Patriotic match a disgrace: North v. St.Kilda
The experience of Saturday afternoon when North Melbourne (premiers of the Association) met St. Kilda (one of the League teams) on the St. Kilda Cricket Ground, should cause both the Association and the League to pause before again sanctioning a game between teams from the two bodies. There were all the ingredients for a good exhibition of football. North Melbourne were keen to show that they are worthy of being included in the League; St. Kilda equally anxious to win, lest other League clubs should jeer at them for not being equal to an Association team. The match, being played for patriotic purposes; that is to say the whole of the proceeds were to be devoted to Lady Stanley’s Fund for Australian Wounded Soldiers. The financial side of it was the only one that was satisfactory; as an exhibition of football it was a disgrace, and one wondered how men who were playing for a most worthy object could give such an exhibition of temper and spite.
It was an inspiriting sight to see the embankments well filled with a crowd of between 9,000 and 10,000 people, and it was highly satisfactory to learn that £239/10/ had been taken at the gates, and that a further sum of £15/3/3 had been contributed by members, at the members' gate, making a total of £254/13/3. The whole of this amount will be handed over to the fund, for the members of the St Kilda committee defrayed the incidental expenses, and all the official, players, and ground men gave their services free.
Long before the teams came out it was evident that there was some bitterness for St. Kilda resented the inclusion in the North Melbourne team of Hoare (Essendon), Alley (Williamstown), and Walton (Port Melbourne). North Melbourne explained that the absence of Wells, Dick, Clarke (ill or injured), Carpenter (disqualified), and Hopkins and Smith (detained at camp), had exhausted their reserves, but St. Kilda pointed out that they too, had had to fill vacancies, and had done so with juniors or old players. The St. Kilda people objected to the introduction of three picked men, but they could do no more than protest, and eventually gave way.
It had been arranged that Boyle (League) and Hurley (Association) should have charge of the game as field umpires, in alternate quarters, and Boyle took the first term. He certainly made some pretence of taking charge of the game, but Hurley let things go altogether, and players did almost as they liked. From first to last the match was played with a bitterness that was highly discreditable. The supporters of each side blamed the other, but, as far as I could see there was not much to choose; each was distinctly culpable. There were many men of course, who played pure football but there were several who brought their clubs into disrepute, and themselves into disfavour. There were innumerable instances of deliberate roughness. I have not seen so much punching in a game for years, and altogether most of the spectators, and many of the players, were heartily sick of it long before it was over, and their greatest pleasure was when the final bell rung.
On the play North Melbourne were the better side, and they won comfortably, but there was not enough football to be able to arrive at a conclusion as to how they surpassed their opponents. The Association supporters were highly delighted at the victory of their champions. In the North Melbourne dressing room, at the conclusion of the match there was a scene of enthusiasm, and speeches were made by Messrs. J. H. Dennis (chairman of the permit and umpire committee) and T. J. Evans (secretary) on behalf of the Association), and Messrs. J. H. Gardiner (delegate). S. Barker (captain), and C. Hardy (vice-captain), on behalf of North Melbourne. Mr. Dennis congratulated North Melbourne, and said, ‘The team had given the Association the biggest advertisement it had ever had.’ It is doubtful, however, if the advertisement was of the right kind.
The inclusion of three ‘foreign’ players certainly deprived North Melbourne as a club of much of the credit of the victory, and as an exhibition of football even the best friends of the Association would not care to have it judged by the standard set on Saturday. The game between Footscray and Brunswick, on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on August 5, 1911, is remembered to this day as one of the best exhibitions of football ever seen in Melbourne. Saturday's game, will, it is hoped, be speedily forgotten as the worst.
In the circumstances a description of the play would be out of place. It may be mentioned in passing that one of the spectators was Mr. Val. Quirk, the well known boxing referee. He must at times have wondered whether he was not at the Stadium instead of the St. Kilda Cricket ground.
North Melbourne led all through, and the final scores fairly reflect the merits of the teams. They were:
North Melbourne: 8 goals, 9 behinds (57 points). St. Kilda: 4 goals, 7 behinds (31 points).
Everyone on the ground was delighted with the play of C. Hardy, the North Melbourne rover, his dash and skill being loudly applauded. The little chap’s pluck was fully tested often, and it stood every test, but he left the field with a cut over his eye. S. Barker, the North Melbourne captain was also a notable figure not only for the persistence with which he followed all day, but for his fairness. In this connection it may be mentioned that the struggles between Barker and Cumberland in the ruck were always interesting, and neither had the slightest cause of complaint against the other. Each was scrupulously fair. Cornall’s pace on the wing stood him in good stead against Bowden, but Cave on the other was no match for Collins. Rawle and Condon may also be specially mentioned. Alley was the best of the ‘imported’ players.
On the St, Kilda side Cubbins, the sixteen-year-old boy, played slashing football in defence. James roved very cleverly, Collins was brilliant on the wing, Cazaly was good in the centre, Balme, Hattam, Ellis, and Eicke a defended well, and Dangerfield did good work.
Footnotes
Title: Patriotic match. North Melbourne v. St. Kilda. A disgraceful game. Author: Reg Wilmott (‘Old Boy’) Publisher: The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria, 1848 - 1956) Date: Monday 16 August 1915, p.11 (Article) Web: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/1549335?#pstart388667
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