a new one’, to which my eldest daughter asks the obvious question…I successfully ignore, thanks to a classic tackle and defensive rebound from The Pies on the members wing.
Finally a well timed free to Dependlebury leads to a goal from 45. Followed not long after by an Elliott classic gather-and-goal from the pocket.
What felt like an eternity of rebound footy after a nice end-to-end AJ goal, however ball has spent more time in the Freo forward half. Unsually Cox took a two hands in the back mark 25 out and missed, which would have put us five-zip before quarter time.
Quarter time and it‘s 4.1 to 3.2
Second Quarter
Well we just get to our seats and it’s all happening. We are at the Punt Road end, lucky for us this quarter it’s the scoring end.
It begins by a lovely goal by McStay and finishing with a well deserved goal by our perennial steak knife, Jack Crisp.
We are watching a team just put it all together.
Sublime skill, talent, determination and purpose.
Not a hint of arrogance, just: ‘Here we are boys, we are nicely warmed up and we’ve got a job to do – let’s get cracking.’
Knock-ons, chasing, smothers, tackles, awareness combined with consummate skill.
Nearly faultless football.
At times it seems that the Pies have just one collective brain and know EXACTLY were everyone is without even looking. Over the top here, an around the corner flick there, a shepherd here, a chase there. (Tony Scully was right on the money evoking the Harlem Globetrotters.)
More goals to Ash Johnson, Big Mason, Billy Frampton, Billy Elliott, Jaicos, Taylor Adams, Bobby Hill and another from Daniel McStay and it’s a 10 goal (one behind) to two goal (one behind) quarter.
Wow.
This quarter is for the highlight reel of 2023 that’s for sure.
14.2 to 5.3 half time.
Third and Fourth Quarters
Despite missing a couple of key players and injuries on the day, to their credit Freo got their act together and made a contest out of it. They lifted and showed real ticker when they could’ve easily gone home and allowed themselves to be thrashed. They didn’t and it gives a lot of heart to their supporters. They have a bit of pride for their jumper.
They even outscored us 5.4 to 4.3.
However, you felt that for all of their efforts, The Pies carefully put the cue in the rack and were just content to hold them off at arm’s length (a la JDG’s straight-arm ‘Don’t Argue’ moment) and let our second quarter do all the talking.
Reflections:
Best players? Where do I start?
The Brothers Magic continue to awe, Taylor and Elliott just go on playing their guts out, Howe, Maynard, Moore, Murphy, IQ are like the Berlin Wall in its heyday.
Crisp is perennial, Noble and McCreery just do-not-stop. The ultimate grunts.
McStay is staying I reckon, AJ was AOK.
Sidebottom has lost nothing except for a bit of match fitness, JDG a truck.
Markov, Frampton, Hill really fitting in, Lipinski still just a little below his best.
I thought that Fly’s ‘rotation’ of Mr Silky and Tom Mitchell was really smart and shows the depth of the side (thanks Graeme Wright).
Anyway, for now my votes will have to be commercial-in-confidence and we’ll have to wait for the Horsborough in October to be revealed…
Next week we play Port at Adelaide Oval and they will be smarting after their towelling up at the hands of the Blues, so watch out.
In the mean time, GO PIES!
Floreat Pica
Frank
COLLINGWOOD 4.1 14.2 16.4 18.5 (113)
FREMANTLE 3.2 5.3 7.4 10.7 (67)
GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 4, Johnson 3, McStay, Adams 2, Pendlebury, Hill, Frampton, J.Daicos, N.Daicos, Crisp, Cox
Fremantle: Treacy 3, Sturt, Jackson 2, O’Meara, Banfield, Amiss
BEST
Collingwood: N.Daicos, Adams, J.Daicos, Elliott, Moore, Crisp
Fremantle: Brayshaw, O’Meara, Erasmus, Jackson, Ryan
Crowd: 61,157
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Marvellous piece Frank. Really 3 pieces for the price of one. Just need to correct you (and Ken) on one historical fact. 1951 against South Fremantle in Bleak City was not the first time Collingwood and a Freo side met.
I only know this because I got to meet an ex Collingwood player (and renowned architect) the late Raymond Jones at a couple of Almanac functions in Perth in 2019 and 2020. East Fremantle always crow about their undefeated 1946 season. https://www.effc.com.au/the-club/history/undefeated-premiers-1946
But Raymond was always keen to point out that 3rd placed VFL club Collingwood beat them in an end of season match in Perth. Which was the start of his WA connection.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1946_WANFL_season
This wonderful Almanac piece from LazyDave chronicled some of Raymond’s extraordinary life. https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/me-mr-jones/
A more detailed obituary I found on the web details more of his life, war service and architectural achievements. https://www.taylorarchitects.com.au/Biographies/RAD%20Jones%20for%20AIA%20(WA).pdf
My memories of a couple of long chats we had are how sharp and determined he was despite being in his mid 90’s then. He had married a Perth lass and they stopped off on the boat from Melbourne on their way to further his career in London in 1953. He got a job offer and never left Perth. Chance is a wonderful thing.
He came from a modest background and only got a chance to go to Melbourne University because of his war service. He talked about riding his bike across Melbourne from lectures to Victoria Park for training. He said he was just a modest half back flanker – but the record suggests more than that.
https://forever.collingwoodfc.com.au/players/ray-a-jones/
https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/1229062/vale-ray-jones
I asked him about the greatest player he’d ever seen? “Leeter Collier” he replied quick as a flash. I tested him several times about Matthews, Carey, Ablett and Skilton – but he wouldn’t be shifted. The legendary Collingwood CHB was the greatest player to ever pull on boots in Raymond’s view.
https://australianfootball.com/players/player/albert%2B%2527leeter%2527%2Bcollier/4262
Raymond talked about coming up from Geelong as a teenager and sitting between the fence and the boundary for a VFL grand final to watch his idol. (1935 or 1936?)
They don’t make them like Raymond any more. What a man. What a life.
I’ll stop now – Collingwood under McRae are already way too likeable.
Love the history, Frank.
I was reminded of what I found on the trip Collingwood and Richmond made to Hobart in 1939.
“SATURDAY, JULY 22nd –
Footscray v. Collingwood. Members of party to bring luggage to Footscray and hand over to P. Reynolds. Players with Second Eighteen bring luggage to Victoria Park, where P. Reynolds will collect at half time. Party at Footscray assemble in training room after match.”
More here: https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/round-2-collingwood-v-richmond-an-on-it-goes/
Thanks for your comments fellas, we all love our history.
“If you don’t know your history, you don’t really know who you are.”
Thanks for the links – there’s a lot to explore here.
Go Pies!
Frank