1980 Preliminary Final
Collingwood 3.5.23 6.8.44 12.10.82 13.15.93
Geelong 2.2.14 5.5.35 9.8.62 13.11.89
VENUE: VFL Park
DATE: Saturday 20 September
CROWD: 75,526
UMPIRES: Deller, Smith
PRE MATCH
Having knocked Richmond off top spot in the final round, big things were expected of a Geelong outfit that recorded some marvelous results through the year. Such as Round 20’s three goal win over the ‘Pies at Kardinia Park in which John Mossop (five goals) was a trump card. Yet when Mossop and club stalwart Sam Newman both flopped in the First Semi loss to Carlton, both were hastily dropped.
Collingwood blustered into the Preliminary final with an exciting eight point victory over finals nemesis North Melbourne, followed by a 50 point thrashing of Carlton. The Blues’ win sparked typical Magpie hysteria. But to make the Grand final, the Magpies had to do what no other team had done since the Final Five was introduced in 1972, although the way they took care of the reigning Premier was cause for optimism. Even Rene Kink was in the form of his career, showing his versatility on the ball with 20 kicks and three goals. After a middling season ‘Hafey’s heroes’ had timed their run well.
Geelong made three changes to their selected side – Reed, Smith and Lunn in for Neal and the aforementioned Mossop and Newman. The latter was named, though aware his 300 game career was over – thus enduring a painful charade. Collingwood lost Barham to his perennial hamstring injury, replaced by youngster David Twomey. This was a blow to the ‘Pies as Barham was in peak form, with four goals in the previous week’s Second Semi. Barham was particularly looking forward to his duel with his close friend Michael Turner.
Collingwood oozed determination however the Cats’ boasted an edge in speed and skills, as well as a strong defence. Hafey noted after the game his concerns in that Geelong boasted nine players of interstate quality, and that they had beaten the Magpies twice at VFL Park since 1977. The game promised to go down to the wire, and that it certainly did.
THE GAME
Umpire Kevin Smith won over the majority of the (pro-Collingwood) crowd at the five minute mark in awarding a dubious mark to Ray Shaw after it appeared Ian Nankervis had the stronger claims. When Nankervis disputed the decision, Smith took control and awarded a 15 metre penalty to guarantee the conversion. Shaw ran onto a loose ball to slot another in the first term, as did Stewart who provided a focal point. The ever reliable Ray Byrne was also playing soundly, and thankfully Kink was switched on. Bruce Nankervis and Bruns brought up Geelong’s major scores whilst Turner, Yeates and Bright excelled.
Johnston marked six-minutes into the second period and put the Cats in front for the first time. He should have widened the margin when he marked, but missed a sitter from just 12 metres out. The defences reigned supreme – especially Picken, McCormack and Byrne for Collingwood and Ian Nankervis and Taylor for Geelong. Through Bruns the Cats extended their lead to 11 points. At the halfway stage of the term Geelong had control with Featherby also at the fore. Craig Davis came to the rescue, threading a fine goal after some courageous work upfield. This ignited the side, with a further two goals added by Shaw and Young. Rovers Ray Shaw and Bruns were the avenues by which their teams conjured a couple more goals in the suffocating contest. At the 21-minute mark Shaw kicked his third and regained the lead for the Woods.
Geelong continued to follow coach Goggin’s instructions to open up the goal face with short passing, even when a shot beckoned – ultimately resultant attempts were botched anyway. Clarke kept the Cats in touch though with a couple goals, and Bos also found the target. Clarke’s move onto the ball after the long break proved significant, and he kicked his third in time-on as the Cats clawed back to within two points. Collingwood’s forward line then enjoyed their most prolific quarter with Davis and Wearmouth goaling twice and Moore and Daicos another two. Magpie big men Moore, Kink and Stewart all lifted, and brought about a comfortable 20 point buffer at the final change.
Wearmouth delivered a big last quarter, typically dashing down the field and accumulating seven kicks, including Collingwood’s first and only goal. For Geelong, a freewheeling Turner was even more prolific, and just as influential. The intensity lifted as the Cats made a desperate bid to make their first Grand final in 13 years. Davis flew for a big grab in the goal square, dropped the mark, picked up the spoils, and then missed a snap over his shoulder. It would have extended the margin beyond three goals but all it did was hyper extend his knee. Collingwood’s composure slipped, blasting away hoping for a big match-winning grab near goal. With just five minutes remaining, the Magpies should have had a Grand final birth sown up but Whitcomb, Bruns and Blake inspired a late Geelong challenge. The ball catapulted from end to end before Bright found space and kicked a superb running goal at the 23 minute mark. Play was fast and furious – Johnston reached high and plucked a fine mark over Picken but a fortunate free and 15m penalty was a Godsend. Geelong were saving their best football for last, and a scrambled kick found Bos who split the middle to bring the difference to within a kick. With just a minute on the clock Bruns blindly threw ball on boot from 30 metres out. Just a behind was registered to the gasps of the Collingwood throng. Kink appeared to mark from the kickout but umpire Smith froze and took the easy option of a ball up – only to make it up to Kink with a timely free. His mongrel punt took the ball out of the danger zone and a scramble ensued before the siren kept the dream alive for another week.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
During the time on periods of the second and third quarters the Magpies booted six of their 13 goals. A couple key injuries, lapses in concentration and belated moves also stymied the Cats. Key defender Gary Malarkey went down in the first term and Jack Hawkins was done by three quarter time. Dropping Sam Newman possibly came back to bite the Cats. Geelong took far too long to move Hawkins onto the influential Craig Stewart, and David Clarke might have been shifted onto the ball much earlier. In fact, given his ball winning ability in the midfield, Clarke should have not been played at centre half back in the first place.
Hafey’s faith in his players often won dividends. Carlson appeared totally exhausted after the game, and no wonder having fruitlessly chased the Geelong number 9 all day long. Crucially though, he had one personal victory – in the frantic final moments of the match, Carlson won a vital contest against Turner just before the siren. Had Turner prevailed, there was plenty of space and just enough time for Geelong to steal the show.
“Tommy shows a lot of faith in his players. I tried to do my best for him and Collingwood…I was very pleased to get that touch,” said a relieved Carlson after the game.
AFTERMATCH
The game can best be summed up in verse by The Age’s football writer of the day Geoff Slattery;
Short or long should the Game be played?
“Give it a roost” as Tom Hafey bayed
Not for the Cats – they played it around,
Using every inch of the great big ground
Quarter by quarter the Magpies led,
And up in the stands, Geelong fans bled
A handpass, a kick, and a goal for the Pies,
The Collingwood game turns statistics to lies
Thirty more times the Cats had the ball,
But when the ‘Pies had it, they gave it their all
Cut out the fiddling and kick towards goal,
That damned short game just destroys the soul.
One last burst the Cats did try
To cut out four points, it was do or die,
But the siren sounds, Geelong is done,
Not Collingwood, but Hafey and the long game won.
The fighting win epitomized the period – deficiencies in speed or class overcome by sheer persistence and determination. Geelong rued some costly mistakes but really never looked like winners, apart from a brief period in the second quarter. The Cats tended towards the spectacular, and although a more skilful outfit, neglecting the percentages brought them undone.
The umpiring came under some scrutiny, in particular Smith for marks awarded to R Shaw (first quarter) and Picken (last quarter), and for several times halting the Cats’ momentum in the third term with contentious penalties. And of Collingwood’s 38 frees, Smith paid 27 of them! Umpiring Director Harry Beitzel dismissed criticism of the umpiring thus;
“I’m more interested in next Saturday’s umpiring. I’m not a negative person who looks back.”
Geelong coach Bill Goggin wouldn’t be drawn into the umpire debate.
“The umpires were not relevant to me. If the media have ideas on them, I wonder they don’t print them.”
Having already taken up his displeasure with umpires’ boss Harry Beitzel the week before, Goggin was actually offered the opportunity to nominate his officials for the game – Smith and Deller being two of his favoured four. Despite a 38-26 free count in its favour, the Magpies were also on the wrong end of some strange decisions, including several obvious frees not paid by Deller in Collingwood’s scoring zone in the final quarter.
THE HERO
Ray Shaw (Collingwood)
Geelong’s champion wingman Michael Turner was arguably best afield with 27 kicks and five handballs, though he drew some criticism for his errant kicking. For the winners, Craig Stewart’s marking and strength in the packs was highly influential, however Shaw led by example in a great captain’s display. With 19 kicks and three goals, Shaw provided the inspirational dashes and finishing that helped carry the ‘Pies into the 1980 Grand final.
POSTSCRIPT
Odds aside, Collingwood was desperate to snatch a Flag in any way possible. With Hafey instilling great belief in his players, they responded in kind. On the back of the perfectly timed release of the Collingwood based feature film The Club, Magpie euphoria once again gripped Melbourne. Even the haters couldn’t help but find a soft spot for such an underdog. Richmond, despite a horrible Thursday night training session, had other ideas. Clearly a stronger side, and with Bartlett in unstoppable form, the fresh Tigers ran the Pies ragged and another fairytale was squashed in brutal fashion – a record Grand final loss of 81 points shearing the gloss off what was a tremendously gutsy effort through most of the 1980 finals series.
WHAT THEY SAID
“It was the greatest disappointment of my career. I was out of form, my age had nothing to do with it. Billy said he was trying to go for a bit of pace on the big ground, I would like to think I would have been able to contribute…I think I might have made the difference. That’s just my opinion, ah well.”
Sam Newman, despite being named in the team, was told of his omission on the Wednesday night and had effectively played his 303rd and last game the week before against Richmond.“Unless we’ve got fellows 100% fit we don’t want them. He might have been the one who let us down.”
Collingwood had its own selection crisis, with speedster Ricky Barham failing a fitness test on the morning of the game. A fit Barham may have quelled a rampant Michael Turner. Interestingly, Hafey’s philosophy on injured players wavered for Peter Moore in the 1981 Grand final.“The biggest problem for us today was to get ourselves up mentally.”
Perhaps a telling insight into the psyche of Rene Kink, likely speaking more for himself than his teammates.“You’re away from the pressure during the week. When you come down here you’re calm and just play your own game.”
Ex-Cat Michael Woolnough was afforded the luxury of commuting from his job in Surfers Paradise over the finals series, an unthinkable situation in the current professional climate. Woolnough had plenty of the ball, 17 kicks justifying the arrangement.I wouldn’t say we’re a team of battlers. I’d say they are a side that battles. We’re there. Battlers don’t get that far.”
‘ Pie President John Hickey’s take on Collingwood’s ‘battlers’ tag.“To win next week we have to play our best game of the year. It’s as simple as that.”
Unfortunately it wasn’t to be for Tom Hafey, the physical and mental stress of three knockout finals took their toll in what was probably the Magpies’ worst game of the year.“Please do not tamper with the decorations, we need them next week.”
A sign of confidence in the Collingwood changerooms which was filled with black and white streamers and balloons.
COLLINGWOOD
B Magro McCormack Ireland
HB Byrne Picken Morris
C Twomey Daicos Carlson
HF Kink Stewart Low
F R Shaw C Davis Young
FOLL Moore, Ohlsen, Wearmouth
INT A Shaw, Woolnough
COACH Hafey
GEELONG
B I Nankevis Malarkey Middlemiss
HB Bos Hawkins Yeates
C Turner Featherby Whitcomb
HF Bright Reed Clarke
F Lunn Johnston Smith
FOLL Blake, B Nankervis, Floyd
INT Reed, Taylor
COACH Goggin
BEST
COLLINGWOOD – R Shaw, Stewart, Byrne, Moore, Wearmouth, McCormack, Woolnough
GEELONG – Turner, Featherby, Clarke, Bruns, Taylor, Yeates
GOALS
COLLINGWOOD – Wearmouth, R Shaw, Davis 3, Young, Stewart, Moore, Daicos
GEELONG – Bruns, Clarke, Bos 3, Johnston 2, Bright, B Nankervis
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