Hafey Era Finals

[bricci]

I was at that match with my older brother and my Dad close to goals at the eastern end of Princes Park. Billy was electric, unstoppable.
Billy did kick 8 goals and we won but we were also depending on Geelong beating Hawthorn at Kardinia Park to knock the hawks out of the finals. I think it was Doug wade kicked a late goal and they won by a few points. A big cheer went around the ground for no apparent reason when he kicked it because the Richmond supporters were listening to that game on their radios!
in a cruel twist of fate for Geelong we displaced the hawks and beat Geelong by over 100 points in the semi final 2 weeks later.

I was probably there too but only 4 years old, so no recollection. My dad had a bet with a workmate on that semi final - 20 cents a point -Over $23 he won, I think weekly wages were under $100 at the time!

 

[bricci]

I have been looking for footage of the 1969 1st Semi for years, have never found it.

Only recently discovered that footage of the 1969 Prelim. Only second and third quarters but great stuff. Looked like it might have been ABC footage too given the tone of the commentary. There was another game I saw recently, I think it was the 1971 Prelim, which I hadn't seen any of before. Just as an aside, if you think the 1989 Grand Final was brutal, check out the 1971 Grand Final, it was rough.

I actually found holding the ball less confusing back then.

At least they paid holding the man. Notice how careful they were back then not to grab a player who was not in possession of the ball, the adjudication of that rule has changed so much. What they are doing now is way more confusing as you get away with a fair bit of holding on to players without the ball, but where the line is drawn is far less clear cut? I understand rewarding the tackler but it has now got to the point where players don't want to get the ball and that is fundamentally wrong.

They didn't throw it up quick - they bounced it quick. One really noticeable thing is that there was no waiting for the ruck to turn up, if they were 30 yards behind play then someone else had to pitch in and ruck.

This may not be popular, but Dusty is still catching up to KB. He was instrumental in 5 premierships. Dusty rips a game apart in a way KB wasn't capable of, but KB was amazing. Ran all day, always where the ball was, and kicked a heap of goals in finals. Truly amazing finals player.

I have been watching a lot of old finals of late, as I do when we make the finals. Geez, watching full length quarters is just magic, so much better than the shortened quarters we are currently putting up with. Back to full length quarters next year please, really don't like the idea that they are going to go for 18 minutes plus time on, it sucks.

DS

Most of the finals are on youtube (full length). I agree 100% about the full length quarters!

 

[DavidSSS]

Most of the finals are on youtube (full length). I agree 100% about the full length quarters!

Lots are missing, I don't think footage exists. The ABC was saying a few weeks ago they found their footage of the 1970 Grand Final but I'm not sure they have put it up anywhere.

There must be more to find but clearly a lot has been lost or destroyed.

DS

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

yes, he played for the Tigers in late 50's, early 60's - no senior games. His twin brother played a couple of games.

Ha, think I used to play cricket with your brother and vaguely remember the family being Richmond supporters. A good man, your dad.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

Lots are missing, I don't think footage exists. The ABC was saying a few weeks ago they found their footage of the 1970 Grand Final but I'm not sure they have put it up anywhere.

There must be more to find but clearly a lot has been lost or destroyed.

They found Channel 9 commentary and a colour documentary of 1970 but said similar material didn't appear to exist for other grand finals of the era.

A new perspective on the greatest of Grand Finals | Footyology

footyology.com.au

 

[DavidSSS]

Wow, colour footage of 1970, goes with the colour footage of 1969 which has been around for ages.

Will have to watch that.

DS

 

[Bernie]

My dad said that 1969 was his best. In the round 19 game against Carlton at Princess Park; Richmond trailed by 3 goals or so all day. Barrott was switched to full-forward and Eric Moore into the centre (a popular move Ereof Hafey's). Barrott ran riot and kicked 6 in the last quarter and 8 straight for the match. The Tigers would have missed the finals if they dropped this one. He was widely regarded as BOG in the GF in 1969 in the days before the Norm Smith Medal. He was the best drop kick in the game but could also kick a great torpedo as evidenced by his last quarter goal in 1969.

And he kicked those 2nd half goals on Wes Lofts the state full back.

i remember after the game that Richmond supporters just streamed onto the ground and stood there for 15-20 minutes just cheering the team and the result.

the earth moved and Tiger fans knew that with the cooperation of Fitzroy, Richmond would make the Finals and we were on and were going to do it.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

I have been looking for footage of the 1969 1st Semi for years, have never found it.

The footage exists, there are snippets on the Fighting Fury video. The MCG appears muddy in patches.

 

[DavidSSS]

The footage exists, there are snippets on the Fighting Fury video. The MCG appears muddy in patches.

I'll have to have a look, if there are snippets I wonder where the rest is.

DS

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

I'll have to have a look, if there are snippets I wonder where the rest is.

I wonder if there's enough of a market if the club packaged the games up into "Finals Pack" format? Would certainly be interested, especially if the footage is as good as in these 1967 GF highlights - substantially better quality than the grainy DVD I have.

 

[DavidSSS]

I wonder if there's enough of a market if the club packaged the games up into "Finals Pack" format? Would certainly be interested, especially if the footage is as good as in these 1967 GF highlights - substantially better quality than the grainy DVD I have.

I have that 5 pack DVD of 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1980. Surely that is still available, bit of a package deal. Quality is ok, there are some parts of the 1967 GF in the first quarter which lose it but I figure the footage is just a bit stuffed, 95% of the game is fine.

DS

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

I have that 5 pack DVD of 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1980. Surely that is still available, bit of a package deal. Quality is ok, there are some parts of the 1967 GF in the first quarter which lose it but I figure the footage is just a bit stuffed, 95% of the game is fine.

Was thinking more along the lines of e.g. a 1969 Finals Pack containing the three finals.

1973 would have four finals, 1980 three, 67 and 74 just the two.

Not sure whether quality would be improved by a Blu-ray transfer or whether it's limited by the resolution of the original footage.

 

[23.21.159]

The footage exists, there are snippets on the Fighting Fury video. The MCG appears muddy in patches.

Fighting Fury is on YouTube.
The snippets from the 1969 First Semi Final start here:

The whole video is fantastic - compulsory viewing for any Tiger fan.
It's surprising how engaging and likeable the chats with Kevin Sheedy are, compared to his present day persona.

I've posted this elsewhere but I once read that we kicked 19 consecutive goals in that game.
Not sure if that's true but given the official quarter-by-quarter scores, it's certainly possible.

AFL Tables - Geelong v Richmond - Sat, 6-Sep-1969 2:30 PM - Match Stats

 

[Sintiger]

And he kicked those 2nd half goals on Wes Lofts the state full back.

i remember after the game that Richmond supporters just streamed onto the ground and stood there for 15-20 minutes just cheering the team and the result.

the earth moved and Tiger fans knew that with the cooperation of Fitzroy, Richmond would make the Finals and we were on and were going to do it.

We were an unstoppable force in that finals series. We were actually 2 games out of the finals with 3 games to go and essentially the only way we could get in was to beat Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval and Carlton at Princes park but even that relied of the Cats beating the Hawks as posted earlier.
It was a bit like these days in that we dropped games during the season but when it got the pointy end we were very hard to beat.

 

[Quickdraw]

How good was Bustling Billy Barrot? I absolutely idolised him as a kid.

I used to kick raking drop kicks in the backyard and in the park near our house just like Billy. In my head I was Billy Barrot.

Same. Had 24 on my jumper.

 

[23.21.159]

We were an unstoppable force in that finals series. We were actually 2 games out of the finals with 3 games to go and essentially the only way we could get in was to beat Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval and Carlton at Princes park but even that relied of the Cats beating the Hawks as posted earlier.
It was a bit like these days in that we dropped games during the season but when it got the pointy end we were very hard to beat.

Hawthorn's percentage made it interesting. After Round 15 they were 3rd, 10-5, with a percentage of 95.8.
We were 5th, 9-6, percentage 120.1.
The clubs must have known we were only ever going to have to match them for wins to overtake them, which we did in the end.
We both ended up 13-7. Richmond 4th, in the finals with 124.6. Hawthorn 5th, out, with 98.8.
Hawthorn had copped that frightful hiding from Carlton in Round 2, 12.10(82) to 30.30(210).
That was the highest ever score for years.

AFL Tables - 1969 Season Scores

afltables.com

 

[Sintiger]

Hawthorn's percentage made it interesting. After Round 15 they were 3rd, 10-5, with a percentage of 95.8.
We were 5th, 9-6, percentage 120.1.
The clubs must have known we were only ever going to have to match them for wins to overtake them, which we did in the end.
We both ended up 13-7. Richmond 4th, in the finals with 124.6. Hawthorn 5th, out, with 98.8.
Hawthorn had copped that frightful hiding from Carlton in Round 2, 12.10(82) to 30.30(210).
That was the highest ever score for years.

AFL Tables - 1969 Season Scores

afltables.com

When you have a look at Royce Hart's stats in that period they are astonishing. What a freak footballer he was.

In the last 6 games including finals he had 18,24,24,32,15 and 16 playing at CHF !!! In the semi final against Geelong he had 32 possessions and 11 marks playing as a key forward. That is ridiculous. He was 21 years old and in his 3rd season

I have no doubt that we may have snagged another flag in the 70s if he hadn't had such bad knee problems

 

[Baloo]

When you have a look at Royce Hart's stats in that period they are astonishing. What a freak footballer he was.

In the last 6 games including finals he had 18,24,24,32,15 and 16 playing at CHF !!! In the semi final against Geelong he had 32 possessions and 11 marks playing as a key forward. That is ridiculous. He was 21 years old and in his 3rd season

I have no doubt that we may have snagged another flag in the 70s if he hadn't had such bad knee problems

It helped that the Tigers game plan was "Give it to Royce"

 

[Tenacious]

It helped that the Tigers game plan was "Give it to Royce"

...... and get out of his way

 

[kevbokev]

I'll have to have a look, if there are snippets I wonder where the rest is.

DS

Some highlights here