Grand Final # 9 – 1977

[Harrysz]

Collingwood 76 drew with North Melbourne 76

In 1977 Ricky Barham played his first game for Collingwood against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval in round 9. He kicked five goals from the wing on debut. Collingwood won that game impressively. That night, Alf Brown wrote in The Herald “Collingwood will be hard to beat in the finals”. This was a remarkable statement to make about a team which had finished last the season before. Barham went on to have a good career although chronic hamstring injuries affected his longevity and achievements. He was the only new player of note who joined Collingwood in 1977. The year before, Collingwood having finished last for the first time in its history under coach Murray Weideman, forced the Collingwood committee to appoint an outsider as coach for the first time.

Collingwood finished the home and away season on top of the ladder. This amazing rise was due in no small part to the efforts of newly appointed coach Tom Hafey. Winning the premiership after having finished last would have been an even more remarkable feat.

Collingwood faced off against the reigning premiers Hawthorn, in the second semi-final. Phil Carman kicked four goals and was best on the ground. The match was very close. Hawthorn made a late run and fell short by 2 points. During the game, Carman for no accountable reason punched Michael Tuck behind play. He was suspended for two matches. The headline in The Herald read: “Suspension shocks Magpies”.

Hawthorn lost the preliminary final against North Melbourne. North Melbourne had come second in 1974, had won the premiership in 1975 and had come second again in 1976. They were experienced, well-trained and were coached by Collingwood’s nemesis Ron Barassi.

Collingwood had recruited Sam Kekovitch at the beginning of the season. Although he was no Phil Carman, he was tough, could kick a goal and had X factor. However, he was unfit for most of the season and did not play in the finals. Without Carman, Collingwood’s forward line in the Grand Final was wholly and overly dependent upon Peter Moore.

In the first quarter North Melbourne looked far more accomplished than Collingwood and at quarter time led by 17 points. Collingwood was much better in the second quarter and kicked 4 goals 3 to North Melbourne’s 6 behinds. There were no magic tricks from Barassi at halftime in this Grand Final and in the third quarter, Collingwood was brilliant, scoring 5 goals 4 to 5 behinds. North Melbourne had not kicked a goal since the first quarter. At three-quarter time Collingwood led by 27 points.

The last quarter started and Ross “Twiggy” Dunne took a mark fairly close in. He scored a point. Collingwood 28 points ahead. Barassi made positional changes, moving full back David Dench to full forward and Darrell Sutton to the forward line. Sutton took a great mark over Doug Gott and kicked a goal. Then full forward Phil Baker who was far too good for Collingwood’s defence, kicked a couple of goals. Lou Richards who was doing the TV commentary remarked “Some of the Collingwood players look as though they are going up and down on the one spot”. North Melbourne was constantly in attack and when Phil Manassa got the ball on the back line and in a panic handballed to David Dench who kicked a goal, it was only a few points the difference. Arnold Breidis kept missing (he scored 7 behinds for the day) but eventually North Melbourne got in front by a point. Then Phil Baker kicked his sixth goal and North Melbourne led by 7 points with a few minutes to go. It looked as if Collingwood had lost another Grand Final.

Peter Moore who had kicked 4 goals was Collingwood’s one big hope. The ball went into attack and he dodged around some North Melbourne defenders and from point-blank range, missed the goal and kicked a point – one goal the difference. North Melbourne cleared the ball and Bill Picken took a mark. Twiggy Dunne, realising that Picken was not a long kick, parked himself in front of the pack. Picken’s kick fell short and Dunne took the mark with North Melbourne players all around him. He went back and produced a torpedo kick which went through for a goal. Scores level.

There was still a couple of minutes to play. North attacked but Andrew Ireland held them out with a great mark. The ball came to the centre where Shane Bond showing some speed ran forward and kicked towards goal where it was marked by the North Melbourne defence. The siren went and for the second time in VFL history, a Grand Final was drawn.

North Melbourne was the more talented side. They had Phil Baker, Xavier Tanner, Brent Croswell, Wayne Schimmelbush, Stan Alves, David Dench, Barry Cable and Malcolm Blight. Collingwood’s best players were Peter Moore, Ray Shaw, Ricky Barham, Len Thompson and Ron Wearmauth.
Although Collingwood should have won having a lead of 28 points early in the last quarter, they ran out of puff against a very good side and it’s hard to keep a good side down all day. However, they refused to give up and facing a seven-point deficit with minutes remaining, they still managed to draw.

Tom Hafey never forgave Phil Carman for his suspension. Many don’t agree that Carman deserved some of the blame but I do. Phil Carman was our best player. He did not pull a hamstring, he was not sick, he was simply undisciplined and he struck a player for no reason. Being a top player includes the ability to hold emotions in check and to be disciplined. Carman failed in this regard. I know what people say about sliding doors moments but I think it’s reasonable to say that in a game which was a draw, if Phil Carman had played, Collingwood would have won the Grand Final.

[Boot]

1977 was the first time I went to a Grand Final and I went to both.
It was such an exciting time to be a Collingwood fan with the team firing on all cylinders to end the season on top of the ladder under the great Tom Hafey who had such talent as Phil Carman, Peter Moore, Rene Kink, Len Thomson, Billy Picken, Ricky Barham, Stan Magro, Kevin Worthington, Andrew Ireland, Phil Manassa, Ron Wearmouth, Ross "Twiggy" Dunne, Max Richardson and Ray Shaw.
I don't recall to much about the first or second quarters, but I vividly remember being very excited during the 3rd quarter as Collingwood played very well to be well up at 3/4 time. I was scared by the 1970 disaster so I still felt nervous at 3/4 time and as the last quarter played out the worse I felt with Collingwood unable to hold the unrelenting push by Nth Melb to take the lead. It was a miracle mark and kick by Twiggy Dunne to draw the scores but at the end of the game, although I was pleased that we hadn't lost, I remember that I wasn't feeling confident about the next week.
No doubt that Collingwood would have won had Fabulous Phil Carman played, but such was the curse on Collingwood in Grand Finals in those years. Thank goodness Collingwood was able to get up in a close Grand Final this year. Hopefully that close win opens the door for many more premiership wins over the next few years to make-up for the lean and heartbreaking years of the '60's, 70's and 80"s.

[lazzadesilva]

Having gone to all the Collingwood matches during the finals, I have absolutely no doubt that had Carman played, we would’ve won the GF. Carman’s brain snap, was totally unnecessary and undisciplined. His suspension was extremely impactful because Collingwood lost the full confidence they had with Carman in the team.

[Harrysz]

Lazzadesilva, I'm in full agreement with you.

[warburton lad]

Hi there folks.

At the risk of being seen to be impolite, it is my recollection that Stan Magro and Kevin Worthington were also new recruits in 1977- each made a strong impact- Gerald Betts was also a first year Magpie player in 1977.

Although Carman was suspended, North were without dual Brownlow Medallist Keith Greig who had done his ACL.

The miss by Twiggy Donne early in the last quarter was critical- had we gone 33 points up, it would have been all the more difficult for the 'Roos to fight back.

Wayne Gordon was soundly beaten by Stan Alves on one wing and Barham had his hands full with Schema on the other. I have often wondered how the Magpies would have gone had we retained Robert Dean (who was starring at South having been a Magpie wingman) and if John Greening had not been 'assassinated at Moorabbin in 1972...

With Carman out, I would have rolled the dice and played Sam Kekovich- he was actually named as an emergency in the Drawn Grand Final)...

[lazzadesilva]

[Harrysz]

Warburton Lad, you are not being impolite. I appreciate your interest and comments. Yes, Worthington, Magro and Betts were good additions to the side but they were hardly A grade players. I believe that Tommy got the best out of what he had. In the meantime, I hope you get a chance to give us a training report some time!

[BazBoy]

Tommy was a fastidious training advocate. Some thought that they were cherry ripe to go again in the replay but it’s known Tom trained the relentlessly over the week prior to replay

Some had thoughts light training would have kept them fresh with minimal fatigue

[Harrysz]

BazBoy that's a commonly held view regarding the replay but I don't think that fitness was an issue in the drawn Grand Final.

[Presti35]

I recall my Dad telling me that '77 was the flag we really should have won between '64 and '90.

I've watched the Draw (and own the DVD).

[Harrysz]

Hi Presti35. Your dad may well have been right but unfortunately there were other contenders as well.

[Pies4shaw]

^ And they didn't choke hopelessly on an unassailable lead.

[Pies2016]

And pretty sure Doug Gott did his knee late in this game also ?

[BazBoy]

The disappointing stretch between our 1958 and 1990 was littered with GF defeats in that 32 year spell
Then 3 flags were achieved over a similar spell again with some disappointment

It’s 100 years ago our glory spell -1920,s and 1930 ,s

That said are we on the verge of another glorious spell

[Harrysz]

Pies 2016 - Doug Gott was badly injured when Darryl Sutton flew over him to take a mark early in the last quarter. He then kicked North's first goal since the first quarter.