Australian Football

Carlton recruited Fred Stafford from Northcote and he went on to play some useful football for the Blues without ever quite becoming a regular senior player. Nevertheless, he played 102 VFL games and kicked 68 goals for the club between 1947 and 1952 and is particularly well remembered for one captivating incident in his career. The incident in question occurred right at the end of the 1947 VFL grand final between Carlton and Essendon with the Bombers in the lead by 5 points. Stafford, who had hardly been sighted all afternoon, raced in to snatch up the ball after it had cleared a pack of players some twenty-five metres from Carlton’s goal. He just had time to turn and fire off a left-footed snap shot which sailed through for full points. It was the last score of the game, leaving the Blues victors by the narrowest of margins.

Author - John Devaney