The old dark navy blues
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"Come on, the Blues!", has been the rallying cry of Carlton from the earliest days of Australian football. Established in 1864, "the Blues" have had more ups and downs perhaps than any other club. There have been times when Carlton has been preeminent, at others they have trailed at the end of the premiership list, so weak that there was none to do them honour. In fact, to quote an old saying about the little boy, "when they were good they were very good; when they were bad, they were horrid."
But, up or down, the same spirit of strong resolve has permeated the club, and no club has had more loyal supporters, more lion-hearted enthusiasts, or more courageous representatives.
Goal posts were first erected for Carlton in the Picnic Reserve in Madeline St., and then in 1876 the club moved to the University paddock, where Newman College now stands. Is it any wonder that Father Murphy, the rector of Newman, should be an enthusiastic Carltonian. For many years, however, Carlton's "home ground" was the Melbourne Cricket-ground, which it shared with the Melbourne team.
For years the old Carlton diehards, headed by George Robertson, had been agitating for a ground in Princes Park, and in 1896 the present site of 10 acres was granted under the joint trustee ship of the Carlton Cricket and Football Clubs, and managed by a ground committee upon which the two clubs have equal representation with an independent chairman appointed by the Government. The first League match played on the ground was between Collingwood and Carlton on June 22, 1897. Since then extensive improvements have been effected. Grandstands have been built and high banks have been erected. The ground today, with the exception of the Melbourne Cricket-ground, has no superior in its accommodation for the public. The playing area is unsurpassed.
Melbourne and Carlton are the oldest rivals, and for many years the premiership was decided on the result of the matches between them. No matter how each club fared against other opponents, it was the match between the "Reds" and the "Blues" which counted.
The game owes much to Carlton, for it was a Carlton secretary, the late Tom Power, who gathered together the early records, and his annual publication the "Footballer," which flourished from 1875 to 1882, which did so much to preserve the history in the years when the game was in the making. There were some bright, descriptive writers in those days, and I have spent many amusing evenings reading some of the stories of the matches and their description of the players. Just look at this introduction to the first Carlton v. Melbourne, on June 10, 1876:
"After the rough play of the previous Saturday, when Carlton and the Albert Park played at ‘pitch and toss’, it was a relief to wend one's way to Royal Park, where the match of the season was to take place. For, after all, the excitement does not culminate till the Dark Blue and the Red meet to try conclusions. The immense number of spectators (over 10,000) that assembled on this occasion testified to the all-absorbing interest in the game, and though the few policemen who were patrolled to keep the ground, albeit doing their best, were totally inadequate to meet the requirements of the case; all things considered, the onlookers behaved themselves better than could reasonably have been expected."
And here is a short extract from the the report:
"Guy makes his first venture, but McDonald knows too much for him, and with a firm grasp effectually puts a stopper on whatever the veteran may have meditated." And here is another:
"An exchange of brilliant marks here took place, Sillett, McGill, and Nudd doing the honours, the latter sending the ball into the goal-keeper's hands in the centre of the goal, a splendid kick. That functionary dashed out with his charge, but, being intercepted before he could kick, a desperate struggle took place, and gradually the Melbourne men worked the ball away from such dangerous proximity until George Robertson marked and sent the missile behind."
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These are just a few of the names chosen at random. There were many Carlton heroes in those days. Harry Wilson (possesses all the qualifications that make a sterling and brilliant footballer), Lanty O'Brien, Jack Gardiner (a noted captain whose son Vin later upheld the family name as a star forward), Barney Murphy, Harry Nudd (a famous long kick), Sam Bloomfield (from Essendon), Joey Tankard (from North Melbourne), Jack Conway (the manager of the first Australian [cricket] eleven), and H. F. Boyle (a member of that cricket team, as well as Tom Kendall, the left-hand bowler), Jack Donovan, and Jack Baker from Geelong. The real veterans say that George Coulthard was the best player the game has produced, not excluding the immortal Albert Thurgood, of Essendon, to my mind the champion of all time.
Carlton had three great years in 1873, 1874, and 1875, and another in 1877, the premiership being won each year. It was a long while—10 years to be exact—before the premiership went to Carlton again. What a grand side that 1887 team was. The only defeat it sustained in that year was at Geelong. Its best players were Jack Baker, to whom I have already referred, "Dolly" Batters, Sam Bloomfield, Archie Berry, Mick Whelan, Tom Leydin (the captain), Billy Strickland (vice-captain), George Cook, Andy Coulson, J. Green, Wally McKechnie, and Dick Galletly. It was a great all round team, led by Tom Leydin.
For many years Carlton was strong, but not strong enough to win the premiership. South Melbourne for three years and Essendon for four years each had a long run of success, and then Carlton fell on evil days. It had many fine players in that period, including Gib Currie, from Williamstown; Jigger Moorehouse, from St. Kilda; Alf Spedding, from Brighton; Danny Hutchinson, Ned Sutton, a great full-back; Ernie Walton, Peter Williams, Jack Lorraine, G. White, George Williams, Charlie Coulson, Billy Woodhouse, Tom Blake, Jack Roberts, Charlie Curtis, a brother of the Collingwood president, and one of four of the family who played for Carlton; Pat O’Dea, J. Pender, A. Morrison, from North Melbourne; "Dido" Considine, A. and H. Thompson, Billy Monagle, Billy Stuckey Charlie Rolands, and Pompey Elliott.
The tide turned for Carlton in 1902, but it took time to rebuild. Jack Worrall was appointed manager, and he set to work to reorganise the side. Joe and Harry McShane had come from Geelong, and the team steadily developed. In 1903 it lost the final to Collingwood, who kicked 4-3 to 3-5. Mick Grace, usually a most accurate kick for goal, had transferred from Fitzroy, and when he had a mark right in front, 20 yards away, a Carlton victory seemed assured, but he missed. In that team were several who later became famous. "Shooter" Ford in the centre, with George Bruce on one wing and Charlie Rolands on the other, made an invincible centreline, and ‘Pompey’ Elliott, Archie Snell, Jim Flynn (a later captain), Mick Grace, Henry McShane, L. Lithgow, A. Trimin, and others, made up a great side.
There were, unfortunately, internal troubles in 1904, and the team was hampered, but these were straightened out. Again the side failed in the final match. Ted Kennedy had transferred from Essendon as a wing man, and George Topping, Bob Boyd (in the centre), and Joe McShane had strengthened the team. The 1905 team saw a number of new faces: "Mallee" Johnson, Charlie Hammond, Rod McGregor (perhaps the best centreman who ever played), Frank Caine, and Billy Payne. In 1906 the work of Jack Worrall was rewarded, and for the first time for 19 years Carlton won the premiership. In addition to those I have mentioned the side included such champions or prospective champions as Jim Marchbank, Martin Gotz, Les Beck, Doug Gillespie, Fred Jenks, Alex "Bongo" Lang, and Norman ‘Hackenschmidt’ Clark. It was a wonderful combination, with great defenders in Payne, Clark, Beck, and Gillespie. Bruce, McGregor, and Kennedy formed the best centreline of the League. Mick Grace, "Silver" Caine, George Topping, and Jim Marchbank (forward), Mallee Johnson, Pompey Elliott, Charlie Hammond, Jim Flynn (the captain), and Bongo Lang were a strong ruck, and played well in a place; and Archie Snell excelled roving, and there was a good supply of spare parts.
The same team practically represented Carlton in the next two years. The side so admirably led by Jim Flynn beat South Melbourne in the final, and Mallee Johnson was declared by "The Australasian" to be the champion player of the year, with George Bruce as the best wing man. A newcomer to the team was Harvey Kelly. Jim Flynn had dropped out half-way through the season, and Pompey Elliott led the side until the finals, when Flynn returned. In 1908 Carlton still pre vailed, and once again Flynn was captain in the finals. He was an inspiring leader, and a great football personality.
Dissension from within was the means of losing the premiership in 1909, Jack Worrall resigned as manager, and the side lost its driving force. A newcomer that year was Jack Bacquie, and once again Carlton had the champion of the season in Bongo Lang. The following year was remarkable, for after having the premiership practically won the committee dispensed with the services of several players and the team was again second—a notable new man that year was Jack Wells, from St. Kilda; but the loss of players like Bruce, Hammond, Johnson, Kelly, Caine, Beck, Kennedy, and Lang was a serious blow.
Even with such losses the team kept near the front, and gradually worked up to something like its former strength. We see new names appearing in the dark blue uniform. Among those were Ernie Jamieson, Billy Dick, V. G. Valentine (a particularly good rover), Wilson, and Hughes. Vin Gardiner had become the leading goal-kicker in the State, and the co-operation between him and Rod McGregor was remarkable.
By 1912 the team had reached the position of runner up, and George Challis, H. Haughton, Dick Johnson, Gordon Green, and G. Stewart had made names for themselves. The year 1913 was disastrous, for the side met with accident and illness, and dropped to sixth place. Fully manned, the team might have been strong, but it had to be changed too frequently. A new man that year was Alf Baud, a later captain, who is a regular attendant at matches nowadays.
Suddenly the team regained its strength, and in 1914 won the premiership with an excellent team led by Billy Dick, who was captain for four years, with Charlie Fisher, H. Burleigh, Paddy O'Brien, Andy McDonald, Charlie Hammond, Charlie Canet, Percy Daykin, and S. Leehane, now a well-known bowler, its bright lights. The success was repeated in 1915.
Then came the war restrictions, and for three years only four clubs Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood, and Richmond competed. The Australasian and The Argus strenuously opposed premiership matches in war time, and, as a result, Melbourne, Essendon, Geelong, South Melbourne, and St. Kilda suspended operations. The view of the clubs that carried on was that the game should go on in order to keep men fit. Now [1940], alas, we have reached the same state of affairs as in 1916, and it may be necessary to curtail football again. The Australian National Football Council has already cancelled its carnival to have been held in Hobart in August.
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After the war new names appeared. Lisle Downs had become brilliant, and Newton Chandler, a dashing wingman, afterwards secretary; Frank Martin, Horrie Clover, one of the best who ever wore the colours, and A. Boromeo appeared, but Rod McGregor after many years of valuable service retired. Then in quick succession the club produced many high class players, such as Rupert Hiskins, Stewart McLatchie, Jack Greenhill, Maurie Beasy, Alex Duncan, Ray Brew, J. Watson, a dashing full back; H. Blackmore; Harold Rumney, who, however, did not show his beet form till he played with Collingwood; Joe Kelly, now coach at Footscray; Harry ‘Soapy’ Vallence, a great goal-kicker, now with Williamstown; Tommy Downs, the plucky little fellow who was always in trouble, but was often more sinned against than sinning; "Moccha" Johnson, Jimmy Goonan, coach of the second 18; Fred Gilby, Harvey Dunn, Charlie Davey, Colin Martyn, Charlie Parsons, Frank Gill, still a splendid full back; Alex Doyle, Ansell Clark, the St. Kilda coach; Jack Green, Eric Huxtable, a dashing half-back; Mickey Crisp, and Ron Cooper, still going strong, and so many more.
As one looks back over the years, one is impelled to think that, with its long array of splendid players, Carlton should have won more premierships; but while individual effort has counted for much, there has never been that close co-operation which is so essential in winning the pennant. Still, Carlton has been, and is, a great club, and it has always been strong and forcible in its play, though never achieving success commensurate with its ability.
I have given many names, and as I have been writing them almost every one has recalled some incident. If it has done so to me, I hope it will to you who read.
Footnotes
Title: CARLTON'S COURAGEOUS CAREER
Author: Old Boy
Publisher: The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic: 1864-1946
Date: Saturday 25 May 1940, p.14 (Article)
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