Australian Football

Northcote

Boasting the nickname of the Brickfielders because of the brickworks which operated in the locality, Northcote was admitted to the VFA in 1908 but would not begin to flex its muscles until twenty years later. Between 1929 and 1936 the side was consistently successful, contesting grand finals every year bar 1935 (when it finished third) for no fewer than five flags. However, it was never able to recapture this pre-eminence, with second division premierships in 1961 and 1982 the only subsequent causes for celebration prior to the club’s going into recess after the 1987 season.

The key to Northcote’s eight years of success was an ambitious committee which recruited extremely well, attracting players of the ilk of Frank Seymour (ex-Carlton), Norm Cockram (from Fitzroy), Greg Stockdale (Essendon), Jack Woods (Fitzroy), and Bill Koop (Carlton). In addition, ruckman Percy Rowe was appointed captain-coach in 1929 after 96 VFL games with Collingwood, and he would prove a major driving force behind the club’s first three premiership wins. The Brickfielders’ breakthrough flag came in 1929 courtesy of a 15.21 (111) to 10.9 (69) challenge final victory over Port Melbourne. The Borough had earlier won the final, in a replay, by 4 points, but Northcote as minor premier benefited from the right of challenge. The Brickfielders’ best players in the 1929 success included ruckman Perce Rowe, wingman Doug Nicholls, full back Norm Cockram, and the entire half back line of Greg Stockdale, Bill Koop and Jack Woods.

After losing hard fought finals against Oakleigh by 9 points in 1930 and 3 points the following year, Northcote resumed its winning ways in 1932 with a 13.11 (89) to 8.15 (63) final defeat of Coburg. Full forward Frank Seymour, with 8.1, was best afield, with ruckman Perce Rowe, rover Bob Ross, and follower Reg Humphries also prominent.

The Brickfielders went back to back in 1933 when Coburg was vanquished to the tune of 16 points at the conclusion of the first VFA finals series played according to the Page-McIntyre system. Rover Bob Ross was Northcote’s best, and the victors also had winning rucks in the shape of Perce Rowe and Ralph Goullet, and prominent defenders in Jack Woods, Ern Hart and Len Smith.

The 1934 season saw Northcote triumph for a third successive time after an emphatic 19.16 (130) to 10.9 (69) grand final demolition of a hapless Coburg. The Brickfielders were best served by the roving duo of Alex Gray and Bob Ross, ruckman Ralph Goullet, and full forward Frank Seymour who booted 6.3. Following Perce Rowe’s departure to Fitzroy, the side was coached by Goullet. The Brickfielders’ final triumph during their halcyon phase came via a 19.6 (120) to 15.15 (105) grand final defeat of a plucky and determined Prahran side in 1936. The evergreen Bob Ross was again best afield, with George Bates performing capably at both ends of the ground, and defenders Jack Holden and Frank Ackland also doing well. Northcote was jointly coached on this occasion by Alex Gray and Jack Lyngcoln.

The Brickfielders never again came close to repeating their triumphs of the late 1920s and 1930s, although they did manage to procure those second division flags in 1961 and 1982. Just five years after the second of these triumphs, however, the club, which by this time bore the Dragons emblem, found itself unable to continue, and another important chapter in the history of suburban football in Melbourne was over.