The Truth and Nothing but the Truth about the 1967 GF
Having partaken in a thread on PRE about Polly Farmer and THAT grand final, I thought a closer look at the game in question was called for. With the passing of time, some things become magnified – good and bad – while other incidents recede until just a dim memory. Did that really happen? Did So-and-So actually say that?
Following that memorable premiership, I was so fired up with Richmond’s success after a terrible 24 years [who said history keeps repeating itself?] that I decided to buy the biggest scrap book available and set about collecting every mention of the Richmond Football Club for that year. At the time I had a VW microbus for all the best reasons – transport our tribe of four children around and tour the countryside.
I began a campaign to collect the newspapers of 1967 and, well into 1968, I had begged, borrowed and – in some cases – stolen Suns, Heralds [yes, in those days they were separate publications], Sporting Globes and The Age from all over Melbourne. Our living quarters were somewhat cramped with four energetic children so it made sense to store the collected newspapers in the only other space available, the floor and rear seats of the Microbus. The children quickly became used to travelling around sitting on piles of newspapers, the baby’s bassinet – well, the wicker basket part of it – securely wedged between stacks of yesterday’s news. No capsules in those days!
I understand it was common in those days that when my wife wanted me to perform some little duty about the house, the kids would say, “dad’s in the newsagents!” and one of the kinder would be sent out to the carport to disturb me in the back of the van. That was my office, my “den”, and – almost on several occasions when it was considered I had overstepped the mark in matters marital versus football – my bedroom.
That was all so long ago but I thought it worth my while to set the record straight about some of the myths and legends that have grown out of that grand final. Firstly, an unbiased account of the finals series as it affected both teams. The following is “borrowed” directly from the official AFL website:
1967 Finals Series [by] Graeme Atkinson
All four 1967 finalists occupied their places in the Four by the end of the fifth round of home and away games, three holding them until the end. . . Richmond (fifteen wins, three losses), Carlton (fourteen wins, three losses and a tie), Geelong (thirteen wins, five losses) and Collingwood (twelve wins, six losses) made up the final four, with the brilliant but unpredictable Cats eliminating the Magpies from the premiership race in an excellent first semi-final. Geelong, leading by a point after a keenly fought first three quarters, won the game in the opening minutes of the last term with goals from Wade (three), Goggin and Sharrock. The brilliant Wade was the difference between the two sides, kicking eight goals one from ten shots, but Geelong's all-round skill and speed eventually beat Collingwood.
Richmond had a good win over Carlton in the second semi-final, but lost star ruckman Neville Crowe for the grand final. Crowe was suspended after an incident in the third quarter of the match, his first suspension in a ten-year VFL career. Richmond had two goals and Carlton one within three minutes of the start of play, but Richmond, with Hart (full-forward) outplaying an obviously unfit Wes Lofts, had a good lead by half-time and held this advantage at the last change. Then, in the last term, the Tigers unleashed a brilliant burst of six goals five, sweeping the Carlton defenders aside and going on to a forty-point win, a win which considerably reduced their odds for the premiership. Critics pointed out, too, that the Tigers did not have a single player in their line-up who had previously played in a finals match, making their win even more meritorious! Geelong, twenty-seven points in arrears at half-time, staged a remarkable recovery in the second half of the preliminary final. Earlier, Carlton had made eight positional changes to their selected side, and 'jumped' Geelong in the first quarter by kicking four goals in eight minutes before the Cats had scored. The third term was Geelong's best. Holding the Blues to one goal two with the breeze, the Cats, with Wade and Sharrock in everything up forward, booted a match-winning eight goals one for the term and held a handy fourteen-point lead at the last change. Sharrock kicked three goals in the Cats' big scoring third term, and Wade, two. Carlton still had a chance in the last, but were off target, and the accurate Cats were untroubled to hold their lead and advance to the grand final.
In the best grand final for years, Richmond won their first flag since 1943 after a fantastic last quarter during which the scores were level four times.
Conditions were ideal as the Tigers, kicking with the aid of a slight breeze, fought their way to a six-point lead at the first change. Richmond, hottest favourites since Melbourne in 1958, were struggling a little, the Cats' defence being well on top. Barrot, becoming a danger man in the centre for Richmond, was in the van in the second term, and he continually drove the Tigers forward where, despite inaccuracy, they booted five goals to the Cats' four and were sixteen points in front at half-time. The third term began sensationally – within a minute, Goggin burst out of the pack and goaled for the Cats. Further goals to Andrews and Wade gave the Cats an eight-point lead after seven minutes of the term. After the initial breakthrough, the Richmond defence steadied, and scoring for the rest of the term was almost even, the Tigers having seven more scoring shots than their opponents and leading by two points at the last change.
Now came a grand last quarter. Soon after it began, Bartlett goaled for the Tigers, but Ryan, with a long punt from centre half-forward, replied for Geelong, and three successive behinds put the Cats a point ahead. The scores were levelled for the second time within minutes before Sharrock goaled for Geelong, but Ronaldson, after a mark in the forward pocket, levelled again with a beautiful drop-kick goal for Richmond. Wade (Geelong) booted a behind and Guinane (Richmond) did likewise - and for the fourth time in twenty-three minutes the scores were equal.
With time-on starting, big Tiger ruckman, Ronaldson, marked on the half-forward flank and drove through a magnificent long distance drop-kick goal which gave the Tigers a six-point lead. Graham (Geelong) scored a behind, but Bartlett made no mistake for the Tigers as he grabbed the ball from a throw-in and kicked their sixteenth goal. Geelong, not giving in, came forward again. Ryan snapped a behind, and a shot by Goggin was marked almost on the line by Swift, the Richmond fullback and captain. Almost on the siren, Polinelli's long shot scored a behind for the Cats, but the premiership belonged to Rich- mond, their first premiership since 1943 and sixth since joining the VFL in 1908. Geelong's Doug Wade, with four goals, took his season's tally to ninety-six, the highest total since John Coleman's ninety-seven for Essendon in 1953. It looked as if the magical l00 goals barrier would soon be broken after a lapse of many years.
SEPTEMBER 23 - GRAND FINAL
Richmond 4.3 9.10 12.15 16.18(114) Geelong 3 .3 7.6 13 .7 15 .15 (105)
MCG Umpire Sheales Attendance 109,396 Gate $88,256
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=finalshistory&spg=finalseries&articleid=47620
Having partaken in a thread on PRE about Polly Farmer and THAT grand final, I thought a closer look at the game in question was called for. With the passing of time, some things become magnified – good and bad – while other incidents recede until just a dim memory. Did that really happen? Did So-and-So actually say that?
Following that memorable premiership, I was so fired up with Richmond’s success after a terrible 24 years [who said history keeps repeating itself?] that I decided to buy the biggest scrap book available and set about collecting every mention of the Richmond Football Club for that year. At the time I had a VW microbus for all the best reasons – transport our tribe of four children around and tour the countryside.
I began a campaign to collect the newspapers of 1967 and, well into 1968, I had begged, borrowed and – in some cases – stolen Suns, Heralds [yes, in those days they were separate publications], Sporting Globes and The Age from all over Melbourne. Our living quarters were somewhat cramped with four energetic children so it made sense to store the collected newspapers in the only other space available, the floor and rear seats of the Microbus. The children quickly became used to travelling around sitting on piles of newspapers, the baby’s bassinet – well, the wicker basket part of it – securely wedged between stacks of yesterday’s news. No capsules in those days!
I understand it was common in those days that when my wife wanted me to perform some little duty about the house, the kids would say, “dad’s in the newsagents!” and one of the kinder would be sent out to the carport to disturb me in the back of the van. That was my office, my “den”, and – almost on several occasions when it was considered I had overstepped the mark in matters marital versus football – my bedroom.
That was all so long ago but I thought it worth my while to set the record straight about some of the myths and legends that have grown out of that grand final. Firstly, an unbiased account of the finals series as it affected both teams. The following is “borrowed” directly from the official AFL website:
1967 Finals Series [by] Graeme Atkinson
All four 1967 finalists occupied their places in the Four by the end of the fifth round of home and away games, three holding them until the end. . . Richmond (fifteen wins, three losses), Carlton (fourteen wins, three losses and a tie), Geelong (thirteen wins, five losses) and Collingwood (twelve wins, six losses) made up the final four, with the brilliant but unpredictable Cats eliminating the Magpies from the premiership race in an excellent first semi-final. Geelong, leading by a point after a keenly fought first three quarters, won the game in the opening minutes of the last term with goals from Wade (three), Goggin and Sharrock. The brilliant Wade was the difference between the two sides, kicking eight goals one from ten shots, but Geelong's all-round skill and speed eventually beat Collingwood.
Richmond had a good win over Carlton in the second semi-final, but lost star ruckman Neville Crowe for the grand final. Crowe was suspended after an incident in the third quarter of the match, his first suspension in a ten-year VFL career. Richmond had two goals and Carlton one within three minutes of the start of play, but Richmond, with Hart (full-forward) outplaying an obviously unfit Wes Lofts, had a good lead by half-time and held this advantage at the last change. Then, in the last term, the Tigers unleashed a brilliant burst of six goals five, sweeping the Carlton defenders aside and going on to a forty-point win, a win which considerably reduced their odds for the premiership. Critics pointed out, too, that the Tigers did not have a single player in their line-up who had previously played in a finals match, making their win even more meritorious! Geelong, twenty-seven points in arrears at half-time, staged a remarkable recovery in the second half of the preliminary final. Earlier, Carlton had made eight positional changes to their selected side, and 'jumped' Geelong in the first quarter by kicking four goals in eight minutes before the Cats had scored. The third term was Geelong's best. Holding the Blues to one goal two with the breeze, the Cats, with Wade and Sharrock in everything up forward, booted a match-winning eight goals one for the term and held a handy fourteen-point lead at the last change. Sharrock kicked three goals in the Cats' big scoring third term, and Wade, two. Carlton still had a chance in the last, but were off target, and the accurate Cats were untroubled to hold their lead and advance to the grand final.
In the best grand final for years, Richmond won their first flag since 1943 after a fantastic last quarter during which the scores were level four times.
Conditions were ideal as the Tigers, kicking with the aid of a slight breeze, fought their way to a six-point lead at the first change. Richmond, hottest favourites since Melbourne in 1958, were struggling a little, the Cats' defence being well on top. Barrot, becoming a danger man in the centre for Richmond, was in the van in the second term, and he continually drove the Tigers forward where, despite inaccuracy, they booted five goals to the Cats' four and were sixteen points in front at half-time. The third term began sensationally – within a minute, Goggin burst out of the pack and goaled for the Cats. Further goals to Andrews and Wade gave the Cats an eight-point lead after seven minutes of the term. After the initial breakthrough, the Richmond defence steadied, and scoring for the rest of the term was almost even, the Tigers having seven more scoring shots than their opponents and leading by two points at the last change.
Now came a grand last quarter. Soon after it began, Bartlett goaled for the Tigers, but Ryan, with a long punt from centre half-forward, replied for Geelong, and three successive behinds put the Cats a point ahead. The scores were levelled for the second time within minutes before Sharrock goaled for Geelong, but Ronaldson, after a mark in the forward pocket, levelled again with a beautiful drop-kick goal for Richmond. Wade (Geelong) booted a behind and Guinane (Richmond) did likewise - and for the fourth time in twenty-three minutes the scores were equal.
With time-on starting, big Tiger ruckman, Ronaldson, marked on the half-forward flank and drove through a magnificent long distance drop-kick goal which gave the Tigers a six-point lead. Graham (Geelong) scored a behind, but Bartlett made no mistake for the Tigers as he grabbed the ball from a throw-in and kicked their sixteenth goal. Geelong, not giving in, came forward again. Ryan snapped a behind, and a shot by Goggin was marked almost on the line by Swift, the Richmond fullback and captain. Almost on the siren, Polinelli's long shot scored a behind for the Cats, but the premiership belonged to Rich- mond, their first premiership since 1943 and sixth since joining the VFL in 1908. Geelong's Doug Wade, with four goals, took his season's tally to ninety-six, the highest total since John Coleman's ninety-seven for Essendon in 1953. It looked as if the magical l00 goals barrier would soon be broken after a lapse of many years.
SEPTEMBER 23 - GRAND FINAL
Richmond 4.3 9.10 12.15 16.18(114) Geelong 3 .3 7.6 13 .7 15 .15 (105)
MCG Umpire Sheales Attendance 109,396 Gate $88,256
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=finalshistory&spg=finalseries&articleid=47620
