1977 Second Semi final
Collingwood 4.0.24 7.3.45 11.6.72 17.10.112
Hawthorn 6.5.41 6.8.44 9.13.67 16.14.110
VENUE: MCG
DATE: Saturday 10 September
CROWD: 87,421
UMPIRES: Deller, Nash
PRE-MATCH
Collingwood rounded their unbelievable turnaround season of 1977 in sweet fashion – securing the minor Premiership by comfortably accounting for Carlton and at the same time knocking the Blues out of the finals.
At the selection table for the Semi final clash with reigning Premier Hawthorn, key forwards Dunne and Kink returned at the expense of Cooper (arthritic ankle) and Atkinson. Doug Gott, finally overcoming persistent knee and groin injuries, also came into the team. The big shock was 30 year old star Wayne Richardson’s demotion to the bench. The speedy Graeme Anderson, with 44 goals for the season, assumed the 256 game veteran’s spot on the half forward flank.
Hawthorn on the other hand was a settled line-up, making no changes from the side that dismissed North by 38 points in the Qualifying final. Despite the Magpies’ superior season, the Hawks were slight favourites. Hawthorn’s finals record was far better in comparison to the Pies, who since the 1970 Second semi had won just one final from nine.
THE GAME
The Hawks had a slight advantage kicking to the Punt Road end, and when Eade found Tuck they were off to a great start. David O’Halloran was given the task of minding Carman at centre half forward. Wearing his famous white boots, Carman answered with a goal snapped over his shoulder from an acute angle. Matthews nearly replicated Carman’s effort but for hitting the post. Collingwood deployed Manassa as an extra defender, and Rice filled the same role for Hawthorn. Carman was again in the thick of the action, finding a break and kicking to the goal square for Moore to take a big grab and goal. With a lead of five points at the 11 minute mark, ‘Fabulous Phil’ slotted another one, assisted by Wearmouth. Parkin seconded Knights to quell Carman, who threatened to win the game on his own. O’Halloran, who was moved to Kink, couldn’t take a trick – a sensational run by Manassa followed by a long handpass to his new opponent resulted in another goal. The ’Pies were firing with Carman leading the charge; then it happened…down went Tuck on the Members wing, boundary umpire Kevin Mitchell reporting Carman for striking the Hawk ruck rover. This precipitated some nasty stoushes in which Rice and Martello took the points for Hawthorn. They began putting the points on the scoreboard too with four goals in eight minutes via Matthews, Tuck, Eade and Martello. Hendrie ended an eventful quarter of football with another, granting the Hawks a handy 17 point break.
Eade, playing in an uncustomary role in the centre on Magro, was dealt a shirt-front by Gordon and the ‘Woods regained their composure. Kink out-pointed O’Halloran for a good mark and kicked truly. Collingwood attacked relentlessly with a stronger breeze at their backs. Despite halting the Hawks charge, the ‘Pies could not peg back the margin until Scott gave away consecutive 15 metre penalties following a disputed mark awarded to Thompson. At the 21 minute mark, Hawthorn still held a slender four point advantage until Wearmouth kicked an amazing goal from the boundary line just entering time–on.
Moore kicked off the second half with the Magpies’ eighth. Matthews, who missed again for the Hawks, had amassed an atypical 1.5. A chain of handpasses ending in Barham, then Shaw in the goal square, gave rise to a two goal lead. Carman re-entered the consciousness of supporters, marking within range, but in passing to a teammate kicked the ball out on the full. This was soon forgotten when Gordon snapped another from 15 metres out. Hot-heads Scott and Carman tussled on the half forward line and after 18 minutes Collingwood lead by 19 points. With Hudson goalless and his team desperate to find the goals after a barren period, Moncrieff was moved to the forward line. Hudson’s duck was soon broken, courtesy of an infringement by Worthington which raised the ire of Magpie fans. The Hawks desperately needed to bridge the gap given the ‘Pies were against the wind, and just after Hudson Matthews came to the party. Shaw was fortunate to reply via a dubious free courtesy of Neville Nash. Umpiring was beginning to frustrate both teams’ supporters – a free to Scott from the centre square landed with Hudson. A 15 metre penalty enabled him to hoof the ball to the top of the Southern Stand. Matthews, another recipient of a 15 metre penalty, missed the opportunity to wrest back the lead for Hawthorn. The ebb and flow of the game, complimented by some thrilling sequences, set the stage for a tremendous last quarter.
Ominous signs greeted Magpie fans just 30 seconds into the final stanza. A brilliant pick-up by Knights followed by a long punt to Hudson, who cleverly found Moncrieff in the goal square unattended, put the Hawks in front by a point. Collingwood were steadfast, Moore replying after being free kicked by his Hawthorn namesake. David Parkin moved Scott to centre half forward and Martello to the ruck, hoping for a repeat result of the ploy which won the encounter at Victoria Park earlier in the year. But Barham provided some breathing space with a clever left foot goal followed by Carman for his third, courtesy of a foolish infringement by Welsh. Moncrieff got one back but Carman again proved the stumbling block, scoring from a tight angle. Wayne Richardson belatedly came on to replace Anderson and could have put a nail in Hawthorn’s coffin, but missed. As expected in a dramatic game of fluctuating fortunes, Hawthorn hit back with two majors via a strong mark by Matthews followed by a Geoff Ablett free at centre half forward. Moore proceeded to match Carman’s four goals, marking on an acute angle and casually threading the ball through. Hudson accepted a clever pass by Rowlings and he too brought up his fourth, and again the margin was little more than a goal. In a last ditch effort to get back in the game, Scott resumed rucking responsibilities, but to little avail. Max Richardson evaded several Hawks, bounced the ball twice, and sent through what looked like the sealer. Hawthorn knew no surrender and Hendrie got them back within striking distance. Fortunately the Magpies hung on by the skin of their teeth, the final siren marking a commendable and somewhat underrated two point win.
AFTERMATCH
Inconceivably, the 1976 wooden spooners prevailed over the 1976 premiers for a direct path to the Grand final. Collingwood displayed great poise and coolness under pressure, despite no decent finals form to speak of for years. Several factors aided the ‘Pies; Thompson out-maneuvered Scott and instigated many centre clearances by Magro and Wearmouth, the latter being dominant all over the ground, particularly in defence. Worthington blanketed Hudson well whilst Matthews kicked an uncharacteristically inaccurate 3.6. And keeping Wayne Richardson on ice proved a masterstroke, for when he came on in the last term he accumulated 11 kicks.
The match statistics certainly told a different story – Hawthorn lost despite gathering 230 kicks to 211, 66 marks to 51 and 88 handballs to 56.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Phil Carman may never have recaptured his stunning form of 1975, however he was still the ‘x’ factor, the star quality in a team of battlers, not to mention the highest paid player in the competition. When Carman punched Hawthorn utility Michael Tuck with a clenched fist to the head in a crude attempt to shepherd. There was precious little chance he would escape the wrath of the tribunal. Player advocate Bill Coady’s pleas for a reprimand fell on deaf ears. It took just 14 minutes for Alf Foley, Brian Bourke and Jack Gaffney to arrive at a guilty verdict after having heard evidence from three umpires and Carman.
Perhaps it was the invincible way Carman was playing that led to the rush of blood. So far as the 1977 Second Semi final was concerned, the incident also momentarily impacted the game. Collingwood, after being well in control, retreated to their shells as Hawthorn kicked 5.3 in 14 minutes. Carman had been a key to setting the game up, as he had been in his team losing control – and then in the last quarter he was instrumental to winning the game!
In essence, Carman’s action loaded the gun on his enigmatic career at Collingwood. Although elevated to vice captain the following year, Hafey could never forgive his moment of madness. By the end of 1978 ‘Fabulous Phil’ was persona non grata.
THE HERO
Ron Wearmouth (Collingwood)
Little Ronnie Wearmouth with the flowing locks was a favourite of the Magpie fans. He played his heart out for the club he joined back in 1969, and saved his best for big occasions. Right from the first bounce until the end he was crucial to saving his team from another finals failure. In addition to eight kicks in the last term, twice in the dying minutes Wearmouth turned back Hawthorn as they headed goalwards in the pulsating 32-minute final quarter epic. In all, Wearmouth racked up 23 kicks and eight handballs – the most prolific ballwinner on the field.
POSTSCRIPT
All that was left for the players to do was rest up and hope that North and Hawthorn ran eachother ragged at VFL Park in the following week’s Preliminary final. Of course keeping the lid on things has so often proved difficult at Collingwood, and delusions of destiny are fraught with danger. With Carman facing the firing squad, there was certainly one pressing matter to keep players and supporters grounded.
Once again, the ghosts of the past haunted the Magpies’ quest to pull off what would have been the most phenomenal Premiership of all time. Despite their heavy September schedule, it was North Melbourne that outlasted Collingwood – a ‘Cinderella story’ that turned into a rotted pumpkin.
WHAT THEY SAID
“I just feel we’re good enough if everyone comes right up to it.”
Tom Hafey feeling positive, yet to be scarred by the Colliwobbles curse.“I thought we had Collingwood on its knees in the second quarter, but we weren’t able to score.”
David Parkin laments opportunities lost.“We relaxed when we had them on toast, but it was to Hawthorn’s credit it came back…The win will help us mentally because we have won a tight finals game. We still have one more game to win before we accept the congratulations”
Hafey again, trying to keep a lid on it.They were just too good for us, they wanted to win I suppose.”
A tired skipper Don Scott with a tired explanation for the Hawks’ loss.“We have won games without Phil this year. In fact, we beat Hawthorn by six goals when Ross Dunne was centre half forward.”
Hafey, perhaps trying to convince himself as much as anyone that Carman’s imminent suspension was not the end of the world.“They will make him mayor of Collingwood if he can win this…They have their best goal to goal line since the war and that’s one heck of a start.”
Bob Rose hoping that Hafey can take his beloved Magpies where he couldn’t.“I definitely didn’t hit him with a clenched fist.”
Unfortunately the footage did little to back Carman’s plea to the tribunal.
COLLINGWOOD
B Hyde Worthington Gott
HB Manassa Picken Ireland
C Barham Magro Gordon
HF Dunne Carman Anderson
F Moore Kink R. Shaw
FOLL Thompson, M Richardson, Wearmouth
INT W Richardson, Betts
COACH Hafey
HAWTHORN
B Welsh Moore Moncrieff
HB O’Halloran Knights Polkinghorne
C G Ablett Rice K Ablett
HF Hendrie Martello Eade
F Paton Hudson Rowlings
FOLL Scott, Tuck, L Matthews
INT Trott, G McCarthy
COACH Parkin
BEST
COLLINGWOOD – Wearmouth, Thompson, Worthington, R Shaw, Barham, Manassa
HAWTHORN – Tuck, Knights, Hendrie, Scott, Moncrieff, G Ablett
GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – Carman, Moore 4, Kink, R Shaw 2, Gordon, Wearmouth, Barham, W Richardson, Thompson
HAWTHORN – Hudson 4, L Matthews 3, Moncrieff, Tuck, Hendrie 2, Eade, G Ablett, Martello
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