1966 Second Semi final
Collingwood 5.2.32 6.3.39 10.5.65 15.9.99
St Kilda 0.1.1 6.5.41 10.9.69 13.11.89
VENUE: MCG
DATE: Saturday 10 September
CROWD: 95,614
UMPIRE: Perkins
PRE-MATCH
After the grand misfortune of 1964 and the controversy that dogged The Club after the 1965 ‘Somerville incident’ in the Preliminary final against Essendon, Collingwood set about making the headlines again in 1966. This time it was all good, dominating the competition through the home and away season and finishing top with a massive percentage of 157. Only losses to Essendon (twice) and Carlton (two of these by just a couple straight kicks) blotted the copy book. Against 1965 Runner-up St. Kilda, the team inflicted a devastating 78 point spanking. Whilst considerable talent and experience had moved on (Gray, Reeves, Turner, Mahon, Marshall, Erwin and Wright), ’66 was a bumper year for recruiting with the likes of Adamson, Price, Wayne Richardson, Pitt, McKenzie, Britt and Searle proving more than adequate replacements.
With the 1966 Flag there for the taking, the team faced St Kilda in the Second Semi. But St Kilda was not to be taken lightly, and certainly had the class to reverse the Round 10 result.
THE GAME
The toss was won by Baldock who pointed to the Punt Road end. Collingwood seized the early jump when Gabelich’s opening knock-out sent the ‘Pies forward, eventuating in Tuddenham tearing through to goal after a ball-up. Wayne Richardson added the Magpies second major at the sixth minute as Kennedy limped off for St Kilda, replaced by Payze. Collingwood was full of confidence when Price and then Graham goaled. The Saints rarely ventured forward, and when they did, Potter repelled. Other Magpie defenders Waters and Adamson were also playing brilliantly, and it wasn’t until the 19th minute that Oakley opened the Saints’ account with a behind, from a free. St Kilda began to settle, however Collingwood added one final goal in time-on when Graham out-maneuvered Murray and kicked truly on the run. One final foray by Richardson saw Thompson mark in the pocket, missing from the tight angle. With just a solitary point to their credit at quarter time, the Saints were headed for a pasting.
When Richardson quickly marked in front of goal, the pain that should have been inflicted on the Saints was instead imparted on his shoulder – further amplified when he proceeded to hit the post. St Kilda managed to stave off subsequent Collingwood attacks until Tuddenham goaled from the flank. Finally, 11 minutes into the second term, Payze returned fire from a free. Points by Breen and Rowland were followed by another goal by Payze. The Saints gradually pegged the ‘Pies back as the quarter progressed. Ian Cooper’s shift to the ruck was instrumental. Alan Morrow’s determination, along with Stewart, Breen and Oakley, also aided the revival. Yet another goal from a free soon followed via Neale. Breen then marked and goaled to reduce the margin to 10 points. Try as they might, the Magpies could not win back the initiative, and their attacking forays were summarily dismissed. Cooper grabbed the ball in heavy traffic to goal and Smith followed up his kick and snapped truly to put St Kilda in front. Inconceivably, St Kilda retired to the change rooms with a two point lead.
The third term was a classic finals affair, full of pressure and best of all, an even tussle. Play rebounded between half forward lines for some time. Collingwood finally procured a much needed goal when Wallis marked and kicked truly from a tight angle at the 13 minute mark. The Magpies received a further lift when Wallis swooped on what Tuddenham left behind to kick his second in two minutes. Now the momentum was back with the Woodsmen as Tuddenham raced into goal again. Soon enough the Saints hit back with Oakley nailing one on the run, followed by Ross Smith’s clever dodging goal at close range, thus reducing Collingwood’s lead to three points. Oakley’s joy was short lived when he re-injured his knee, replaced by Allan Davis. Waters kept working hard in defence but St Kilda maintained pressure with another major courtesy of a free to Baldock. Tempers became frayed near three quarter time when Baldock went down, resulting in a time-consuming melee on St Kilda’s half forward line. Fourteen players milled around as trainers and teammates went to his aid. The crowd was now buzzing, and players applied themselves with added vigor. Gabelich unleashed a long handpass to Tuddenham to regain the lead but again a free in front of goal went St Kilda’s way, this time to Smith. A fantastic quarter of football ended with four goals apiece and the Saints a four point lead.
Tully was off injured for the final term, Hutchesson his replacement. St Kilda seized the early initiative through rapid movement which resulted in a Baldock mark and goal just two minutes in. Payze then applied further pressure on the ‘Pies by marking strongly and converting, Collingwood now 17 points in arrears. Both teams traded points as Pitt swapped with Price onto the centre and wing respectively. With their two point lead extending out to 18 points deep into the last quarter, the Saints appeared home. Collingwood tried desperately to get back into the contest but could only manage successive points to Tuddenham, Hutchesson and Richardson. With great persistence the Magpies shifted momentum back their way. Searle, with two goals via a free then a mark, followed by a fantastic individual effort from a throw in by Tuddenham, had the Woods back in front. During the ‘Pies charge they also suffered a setback when Potter was forced off the field, replaced by Steer. To this point Potter had Baldock’s measure, using his superior pace to advantage. There were more twists and turns to come; Mynott won the lead back for the Saints with a long punt before Tuddenham single handedly wrenched back the game. Having rebounded a St Kilda foray, Collingwood charged forward for Tuddenham to goal on the run, regaining the lead. Tuddy bounded back to the centre, exhorting his troops. Now into time-on and the ball deep in the pocket, Tuddenham appeared to have taken the ball out of play, but threw a boot at it anyway. Incredibly his wobbly kick found its way through, and still Tuddy had energy to run back to the centre, chest pumped. The clock approached 30 minutes and Waters turned back one final St Kilda attack. With the ball safely out of bounds, the bell rang. Collingwood had qualified for the Grand final in stunning fashion.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With ample time left on the clock and a slender three point advantage to the Woods, it was still anybody’s game entering time on. Not satisfied with putting his team back in front, Tuddenham produced one of the all-time great goals under pressure. Perhaps similar in degree of difficulty – though not in execution – to Daicos’ famous banana against West Coast in the 1990 Qualifying final, Tuddy’s amazing snap from the boundary sapped St Kilda’s spirit and effectively ended the contest.
AFTERMATCH
As much as Collingwood squandered their early scoreboard dominance, St Kilda paid the price on a couple occasions for underestimating their opponent’s doggedness. With the game appearing to be safely in the Saints’ keeping, Collingwood kept coming and weren’t deterred by several misses. Having been on the wrong end of several costly frees (the Saints awarded a staggering 51-28 frees for the match), the wheel finally turned and the ‘Pies received a couple back. The Woods’ perspiration, combined with their skipper’s inspiration, finally won the day.
Other Magpie standouts included Gabelich (a whopping 25 kicks / 8 handballs), Kevin Rose (20 kicks/9 marks) and Wayne Richardson (18 kicks). For St Kilda, Murray tallied 18 kicks and Stewart 21 possessions. Overall, the stats were almost identical – Collingwood having one more kick (215-214) and both teams recorded 34 handpasses.
THE HERO
Des Tuddenham (Collingwood)
Tuddenham’s seven goal haul really should go down as one of the all-time great performances by a Collingwood player. As captain he produced the goods when it mattered, and in fine style. Rarely can it be said that one player so influenced the result of a game (Tuddy’ also racked up 20 kicks), but the 1966 Second Semi was one such occasion.
POSTSCRIPT
St Kilda turned the tables on the 1965 premier Essendon in the Preliminary final. The re-match with Collingwood is still one of the most famous and most recounted games in football lore. Again Tuddenham was in the thick of the action when the game was up for grabs. Following Breen’s wobbly point which put the Saints ahead by that margin, ‘Tuddy’ had the ball in the clear, and after just a few steps hurriedly kicked long to the Magpies’ forward line. Had Tuddenham known there was a little more time, he could have kept going and found the length required to spot up Gabelich, or even score himself. Unfortunately, the kick fell short, St Kilda cleared, and the rest is history.
WHAT THEY SAID
“A great individual effort by skipper Des Tuddenham snatched victory for the Magpies in a tension packed final.”
Journalist Ian McDonald praises Tuddy’s performance.“Des Tuddenham turned on a burst of courageous football in the last ten minutes that had to be seen to be believed, and he, and his young Magpie fledglings, snatched victory away from St Kilda.”
Former ‘Pie champion Bill Twomey’s summation of the game.
COLLINGWOOD
B Montgomery Boyne Waters
HB Adamson Potter Clarke
C Patterson Price Tully
HF Tuddenham Searle Pitt
F Gabelich Graham Wallis
FOLL Thompson, K. Rose, W. Richardson
INT Steer, Hutchesson
COACH Rose
ST KILDA
B Head Murray Sierakowski
HB Howell Synman Griffiths
C Moran Stewart Oakley
HF I. Cooper Baldock Kennedy
F Morrow Neale Rowland
FOLL Mynott, Breen, Smith
INT Payze, Davis
COACH Jeans
BEST
COLLINGWOOD – Tuddenham, Waters, Wallis, Potter, K Rose, Patterson, Clark, Montgomery
ST KILDA – Murray, Morrow, Cooper, Breen, Smith, Payze, Griffiths, Synman, Oakley
GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – Tuddenham 7, Wallis, Searle, Graham 2, W Richardson, Price
ST KILDA – Payze 3, Neale, Smith, Baldock 2, Cooper, Breen, Oakley, Mynott
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