1964 and all that ...

[SidVicious 130]

How nice, they allowed Melbourne to play against the Swans on this weekend back in 1964 but now?

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

The day when the two heavyweights met ...

Round 12, 1964 

Geelong vs Melbourne 
Saturday 11 July 
Venue: Kardinia Park 
Attendance: 33,761

B Crompton Tas Johnson Williams 
HB Anderson Roet Leahy 
C Dixon H Mann Watson 
HF Vagg Groom Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Emselle 
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 McLean Robbie 

Twelve rounds after their their first meeting for season 1964, Melbourne and Geelong renewed acquaintances at Kardinia Park.  The Demons turned the tables on the Cats and claimed top spot on the ladder on percentage from their rival.

Geelong had first use of the breeze and wasted opportunity after opportunity in the first quarter kicking 3.7 to 2.1. When  Melbourne got its chance, it seized the advantage of the wind to keep its opposition scoreless while kicking four goals to grab a 16 point lead at half time.

Geelong came back in the third quarter with four goals to one to go into the final term with a three point lead but that was never going to be enough as the visitors came home with the strong wind at their backs and booted three goals eight in the final term to two points to record their eighth win in a row - this time by a comfortable 21 points.

Geelong 3.7.25 3.7.25 7.10.52 7.12.54

Melbourne 2.1.13 6.5.41 7.7.49 10.15.75

Goals Barassi 3 Emselle Jacobs 2 Bourke Townsend Watson 

Best Anderson Dixon Emselle Barassi Roet Watson 

Reserves Geelong 7.8.50 defeated Melbourne 6.11.47

Goals Bartlett 3 Carroll Lord Slade 

Best Leitch Davis Foster

Under 19s Melbourne 11.22.88 defeated Geelong 8.5.53

[Sydney Pennski 299]

13 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

The day when the two heavyweights met ...

Round 12, 1964 

Geelong vs Melbourne 
Saturday 11 July 
Venue: Kardinia Park 
Attendance: 33,761

B Crompton Tas Johnson Williams 
HB Anderson Roet Leahy 
C Dixon H Mann Watson 
HF Vagg Groom Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Emselle 
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 McLean Robbie 

Twelve rounds after their their first meeting for season 1964, Melbourne and Geelong renewed acquaintances at Kardinia Park.  The Demons turned the tables on the Cats and claimed top spot on the ladder on percentage from their rival.

Geelong had first use of the breeze and wasted opportunity after opportunity in the first quarter kicking 3.7 to 2.1. When  Melbourne got its chance, it seized the advantage of the wind to keep its opposition scoreless while kicking four goals to grab a 16 point lead at half time.

Geelong came back in the third quarter with four goals to one to go into the final term with a three point lead but that was never going to be enough as the visitors came home with the strong wind at their backs and booted three goals eight in the final term to two points to record their eighth win in a row - this time by a comfortable 21 points.

Geelong 3.7.25 3.7.25 7.10.52 7.12.54

Melbourne 2.1.13 6.5.41 7.7.49 10.15.75

Goals Barassi 3 Emselle Jacobs 2 Bourke Townsend Watson 

Best Anderson Dixon Emselle Barassi Roet Watson 

Reserves Geelong 7.8.50 defeated Melbourne 6.11.47

Goals Bartlett 3 Carroll Lord Slade 

Best Leitch Davis Foster

Under 19s Melbourne 11.22.88 defeated Geelong 8.5.53

Those were the days when we could go to Kardinia Park and win.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

Most of the days of this week of mounting numbers of active COVID-19 cases have been sunny - a stark contract to the wet weather that hit Melbourne 56 years ago in the lead up to Round 13. Back then there was no lockdown and hundreds of thousands of Melburnians could still attend a game of football at the highest level or the suburban variety across the town.

And more often than not, the Melbourne Football Club celebrated victory.

Those were the days, my friend.

Round 13, 1964 

Melbourne vs North Melbourne 
Saturday 18 July 
Venue: MCG 
Attendance: 29,631

B Crompton Massey Tas Johnson 
HB Anderson Roet Williams
C Dixon H Mann Watson 
HF Vagg Groom Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Emselle 
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 Adams Davis

Several days in a row of heavy rain were not enough to dampen the Demon spirit as Melbourne scored an emphatic 12 goal victory to record its ninth consecutive win. In doing so, it put North Melbourne out of the finals race.

The scene was set for a dull, lacklustre first half which saw the Demons in front by only 12 points at the main break but a withering seven goal to nil third term saw them home safely. 

Future captain Frank Davis made his debut and goalled with his second kick but it would take until 1973 before he would kick another. At the end of the round the team sat comfortably at the top of the VFL ladder and had assumed the mantle of premiership favourite.

Melbourne 2.4.16 7.7.49 14.11.95 18.15.123

North Melbourne 1.5.11 4.10.34 4.11.35 6.15.51

Goals Townsend 4 Emselle Groom Jacobs 3 Kenneally 2 Barassi Davis H Mann 

Best H Mann Townsend Jacobs Emselle Crompton Williams

Reserves North Melbourne 11.5.71 defeated Melbourne 9.13.67 

Goals Bartlett Carroll Mounter 2 Andrew Lord Wood 

Best L Mann Lord Andrew

Under 19s Melbourne 8.9.57 defeated North Melbourne 8.8.56

Goals McNab 3 Schultz Stone 2 Reinholdt 

Best Millard Russell Bird

[SidVicious 130]

12 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Most of the days of this week of mounting numbers of active COVID-19 cases have been sunny - a stark contract to the wet weather that hit Melbourne 56 years ago in the lead up to Round 13. Back then there was no lockdown and hundreds of thousands of Melburnians could still attend a game of football at the highest level or the suburban variety across the town.

And more often than not, the Melbourne Football Club celebrated victory.

Those were the days, my friend. 
 

We thought they’d never end.

[dieter 3,325]

On 6/8/2020 at 11:46 PM, Old Bear said:

Yep was there that day we rested a lot of players as we had already secured top spot

I wasn’t happy as I to turn up at Nth Footscray State School and cop a lot [censored] on Monday 

I was brought up in Albion, Footscray territory. I was probably the only Melbourne supporter in the whole postcode. In 1964 Ted Whitten turned up at our house to deliver a Budgie in a cage because I had won a ridiculous competition where you were to predict the actual time the 2.30 from Sydney would land at Essendon Airport. I recall trolling through a telephone directory at the Scoreboard at Selwyn park - home of the Sunshine Football and Cricket Clubs, both of which I played for - and using the phone in the scoreboard to ask the operators at the airport what time the plane would land. How scientific is that? They said, 2.30. The plane landed at exactly 2.30. Luckily I wasn't home and the budgie and cage were delivered to our neighbours. The budgie did nothing but eat and fill the cage with crap and all my mother did was nag me to death to clean the cage out. I took a simple option one Saturday morning, I simply turned the cage upside down and the crap flew out and to my great relief, so did the budgie.

[rumpole 522]

Frank Davis used to umpire schoolboy games in the eastern suburbs about 30 years ago. 

[Mister Ed 317]

On 7/18/2020 at 7:44 PM, SidVicious said:

We thought they’d never end.

We’d sing and dance forever and a day.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

The Demons winning run continued on this day in 1964 ...

Round 14, 1964 

Carlton vs Melbourne 
Saturday 25 July 
Venue: Princes Park 
Attendance: 17,831

B Crompton Massey Tas Johnson 
HB Anderson Roet  Williams
C Dixon H Mann Adams
HF Vagg Groom Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Emselle 
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 Davis Watson 

The Melbourne juggernaut continued its forward momentum against lowly Carlton but not without a scare. 

The Blues had first use of the breeze and led by seven points at the first break but the Demons came back well to lead by two goals at half time. 

The home side dominated the third quarter but their chances were marred by inaccuracy in front of goal and when the siren sounded for three quarter time it led by only seven points. 

Carlton’s hopes were raised when they kicked the first goal of the final term but with Bluey Adams and Brian Dixon taking control on the wings, Melbourne kicked five of the game’s last six goals to win by 12 points and all but cement a place in the finals for the eleventh year in a row. The Demons were a win clear of second placed Geelong on the ladder and held a huge percentage advantage over their nearest rivals.

Carlton 4.3.27 4.4.28 7.13.55 9.14.68

Melbourne 3.2.20 6.4.40 7.6.48 12.8.80

Goals Groom 3 Emselle Townsend 2 Adams Bourke Jacobs Kenneally Vagg 

Best Kenneally H Mann Barassi Anderson Vagg Wise

Reserves  Carlton 10.10.70 defeated Melbourne 7.12.54

Goals Lord Robbie 2 Andrew Vearing Wood 

Best Leitch McLean L Mann

Under 19s  Melbourne 6.19.55 defeated Carlton 3.6.24

Goals McNab 3 Little Russell Stone 

Best Leahy Millard Adams

[Pinball Wizard 326]

Nothing beats beating Carlton twice in the same season!

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

56 minutes ago, Pinball Wizard said:

Nothing beats beating Carlton twice in the same season!

Erm, well actually ... beating Collingwood twice in the same season is better and it also happened in 1964.

[bush demon 2,062]

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Erm, well actually ... beating Collingwood twice in the same season is better and it also happened in 1964.

Errrm, thrice.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

38 minutes ago, bush demon said:

Errrm, thrice.

Shoosh - I don’t want to give away the grand final result!

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

Eleven in a row!

Round 15, 1964 

Melbourne vs St. Kilda 
Saturday 1 August 
Venue: MCG 
Attendance: 33,212

B Crompton Massey Tas Johnson 
HB Anderson Roet McLean
C Dixon H Mann Adams
HF Vagg Groom Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Emselle 
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 Leitch Watson 

Melbourne’s winning streak continued to 11 games on end when it brushed aside St Kilda by three goals in the wet on the MCG despite a scoreless final quarter. The win meant that the Demons had beaten every other team in the competition since their fourth round defeat at the hands of the Saints.

The opening quarter was all Melbourne with the home side playing tough, dry weather football to keep their opposition scoreless at the first break when they led by 23 points. 

The Demons had a winning centre line of experienced wingmen Brian Dixon and Frank “Bluey” Adams with Hassa Mann dominant in the centre and the team maintained the ascendency through to three quarter time. The blanketing of the Saints’ star centre half forward Darrel Baldock was instrumental in establishing a 34 point lead at three quarter time. 

With a big lead and the damp conditions and heavy ball making scoring difficult, Melbourne switched off and failed to score in the final term. The Saints were inspired by ruckman Carl Ditterich but only managed two goals while the Demons were held scoreless. It was the second, and to date last, time in league history that Melbourne have gone scoreless in a last quarter and still won. 

Melbourne 3.5.23 6.5.41 8.7.55 8.7.55

St. Kilda 0.0.0 2.2.14 3.3.21 5.7.37

Goals Bourke 3 Jacobs H Mann 2 Barassi 

Best H Mann Dixon Barassi Adams Jacobs Keneally 

Reserves Melbourne 8.20.68 defeated St Kilda 7.8.50

Goals Andrew Vearing 2 Carlson Mounter Slade Zinko 

Best Bartlett Zinko Davis

Under 19s  Melbourne 6.9.45 defeated St Kilda 4.8.32

Goals Schultz 3 Lockwood Minton-Connell Osborne

Best Millard Griffiths Lockwood

[Sydney Pennski 299]

Eleven in a row - something we can only dream of today.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

The winning streak comes to an abrupt end.

Round 16, 1964 

Melbourne vs Essendon 
Saturday 8 August 
Venue: MCG 
Attendance: 70,385

B Crompton Massey Tas Johnson 
HB Anderson Williams Leahy
C Dixon H Mann Watson
HF Vagg Groom Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Adams
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 Emselle McLean

Things were going well at half time for the Demons in Ron Barassi’s 200 game milestone    as they were in full command with a 5.5.35 to 2.5.17 lead and early in the third term that advantage was turned to 31 points after two goals from Hassa Mann. 

However, the sluggish Bombers came to life when Ken Fraser broke Don William’s shackles and before a crowd of over 70,000 proceeded to cause a major upset. They reduced the deficit to only nine points at three quarter time, kept the Demons scoreless in the final term and kicked the only goal of that period to fall in by a mere two points. 

The end of Melbourne’s winning streak was soured by a confrontation between Norm Smith and umpire’s adviser Harry Clayton over the Coach criticising umpires during matches.

Melbourne    2.2.14 5.5.35 7.6.48 7.6.48

Essendon 1.2.8 2.5.17 5.9.39 6.14.50

Goals Jacobs H Mann 3 Watson 

Best H Mann Dixon Adams Williams Barassi Jacobs

Reserves  Essendon 8.12.60 defeated Melbourne 7.13.55

Goals Carlson Leitch 2 Slade Vearing Wood 

Best Rowe Leitch Vearing

Under 19s Melbourne 8.10.58 defeated Essendon 6.9.45

Goals Osborne Schultz 2 Minton-Connell Pritchard Russell Wight 

Best Russell Pritchard Adams

[Kent 2,914]

NOTE HOW  STABLE THE TEAM MEMBERS ARE

VERY FEW CHANGES WEEK TO WEEK OR IN SELECTED POSITION

ITS THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE A TRULY STRONG PERFORMING TEAM

NO WONDER THEY WON ALL YEAR

[Ollie fan 3,468]

Funny, I was going to say exactly the reverse. One thing that I really noticed how many changes are made each week, even when the team had one by substantial margins. Of course, this thread hasn’t told us what the injuries were each week.

The other thing that stands out reading the thread overall is how important Barassi was.
To my mind, Clarrie is the best midfielder we have had since the great RDB.

[Leopold Bloom 373]

Norm Smith was a tough coach. He liked to send messages to players who weren’t in form and, as we’ve seen, even kept debutants on the bench for an entire game. We never see that these days with the four man interchange.

[leave it to deever 17,517]

Marlene Dietrich says hello.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

Great sides usually find ways to win the close ones ...

Round 17, 1964 

Hawthorn vs Melbourne 
Saturday 15 August 
Venue: Glenferrie Oval 
Attendance: 20,000

B Crompton Massey Leahy
HB Anderson Williams Davis
C Dixon H Mann Adams
HF Vagg P McLean Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Emselle
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 Bartlett Watson 

Aside from the finals, this game was Melbourne’s most important win for the season. The four point victory over Hawthorn effectively ended the Hawks’ season while it consolidated a semi final appearance for the Demons who became the only opposition team to win at the muddy Glenferrie Oval which had been waterlogged earlier in the week after constant heavy rains. 

The game was close up till just after the half time break when the Hawks broke away to take a 16 point lead at three-quarter time but the Demons were a disciplined outfit that would never give in against adversity even as a number of players went down with injury. Veteran wingman Brian Dixon who had been quiet early changed wings at the break and changed the tide with 11 final quarter kicks. The game was in the balance until late in the final term when Hassa Mann goalled with a miracle kick from an acute angle on the boundary line to put the Demons in front. 

Hawthorn 3.2.20 6.3.39 9.8.62 10.9.69

Melbourne 2.3.15 6.8.44 6.11.47 10.13.73

Goals Jacobs 3 H Mann 2 Bartlett Bourke Dixon Townsend Vagg 

Best Crompton Dixon Adams Davis Williams H Mann

Reserves  Melbourne 10.8.68 defeated Hawthorn 9.11.65

Goals Andrew Carlson Wood 2 Lord Lynch Slade Vearing 

Best Foster Robbie Leitch

Under 19s  Melbourne 12.14.86 defeated Hawthorn 7.12.58 

Goals Schultz 4 Stone Wight 2 Feldman McNab Reinholdt Russell

Best Russell Jones Millard

 

[Blistering 541]

Glenferrie Oval. I played a schoolboy game there and sometimes drive past the ground. I can’t believe they played senior level footy at the ground. At least they’ve improved the drainage.

[CBDees 3,167]

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Great sides usually find ways to win the close ones ...

Round 17, 1964 

Hawthorn vs Melbourne 
Saturday 15 August 
Venue: Glenferrie Oval 
Attendance: 20,000

B Crompton Massey Leahy
HB Anderson Williams Davis
C Dixon H Mann Adams
HF Vagg P McLean Kenneally
F Jacobs Bourke Emselle
Foll Wise Barassi 
Rov Townsend 
19/20 Bartlett Watson 

Aside from the finals, this game was Melbourne’s most important win for the season. The four point victory over Hawthorn effectively ended the Hawks’ season while it consolidated a semi final appearance for the Demons who became the only opposition team to win at the muddy Glenferrie Oval which had been waterlogged earlier in the week after constant heavy rains. 

The game was close up till just after the half time break when the Hawks broke away to take a 16 point lead at three-quarter time but the Demons were a disciplined outfit that would never give in against adversity even as a number of players went down with injury. Veteran wingman Brian Dixon who had been quiet early changed wings at the break and changed the tide with 11 final quarter kicks. The game was in the balance until late in the final term when Hassa Mann goalled with a miracle kick from an acute angle on the boundary line to put the Demons in front. 

Hawthorn 3.2.20 6.3.39 9.8.62 10.9.69

Melbourne 2.3.15 6.8.44 6.11.47 10.13.73

Goals Jacobs 3 H Mann 2 Bartlett Bourke Dixon Townsend Vagg 

Best Crompton Dixon Adams Davis Williams H Mann

Reserves  Melbourne 10.8.68 defeated Hawthorn 9.11.65

Goals Andrew Carlson Wood 2 Lord Lynch Slade Vearing 

Best Foster Robbie Leitch

Under 19s  Melbourne 12.14.86 defeated Hawthorn 7.12.58 

Goals Schultz 4 Stone Wight 2 Feldman McNab Reinholdt Russell

Best Russell Jones Millard

 

Great footage. The thick mud is but a memory now (along with kids running onto the ground and traditional jumpers without advertising). Thanks for posting. ?

[bush demon 2,062]

Heroic efforts by Barassi, see his courage spoiling a mark, and marking under pressure.

[Whispering_Jack 30,640]

Spoiler alert: I’m preparing for this week’s post covering Melbourne’s game against Footscray played on Saturday 22 August, 1964. If you’re superstitious about coincidences, please stay away from this thread.