Australian Football

A chat with Bill Strickland

Everybody in the Australian game knows 'Billy' Strickland, or 'Strick' or 'Stricky’, as his friends call him. I first clapped eyes on him when he visited Tasmania with the Carlton Club about 27 years ago. In that team were the famous Jack Baker, Tommy Leydin, Micky Whelan, George White, McKechnie, Albert and Charlie Coulson, Green, Gellatly, and others of note.

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Strickland was a very resolute defender; when the ball came to the backs he dashed for it as if its possession meant life or death to him. He captained Collingwood for some time, and when his playing days were over he did not dissociate himself from the pastime in which he had earned such distinction. His enthusiasm was as great as ever, though it flowed through another channel. W.S. turned his attention to the legislative side of the game, and in this department his manly, sportsman-like characteristics won him as much appreciation as they had done on the field.

Messrs. Strickland and Condon, coaching the New South Wales Carnival team, have worked some of their own enthusiasm into the men. After watching them instructing many of the chosen at Hampden Oval on Wednesday, Billy Strickland gave me some particulars about the Victorian representative team. It may here be mentioned that Messrs. Worrall, Banks, and Strickland selected Victoria's 1908 Carnival team. But the old Collingwood captain has been living in Sydney for two years, and though we have not the big club games of Melbourne he is still as enthusiastic as ever about the game. He has been made manager of the N.S.W team.

“I would like to say something about the three selectors themselves first,” said the old Collingwood man. “Billy Fleming captainedEssendon in the eighties and was a great player. Besides being a splendid judge of a footballer, he is one of the best sportsmen in the game, and is also on the Australasian Football Council. The genial J. J. ‘Jack’ Joyce figured in the ranks of Carlton when George Coulthard, Billy Goer, the Robertsons and Paddy Green were such stars, but Jack was better known in conjunction with the Britannia Club from which Collingwood sprang. In fact, he was one of the founders of the now famous ‘Magpies’. The third selector, Gerald Brosnan, is an old captain of Fitzroy, and was famous for his deadly accuracy in drop-kicking goals. Gerald is now secretary of the University, and acts as delegate for the Students on the League.

“Yes, I know the majority of the team chosen. It is a powerful side, but there are such a number of star players in Victoria that a second lot equal to the first could be chosen. There are some big men in the team. McNamara, Charge, Johnson, James, and Baring are giants, all six over 6ft each, weighing 13st or over. Besides Brake, of University, is a magnificent specimen to physical manhood, being tall and beautifully proportioned. He is a splendid mark and kick, and an untiring follower.

McNamara's name is so well-known that it is almost unnecessary to say anything about him. The tall St. Kildaite has broken records at both distance kicking and goal notching. He has very long arms and can pull the ball down from great heights”. He will be a draw, I remarked. “Yes, he is sure to be. Charge, Baring and Johnson are tall, as I have said, but are not built on the same liberal lines as McNamara and Brake. Charge and Baring are able to play with distinction anywhere, and Johnson is one of the finest backs in the game, his marking being a treat,

Dick Lee, of Collingwood, when in form, stands out as one of the cleverest forwards ever seen. Besides being such a prolific goalnotcher, his aerial flights after the elusiveleather border on the sensational, as the excellent portrait given in your last issue eloquently testifies. Jackson (Collingwood) and Holden (Fitzroy),the centre wings, are experts, being speedy,clever, and accurate, with either stab or longdrop-kicks. James, Grigg, Dick and Cooper are safe and reliable, being sure in the air, able to kick well, and possessing excellent judgement.

The rovers? Well, they are dandies. Heinz and Ogden are sure to delight everyone. Heinz is perhaps the cleverer, his eel-like turns and corkscrew runs often completely nonplussing opponents. Ogden, however, is more dashing, having a good turn of speed, and he is a delightful drop-kick. Green and Sloss in the high-flying category take great risks, but play the type of football that pleases the spectators. When Schmidt has a day out he is a veritable match-winner, his brilliancy being unmatched, but unfortunately his judgment is not uniformly of the soundest, for he frequently overdoes running with the ball.

Gove, Lilley, Woods, Baud and Haughton are unknown to me. They have come to the front during the two seasons I have been away from Melbourne. 'However,' said Billy, as he turned to go,'the team is well manned in all positions, possessing dashing backs, expert goal-kickers, and clinking high-marks. If they strike combination the other states will be up against it—sure! '