Round 4 1979
Collingwood 7.7.49 13.11.89 21.16.142 31.21.207
St Kilda 1.1.7 2.5.17 3.8.26 3.11.29
VENUE: Victoria Park
DATE: Saturday 28 April
CROWD: 29,380
UMPIRES: Sutcliffe, Morgan
PRE-MATCH
After the tumultuous 1976 ‘spoon year, coach Tom Hafey’s arrival sparked a significant turnaround in fortunes – so close to the ultimate prize in ’77 and a valiant third in ’78. But in the process, a number of club stalwarts left Lulie Street, including Wayne and Max Richardson, Twiggy Dunne, Wayne Gordon and Len Thompson. Each saw the writing on the wall, and either retired or sought greener pastures. The brilliant but enigmatic Phil Carman was the most notable departure though, having run out of chances to toe the strict Hafey line. The replacements included a highly rated but injury prone forward from Richmond in Allan Edwards, and rejected veteran forwards Craig Davis and Ross Brewer (brother of 1958 Premiership full forward Ian) to bolster the attack. Experienced on-ballers Russell Ohlsen and Kevin Morris were also added, fulfilling the criteria that of being good, honest goers.
The first three rounds of 1979 were a mixed bag and did little to elevate the Magpies’ rating. After a first round thrashing by Fitzroy, the Woodsmen responded by easily accounting for reigning Premier Hawthorn by five goals. A 28 point loss to North Melbourne didn’t bode well, and all of a sudden a round four match-up with St Kilda represented a must-win against an apparently threatening opponent (who had likewise thrashed Hawthorn). Indeed, the Saints were favoured by some to achieve a rare win at Victoria Park over the bottom-of-the-ladder Magpies.
Collingwood anticipated some young talent to emerge from its strong reserves and under 19 teams of the time. The likes of Mark Dreher, Michael Twomey, Mark Hannebery and Denis Banks made their debuts in 1979, but it was 17 year old Peter Daicos, making his first appearance for the seniors in this home game against St Kilda, that was to have the greatest impact. Tony Shaw, another club legend in the making, was a late inclusion for Bill Valli (suffering from a bout of shingles).
THE GAME
The Magpies jumped out of the blocks with four goals in the first ten minutes. Davis accepted a gift to open the account, taking the ball off the back of a pack. Ohlsen then found the target with a tremendous long kick, followed by a Davis mark and goal. Stewart took his turn, goaling twice in succession. Collingwood’s early dominance was born of Moore’s complete dominance over Sidebottom in the ruck, winning nearly every hitout – though the Saints ruckman did register his team’s first goal when he bounced one through 17 minutes in. Kink steamed forward, was grabbed high but just barreled on through to goal, to be smartly followed by Ray Shaw’s long one. Dunne, and to a lesser extent Breen, were the only Saints to register any meaningful resistance. In the closing minutes of the first quarter, Discher (St Kilda) was reported on two separate occasions (and later suspended for 4 matches by the VFL tribunal). Peter Moore was felled behind play, and when Terry Wight raced to the scene backed by a small posse, Discher dished out some more expedient medicine.
Saints fans regained some hope when the previously benched McDonald goaled from a rare errant pass by McCormack. Ray Shaw answered with two quick ones and then Stewart further reinforced the Magpies’ supremacy with a couple more of his own, escalating the margin to 55 points just 40 minutes into the game. Woolnough followed with another as Mike Patterson moved Barker into the action, replacing him at full forward with Burns. It had little effect, Davis kicking his third with assistance from Kink, followed by Woolnough again. By half time the Saints were a painful 72 points in arrears, offering mere token resistance.
Collingwood not only went on with it in the second half, they totally humiliated a St Kilda outfit impersonating red, white and black witches hats. Defenders Worthington, Magro and McCormack continued to form the first line of attack, surging downfield in a wave as they shared the ball around. Seven goals in the opening twelve minutes of the second half had the Saints bewildered, six big knockouts in a row by Moore left Sidebottom disgraced. Despite an injured hand which took away his marking capacity, Moore still beat Sidebottom, Sarau and Discher in the packs and all over the ground. Ray Shaw, Daicos and Morris took full advantage of Moore’s work, and the century margin was notched by Stewart with his fifth major. Goals to Morris, Moore, Worthington, Ray Shaw, Stewart (2), and Derek Shaw widened the chasm to 115 points. Through Cunningham St Kilda managed a solitary goal amid the carnage; alas it would be their last for the afternoon.
The Magpies were relentless and showed the Saints no mercy in slamming on another ten goals in the final quarter. Kink and Davis continued to pile on the pain up forward, Ray Shaw and Terry Wight also chipping in for six-pointers. Eighteen goals to one in an hour of football saw the margin blow out to an astonishing 178 points. Only the loyalist (or most masochistic) Saints supporter could lay claim to frequenting Victoria Park after 4.30pm on 28 April 1979.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Finding a singular moment that really mattered amidst such a humiliation, of such a dismal opponent, isn’t easy. What made the Saints’ performance so unfathomable was their humbling of the Hawks just a couple weeks previously.
Obviously, the Saints demonstrated many deficiencies. But given clearances from stoppages are so crucial, Sidebottom’s glaring lack of mobility and inability to win hit-outs (St Kilda won just 15 for the game) hardly helped. In Sidebottom’s defence, he carried a painful ankle injury into the game that affected his ability to change direction. Despite Moore providing a direct feed to the Magpie rovers, St Kilda was oddly averse to better utilising alternative ruckmen Sarau and Discher.
As an interesting aside, of 50 tickets allocated to St Kilda for the aftermatch function (typical of the day), just two were used. One of them was Trevor Barker – a testimony to a strength of character so evident throughout his career until his premature passing.
AFTERMATCH
Peter Daicos played in the centre on debut, and although failing to register a goal in the rout (his first kick sailed out on the full), he did enough with a lazy 21 kicks and 7 handballs to win a television on World of Sport’s highlights segment.
A catalyst for the Saints’ woes was the Magpies’ extraordinary tally of 191 handpasses. Given the usual directness by foot which typified Hafey’s teams (contrast their 48 handballs in the 1979 Grand final), St Kilda was completely blindsided. Trevor Barker expressed the Saints’ bewilderment;
“They would handball anywhere, behind them, over our heads, or in the most unexpected places, and there was always someone there.”
Major records tumbled, the Magpies booting their highest ever score (31.21.207) – bettering their 30.20.200 against Essendon in 1971 – and the highest ever VFL winning margin (178 points) since South Melbourne annihilated the Saints by 171 in 1919. If it wasn’t for the efforts of Dunne, one of few Saints worthy of their pay cheque, the margin and score might have been even greater. The record didn’t last long – Fitzroy caned Melbourne at VFL Park later in the year by 190 points, in addition to recording the highest ever VFL score.
THE HERO
Rene Kink (Collingwood)
Kink was an enigma trapped in a riddle. From one quarter to another, let alone from one game to the next, Kink would run white hot – then suddenly lose interest and appear not to be trying. Kink claimed he needed to be challenged, and if the scoreboard or situation was of little consequence, his mind wandered. Despite the hopelessly lop-sided contest, and that Kink was playing at centre half forward (a position he felt did not suit his style of play), the ‘Incredible Bulk’ feasted on the Saints. According to Lou Richards in his post match summary, defenders were brushed aside ‘as though they were made of fairy floss’. And busting through packs, Kink ‘bullied and blustered the stream of opponents Patterson sent to quell him’.
POSTSCRIPT
In their long history St Kilda would be hard pressed to find a dirtier day. Before the seniors’ capitulation, the reserves set the scene with a 151 point drubbing, whilst the U19s fell ‘just’ 106 points short. Speculation mounted the sub-standard effort was largely due to player unrest over late payments owed by the club – one loyal subject reputedly six years in arrears. By the end of what was to be another wooden spoon season for the hapless Saints, Lindsay Fox assumed control of the club. The trucking magnate slashed $250,000 off a $1m debt, while casting aside club manager Garry Murphy in the process.
From last position, the massive percentage booster catapulted Collingwood to third. The following week the goal glut continued at Waverley in the ‘Pies comfortable win over Footscray. A hiccup against Essendon was followed by generally sound form for the rest of the home and away season, and with a little good fortune third place was secured when Fitzroy came from behind to beat Geelong in the last round.
The following year, another rampage over the Saints at VFL Park set The Club’s current record VFL score (32.19.211). From Carman’s 1975 Moorabbin clinic through until 1986, the Magpies averaged 22 goals per game against St Kilda, in a period where it experienced just one loss in 1982.
WHAT THEY SAID
“I just hope I can capitalize on my chance and establish a regular place.”
Peter Daicos would achieve a little more than that over the next 15 years.“We may be down in a couple positions, but I’m bitterly disappointed at the resistance put up, the chasing, the attention to detail and the fact that players gave it away.”
There was little else Saints’ coach Mike Patterson could say.“We want to talk out a few home truths about today’s match. This was not good enough for our supporters. It was a disgrace to the club. It has to be ironed out and there will be a free-for-all discussion by the players, the committee and the coaches. Everyone can have his say.
St Kilda President Graham Huggins announced an emergency meeting for the Monday following the disaster.“If they could have found a sponge they would have thrown it in. They were already using towels as white flags…The Saints are so slow that several times I saw field umpires pass them running backwards! They are fumblers and don’t look like taking a mark up forward.”
No holding back in Lou Richards’ spray in his post-game report on ‘the most one-sided match (he) had ever seen.’“I thought we were going to give them a good go. The atmosphere was there.”
Trevor Barker could hold his head high with 23 kicks, though he sorely misjudged the pre-match vibe in the changerooms.“…the bewildered Saints were so effortlessly brushed aside and failed to apply pressure at any stage of the one-sided, almost farcical match.”
Bruce Matthews’ report on St Kilda’s pitiful display in The Herald was just as damning.“…I have never been so embarrassed talking to officials and players after a game.”
The Age’s Ron Carter was in the St Kilda rooms after the game, the most silent, depressing and devoid of spirit he could ever recall.“With the season already four weeks old the desperate Saints are looking around the football junkyard for bits and pieces.”
Jim Main of Inside Football was highly critical of St Kilda’s inept recruiting.“I had to pinch myself a couple hundred times to be sure it was happening, that I was going out there to play my first VFL game. I just couldn’t believe it. I’d sat there in awe of Collingwood for years, and I couldn’t believe I was about to run onto the field with the most famous football club in Australia. I couldn’t come to grips with playing alongside the Pickens, the Moores and guys like that. I remember I went straight home that night and went to bed. I was just sick all night, vomiting uncontrollably – it was just all the nervous energy, being overawed by the whole situation. But, by the next day I was fine.”
A remarkable insight into the feelings of a Collingwood debutante player. It wouldn’t take long for other first-gamers to be similarly in awe of playing alongside Peter Daicos.
COLLINGWOOD
B Magro McCormack Worthington
HB Wight Picken Ireland
C Byrne Daicos Woolnough
HF Kink D Shaw Ohlsen
F Valli C Davis Stewart
FOLL Moore, Morris, R Shaw
INT Betts, Wearmouth
COACH Hafey
ST KILDA
B O’Dea Breen Dunne
HB Greene Perovic Stevens
C Bond O’Keefe Sartori
HF Carter Sidebottom Cunningham
F Sarau Barker Callery
FOLL Discher, Baker, Duperouzel
INT Evans, McDonald
COACH Patterson
BEST
COLLINGWOOD – R Shaw, Moore, Kink, McCormack, Stewart, Morris
ST KILDA – Dunne, Greene, Duperouzel, Barker
GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – Stewart, C Davis 6, Kink 5, R Shaw 4, Ohlsen, Woolnough, Morris, Moore, D Shaw, Worthington, Wight
ST KILDA – Sidebottom, McDonald, Cunningham
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