Episode Transcript
Transcripts are displayed as originally observed. Some content, including advertisements may have changed.
Use Ctrl + F to search
0:03
Hello, and welcome to Grand Final History. In this episode, we go back to 1934,
0:08
the 38th season of the VFL. Melbournians were celebrating the 100th anniversary of European settlement in
0:15
1934, promoting the image of Melbourne as the Garden City and the Queen City
0:21
of the South, while also dealing with the challenges of the ongoing depression. Prussian.
0:25
The celebrations made a hero of John Batman and ignored the dispossession of
0:31
the original inhabitants of the land. There were many events and activities held between October 1934 and June 1935,
0:40
some that are still with us today, such as the move of Captain Cook's parents'
0:45
cottage from Yorkshire to Fitzroy Gardens.
0:48
A small cottage that Captain Cook probably never saw, saw rebuilt in a part
0:53
of Australia that he never actually visited but you can still walk past it on
0:57
your way from the city to a game at the MCG.
1:01
Macpherson Robertson had made his fortune in confectionery and was one of the
1:06
many wealthy individuals that donated funds to the centenary celebrations.
1:11
Two examples of his benevolence were the building of the Mac Robertson Girls
1:16
High High School, still in South Melbourne, and the McRobertson Centenary Air
1:21
Race from Britain to Melbourne, one in a time of just under three days.
1:27
A similar race, held 15 years earlier, took 28 days just to reach Darwin.
1:33
Air travel was making great progress. Some footballers had even started catching planes to get to games.
1:40
1934 also saw the completion of the Shrine of Remembrance, which opened with
1:46
huge crowds in a solemn ceremony on Remembrance Day.
1:50
The memories of the First World War were still clear and present,
1:54
while the remainder of the 1930s would see the world move towards yet another disastrous conflict.
2:02
Many events during the year would have centenary versions, such as the Centenary
2:07
Melbourne Cup, the Centenary Royal Melbourne Show and the Centenary Art Exhibition.
2:12
The VFL season would be known as the Centenary Premiership.
2:18
1934 also saw the Australian cricket team having a successful tour of England,
2:22
regaining the Ashes 2-1 with radio broadcasts on the ABC,
2:27
using creative synthetic broadcasts, combining telegrams and sound effects,
2:33
combined with experience and intuition by a panel of commentators based in Sydney
2:38
to convey their impressions of how each test in England was unfolding.
2:43
In Australian politics, there was a federal election with Joseph Lyon's United
2:49
Australia Party winning with a reduced majority.
2:53
James Scullin stood down as the head of the Labor Party, and the new ALP leader
2:58
was former Brunswick VFA half-forward player John Curtin.
3:03
In other significant events during 1934, Mao Zedong and 100,000 soldiers commenced
3:10
their long march north in China,
3:14
while in Germany, Adolf Hitler combined the role of President and Chancellor
3:18
under the one title, Führer.
3:22
As international politics headed into uncharted territory, the Australian government
3:27
did its best to keep communists out. Egon Kisch was a Czechoslovakian activist,
3:34
anti-fascist and communist.
3:37
Imprisoned in Nazi Germany before ending up in Paris.
3:40
He travelled to Australia to end an anti-war conference held in Melbourne in November 1934.
3:47
I don't think they got centenary endorsement for their event.
3:51
The federal government declared him a prohibited immigrant and would not let him land in Fremantle.
3:58
But in Melbourne, he was given an enthusiastic dockside welcome and literally
4:03
jumped ship, breaking his leg.
4:05
The authorities rushed him back on board and, as the ship sailed to Sydney.
4:12
Legal actions taken on his behalf saw the prohibited immigrant ruling declared invalid.
4:18
The Immigration Department then sent an official to give the dreaded dictation
4:24
test test in any European language, a test that was built into the White Australia
4:29
Policy designed to keep non-whites out.
4:32
Nevertheless, a sophisticated Czech like Egon could speak many European languages.
4:39
What would the Immigration Department choose to trip up this undesirable,
4:43
multilingual, radical communist?
4:46
The immigration official read out the Lord's Prayer in Scottish Gaelic,
4:52
a language regularly spoken by about one in 600 people in Scotland at the time.
4:58
Egon failed the test and another legal challenge ensued.
5:03
Embarrassingly for the federal government, the courts ruled that Scottish Gaelic
5:07
was not a European language within the meaning of the Immigration Act.
5:11
All this effort by the federal government had two main effects.
5:15
Firstly, this charming, erudite, anti-war speaker and communist had been given
5:22
a huge amount of free publicity, generating much bigger audiences when he gave his speeches, and secondly,
5:29
fears had been raised that the Australian government was using the Immigration
5:33
Act to curtail free speech, just as free speech was being curtailed by fascist and communist governments in Europe.
5:41
Eventually, he was sent on his way in January 1935, and there have never been
5:46
any further problems with Australia's immigration system and the actions taken
5:50
by the Immigration Department. Newspapers in the 1930s often had stories about the English Football Association
5:56
and which of those famous soccer clubs were winning in their season.
6:01
But October saw a different type of story on English soccer that demonstrated
6:06
the prevailing attitudes of the era.
6:08
A shocking article, headline, Wives Who Cannot Cook,
6:13
described the terrible situation where professional footballers were eating
6:18
nothing but fish and chips and tinned foods because their wives had been working
6:23
in factories and had not learned to cook before they married these poor men.
6:27
An English league official was quoted as saying.
6:42
The Herald made no comment about whether local VFL players were at similar risk
6:48
of undernourishment because of their wives' lack of cooking skills.
6:53
Given women play professional soccer and footy in the modern era,
6:57
is anyone testing the cooking skills of their partners?
7:00
But let's focus on the VFL's 1934 season.
7:04
Collingwood supporters were thrilled in February when news broke that Sid Coventry
7:09
would be back for one more season.
7:12
He had announced his retirement at the end of the 1933 season,
7:16
but after some time off, he was ready to go once more and hoped to lead Collingwood
7:22
to the centenary Premiership.
7:25
Players, umpires and supporters would have to adapt to the reintroduction of
7:30
the flick pass for the season, where the ball could be flicked with an open
7:34
hand rather than just punched. Early previews identified the challenge where a flick could look much like a throw.
7:42
It would be something for the umpires to monitor. Recruitment of new players
7:46
was often a point of contention. In 1934, the player in the spotlight was Alan
7:52
LaFontaine, an outstanding university and amateur forward.
7:57
Footscray were convinced he should be playing for them on a residential basis,
8:01
but instead it was Melbourne who signed him up, claiming the student was living
8:07
at college at Melbourne University. There was a job lined up at the Vacuum Oil Company, a regular employer of Melbourne
8:14
players, but it was a signing that would be a source of ongoing tension between
8:19
Footscray and Melbourne. It won't be the last we hear of this star recruit.
8:25
The bigger issue with recruitment was the ongoing migration of interstate players to Victoria.
8:31
The Age reported that 34 interstate players played for league clubs in 1933,
8:37
and if all pending clearances were approved, another 30 would be joining them.
8:43
Employment plus the £3 per game was the magnet.
8:47
The interstate clubs complained, and various league officials made comments
8:52
about addressing trafficking of players for the good of the game.
8:57
But they all wanted the best players for their own club as well.
9:00
South Fremantle caught everybody by surprise when they demanded that Fitzroy
9:06
and St Kilda pay £100 each for the clearance of William Bell and Bill Shenfield, respectively.
9:13
The clubs refused, pointing out that this would contravene the Coulter Law.
9:17
South Fremantle probably considered that they had to look after themselves cells
9:21
as they saw their players moving east.
9:23
Another perspective on the issue of clearances and freedom of choice for players
9:28
to move clubs in search of a better deal was discussed in the Herald in April.
9:34
Addressing issues that would finally come to a head 50 years later in 1983 when
9:40
Silvio Faschini took the league to court to switch from South Melbourne to St Kilda,
9:44
the article in 1934 headlined Indented Labour in the Football Game.
9:52
It said the restriction on the right of footballers to gain the highest rewards
9:56
for their ability appears to many to be an official form of tyranny.
10:04
It would be decades before the clearance system would break as a result of legal
10:08
challenge, but some could mount the argument way back in the 1930s.
10:13
One of the recurring themes of league football is high-profile players getting
10:19
into trouble with the law when driving.
10:22
Whether it be driving when intoxicated, being involved in a bingle,
10:26
getting a speeding ticket, or even driving when disqualified for earlier offences.
10:31
It seems to happen every year.
10:33
It was even happening way back in 1934 when reigning Premiership Captain Coach
10:39
James Bissett was fined £2 and £1 costs when he did not stop to swap names and
10:46
render assistance after hitting a cyclist.
10:49
Bissett allegedly said why don't you look where you're going and drove off he
10:55
told the court he did not regard the accident as serious enough to report the
11:00
boy was not hurt and there appeared not to have been any damage.
11:04
One key difference to modern times was that the story was covered in just two
11:09
paragraphs on page 4 of the Herald, rather than the front page,
11:13
the back page and multiple other pages.
11:15
Maybe this season there'll be no modern players causing incidents with their driving.
11:20
Now that we've mentioned South Melbourne's coach, let's have a look at the coaching changes in 1934.
11:26
Five of the 12 clubs had new coaches, which was about average for this era.
11:31
Many clubs turned over coaches every season or two in search of success, but not Collingwood.
11:37
Jock McHale had been appointed in 1912 and was up to season 23,
11:41
and he had plenty more to come.
11:44
At Essendon, their playing coach, Garnett Campbell, had transferred to Sandringham
11:48
in the VFA, so Charlie May was promoted from seconds coach to the senior role.
11:53
In a non-playing capacity, Charlie had played in the VFA for a couple of seasons
11:58
before joining Essendon in 1922 and played in the back-to-back premierships of 1923 and 1924.
12:06
Perhaps he could bring back some of the success to a team that had been absent from the finals.
12:12
Fitzroy decided that they needed a playing coach to lead their team on the field,
12:18
so Frank Marr's time was up, despite the Maroons having had their best season in many years.
12:23
Jack Cashman returned from three years in Perth, where he had led West Perth
12:28
to a Premiership and third place. But his time at Fitzroy would be short and unhappy.
12:34
Richmond had made the Grand Final in 1933 with first-year coach Billy Schmidt,
12:40
but 1934 found Billy back at Warwick Mobile and Captain Percy Bentley taking
12:46
over as captain coach, perhaps, according to some, to ensure that Bentley stayed
12:51
at the club rather than taking a coaching role elsewhere. swear.
12:55
The Saints had welcomed their prodigal son, Colin Watson, back to the club in 1933.
13:01
He had won the Brownlow in 1925 as a 25-year-old, at the top of his game,
13:07
one of the best players in the league, but then shocked everybody when he left
13:13
St Kilda to play for store. St Kilda refused to clear him, and things went from bad to worse when,
13:21
after spending a year out of the game, He took over as Maryborough captain coach,
13:25
and the Ballarat League, perhaps thinking of the large gates at each game that he appeared,
13:31
allowed him to play without a clearance.
13:33
The VFL was incensed, and the entire Ballarat Football League was disqualified.
13:40
Watson resigned before the 1928 season. He took up professional running before
13:45
returning to the game in 1930 for the Western District, and then finally,
13:50
as a 32-year-old, returned to St Kilda in 1933,
13:55
and was appointed coach at the start of 1934.
13:59
Quite the journey. Hawthorne's coach had also taken a roundabout journey to return to the VFL.
14:05
Bill Toomey Sr. made his playing debut with Collingwood in 1918,
14:09
and quickly made an impression.
14:12
Quick was the operative word with Bill. Despite his on-field success built around
14:17
his speed, he wanted to win the Storwell gift.
14:21
So in 1923, he left the VFL, moved to Storwell, and won the gift in 1924,
14:27
along with many other professional races.
14:30
He kept playing and coaching country football alongside his running career before
14:35
taking over the Hawthorne job as a non-playing coach in 1934.
14:41
He'd been a premiership player in 1919.
14:44
Could he be the one to bring success to Glenferry Oval?
14:48
The previews before the season contained all the usual excitement of the return
14:53
of footy with the added enhancement of the centenary season to make 1934 even more special.
15:01
League Secretary Leek McBride wrote in the Sporting Globe before the opening
15:06
round, declaring, Our football is the only national winter game in Australia.
15:12
It had been a wet and cold pre-season, adding a degree of difficulty for those
15:17
new players looking to break into a league club.
15:20
But perhaps it was just as well to show their style in the conditions of the
15:24
winter game. The Herald reported that over 600 players that had attended the
15:30
initial training nights across the 12 clubs had been sent home.
15:34
Only about 35 new players were expected to debut, and most of those with the weaker clubs.
15:41
Previews of the opening round forecast big crowds and the sun had a front page
15:46
spread showing each of the 12 captains in their normal day jobs.
15:50
Clubs and supporters were all confident of success in the centenary premiership,
15:55
at least until round one was done.
15:57
A record 131,000 people went to the six games of the opening round.
16:02
The match of the day was expected to be at the Lakeside Oval,
16:06
where 40,000 people saw South Melbourne unfurl their Premiership flag in front
16:12
of the visiting Collingwood. The Magpies were used to this type of ceremony, but usually conducted at their
16:18
home ground, where they had the honour.
16:21
This was South Melbourne's day, with an easy 35-point win to start their Premiership defence. fence.
16:27
Bob Pratt scored 8 goals. Get used to hearing his name for this would be a remarkable season for the Swans full forward.
16:36
There was only one close game with Fitzroy getting home by 2 goals against North.
16:41
Otherwise it was big wins for Carlton over Hawthorne, Essendon too good for
16:46
Footscray, Geelong over St Kilda and Richmond much too strong for Melbourne.
16:51
Fitzroy lost to Footscray in round two and things got a bit heated at the Maroons.
16:57
When captain coach Jack Cashman went onto the field on Tuesday evening to lead
17:01
training, there were boos from the spectators.
17:06
There had already been a number of letters from anonymous supporters wanting to see him golf.
17:11
By Wednesday, Cashman announced his resignation.
17:15
Despite his career at the club from 1926 to 1931, his premiership success in
17:20
Western Australia Cashman was so disappointed he resigned as coach,
17:24
as captain and from the playing list altogether.
17:29
Cashman would be cleared to Carlton where he played for the rest of the season and into 1935.
17:35
One of the few players to have captain coach one team and played for another in the same season.
17:41
Len Wigraft, a former Best and Fairest winner, took over as non-playing coach.
17:47
In round three, South Melbourne's Bob Pratt kicked 15 goals against Essendon.
17:52
At one stage, he kicked eight goals in ten minutes, which must have been extraordinary to watch.
17:58
Unless you barracked for Essendon. Round five was the King's birthday split
18:02
round, and on the Monday, Geelong hosted Collingwood for a draw.
18:06
All, when the Cats' Lou Daly scored a point with the very last kick of the day.
18:11
But, more notable perhaps, was Gordon Coventry kicking his 1,000th goal.
18:17
While no one jumped the fence, nor swarmed onto the ground, Geelong had planned
18:22
for the occasion, and presented both Gordon and Sid with plaid travelling rugs,
18:27
made in Geelong with their initials in black and white.
18:30
The Mayor of Geelong also presented the brothers silver cigarette cases, with Geelong Crest.
18:38
Perhaps not the gift you would give in the modern era, but a way of noting Gordon's
18:43
milestone and the fine careers of both players after the game on the topic of reaching 1,000 goals.
18:50
Gordon commentary said in his own understated manner, Well, I don't feel any
18:55
different, but it's a grand thing to have done it.
18:58
Round six meant that the season was one third of the way through.
19:02
Richmond were on top of the ladder with five wins, closely followed by Collingwood,
19:06
back in familiar territory after a disappointing 1933 and South were third,
19:11
just ahead of St Kilda on percentage while Carlton was fifth.
19:16
Those three clubs had four wins under their belt. There were fears that the
19:20
season was beginning to become lopsided with the same weaker teams of recent
19:26
seasons unable to challenge the top clubs but at least St Kilda,
19:30
under returning hero Colin Watson Watson were giving their supporters some hope.
19:35
Watson was playing so well, he'd been selected for the interstate team.
19:40
Fitzroy had already lost their coach, and Footscray would sack Bill Cubbins
19:44
after not selecting him to play in round six.
19:47
He told his players that he had been, quote, stabbed in the back by a lot of
19:52
squealers, and he would not address them again.
19:55
Albert Morrison took over as captain coach for the remainder of the season.
20:00
Cubbins' 20-year playing career at St Kilda and Footscray was over.
20:05
The teams took a break after Round 6 for the interstate game against South Australia
20:09
in Adelaide, and a second Victorian team would take on the VFA in a charity fundraiser at the MCG.
20:16
There had been an interesting proposition down in Geelong, where the second-day
20:21
team, undefeated in six games, had challenged the senior Geelong team. game.
20:26
The league did not give permission for the challenge to proceed.
20:30
They did not want a distraction from the charity game against the VFA.
20:34
30,000 people were at the MCG to see the VFL defeat the VFA,
20:39
21 goals 17, 143, to 17 goals 8, 110.
20:45
While over in Adelaide, the main topic of conversation was the omission of Colin
20:50
Watson from the 18 selected to take the field against the South Australians.
20:56
He was named as 19th man. Some thought it might have been a hangover from the
21:01
time Watson played without a clearance, but surely not.
21:04
South Australia won the game, 21 goals 15, 141, to the Vicks on 18 goals 22, 130.
21:15
St Kilda officials were more upset by Watson's omission than the result of the
21:19
game, declaring that it was an insult to Watson, an insult to St Kilda,
21:24
and an insult to the Victorian team.
21:27
In round 8, Fitzroy travelled to the Lakeside Oval for their clash against the
21:31
Swans, and while South won to keep in touch with the top four,
21:36
the nine-point win was closer than it should have been.
21:39
South Melbourne's full-back Ron Helles had injured his groin and asked Laurie
21:43
Nash to kick out after a behind so no South Melbourne players dropped back to defend their goal.
21:50
Fitzroy's Colin Benham, a hard-working Ruffman, took the mark and had a shot after the bell.
21:56
His kick was wide and heading for a behind until it bounced off one of the young
22:02
boys who had run onto the ground to celebrate the South win.
22:05
The ball then went through the goals. No player from either team had actually touched it, so the goal umpire signalled a goal.
22:14
It did not change the result, but the final gap between the sides was reduced
22:19
and South had a slightly lower percentage because of their lack of concentration.
22:24
Colin Benham had one of the most unusual goals scored in league history.
22:29
Round 10 also saw the end of North Melbourne's playing coach Dick Taylor He'd been coached since 1932,
22:36
Six wins in his first season were followed by seven in the second But North
22:41
had not won a game in their ten rounds so far.
22:45
In the modern era, mid-season resignations are somewhat stage-managed affairs,
22:50
with statements such as, for the good of the club, and other PR-managed quotes.
22:55
Things were a bit more raw in 1934.
22:59
After North had lost to 11th-placed Hawthorne, Taylor made his feelings known to the press.
23:05
He said, He said, quote, I am
23:07
disgusted with the team and there is nothing else for me to do but resign.
23:12
What's the use of battling your heart out for a team like that?
23:16
I think the reason why certain of our players did not show up today was,
23:20
well, they could not do better. End quote.
23:24
Surprisingly, he did say he was willing to continue as non-playing coach, but the club let him go.
23:31
And former Essendon and Geelong Premiership player Tom Fitzmaurice took over
23:36
for the remainder of what would be a tough season.
23:40
The real controversy of Round 10 was the game between Collingwood and Carlton
23:44
which saw some of the most brutal and unattractive aspects of the game.
23:49
It was the most contentious game of the season and would still generate arguments
23:54
about who did what and who was at fault for years to come.
23:58
Rumours had circulated before the game that some players weren't marked men.
24:04
From the start of the game, it was obvious that there was more spite and niggle
24:08
than usual, even between these two bitter rivals.
24:13
It only got worse as the game went on. Veteran umpire Bob Scott,
24:18
so well regarded he'd been chosen for the last five grand finals,
24:22
had his hands full trying to manage the game.
24:25
He stopped playing twice in an attempt to cool bitter spirits.
24:31
But things got nasty again at the end of the second quarter.
24:33
The half-time bell provided the break that stopped the situation getting out of control.
24:40
In the third quarter, Collingwood's veteran skipper, Sid Coventry,
24:45
gave Gordon Mackey a whack on the neck.
24:48
Mackey's response was instant and brutal, punching Coventry until he was knocked
24:53
out, battering his face and giving him a fractured skull.
24:59
All players converged to the incident. Gordon Coventry, normally a mild and
25:04
quiet player, ran from one end of the ground to the other to take on Mackey.
25:09
It was an all-in brawl that could have easily incited the crowd,
25:13
though it was reported later that many of the players were doing their best
25:16
to separate combatants rather than land more blows.
25:20
Umpire Scott, the two boundary umpires, and one goal umpire,
25:25
tried to calm things down, but it was only with the help of police that the players separated.
25:31
Scott again held up play for two minutes as players returned to their positions.
25:36
Despite all the incidents, only three Carlton players were reported,
25:41
Mackey, Henry Maskell and Maury Mocker-Johnson.
25:47
Many thought other names should have gone into the umpire's report and Carlton
25:51
were incensed that only their players faced penalties.
25:54
In 1936, Bob Scott provided his perspective in an article in the Sporting Globe,
26:01
noting that what an umpire saw on the field often differed from what those on
26:05
the other side of the pickets perceived. Sid Coventry was taken off the ground, battered and concussed.
26:11
He would be out of the game for a month as he recovered.
26:15
Despite Carlton's call for further action, and the calls from all the newspapers
26:19
for something to be done to address the situation, The only consequences were
26:24
suspensions for Harry Maskell and the Blues captain Murray Johnson.
26:29
The umpires committee announced that the two boundary umpires and one goal umpire
26:34
had been suspended until the end of the season for their poor performance and neglect of duty.
26:42
Another brawl, another call for action, and yet more umpires were suspended than players.
26:49
It was a tough time to play football. At the end of July, the season was two-thirds
26:53
complete, and the lopsided nature of the competition was clear.
26:58
The five teams who had been regular finals participants in recent seasons were
27:02
again battling out for the top four, while the remaining seven clubs were well
27:07
out of contention yet again. Geelong and Collingwood had the top two spots on nine wins and a draw,
27:13
while South, Carlton and Richmond were all on nine wins, separated by percentage.
27:19
Richmond had a surprise loss to Melbourne in round 12 and dropped from second to fifth.
27:25
There were calls for pooling of gate receipts and equalising of revenue,
27:30
as well as restrictions on how the top teams recruited to help even the competition.
27:35
Nothing would come of these, and so the bottom teams had a very hard time getting
27:40
enough wins to attract more members and attendants, which would improve their financial position,
27:45
which would allow them to recruit better players, which would improve their
27:49
winning chances and allow the positive cycle to continue.
27:52
There was also a call on the Sporting Globe for an independent board of management for the league,
27:59
recognising the inconsistency of club delegates who were primarily interested
28:05
in the performance and benefits accruing to their individual club trying to
28:09
cooperate with other delegates that were also trying to promote the interests of their own club.
28:14
It would be another five decades and several expensive consultants reports before
28:20
an independent commission was implemented.
28:23
While Carlton and South may have been level on points, their round 13 game showed
28:28
how wide the gap between the two teams could be.
28:31
Up to half time, the Blues had been slightly in front, leading by eight points
28:35
at the long break. But then the game changed as the Swans put on an exhibition,
28:41
kicking 13 goals two behinds in the third quarter.
28:45
The age called it the most delightful play ever given by a southern combination.
28:51
During the flood, Pratt scored his 100th goal for the season in just round 13.
28:56
There was applause from all the spectators and handshakes from teammates and opponents alike.
29:01
But still, no spectators jumping the fence.
29:04
The 21-year-old Pratt was having a goal-kicking season like no other and finished
29:09
this game with another 11. Jack Worrell described Pratt as a freak footballer and one apparently made out of whalebone.
29:18
He can twist in the air at all angles, frequently marking the ball when out of position.
29:24
And he can kick either foot in any position, whether on the run or standing still.
29:30
Away from football, one of the most influential men of the league had to endure
29:35
one of the most challenging times of his life.
29:39
A few days after Collingwood beat Essendon in Round 13, Jock McHale's 17-year-old daughter, Jean, died.
29:46
She had been ill for two months before having a sudden heart failure while in hospital. at all.
29:52
Despite his highly public role as coach of the most successful team in the VFL,
29:57
the McHale family were very private and not much was said in public other than the funeral notice.
30:05
McHale was able to take some time to grieve as the following week was a bye
30:08
for the interstate game against South Australia.
30:11
From then on Jock would only ever wear a black tie as a mark of remembrance for his daughter.
30:18
Whether in the 1930s or in the modern era, we focus on the performance of players
30:22
and coaches, but they all have their personal lives and personal challenges
30:27
that are much more important than the game.
30:30
Back to the footy now. The interstate game was both an opportunity for the Victorian
30:35
team to avenge its unexpected defeat by South Australia earlier in the season,
30:40
and it also became the platform for one of the greatest feats of skill,
30:44
skill, performance and showmanship ever seen on the MCG.
30:50
Bob Pratt was ill and unable to play, so Laurie Nash was selected.
30:56
He played the first quarter at centre-half forward and picked up two goals,
31:00
and then moved to full forward in the second quarter, when the Saints' Bill
31:04
Moore went off the ground injured. Nash put on a masterclass. Seven goals in the third quarter,
31:11
six in the last. 18 goals in total in an unforgettable display of forward brilliance.
31:19
The Victorians had an easy win and Pratt had provided something for everybody to talk about.
31:25
Earlier in this episode we noted an example of the perennial issue of league
31:31
players getting into trouble with their driving.
31:33
Poor behaviour on football club trips is also a recurring theme no matter the era.
31:40
Hawthorne players may not have been making much impact on the field,
31:44
but during the bye week for the interstate game, the club had gone to the country
31:48
to play an exhibition match in Duney, New South Wales.
31:52
After the game, some of the players got back late to their hotel,
31:56
broke in and thought putting teammates into a bath would be fun. done.
32:02
The arrival of local police, eviction from the hotel and a £30 damages bill
32:07
would have taken some of the humour away for all involved.
32:11
But players never misbehave in the modern era, so this type of incident will never happen again.
32:16
As the season drew to a close, the imbalance of the competition was generating more discussion.
32:22
One option entering the mix was a potential Final Five, to be played after a
32:28
modified find-home-and-away season. The man behind the proposal was Kenneth McIntyre, the young mathematician who
32:35
had developed the Final Four system the league adopted in 1931.
32:39
It would not happen yet, but eventually, in another 40 years,
32:42
when the VFL had their own ground to stage finals, the Final Five would be implemented,
32:48
with two games played each of the first two weeks of the final series.
32:52
A good idea, but too soon in 1934.
32:56
While the league was worried about an uneven even competition,
32:59
the VFA was in a desperate state and there were real fears it would fall.
33:04
Crowd numbers were down, clubs could not cover costs, and the association sent
33:09
a desperate letter to the VFL proposing a merger with a new board of control
33:14
to establish competition for all 24 clubs.
33:19
There was also the implied threat that the VFA grounds could be used for some
33:24
other winter code in the next season.
33:28
Picking up on a threat-slash-idea floated in 1933 by the VFA president,
33:35
J.J. Liston, that association clubs could switch to either soccer or one of the rugby codes.
33:42
Reports in the following days suggested that the league did not take this threat
33:47
seriously and instead proposed that the association would be better focused
33:51
on getting their own house in order and perhaps reducing the number of their clubs.
33:56
In the modern era, the Brownlow medal count is the night of nights for the league,
34:01
with red carpet fashions and more.
34:04
But in 1934, it was the annual league ball, in its third year,
34:08
and the biggest one ever. Fitzroy alone had 100 people attending, and other clubs had similar numbers.
34:16
Dancing was from 8.30 until 2am, with cars provided travelling to every suburb
34:23
for no more than two shillings. It was a glamorous affair, and the Table Talk weekly paper provided detailed
34:31
descriptions of the many gowns and dresses worn on the evening,
34:35
but I'll leave that for you to follow up if you're interested.
34:38
With two weeks to go, the top four was locked in, but which club would finish
34:42
where was still very open.
34:45
Geelong was on top, two points clear of South Melbourne and Richmond,
34:48
and Collingwood was fourth.
34:51
The blockbuster game in round 17 was Richmond hosting South.
34:55
Whoever won was in line for the double chance and perhaps top spot.
34:59
It was close all day, with the Tigers holding on by one goal.
35:03
Geelong won easily as expected against Essendon, while Collingwood won after
35:08
a strong fight from old rivals Fitzroy.
35:11
The next Saturday was cold. The rain bucketed down and grounds were covered in water and mud.
35:18
Richmond and Collingwood had easy wins, but the big clash was south hosting Geelong.
35:24
And the Swans bounced back with a big win against the Cats, propelling Richmond to top of the ladder.
35:30
Geelong dropped to second, the Swans were third, and Collingwood were back in
35:34
the finals, two points behind South.
35:37
Carlton picked up the almost-us award for finishing fifth just outside the finals.
35:42
They had that spot locked in since round 13.
35:46
At the other end of the ladder, it had been a miserable season yet again for North.
35:51
They had not won a game, and collected another wooden spoon.
35:55
They had lost four games by less than a goal, and in a year of high scores,
36:00
they had a record first quarter against Melbourne when they kicked 10 goals
36:04
to 62, but only 5 goals and 12 behinds for the rest of the game, to lose by 2 points.
36:11
They would do better in the next centenary Premiership season,
36:15
but 1934 was a tough time for the boys from Arden Street.
36:19
A measure of how unbalanced the season was could be seen in the fact that the
36:24
top 5 sides across 18 rounds of football, only lost three games to the bottom seven teams.
36:32
But the home-and-away season was over, and now it was finals time.
36:36
The Wednesday night before the finals started, the umpire committee met to count
36:40
the Brownlow medal votes. The winner was a young Dick Reynolds, in just his second season with Essendon,
36:47
defeating dual Brownlow medalist Hayden Button by one vote.
36:52
The last three seasons had seen the Brownlow won by a first-year and then a
36:56
second-year player in Bunton, and now another second-year player had won.
37:01
The veterans of the game may have been wondering what the umpires were up to.
37:06
Essendon's delegate to the league had the happy task of travelling to the club's
37:09
annual ball and announcing the good news.
37:12
Bunton was the first to send a congratulatory telegram.
37:17
Next morning, Dick Reynolds was back at work at the William Pete Boot Factory
37:21
in Collingwood, when the Herald's reporter caught up with him.
37:24
Reynolds expressed delight and surprise at the honour.
37:27
Since his debut at the start of the 1933 season, he played 31 of a possible 33 games.
37:34
And, despite missing two matches this season, he still managed to poll the most votes.
37:40
A Brownlow medalist at the age of 19. As they reviewed the count,
37:44
the press asked how it was that key forwards like Pratt and Coventry could not
37:49
get more recognition from the umpires. Some are still asking that same question today.
37:55
The first semi-final was between Collingwood and South on Saturday the 22nd of September.
38:00
Collingwood supporters were thrilled to have Jack Regan returning to the fullback
38:04
spot after missing a week due to injuries received in a car crash.
38:08
Also returning to the team were the Collier brothers, Albert and Harry.
38:13
All three are members of the Collingwood Team of the Century,
38:16
So you can imagine the value they would add to a side learning to defeat the running premiers.
38:23
South were without Pratt, who had been suspended towards the end of the season and had one week to go.
38:29
Austin Robinson was also out with an injured knee, but Brighton Dickens was
38:33
back, and there was a handy bloke called Bob Pratt at full forward.
38:37
The Friday Night Herald preview had South as slight favourites,
38:41
but noted Collingwood had their best team in for the season.
38:44
The expert panel of current and former players and officials clearly favoured South.
38:49
52,000 spectators saw the Magpies get off to a good start picking up a four
38:55
goal lead by the end of the first quarter but the Swans regained their composure
39:00
in the second quarter kicking four goals and at half time Collingwood had just a four point lead.
39:07
It was anybody's game. Collingwood were the stronger team across the field in
39:11
the vital third quarter but there was one significant problem.
39:16
Instead of kicking goals goals, they insisted on scoring behinds.
39:20
Ten scoring shots for ten behinds.
39:24
South only had four shots at goal, but two goals and two behinds meant they
39:29
outscored the Pies, despite all their efforts.
39:32
The teams started the fourth quarter level.
39:34
Only one could proceed. The loser would be ending their season,
39:39
and both sides were obviously desperate for the win.
39:43
Collingwood finally managed to score a goal and broke the sequence of behinds.
39:47
They got a break on the Swans, but it was Sal winning the game with the last
39:52
three goals of the match. The last coming when a Collingwood player slipped, allowing Pratt to pick up
39:58
the loose ball and kick the winning goal.
40:01
The decider that ended the Magpies' year.
40:05
In a moment that summed up Collingwood's game, they did have an opportunity
40:09
to retake the lead in the final seconds, but the vital kick went out of bounds.
40:15
Perhaps Collingwood were unlucky to lose, but bad kicking is bad football.
40:20
South had managed to make it to the preliminary final with a three-point win.
40:24
Collingwood, 9 goals 21, 75, was too wasteful against South's 11 goals 12, 78.
40:32
Gordon Coventry said after the game, he could not explain the cause of his inaccuracy.
40:37
He was so disappointed he went to bed at 7pm on Saturday night.
40:41
He could only recall one similar experience, also in a semi-final,
40:45
against Geelong in 1925. But he hoped he would never repeat the experience. The loss meant the end for
40:53
Sid Coventry's illustrious career. He might have been a St Kilda player, having signed with them as a youngster
40:59
back in Diamond Creek. week. But a year in Tasmania, and another one out of football, left him clear to join
41:05
his younger brother at Collingwood, way back in 1922.
41:09
He was appointed captain in a shock decision at the start of the 1927 season.
41:14
A Brownlow medal, a Copeland medal, and a premiership in a standout season validated that decision.
41:22
Sid said his biggest thrill was leading Collingwood to an unmatched fourth premiership
41:27
in a row in 1930, when a stunning comeback in the third quarter blew Geelong
41:32
away, all while coach Jock McHale was in his sickbed at home.
41:37
In his eight years as captain, the Magpies only missed the finals once.
41:42
A fine career from an impressive leader who would go on to serve his club as
41:47
president when they were facing another crisis.
41:50
But that is a story for another episode.
41:53
Next up was the second semi-final between top-of-the-table Richmond and second-place Geelong.
41:58
The Tigers' punt road home was being reclaimed by the cricket club,
42:02
the centre wicket area roped off for top dressing.
42:05
So Tuesday training was at the Motor Drone, Richmond willing to pay the ground-hire
42:09
fee to train on an entire football field.
42:13
Hard to imagine cricketers pushing footballers off the oval when training for
42:16
finals in the modern era, but that was life in the 1930s and for many years to come.
42:22
The clubs had only met once this season, with the Cats having a win at home,
42:26
but the Tigers had done enough to finish on top of the ladder.
42:29
The clubs had also clashed in the 1933 preliminary final, a thrilling game won
42:36
in the final quarter by Richmond. This was a game anticipated by
42:40
many, but few were willing to predict the outcome in the press previews.
42:44
The Friday Herald's expert panel was evenly split between the two sides,
42:49
with many of the players or club officials settling for a 50-50 call saying either team could win.
42:55
There had been some warm days in September 1934 but the second semi-final day was cold and wet.
43:02
So wet that many sporting events, including the VFA Grand Final,
43:06
were postponed or cancelled. But the VFL went ahead with the semi-final. Only 35,000 sturdy souls braved
43:15
the elements hoping for another classic final between these two rivals.
43:19
The league might have been disappointed with the attendance,
43:23
the lowest since 1927, but delighted that their rain insurance investment paid off.
43:29
Geelong supporters might have been hopeful of a close game given all of the
43:32
previews of the match in the press, but once again, the Cats failed in a semi-final.
43:37
Prior to this season, Geelong had played in 12 semi-finals, but only won two.
43:43
1934 would not help this record. Richmond showed stronger defence and adapted
43:48
better to the wet conditions. Other than for one amazing four-minute burst in the second quarter,
43:54
which along kicked four goals and only trailed by three points, it was Richmond's game.
43:59
When the bell sounded for half-time, Richmond were up by six points,
44:03
and people may have discussed how the predicted close game was unfolding.
44:08
But the second half was one-way traffic. Maybe Geelong was put off by Richmond's unusual appearance.
44:13
As described in The Age, they had removed their wet jumpers and appeared dry
44:17
and warm in their scratch uniforms.
44:20
Basil McCormick donned an emerald green sweater set off with squares of white.
44:25
Jack Titus had patches of reddish-brown, and others displayed all manner of hues and tints.
44:31
One Geelong official described Richmond as more like a flock of Rosellas than a side of footballers.
44:38
The coloured jumpers were worn under the normal sleeveless Richmond jumper,
44:41
but it still would have been an odd sight.
44:44
Despite the poor conditions, the Tigers scored 14 goals to Geelong's two.
44:48
It was another long ride back to Corio and the train for the Cats.
44:53
They could regroup for the preliminary final, while the Tigers could rest up
44:57
for the centenary grand final.
44:59
In their jubilee year, Richmond 19 goals 20, 134 to Geelong 7-8-50.
45:06
The preliminary final had captured the imaginations of football supporters far and wide.
45:12
Two clubs had travelled all the way from Kalgoorlie.
45:16
They timed their holiday for the preliminary and grand final as part of the Big Trip East.
45:21
It would be the third match between the two well-performed teams.
45:25
Geelong had beaten South at Corio in June, but South won the last match of the
45:30
season, in the rain and the mud, by 42 points, points, giving them the confidence
45:35
that they would be going through to the grand final.
45:38
Geelong were hoping they might see a repeat of 1925, where they lost the semi-final,
45:43
but used their right of challenge to win the premiership.
45:46
It was a different final system now, but they still had a chance.
45:49
South would lose Brighton-Diggins after the semi-final, but got Laurie Nash
45:54
back in after his suspension, and with the Swans showing more skill and determination,
45:59
determination, it was another one-sided game after a close first half.
46:04
The weather was again poor, the ground was already wet, and the showers during
46:08
the afternoon meant a greasy ball and slippery conditions for the players.
46:13
Only 34,000 brave spectators ventured out into the wet and cold day,
46:18
and just as they had done in the final home-and-away game of the season in the
46:22
wet, the Swans were more at home than the Cats.
46:25
The gap at the big break was just a couple of goals, but after half-time Geelong
46:30
seemed to be spectators rather than participants while South Melbourne played
46:34
some brilliant football. It was not what the Geelong players or supporters wanted to see.
46:39
Geelong kicked three goals in the second half to South Melbourne's nine and
46:43
it would have been many more if they'd kicked straight.
46:46
The final scores were South Melbourne 15 goals 18, 108 to a disappointing Geelong
46:52
7 goals 6, 48. Pratt scored six goals to bring him within sight of an extraordinary 150 target.
47:02
And Nash sowed no ill effects of the four-week break, kicking four goals.
47:07
Richmond would be going into their fourth grand final in a row,
47:11
the last three with three different coaches, setting a unique league record.
47:15
This year it was Percy Bentley in his first year as captain coach in his tenth year at the club.
47:21
The strong, mobile Ruckman had been captain since 1932, winning the premiership
47:27
that season under Checker Hughes, and then runner-up to South Melbourne under Billy Schmidt.
47:33
He'd been a player under dual premiership coach Dan Minogue and Mel Morris,
47:37
providing a range of styles that he would adapt into his own as leader of the Tigers.
47:42
He would continue to guide the Tigers until 1940 when he retired as a player
47:47
and became non-playing coach at Carlton, leading the Blues to two premierships
47:52
and then becoming a long-standing committee member. But that's all in the future.
47:57
Percy Bentley was confident of success in 1934, telling the age,
48:02
We've had special training to fit us for the late finish to the season,
48:06
and we are certain to be well in it at the finish.
48:09
South Melbourne's captain coach, Jack Bissett, was a former Richmond Ruttman
48:13
and former team-mate of Percy Bentley. He was in the second year of his tenure as captain coach, having won the premiership,
48:20
beating the Tigers, in his first season in charge.
48:24
In the weeks and months after that grand final, he made it clear how pleased
48:29
he'd been to knock Richmond off in the 1933 decider.
48:32
He felt that he'd been unfamily blamed for the Tigers' loss in the 1931 grand final against Geelong.
48:39
And was happy to leave, especially as he was also able to get a full-time job
48:44
with Crofts Grocery Store, run by South Melbourne's businessman president, Charlie Crofts.
48:51
Umpire Jack McMurray Sr. might have been in the running for the 1934 Grand Final
48:56
after a well-noted first semi-final effort, but he injured his foot working
49:01
at the Dunlop Rubber Company in Port Melbourne.
49:04
An oil drum had dropped onto his foot, breaking his big toe.
49:09
Steel-kept safety boots were not yet a thing in 1934. The umpire would once
49:14
again be Bob Scott for his sixth grand final in a row.
49:18
Despite the outrage at the round-ten battle between Collingwood and Carlton
49:22
and the subsequent investigation of umpires, Scott clearly had the confidence
49:27
of the umpire's panel to once again take on the biggest game of the season.
49:31
In the papers, predictions were evenly divided, but the age had no doubt.
49:35
The centenary pennant was, quote.
49:47
There had been more rain in the week before the game,
49:50
but the VFL had done their bit to keep the MCG service in good nick by successfully
49:54
arranging the cancellation of a mass rehearsal for the schoolchildren who were
49:59
preparing to put on a centenary display the next Friday for the Duke of Gloucester. stunt.
50:04
South Melbourne made two changes for their team, bringing back stars Brighton
50:09
Dickens and Terry Brain, both veterans of the 1933 Premiership,
50:14
Wilbur Harris moved to 19th man and Alan Welsh, after playing every game of
50:19
the season, missed the grand final. While the change may have happened anyway, an injury to Welsh made sure that he would miss.
50:26
He would be back next season and played with South until 1937.
50:30
Richmond, with a week off after the second semi, took in an unchanged team.
50:36
The sides had played twice this year and Richmond had won both.
50:40
The first game at South was an easy win by Richmond, then at Punt Road.
50:44
The Tigers had several players out and trailed at half-time,
50:47
but showed their team's strength by coming from behind to win by a goal.
50:52
But now, South had their Laurie Nash and Brighton Diggins back,
50:57
and the side had dominated against Geelong in the preliminary final.
51:01
The Friday night Herald expert panel of current league players favoured the Tigers'
51:06
9 votes to 6, with several comments that
51:09
the Richmond back line would be too strong for Sal The keystone
51:12
to the Tigers back line was the full back
51:16
line of Martin Bolger Maurice Sheehan and Kevin O'Neill known in the press and
51:22
to supporters as the Three Musketeers But opposing them was Bob Pratt at full
51:27
forward having a season like no other already on 148 goals eclipsing all league records of the time.
51:36
In one game against the Magpies, Collingwood's full-back Jack Regan,
51:41
claimed by some, including Pratt, as the best full-back ever, was taken off Pratt.
51:46
As they passed each other to take up their positions, Regan asked Pratt how many goals he'd kicked.
51:52
Oh, about nine, was the answer.
51:55
Regan shook his head, disgusted. If you heard Jock McHale during the break, you'd think it was 19.
52:01
Bob Pratt was interviewed in 1995 in an article published in the Footy Almanac.
52:06
And even in his 80s, he could still show the body positioning and the moves
52:11
he made his own on the ground. Though the unrivaled leap had long gone.
52:17
Pratt made it clear, despite the reports of tension between he and Nash,
52:20
that the two very different personalities always got on.
52:24
He also pointed out that his 150 goals in 1934 came from just 21 games.
52:30
Whereas Peter Hudson, who also kicked 150 goals in 1971, had 24 games.
52:37
But perhaps the best summary came from his beloved wife, Olive,
52:41
who, in a brilliant summary, said, Well, I can only say this.
52:47
He led like Dunstall. He marked like Adler.
52:50
He kicked like Lockett. And best of all, he looked like Modra.
52:55
Pratt's lead up to the grand final was disturbing. During grand final week,
52:59
he was offered a £100 bribe to play dead, the equivalent of two seasons of match payments.
53:06
He reported it to Archie Cross, who told him not to tell his teammates.
53:11
Not the ideal preparation for the big game. 65,000 people were at the MCG,
53:16
10,000 down on the previous year, which may have been due to the fear of more
53:20
rain, or perhaps some people were tired of the squeeze in the ground that was
53:25
not yet built for this sort of crowd. In the curtain raiser, Melbourne won yet another 2nd 18 Premiership,
53:32
this time defeating Geelong. Melbourne 8 goals 13-60 to Geelong's 8 goals 5-53.
53:40
It was Melbourne's fourth successive Reserves Premiership. They might be developing
53:45
some foundations there. We'll see in the future episodes.
53:49
The 1934 Grand Final got off to a cracking start for Richmond.
53:52
From the beginning, it was clear that up forward, Richmond's skinny Jack Titus
53:57
would be able to get away from Jack Hostin.
53:59
While South Melbourne's record-breaking full forward, Bob Pratt was being squeezed
54:04
and contained by a coordinated approach from the Tigers' full-back line.
54:10
The Sun published a great photo of Pratt trying to mark the ball,
54:13
being guarded by three players. They just had him covered all day.
54:17
I'll put it on the grandfinalhistory.au website if you want to see how Richmond
54:21
blanketed the Swans champion. Richmond got away to an early break, leading four goals three to one goal one.
54:28
But then came South's best part of the game, with three goals before quarter
54:32
time, leaving Richmond ahead by just one point.
54:36
South supporters must have been feeling relieved. After an early scare,
54:40
things were moving back to normal, and now they would take control of the game from here.
54:45
But it was not to be. The second quarter started off as a tightly fought affair.
54:50
Goals to Titus for Richmond, and then Prats first for the game,
54:54
bought the score's level. But, as reported in The Age, from then on, Richmond applied the acid test, and South wilted.
55:04
The quality players in yellow and black began to shape the game.
55:08
Veteran Alan Geddes took control on the win and continuously sent the ball forward,
55:13
where Jack Titus was sure to collect, and, if not Titus, then small man Ray
55:18
Martin would crumb or get into position for the mark.
55:22
At half-time, Richmond were in a threatening position.
55:26
Ten goals eight to South Melbourne on six goals five.
55:30
But South Melbourne had put on so many big scores during the season Those stunning
55:35
quarters where goals seemed to rain down Surely they could get themselves back
55:39
into the game During halftime,
55:42
spectators were entertained by old and new technology.
55:46
Overhead, an autogyro flew, taking pictures for the Sun newspaper While on the ground,
55:52
an indigenous man climbed the fence And showed how a boomerang could also fly
55:57
around the ground The interest of the crowd seemed to be evenly divided between
56:02
the modern and ancient innovations on display.
56:05
In the third quarter, goals did rain down, but for the Tigers and not the Swans.
56:11
Richmond had pace, accurate passing and great marking, while South appeared
56:16
flat-footed and confused. They knew they could play better than this, and yet Richmond just would not allow it.
56:22
The only time Richmond's run was halted was when a spectator marked the ball
56:26
after a Tom O'Halloran goal and refused to return it.
56:30
A new ball was provided and the play continued in the same style.
56:35
The only moment for Swan supporters was the lone run by Wilbur Harris,
56:38
who went on a 60-yard dash to score a consolation goal.
56:42
The game was over, even with a quarter to play.
56:45
Richmond, 16 goals 11, to South Melbourne, 6 goals 11.
56:49
The last quarter was notable, but not for good play. Several footballs were
56:54
souvenired, perhaps by South supporters, looking for something to relieve the
56:58
disappointment of the game. Bob Pratt scored his second goal to reach 150 at an average of seven goals per
57:04
game and Richmond supporters could only manage jeers.
57:08
Perhaps they were angered by the undisguised violence being meted out by some
57:12
frustrated South Melbourne players. Swan's vice-captain, Peter Revel, had resolved that this would be his last game
57:19
and he decided to go out swinging.
57:22
He king-hit Richmond's Bert Taylor, broke Kevin O'Neill's nose and spent much
57:28
of the quarter diving into Pax knee or elbow first.
57:31
It wasn't one-way traffic. At one point, Martin Bolger had Revel on the ground,
57:36
holding him by the throat. The boundary umpire told him, play fair, which, by that point,
57:43
might have been what Bolger thought he was doing. Laurie Nash did have a bit of a go in the last quarter, kicking four goals in
57:49
an effort that would give him six for the day and some level of respectability for South Melbourne.
57:54
But the crowd were leaving the ground and the final scores told the story of
57:59
Richmond's dominant performance. In the club's 50th year, they had their jubilee centenary premiership.
58:06
19 goals 14, 128 to South Melbourne, 12 goals 17, 89.
58:14
The Richmond rooms were full of supporters and officials and players celebrating the win.
58:19
South Melbourne president Archie Cross conceded Richmond were the better team
58:23
on the day along with the usual speeches of congratulations.
58:26
The post-game tour in the Sharabank cars went through the city with cries of
58:31
What do we do? Eat them alive!
58:34
Bellowed out by Tiger players every few minutes. At the club dinner,
58:38
the Premiership cake was cut by Mr James Charles.
58:42
The 83-year-old was the club's first secretary, helping to found the Richmond
58:47
Club 50 years earlier and now able to celebrate the team's fourth Premiership celebration.
58:53
Were not just limited to local supporters.
58:57
At the dinner, a telegram was received by one supporter who listened to the
59:01
game on the radio in Scotland. The cable read in part, The broadcast was perfect.
59:07
Please convey my congratulations to my birth town club. The tradition of supporters
59:12
tuning into grand final broadcasts from all parts of the world had started and
59:17
continues today, even if the technology has changed.
59:22
It had been a remarkable year for the Tigers, perhaps underrated with the passage of time.
59:28
Between 1927 and 1934, the club had been in seven grand finals,
59:33
while they'd only won two, running into Collingwood at the peak of the machine's power did not help.
59:40
But it was undeniably a good time to be a Richmond supporter.
59:44
After dinner, it was time for more touring in the extended cars,
59:48
or shower banks as they were known at the time, and, in payback for 1933,
59:53
the Tigers toured South Melbourne,
59:56
serenading the locals with more eat them alive calls,
1:00:01
which were not appreciated by the locals before a much warmer reception in Richmond
1:00:06
at the Town Hall, cinemas and more.
1:00:08
The cavalcade ended up in Park Orchard where the dancing went on until daylight.
1:00:13
South Melbourne's change room after the game had turned nasty.
1:00:18
Pratt and Peter Revel confronted the teammates with allegations of bribery.
1:00:22
There were heated arguments and a punch-up.
1:00:25
Apparently, the fights against Richmond in the fourth quarter were not enough.
1:00:30
Several in the press condemned the violence yet again on display,
1:00:34
embarrassingly in front of special VIP centenary guests who were not given the
1:00:40
best advertisement for the national game, but rather brawls and punches.
1:00:44
The Herald called on the league to introduce an order of rule,
1:00:48
as other codes had, but we know that that would not happen.
1:00:51
The tribunal was in action a couple of weeks after the game.
1:00:55
Richmond's Kevin O'Neill was suspended for four weeks for striking revel,
1:00:58
A charge against Jack Baggett for striking was dismissed.
1:01:02
Peter Revel, despite his defence of being struck on the head and not knowing
1:01:07
what he had done, was suspended for the entire 1935 season.
1:01:12
It was reported that he had retired, but he did try to return for the 1936 season,
1:01:18
but South Melbourne knocked him back. So he went and played a season for Coburg in the VFA, winning the best and fairest
1:01:24
for the competition before joining Fitzroy for two seasons, which included a
1:01:28
best-on-ground against South. In an interview many years later, he said of their grand final fourth quarter
1:01:34
fights, I took them all on.
1:01:36
While Richmond and South enjoyed the benefits of finishing at the top of the
1:01:40
table, North Melbourne and Hawthorne had spent most seasons since crossing over
1:01:45
from the BFA in 1925 at the bottom of the ladder, North having yet another winless season.
1:01:52
Both clubs had loans from the BFL approved after the season in an attempt to
1:01:57
deal with cash flow challenges and help them get their clubs in order.
1:02:00
While the worst of the depression might have passed, the uneven results of 1934
1:02:05
showed that the clubs further down the ladder would struggle to get players
1:02:09
and regain their competitiveness. North Melbourne would have a better season the next time the league celebrated
1:02:15
a centenary premiership, but that is a way off yet. Not yet.
1:02:19
North's retiring president called for more frequent audits to ensure the Coulter
1:02:24
Law regarding limits to player payments was being observed.
1:02:28
He said the only clubs not breaking the Coulter Law were the ones who could not afford to.
1:02:35
There would be many more seasons before the eventual successor to the Coulter
1:02:38
Law, the salary cap, was properly enforced.
1:02:42
Well, leave the first centenary premiership there. The league would have its centenary in 1996.
1:02:48
Richmond had their centenary premiership in their jubilee year.
1:02:52
The players got special centenary medallions from the Melbourne City Council.
1:02:57
But now the focus was turning to season 1935. Discussions on possible new fixtures were being presented.
1:03:04
New coaches were being appointed And new
1:03:07
hopes were being entertained By 12 teams and
1:03:10
their supporters For better results So join
1:03:13
me next time to see how 1935 unfolds If
1:03:17
you've enjoyed Grand Final History Leave a review wherever
1:03:20
you get your podcasts from The more goals we kick The easier it is for others
1:03:24
to find the podcast If you have questions or want to leave feedback Please email
1:03:29
me at info at grandfinalhistory.au or check out the grandfinalhistory.au website
1:03:35
or Facebook and Twitter for more Grand Final History.
Podchaser is the ultimate destination for podcast data, search, and discovery. Learn More