Hooroo hoodoo
What follows is a Footscray/Western Bulldogs side of note. The team, from the backline, is as follows:
B: | Ian Bryant (7) | Herb Henderson (4) | Dave Bryden (5) |
HB: | Ray Walker (3) | David Darcy (7) | John Jillard (10) |
C: | Dick Wearmouth (6) | Terry Wallace (3) | Simon Atkins (6) |
HF: | Alan Mannix (4) | Kelvin Templeton (3) | Graham Ion (5) |
F: | Don McKenzie (7) | Ray Baxter (5) | Charlie Sutton (9) |
Foll: | John Schultz (9) | Ian Dunstan (5) | Tony McGuiness (4) |
Res: | Dale Morris (4) | Merv Hobbs (2) |
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A pretty good combination I’m sure you’d agree. Add EJ, Peter Box, Jack Collins and Wally Donald and you’d be ready to take on anyone. The honours amassed by the squad is impressive. Eight won the clubs Best and Fairest award - 16 wins in total - three are Brownlow Medallists and Kelvin Templeton grabbed two Coleman Medals in the late 70s. Four of the squad – Henderson, Jillard, Schultz and Templeton were named in the Footscray/Western Bulldogs “Team of the century” in 2003.
And the significance of the numbers in parentheses next to the players?
It represents the number of times that player took the field for the Scraggers at the home of the Geelong Football Club, Kardinia Park. Sadly, it also corresponds with the number of losses that player experienced at the venue while sporting the team's Tri-colours¹.
The “Cattery” has never been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Footscray Football Club, the 70 kilometre return journey along the Highway has more often than not proved to be a tortuous one for players and supporters alike. It’s staged 54 Cat & Dog skirmishes, (1941-2014 inclusive) since Geelong shifted its home matches there from its former abode, Corio Oval with the Bullies experiencing the thrill of victory on just 13 occasions. A draw on the opening day of the 1957 season was the closest the potential additions I offered to the “Best of” team above (Whitten snr, Box, Collins and Donald) came to a win there. Surprisingly Footscray prevailed in their first three visits to Kardinia Park. However the final leg of the trifecta, a 13.19-97 to 11.14-80 triumph on Saturday 14 July 1945 would be the last time they would depart the Moorabool Street venue with the four premiership points for more than a generation. This essay re-visits the lead-up to, and the eventual drought breaking victory, enjoyed by the boys of the Bulldog breed. The day they blew their Barwon blues to bits.
Where were you in ’72?
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A pall is cast over the XX Olympiad in Munich when 11 members of the Israeli team are slaughtered by the Black September terrorist group. The film adaptation of Mario Puzo’s best-selling novel The Godfather is released in cinema’s worldwide. The consequences of a bungled break in at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate building in Washington will lead to the 37th President of the United States, Richard Milhous Nixon, resigning his post in disgrace two years later. Australian television, still transmitting in black & white, “loses its virginity” with the debut of Number 96 in March. In Federal politics Edward Gough Whitlam’s Labor Party takes office for the first time since 1949, on the back of the infectious It’s Time campaign. Deputy leader of the Liberal Party Phillip Lynch will begrudgingly describe the slogan as “The brightest, most bouncing baby ever conceived and brought forth within the marriage of advertising and politics” – high praise indeed.
Four Victorian Football League clubs take the field under the direction of new coaches. After seven seasons in charge at Carlton, and a mere twelve months after masterminding the miracle comeback in the 1970 Grand Final, Ron Barassi departs Princes Park. The Blues appoint John Nichols as Captain/Coach. Collingwood is linked to the other three changes. The inspirational Desmond Vincent Tuddenham abandons the Black & White stripes to assume the role of on-field general at Essendon. Bob Rose resigns as senior coach of the Magpies following a disappointing “one and done” finals exit. He’s replaced by 1954 Copeland Trophy winner Neil Mann. Rose resurfaced in Melbourne’s western suburbs replacing Ted Whitten as boss of the Bulldogs following a parting of the ways between Footscray and its favourite son.
Come mid-May the quartet of sides under new management had reason to feel optimistic about qualifying for the finals, more so considering the VFL had increased the number of invitations to its end of season party from four to five. A draw with the Maggies and a narrow loss to Richmond were the only blemishes on Big Nick's record as head honcho at Carlton. Des Tuddenham had re-invigorated a moribund Essendon, the ‘Dons taking four of their opening six contests to sit comfortably inside the top bracket. Collingwood’s two wins, one draw, three defeat start was a little misleading, the aggregate of its three losses a measly 29 points. A healthy percentage of 123.8 would augur well for the Pies as the home and away season wore on.
The Bob Rose era at the Western Oval started disastrously when the Scraggers dropped its Easter Monday clash to Essendon by 10 goals. Three wins from their next five encounters gave its success starved supporters hope of better days ahead. But a quick perusal of the draw would’ve tempered any satisfaction the faithful Footscray fans felt. In fact when those diehards considered the following fortnight’s commitments they would’ve commenced a search of the medicine cabinet for the antacids. Their first task would necessitate a trip to Geelong to take on a struggling local outfit, followed by a visit to Victoria Park and a homecoming of sorts for their new mentor. The ‘Scrays' inability to get results at either of these two venues since the WWII ceasefire (five wins and a draw from 46 contests) was legendary, but if Bob’s Bulldogs wanted to be taken as a serious September threat, it was, as the nation would be reminded for the remainder of the year, time for a change.
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The Doggies couldn’t have wished for a better time to tackle the tabbies, Geelong’s 0-6 start their worst opening to a season since 1944 when they dropped their first 13 contests. The big football story bubbling away in the “Pivot” would focus on the cities representative in the second division of the Victorian Football Association (VFA), Geelong West. Relegated from the VFA’s top tier at the completion of the previous home and away season, West set about reclaiming their place amongst the competitions elite by appointing local legend Billy Goggin as playing coach for 1972. Goggin, a 248-game, dual best and fairest winner & member of the Cats most recent flag in 1963 didn’t disappoint. The Roosters perfect “20 from 20” season would culminate with a nail-biting six point victory (14.16-100 to 14.10-94) over Tony Jewell’s Caulfield in the Second Division Grand Final in front of 10,000 fans at Toorak Park.
Rather than take an axe to the side that was comfortably beaten by Carlton the previous Saturday, Geelong didn’t panic making just two changes to the squad for its round 7 showdown with the ‘Scray. Illness had rendered Wayne Closter unavailable and Gareth Andrews was dropped to the reserve bench, the experienced pair replaced by Terry Farman and John “Sammy” Newman. Footscray welcomed “Wee” Georgie Bisset back from injury and promoted Graeme Austin. Former skipper Stuart Magee was suffering broken ribs and couldn’t be considered. Charlie Pagnoccolo, the competitions Recruit of the Year two seasons earlier, would start the afternoon on the pine.
The prognostications of Melbourne’s Fourth Estate suggested a close battle would follow. Melbourne Herald football scribe John Craven commenced his Friday evening preview “Breakthrough for Bulldogs” – thus:
Hoodoos are made to be broken and Footscray should shatter their 27 year old one against Geelong, at Geelong, tomorrow.
The veteran scribe was far from convinced the result was beyond doubt and suggested anyone willing to punt the Dogs did so at their own peril:
You never know with the Bulldogs who often lack the persistence of their namesake.
Down on the corner of Lonsdale and Spencer Streets Percy Beams threw his lot in with the Pussycats, his Saturday morning Age piece forecasting joy for the hosts:
Footscray has not won at Geelong for 27 years and is unlikely (today) to break that run of outs.
Despite its abysmal record Geelong could always count on the support of the local press. The Advertiser’s match day edition detected a change of luck for their lads – Geelong has chance to break through – predicting the Cats to break the ice because:
With the exception of South Melbourne, Footscray is the first “low ladder” side Geelong has met.
And so to the game.
The hosts took the first honours of the afternoon when Doug Wade won the coin toss and chose to kick with the gentle zephyr favouring the Barwon River end of the stadium. The Dogs were forced to make a late change to their run-on side having lost the services of the dashing Stephen Power on the morning of the match. Pagnoccolo was inserted into the starting line-up and Bruce Neish received a last minute call to take the vacant 20th man spot.
1st Quarter
The Bulldogs were first out the blocks, quick goals to Les Bartlett and Don Brown would’ve helped settle any nerves coach, players, or for that matter supporters, might’ve experienced. Ian “Bluey” Hampshire, a future coach of the Bulldogs, controlled the early exchanges in the big man department beating highly rated opponents Gary Dempsey & Barry Round. He combined superbly with the Geelong on ballers to provide key forwards Wade and Bill Ryan plenty of supply. Unfortunately they didn’t capitalise, converting just two (a goal apiece) of their six attempts. But for those wasted opportunities the home team’s margin would’ve been healthier than the sixteen point gap they’d established at the end of the first term. At Quarter Time Geelong 4.8-32 lead Footscray 2.4-16.
2nd Quarter
An early major to Wade pushed the lead to 22 points and whilst the Bulldog defence managed to quell the influence of both he and Ryan for the remainder of the term Ken Newland picked up the slack with a brace of six-pointers. Faced with the bleak prospect of being out of contention by half time the experienced trio of Dempsey, David Thorpe and Bernie Quinlan started to exert their authority, Thorpe in particular a damaging force across the vast expanses of the competitions most South Western venue. Bartlett’s second goal of the afternoon was quickly followed by another from rookie wingman Denis Collins and when Quinlan added his name to the scoresheet the difference between the sides had been reduced to a mere ten points. With time-on looming Geelong College alumnus and reigning Best and Fairest winner David Clarke restored the Cats quarter time margin. When the players left the field for a half time breather, Geelong 8.8-56 lead Footscray 5.10-40
3rd Quarter
The Cats took complete control of the game early in the “premiership quarter” but as was the case in the first half the team attacking the River end of the ground suffered from a bout of the goal kicking yips. Of their first five attempts of the term, only Doug Stephenson, a second term replacement for the injured Geoff Ainsworth, managed to succeed. Ryan kicked truly to put his side 33 points clear mid-way through the period and it appeared Footscray would have to wait at least another year to end the “Kardinia Curse”. Three consecutive majors from Thorpe, Quinlan and Bisset stopped the rot. The heart was beating, faintly, and the Doggies were far from buried. David Barkley, as impressive as any first year player across the opening month and a half of season ’72, goaled just before the siren. The locals would’ve sensed a long sought after victory was within reach. At three quarter time: Geelong 11.15-81 lead Footscray 8.12-60.
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Bob Rose won on four of his six visits to Geelong as a player and whilst he possessed an imposing 2 wins for every three games played ratio as a coach, Collingwood’s eight point triumph on Anzac Day 1970 was the only time he’d enjoyed a win from the six afternoons he’d spent in the opposition coach’s box at Kardinia Park. Now, with his new employer desperate to end the perpetual punishment from the Pussies, the pressure was on the 43 year old to work some magic during his final address to the players.
4th Quarter
Needing to hit the scoreboard harder than they had over the first hour and a half Rose moved Peter Welsh to full forward and swung Ian Salmon onto Bill Ryan. Ryan had gotten the better of Welsh and if not for the inaccuracy of both he and Wade in front of goal the result of the match would’ve already been determined. Rose switched the creative Don Brown into the centre and, having replaced Pagnoccolo during the third quarter with Ken Greenwood, he cleared the bench swapping Bill Godridge with Bruce Neish. Neish was making his Doggie debut having spent the previous two campaigns at Essendon.
Their coach having done all he could, it was now up to the Footscray players to create history.
Newland’s third goal for the day pushed the margin to just under five goals. Any desperado keen to punt their “hard earned” on the Bullies could’ve written their own ticket. McMaster was forced to make his final change when an ankle injury ended Newman’s afternoon, necessitating Gareth Andrews entering proceedings. Footscray sprang to life, six-pointers to Quinlan, Round and Bisset in quick succession reduced the match to a two-score contest. What followed was the most entertaining stanza of football seen all day with the teams trading goals, and when Barkley slotted his third, the Cats were 15 points clear and looked safe. Or so it seemed.
Dog(s) gone? Not yet!
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Peter John Welsh arrived at the Western Oval via Footscray District Football League club F&Y Socials and made his senior VFL debut in June 1968, a week before his 17th birthday. Prior to lowering his colours to Bill Ryan that afternoon, “Spider” had been the Dogs' best performed defender over the first half dozen games of the 1972 season. His efforts were all the more meritorious considering he (along with team mate Bernie Quinlan) had received their “call up” for National Service earlier that year thus disrupting their regular training schedule. Bob Rose’s decision to move Welsh up forward appeared to be one of sheer desperation. Welsh’s first 62 senior appearances had seen him snag a mere 11 goals, his best effort in a single game (three) coming against Melbourne two years earlier. With time ebbing away and his side in desperate need of quick goals, fate stepped in and tapped the second generation Bulldog (his father Jack played 29 games for the club from 1945-49), across his broad shoulders.
Welsh’s first goal reduced the margin to a kick and a half, Bisset’s second major for the quarter and third for the game moved the Bulldogs within striking distance. Entering time-on Welsh marked strongly 45 metres out on a 45 degree angle. The ensuing shot was straight and true. Goal. Advantage Footscray. In the remaining moments Bob Cockerell had a couple of opportunities to seal victory. He fluffed both shots but it didn’t matter. Seconds later the wait was over, the final siren signalling a red (white & blue) letter day for the boys from Barkly Street.
Final Score: Footscray 16.15-111 defeated Geelong 15.18-108.
Match Details
BEST
Footscray: Brown, Quinlan, Thorpe, Bisset
Geelong: Hampshire, Newland, Ryan, Ian Nankervis
GOALS
Footscray: Quinlan 5; Bisset 3; Welsh, Bartlett 2, Brown, Collins, Round
Geelong: Barkley, Newland, Ryan 3; Clarke, Wade 2; Ian Nankervis, Stephenson
Attendance: 16,836
The Bulldogs barnstorming eight-goal (three-behind) final term was the clubs second highest scoring quarter at Kardinia Park, bettered only by its efforts in the second term of the Round eight, 1941 clash. On that afternoon Norm Ware’s men piled on eight goals five behinds to set up a 13.15-93 to 10.18-78 win. It was the clubs first appointment at Geelong’s new home stadium.
Just as the predictions had been split, so to were the reviews of the weekend clash. The Geelong Advertiser’s Monday morning wrap of the match – “Cats so close to victory” - understandably felt the local lads were unlucky not to break their season duck. Unlike the football team whose fortunes it covered so intimately, it never let a chance slip, taking a swipe at its conquerors of the previous weekend:
“For a side aspiring to make the finals Footscray’s performance wouldn’t have pleased its coach, Bob Rose, although it did win the points”
In his regular column for the Mail, the weekly publication that serviced Footscray and surrounding suburbs, David Withington left fellow Westies in no doubt who he believed should take the kudos for the once in a generationsuccess of the previous Saturday:
The Mail – Wednesday 17 May 1972
Take a bow Rosie, it was your guile that did it - “There is no doubt that Footscray’s win over the helpless Cats, who looked the better side for three quarters, was achieved from the coach’s box”
Ding, dong, the witch is dead. With one hoodoo buried, the Dogs now turned their attention to the following Saturday’s appointment at Abbotsford. What chance the prodigal conjuring up a little magic to leave his former team a crimson complexion? Time would tell.
Footnotes
1. Terry Wallace and Kelvin Templeton did manage to be part of winning combinations at Kardinia Park, Wallace with his original club Hawthorn, Templeton with his second VFL team Melbourne.
Comments
Peter Feehan 17 March 2015
Great work Mic, Big 'spider'Welsh played some big games when switched to CHF. You seemed a little taken aback at the Geelong Advertiser review. I'm shocked that the scraggers even got a mention by the sheep shaggers!
Leigh Middlin 31 March 2015
Tremendous as always, Mic. My sister can well & truly attest that it's a miracle the Dogs were even acknowledged by The Addy. Glad to see that David Thorpe has his own tag on articles now too!
John Gardner 6 July 2015
Great story , each article from footys past is like a glimpse back in time , some great names there . Reminds me of Saturday arvo's sitting in fontof the transistor listening to Radio 3LO , Doug Bigelow , Wright , .....it seemed better back then.
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