Two tribes go to war

1978 First Semi final

Collingwood   4.3.27   7.8.50   10.10.70 15.18.108
Carlton           1.2.8     5.7.37   9.12.66 13.15.93

VENUE: MCG
DATE: Saturday 16 September
CROWD: 91,933
UMPIRES: Robinson, Sutcliffe

PRE-MATCH
Collingwood approached the 1978 finals series in good shape having won 12 out of their last 15 games with even a slice of luck coming their way. Having to beat Melbourne and rely on St Kilda to beat Carlton in the last round to snatch a vital double chance and third spot, the Saints surprisingly thrashed the Blues – and the Magpies completed the transaction.  Perhaps a reaction to the previous year’s Grand final fadeout, The Club sought to strengthen players’ minds, as Hafey had their bodies.  Hypnotherapist Lee Saxon was called in, replicating the successful techniques used by North Melbourne during the 1977 finals.

Unfortunately Collingwood limped into the cut-throat First Semi final worse for wear. The Hawks had blasted the Pies out of the water by 56 points the week before, Moncrieff unstoppable with eight goals.  A worrying aspect was Len Thompson’s form degenerating so much he was becoming a liability.  Carman great second half was the only shining light, but he too was under an injury cloud.  The Magpies lost Wearmouth to a thigh injury before the game and brought in the inexperienced Tony Shaw.

Carlton may have beaten Geelong comfortably in the Elimination final however the Cats went in without, or lost during the game, half a dozen of their key players.  Inaccuracy also robbed them of any chance of pushing the Blues, who cruised home having opened a five goal break at quarter time.  Jones and Maclure, with support from their ‘mosquito fleet’, were the principal players in their 33 point win.

The ‘Pies were hell-bent on casting the Blues, and memories of a very ordinary Qualifying final against Hawthorn, aside. But Carlton was strongly favoured to prevail – of the seven Age football writers, only Collingwood sympathizer Trevor Grant picked the Magpies.

THE GAME
Carlton drew first blood at the second minute mark when Maclure snapped the first goal of the game. Moore, then Max Richardson both missed relatively easy shots but Dunne kicked truly after a good pack mark 35 metres out.  After a temporary retirement, Dunne’s spot at full-forward had been under scrutiny prior to the game.  Both teams appeared to be feeling nerves in front of the huge crowd.  After almost half the quarter, Morris kicked a great goal when Ray Shaw cleverly tapped the ball forward.  The elder Shaw barged through a pack again and goaled, whilst Carlton struggled for scoring opportunities.  A magnificent tackle by MacKay prevented another major to Kink. Thompson was active early, as was Carman with some skilful and physical play.  A sensational match-up tantalized supporters when Jesaulenko gave himself the task of minding the enigmatic forward.  On this day, Carman chose to be brilliant; so much so that Jesaulenko soon found himself a different opponent.  Moore missed from a free close in but on a tight angle, and the margin of 13 points failed to do justice to the Magpies’ general dominance.  Just before the siren the Pies extended the margin to 19, MacKay surrendering a goal through an unfortunate boot out of a pack – the ball finding Dunne’s arms at centre half forward.

After his first quarter caning, Jesaulenko was now on a half forward flank with the ever reliable Doull tasked with blanketing Carman. The Blues hit back well in the second term –Galt’s powerful kick was true, as was Keogh’s low punt on the end of some systematic football from the backline.  Armstrong and Jesaulenko missed shots at goal but at just six points the difference, Carlton were in the ascendancy.  Jesaulenko came into the game as Carman drifted out.  Oborne crashed through Towns a split second after disposing of the ball, but came off second best.  The Magpies stemmed the Blues’ momentum, courtesy of a big mark in the square by Moore, until Carlton quickly rebounded through Galt from a free.  Manassa goaled at the 15 minute mark and then assisted Max Richardson for another and again Collingwood earned a handy break.  Picken was doing a fine job to nullify Maclure and Catoggio was much quieter than the week before, though not aided by a stray Carman elbow which drew a stream of blood from his nose.  Carman seemed to have learned little in the art of restraint from the previous year and was reported.  Sheldon came on for Keogh and curtly snapped a goal, reducing the margin at the long break to 13 points.

After an early miss by Ashman, Dunne goaled courtesy of Carman performing a great intercept of Doull’s kick. Sheldon was in the action again replying for Carlton and Keogh returned to the field to double the dose.  The crowd was reaping full value and roared continually as both teams surged forward.  Ray Shaw snapped brilliantly to restore breathing space for the Woods. Tempers flared as Kink, Carman, Doull and Harmes became the main exponents in a fight that saw even the unflappable Doull swing a fist, whilst Harmes landed two solid punches to Carman’s head.  Carman emerged with his jumper ripped and hair ruffled and was curiously, but not surprisingly, the only one reported (for striking Ashman).  Kink had been on the edge for much of the game; in a subsequent incident he cleaned up Armstrong – when McKay took exception he threw a comical dummy punch that whizzed past his nose yet was still deemed worthy of a report. Maclure broke the shackles for one of the few times in the match to put the Blues ahead and then Percy Jones flattened Max Richardson. Carman set up Moore for the reply and although the scoreboard showed the game up for grabs. Instructively, Carlton players began to shirk and avoid the physical challenges.

The scene set for a titanic last quarter and the Blues remained in the hunt for a time, albeit the ball spent most of the time in Collingwood’s half. After three quarters battling with Percy Jones, Len Thompson was rested up forward, surrounded by marking threats including Stewart, Dunne and Carman. But it was ‘Fabulous Phil’ who was instrumental, taking three magnificent grabs which precipitated three goals in a devastating five minute burst that silenced any threat.  The unheralded Greg Whitcroft gathered plenty of ball, Barham’s dash was never diminished and Ray Shaw’s finishing – booting three – was key. Fellow rover Bond entered the fray and goaled and Dunne scored an easy one on the goal line after Picken had nearly roosted it home himself. By now the Woods had skipped away to a 28 point lead.  Carlton won back some respectability with a couple goals in junk time but the game was well in the Magpies’ control.  When Carman left the field in the dying minutes, having again been a decisive factor in securing the win, he did so to a chorus of jeers and cheers.

AFTERMATCH
The 1978 Semi final between Collingwood and Carlton was a classic display of all the elements that have made the rivalry so intense. Freakish goals, high marking, fierce tackling and sensational incidents all featured.

Thompson’s rise in fortunes was pleasing, for he had had a most disappointing final the week before. Unfortunately Carman’s temperamental nature again had him in trouble at the worst possible time, on report again. Kink wasn’t so lucky and his two-match suspension precipitated the end of his season.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
A major statement was made by the enigmatic Rene Kink when he gave Vin Catoggio a 10 metre start and caught him in 20. Not only that, he threw him to the ground like a rag doll and won the free kick for good measure.

Also critical to setting up the win was starting Thompson in the ruck, despite appearing destined for the football scrap-heap. Whilst the end was near, ‘Thommo’ produced one last big game from his wobbly knees and beat ‘Percy’ Jones in the ruck and in general play.  When Jones did gain possession, he was usually left ‘holding the bag’, with no runners making position for the handball.

The other aspect of the first quarter that no doubt lifted the spirits of teammates and supporters alike was Carman’s spectacular marking. When Phil was ‘on’ and in match-winning mode, anything was possible, and sadly this was to be his last such day in Collingwood colours.

THE HERO
Bill Picken (Collingwood)

In the so-close-yet-so far period of 1977-81 there was one player that stood out like a beacon in terms of finals performances. Had the Magpies been able to clone a few more Billy Pickens, there would have been no ‘wobble’ to speak of.  The 1978 First Semi was no exception, and once again Picken relished the opportunity to take on the dreaded foe.  As he would on a number of occasions, he beat key Blues’ target Mark Maclure hands down and was recognized the best afield.  His elimination of Maclure was said to be ‘both ruthless and total’. Picken even accumulated the most kicks (22) and possessions (28) for Collingwood, as well as hauling in eight marks. Such was Maclure’s confidence shattered, his captain-coach (Jesaulenko) passed to him when he should have taken shots at goal himself, just to bring him into in the game.

POSTSCRIPT
The torrid nature of the Carlton game would have left several Woodsmen battered and bruised for the Preliminary final. An early deficit of two goals against North could not be bridged all day long and the Magpies in fact went down by that margin.  It was to be a dirty day for Carman, once again playing the villain.  Though his accidental breaking of Wearmouth’s nose and cheekbone actually lifted and inspired Ronnie, it was clear that Phil’s days in the black and white stripes were numbered.  If for no other reason that his mere presence near a contest now incited umpires to award free kicks to his opponent.  Even when Carman was on the receiving end during the third quarter melee against Carlton, he still found himself facing the tribunal on a report that coach Tom Hafey described as ‘ridiculous’.

In a changing of the guard, club stalwart Len Thompson was also shown the door as his effectiveness dulled and Moore assumed the first ruck. Max Richardson was another high profile player told to look elsewhere, his brother Wayne simply gave it away, ‘Twiggy’ Dunne retired permanently and Wayne Gordon headed to Melbourne with Carman, in return for Brewer and cash.

WHAT THEY SAID

“I was kneed, kicked and punched during a third quarter incident…All I could do is lie on the ground with my hands over my head.”
Phil Carman on being on the receiving end of some treatment designed to elicit a repeat of his 1977 First Semi final strife.

“But I learned a lesson from last year and didn’t do anything stupid.”
Carman’s protestations saw him being found not guilty this time around.

“I am amazed at the report. He puts everything into the game and the umpires cannot seem to get their pencils out quickly enough.  Carman is unlucky in a lot of cases and his report seems to be a bit ridiculous.  The very fact that he had eight free kicks given against him and hardly got one himself seems most unfair.”
Hafey goes into bat for his champion forward who seemed to have been ‘outed’ by the umpires.

“I don’t want anyone to blame the boys. I must take the blame – I could not get to them when it mattered most.”
Melancholy Blues’ captain-coach Alex Jesaulenko shouldered responsibility for his team’s loss.

“’Fabulous’ Phil took a saunter down memory lane at the MCG on Saturday, leaving in his path the bruised and battered remains that were Carlton.”
Stephen Phillips of The Age encapsulates an archetypal Carman display.

“Collingwood has given me a lot to be proud of in my life, but Saturday afternoon at the MCG went close to being the best of all.”
Lou Richards rated the desperate win, against most predictions, very highly.

“They shouldn’t do it – all that indiscriminate waving of arms. But when one of our players gets hit, I expect the others to get in, push and shove  and give protection.”
A despondent Jesaulenko wasn’t impressed by some Collingwood rough stuff, but neither was he impressed by his own players’ inability to cope with aggressive play and fly the flag.

COLLINGWOOD
B          Byrne            McCormack   Worthington
HB       Oborne             Picken                   Ireland
C          Barham         M Richardson      Whitcroft
HF       Dunne                Kink                   Manassa
F          Thompson        Carman               R. Shaw
FOLL  Moore, Morris, T Shaw
INT     Stewart, Bond
COACH  Hafey

CARLTON
B          Harmes          Southby             Pinnell
HB       Austin           McKay                   Doull
C         Collins               Towns              Pickett
HF       Armstrong    Maclure       Jesaulenko
F           Galt            McConville          Ashman
FOLL P. Jones, Keogh, Catoggio
INT    Sheldon, Heath
COACH  Jesaulenko

BEST
COLLINGWOOD – McCormack, Picken, R Shaw, Carman, Morris, Ireland, Moore, Kink
CARLTON – Towns, Ashman, Doull, Armstrong, Pinnell, Southby, Jones

GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – R Shaw 5, Dunne 4, Moore 2, M Richardson, Morris, Bond, Manassa
CARLTON – Sheldon, Maclure, Galt 3, Keogh 3, Catoggio, Ashman