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Fitzroy vs Geelong
Scoreboard | Match report | Match statistics
| Round: 1 Venue: Brunswick Street Date: Sat, 17-04-1954 2:15 pm Crowd: 27,000 | |||||
| Fitzroy | 1.2.8 | 2.5.17 | 6.10.46 | 7.16.58 | C: Alan Ruthven |
| Geelong | 6.5.41 | 11.10.76 | 16.15.111 | 19.16.130 | C: Reg Hickey |
| GEEL by 33 | GEEL by 59 | GEEL by 65 | GEEL by 72 | ||
Match Report
Geelong wrecks Fitzroy
By HAROLD SHILLINGLAW
former Fitzroy centreman
Geelong, matching brilliant pace anti co- operation against Fitzroy's vigor, had an easy win at Fitzroy on Saturday. Clearly the superior side all day, Geelong's football was top grade. It indicated that the side is on the way back after its indifferent form of last year.
Early in the first term play became rugged as the Maroons used their weight in an endeavor to stop their opponents. This was Fitzroy's big mistake. Geelong, faster and not afraid to come back hard, smashed through its defence to build up a commanding lead. The Maroons were struggling from then on. In every position on the ground Geelong functioned like a smooth, efficient machine, with astonishing ease and system.
New men star
A feature of its play was the way its recruits proved themselves well up to league standard. Les Borrack, in the centre, after a quiet opening, thrashed Fitzroy's Nev Broderick to such an extent that the Maroons were forced to move him. Borrack has added "fire" to the Geelong centre line something which had always been missing. John O'Neill, roving, was under notice continually for his accurate disposal and clever play.
Another factor in Geelong's win was the improvement shown by Sharp and Herbert in the ruck. They are now playing a real "big man's" game and are giving their rover plenty of protection.
Fitzroy fell down badly in attack. Its players were either too small and were outmarked or they were too slow and were often caught in possession.
Defence fails
Its defence, always a strong fort in previous years also failed to function well. Bill Stephen, in the back pocket, was the only player to have the call over his opponents.
Geelong was quick to settle down, and with well-applied speed swung the ball for- ward. It rarely returned except to be bounced. By half-time it was well on top, leading by 76 points to 17. The second half was a re petition of the first. The Maroons offered only a token resistance, and were a very dispirited side as they left the ground.
BEST
Geelong: Sharp, Trezise Herbert, Pianto, O'Neill, Smith
Fitzroy: Stephen, Williams, Fur- ness, Ruthven, Coates, Gale
UMPIRE: Robinson
Source
Match report by Harold ShillingshawFootnotes
Title: Geelong wrecks Fitzroy.
Author: Harold Shillingshaw
Publisher: The Argus (Melbourne, Vic: 1848 - 1957)
Date: Monday, 19 April 1954, p.17
Web: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/26603767
Match stats
| Fitzroy | Match Stats | Career | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Player | K | M | H | D | G | B | HO | T | FF | FA | Age | Games | G |
| 24 | Bench, Arnie | 0 | 22y 215d | 16 | 0 | |||||||||
| 6 | Broderick, Neville | 0 | 27y 7d | 64 | 6 | |||||||||
| 2 | Coates, George | 1 | 30y 288d | 121 | 124 | |||||||||
| 11 | Davey, Colin | 0 | 21y 348d | 10 | 4 | |||||||||
| 30 | Furness, Don | 0 | 23y 159d | 54 | 16 | |||||||||
| 33 | Gale, Alan | 0 | 23y 221d | 84 | 12 | |||||||||
| 15 | Goodger, Eddie | 0 | 25y 38d | 80 | 1 | |||||||||
| 27 | Knight, Graham | 0 | 22y 349d | 2 | 0 | |||||||||
| 14 | MacGregor, Jack | 0 | 21y 214d | 31 | 7 | |||||||||
| 31 | Meehan, Tom | 0 | 28y 17d | 91 | 3 | |||||||||
| 21 | Morgan, Ron | 2 | 22y 117d | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| 5 | Ongarello, Tony | 0 | 21y 116d | 27 | 63 | |||||||||
| 3 | Pert, Brian | 0 | 18y 79d | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| 22 | Ross, Ken | 1 | 26y 233d | 90 | 19 | |||||||||
| 7 | Ruthven, Allan | 3 | 32y 0d | 205 | 414 | |||||||||
| 8 | Stephen, Bill | 0 | 26y 16d | 103 | 1 | |||||||||
| 18 | Streader, Jack | 0 | 26y 339d | 59 | 39 | |||||||||
| 29 | Wanhope, Charlie | 0 | 19y 246d | 2 | 0 | |||||||||
| 12 | Webb, Keith | 0 | 21y 17d | 3 | 1 | |||||||||
| 10 | Williams, Vin | 0 | 21y 281d | 14 | 1 | |||||||||
| Rushed | 16 | |||||||||||||
| Totals | 7 | 16 | 24y 55d | 1058 | 713 | |||||||||
| Geelong | Match Stats | Career | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Player | K | M | H | D | G | B | HO | T | FF | FA | Age | Games | G |
| 14 | Borrack, Les | 0 | 20y 357d | 3 | 1 | |||||||||
| 29 | Cameron, Ken | 0 | 20y 76d | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| 4 | Davis, Bob | 3 | 25y 309d | 106 | 92 | |||||||||
| 10 | Flanagan, Fred | 3 | 30y 20d | 140 | 121 | |||||||||
| 33 | Fulton, Terry | 0 | 24y 0d | 47 | 3 | |||||||||
| 24 | Herbert, Harry | 0 | 19y 258d | 24 | 12 | |||||||||
| 16 | Hyde, John | 0 | 24y 6d | 96 | 5 | |||||||||
| 22 | McMahon, John | 0 | 18y 134d | 5 | 0 | |||||||||
| 7 | McMaster, Bill | 0 | 24y 77d | 50 | 66 | |||||||||
| 1 | Morrison, Bruce | 0 | 30y 302d | 111 | 0 | |||||||||
| 17 | O'Neill, John | 1 | 18y 230d | 1 | 1 | |||||||||
| 6 | Pianto, Peter | 2 | 24y 143d | 54 | 63 | |||||||||
| 27 | Rayson, Noel | 2 | 20y 328d | 34 | 45 | |||||||||
| 8 | Renfrey, Russ | 0 | 30y 249d | 148 | 150 | |||||||||
| 26 | Sharp, Norm | 4 | 19y 298d | 31 | 7 | |||||||||
| 11 | Smith, Bernie | 0 | 26y 119d | 107 | 3 | |||||||||
| 28 | Trezise, Neil | 3 | 23y 68d | 77 | 108 | |||||||||
| 9 | Turner, Leo | 0 | 25y 337d | 112 | 27 | |||||||||
| 21 | Williams, Geoff | 0 | 23y 150d | 41 | 0 | |||||||||
| 25 | Worner, Bert | 1 | 24y 211d | 50 | 9 | |||||||||
| Rushed | 16 | |||||||||||||
| Totals | 19 | 16 | 23y 294d | 1238 | 713 | |||||||||
Match highlights
Brian Pert debuted for Fitzroy (V/AFL, Premiership Season, R1)John O'Neill debuted for Geelong (V/AFL, Premiership Season, R1)