1970 Second Semi final
Collingwood 5.2.32 9.7.61 12.11.83 17.16.118
Carlton 5.0.30 9.2.56 14.3.87 17.6.108
VENUE: MCG
DATE: Saturday 12 September
CROWD: 112,838
UMPIRE: Crouch
PRE-MATCH
After a mid-season hiccup, Collingwood surged over the final rounds of the 1970 home and away season. Seeing off challengers St Kilda and Carlton, the ‘Pies certainly earned Flag favouritism credentials with a big percentage and just four losses over the season.
In its previous clashes with Second Semi opponent Carlton, Collingwood prevailed in two classic victories. In the Round 8 game at new venue VFL Park, the Magpies powered home with an 8.3 to 1.2 final quarter to transform a 20 point three quarter time deficit into a 23 point win. In their rematch at Victoria Park, the Pies restricted the Blues to a paltry two goals. The 77 point massacre was most memorable for McKenna’s 100th goal (right) and the obligatory ground invasion late in the last quarter. With expectations at fever-pitch, tickets for the final were at a premium and scalpers made a killing.
THE GAME
Jenkin collected Hall as he tore through a pack in a fiery start to the second quarter. Hall groggily made his way to the forward line for a rest, his nose bleeding. By the end of the game he also sported a swollen black eye. Racing out of the pocket, McKenna recorded the Magpies’ first with a great snap. As the game progressed, so too did the number of sly punches and back-handers. Thornley goaled, but the Blues then missed a couple opportunities to gather momentum. Like McKenna, Jesaulenko was in hot form, as he dodged out of trouble and snapped Carlton’s sixth, the former replying for the Magpies. Again McKenna was in the thick of things as he notched his fifth from a free, restoring the Woods’ eight-point lead. In what was to be a controversial flare-up with lasting repercussions, Adamson and Jackson clashed. An angry pack formed and a round of pushing and shoving ensued. When Nicholls grabbed the ball, two Collingwood players attempted to seize control of it – only to comically knock it out into the boundary umpire’s face. After composure was collectively regained, Crouch somehow awarded Jackson a free. The incident again raised the bar in terms of the game’s physicality. The last goal of the half by Hall brought Carlton back to within two points.
The fists were put away after the break as both teams set about inflicting damage on the scoreboard. Thompson was taken high and kicked the first. McKenna pounced on a loose ball and notched his sixth, having just missed one a moment earlier. With Collingwood on top almost everywhere, and McKenna launching another from long range, things looked grim for Carlton, now 26 points in arrears. Walls nabbed a much needed goal, followed by Hopkins who served notice when he dobbed two goals in a row after replacing a struggling Gallagher. Jesaulenko came in on the revival act and squeezed one home to again bring the margin back to just two points. A third goal in five minutes, courtesy of a snap by Jackson out of the pack, had the Blues in front of a Collingwood side caught napping.
Four minutes into the last and Carlton found themselves 11 points in front when Crosswell acrobatically jumped to soccer a bouncing ball through. Price, who went down with cramp in the third term, was pushed into the ground by Nicholls, much to the chagrin of Greening who bravely remonstrated with the Blues’ monolith. Thompson wrongly assumed he had taken a mark in the goal square and lost the ball, but Dunne was accurate from the boundary. The Magpies rallied – Max Richardson snapped truly as he fell to the ground, followed by another by Thompson who was freed. Half way through the quarter McKenna soccered through what looked to be a clincher. Carlton made one last bid as the match entered time-on; Jesaulenko kicking his seventh out of a pack. Though beaten by Jesaulenko, Clifton turned back several dangerous attacks in the final term. Eakins also saved the day in resisting another ominous sortie. When Hopkins missed a sitter running into goal, supporters breathed a sigh of relief. McKenna kicked the sealer, his ninth; Jesaulenko’s eighth goal from a dubious free purely academic before the siren marked an epic win over the old foe.
AFTERMATCH
An interesting statistic of the game was that although Collingwood had more kicks (231–200) more hit-outs (34-22) and more marks (77-51), Carlton handballed 54 times to 33. Perhaps the handball ‘revolution’ credited to Carlton’s second half of the 1970 Grand final was merely an extension on their existing style of play.
Whilst Nicholls was credited by many as best on ground with 14 kicks, 7 marks and 3 handballs, his opponent Jenkin escaped the same kudos, despite 16 kicks and 8 marks, plus more hit-outs. Wayne Richardson was prolific for the Woods with 20 kicks and Tuddenham rose to the big occasion as always with 19 kicks. Obviously McKenna’s nine goals was a crucial part of the Pies’ win, whilst at the other end, Jesaulenko’s eight straight was a thorn in the Magpies’ side.
With ten more scoring shots and dominance in most statistical areas, it is clear that Collingwood should have won a little more easily, and more importantly the wastage around goals was worrying. Said coach Bob Rose;
“When we did get ahead we didn’t capitalize on our play in front of goals. We had a good lead at one stage, but it should have been greater.”
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Who would have thought that the Adamson – Jackson scrap would still be scrutinized some 20 years later? Having been reported for striking Adamson, Jackson alleged a racial taunt precipitated his actions. The tribunal accepted his plea and subsequently Jackson took his place in the Grand final. Lee Adamson lived with the stigma of being labeled a racist for many years before Jackson admitted that he made the story up to get off the charge. Not only had his lie affected Adamson, the scales of justice swaying Jackson’s way could also have played a part in the Grand final result.
Surprisingly, there was just two reports arising from the heated match – the other when Adamson was reported for charging Jackson earlier in the second quarter, which may have been the real catalyst for Jackson’s retribution.
The Magpies were in all sorts of trouble in the final term, and they desperately needed a goal. Dunne’s set shot from a tight angle kick-started momentum. Amidst a distracting tangle of streamers, Dunne aborted his kick twice before holding his nerve.
THE HERO
Peter McKenna (Collingwood)
As ever the Magpies’ attacking focal point lifted the team with spectacular play, not to mention nine goals in a crucial final. Straighter kicking in the last quarter could have seen ‘Macca’ bag a dozen. His match winning performance, highlighted by well judged leads and strong marking, left his opponent Goold, and the rest of the Carlton defence, nonplussed. In fact Goold was spotted almost literally tearing his hair out in frustration during the first term!
POSTSCRIPT
Collingwood was expected to win the Second Semi without too many problems. By allowing Carlton to escape with a credible loss, Carlton’s stocks rose considerably and were further enhanced by an easy Preliminary final win over St Kilda.
The less said about the 1970 Grand final the better. Having overcome St Kilda, Carlton’s famous comeback win in front of a still-record crowd of 121,000 owed as much to Collingwood’s misfortune as Barassi’s famous handball edict, or Ted Hopkins. With six goals to half time, McKenna was set to exceed his outstanding Semi final, only to clash heads with the worst possible teammate – the Magpies’ other matchwinner Des Tuddenham. McKenna barely remembers the second half and neither player had much further impact. Even more so, their inability to stop the Blues run from defence was the major factor in the second half nightmare.
It has been said that The Club took many years to get over the 1970 Grand final – and psychologically that it may have been a contributing factor in subsequent September calamities. The tragedy of 1970 was that clearly the best team of the season, and perhaps one of The Club’s greatest combinations, failed to achieve its destiny. As hollow as the 1970 Semi final win has become, in itself, it was actually a fantastic final.
WHAT THEY SAID
“Nothing in the wide world is going to stop us from winning the Premiership…nothing… The players have been driven to desperation point – the club is starving for a Premiership.”
Bob Rose before the Semi final. The desperation was evident in both Carlton showdowns, however unforeseen events derailed Collingwood at the last hurdle.“It was a great win but we played poorly… Except for a near fatal collapse in the third quarter, we applied ourselves well to the task. We are capable of much better football but Carlton refused to let up.”
Skipper Terry Waters assessment of the game where the Pies squandered a 26-point half-time lead.“What happens if Peter ever has an off-day? The way he is going it seems unlikely – but one never knows.”
…or if Peter is knocked unconscious by his own player just before half time? Ron Evans, putting the ‘moz’ on McKenna in his post-match column.“I saw his eyes roll in his head.”
Collingwood’s Peter Eakins describes the impact of John Nicholl’s accidental stray fist which collected boundary umpire Cliff Green, in his efforts to shrug off Jeff Clifton.
”It was a pressure game, but not the toughest I have played in.”
‘Big Nick’ plays down the rugged nature of the first half.“I am confident we will beat St Kilda next Saturday and when we meet Collingwood in the Grand final I think we will turn the tables.
Taking it two games at a time, Carlton coach Ron Barassi.“We are equal to Collingwood even though we are not playing well, and I can hardly wait for the next couple of weeks.”
Blues captain Nicholls talks up the Blues’ unwavering belief.
COLLINGWOOD
B Tully Clifton Eakins
HB O’Callaghan Potter Adamson
C Dean Price Greening
HF Britt Thompson M Richardson
F Dunne McKenna W Richardson
FOLL Jenkin, Waters, Tuddenham
INT Heard, Watt
COACH Rose
CARLTON
B Gill Goold Waite
HB Hall McKay Mulcair
C Crane Robertson Quirk
HF Crosswell Walls Jackson
F Jones Jesaulenko Thornley
FOLL Nicholls, Silvagni, Gallagher
INT Chandler, Hopkins
COACH Barassi
BEST
COLLINGWOOD – Tuddenham, Jenkin, Price, McKenna, Britt, W Richardson, Waters
CARLTON – Nicholls, Silvagni, Crane, Hall, McKay, Jesaulenko, Walls, Gill
GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – McKenna 9, Thompson 4, Tuddenham, Waters, Dunne, M Richardson
CARLTON – Jesaulenko 8, Thornley, Hopkins 2, Gallagher, Hall, Walls, Crosswell, Jackson
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