What was the best game you ever saw (exclud grand final)

[Magellan]

I remember a game, pretty sure it was 1988, North beat Port at Alberton. Close game, maybe a point or so, certainly less than 1 goal. Roosters missed the 5 that year I think.... so it was a memorable win, and a rarity down at Alberton. Magellan, Robranisgod, I will defer to you blokes if my memories of this one have gone a bit hazy over time...

I think you're thinking of 1987, CM. IIRC North beat Port at Alberton by 4 points in 1987 late-ish in the season, and won by 36 points early in 1988.

[Corona Man]

I remember a game, pretty sure it was 1988, North beat Port at Alberton. Close game, maybe a point or so, certainly less than 1 goal. Roosters missed the 5 that year I think.... so it was a memorable win, and a rarity down at Alberton. Magellan, Robranisgod, I will defer to you blokes if my memories of this one have gone a bit hazy over time...

I think you're thinking of 1987, CM. IIRC North beat Port at Alberton by 4 points in 1987 late-ish in the season, and won by 36 points early in 1988.

Well there you go. I was a year out, I thought it was after the '87 flag... I don't think it was the '88 game as it was a close finish. Cheers Magellan

[Magellan]

I remember a game, pretty sure it was 1988, North beat Port at Alberton. Close game, maybe a point or so, certainly less than 1 goal. Roosters missed the 5 that year I think.... so it was a memorable win, and a rarity down at Alberton. Magellan, Robranisgod, I will defer to you blokes if my memories of this one have gone a bit hazy over time...

I think you're thinking of 1987, CM. IIRC North beat Port at Alberton by 4 points in 1987 late-ish in the season, and won by 36 points early in 1988.

Well there you go. I was a year out, I thought it was after the '87 flag... I don't think it was the '88 game as it was a close finish. Cheers Magellan

Close enough.

It's really stretching the memory, but I reckon Port pegged back North's four goal lead at lemon time, and Bruce Abernethy had a shot at goal on the north-western half forward flank (in front of where I was standing) right toward the death that faded.

[Corona Man]

I recall being around on the flank near the bowling club, is that the south west side?

[Magellan]

I recall being around on the flank near the bowling club, is that the south west side?

Yep, reckon so CM.

[robranisgod]

I remember a game, pretty sure it was 1988, North beat Port at Alberton. Close game, maybe a point or so, certainly less than 1 goal. Roosters missed the 5 that year I think.... so it was a memorable win, and a rarity down at Alberton. Magellan, Robranisgod, I will defer to you blokes if my memories of this one have gone a bit hazy over time...

I think you're thinking of 1987, CM. IIRC North beat Port at Alberton by 4 points in 1987 late-ish in the season, and won by 36 points early in 1988.

Well there you go. I was a year out, I thought it was after the '87 flag... I don't think it was the '88 game as it was a close finish. Cheers Magellan

Close enough.

It's really stretching the memory, but I reckon Port pegged back North's four goal lead at lemon time, and Bruce Abernethy had a shot at goal on the north-western half forward flank (in front of where I was standing) right toward the death that faded.

Yes, it certainly was 1987. The only thing I would challenge is your comment about it being a rarity for North to win at Alberton. North won there in 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1988.

In my time of following SANFL North have beaten Port at Alberton in Port premiership years in 1965, 1981, 1988, 1996 and 1998 as well as in North premiership years of 1960, 1972, 1987 and 1991. I am 61 years of age and have seen North win at Alberton 23 times I think.

[Corona Man]

Cheers Robranisgod for the correction... This was the only win I saw at Alberton. Mind you back in the 80's I was playing footy myself so I rarely got to Rooster games then. Strange how I always thought Port had the better of us in that era....

[Magellan]

Yes, it certainly was 1987. The only thing I would challenge is your comment about it being a rarity for North to win at Alberton. North won there in 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1988.

In my time of following SANFL North have beaten Port at Alberton in Port premiership years in 1965, 1981, 1988, 1996 and 1998 as well as in North premiership years of 1960, 1972, 1987 and 1991. I am 61 years of age and have seen North win at Alberton 23 times I think.
Of course since that time North have often won at Alberton as well.

Could also count the 1989 father's day game as well, since that match was initially slated for Alberton but was shifted to Footy Park later in the season, presumably to accommodate the large expected crowd since North and Port were the two standout sides in the minor round that year.

[robranisgod]

Cheers Robranisgod for the correction... This was the only win I saw at Alberton. Mind you back in the 80's I was playing footy myself so I rarely got to Rooster games then. Strange how I always thought Port had the better of us in that era....

North actually seemed to have the better of Port whilst Russell Ebert coached but it was a different matter when John Cahill returned to coaching Port. We all know what Port did to North in the 1989 Grand Final but the 1990 Preliminary Final was almost as horrible for North supporters.

[JK]

RIG that must have been a fair upset in 81' given how strong Port were over such a long period around then?

[robranisgod]

RIG that must have been a fair upset in 81' given how strong Port were over such a long period around then?

Port started the year very poorly in 1981. After 7 rounds both North and Port were 4 wins and 3 losses. North actually won by 50 points that day. The very next week Port lost to South at Football Park to be 4-5. They only lost 2 more games for the year. Conversely North, who were a very young side under Nunan only won two more games for the year.

To answer your question it was a surprise for North to win but not quite as much as would be expected given their final standings that year. Even as early as 1981 critics could see that the very young North side was starting to build. It was a slow process, similar to Norwood in the late 1960s early 1970s.

In 1982 Peter Marker commented that the SANFL was very strong if a team as good as North were seventh and in 1983 Bruce McAvaney in a call said that we were witnessing the birth of a very strong side. In a nutshell only two flags from that group was an underachievement, but what I would give now to have a team underachieve with only two flags

Getting back to 1981, for most of the year the two best sides were Glenelg and South, but once Port got the double chance there was no stopping them. Norwood, too, as often happened in those years improved as the year progressed.

[am Bays]

In 1982 Peter Marker commented that the SANFL was very strong if a team as good as North were seventh and in 1983 Bruce McAvaney in a call said that we were witnessing the birth of a very strong side. In a nutshell only two flags from that group was an underachievement, but what I would give now to have a team underachieve with only two flags

Talk to me about underachieving, i saee your under-achieving and raise you ours!!!

1970, 75, 81, 1990 should all be in trophy cabinet at the Bay

81 maybe not so given we we're a team in transitions at the stars of the 70s: McInerney, Weston (yes I know he went to the VFL), McFarlane, Caldwell, Cornes etc were being replaced or in the process of being replaced by McGuinness, Symonds, Kernahan, McDermott (all debuted in 81).

[Spargo]

In 1982 Peter Marker commented that the SANFL was very strong if a team as good as North were seventh and in 1983 Bruce McAvaney in a call said that we were witnessing the birth of a very strong side. In a nutshell only two flags from that group was an underachievement, but what I would give now to have a team underachieve with only two flags

Talk to me about underachieving, i saee your under-achieving and raise you ours!!!

1970, 75, 81, 1990 should all be in trophy cabinet at the Bay

81 maybe not so given we we're a team in transitions at the stars of the 70s: McInerney, Weston (yes I know he went to the VFL), McFarlane, Caldwell, Cornes etc were being replaced or in the process of being replaced by McGuinness, Symonds, Kernahan, McDermott (all debuted in 81).

We also let '74 & '77 slip away.
If we hadn't kicked so badly in the '84 prelim, I reckon we wouldv'e been a big chance the following week.
Players I've spoken to thought at the time thought they should've won 1988 also.

[am Bays]

We also let '74 & '77 slip away.
If we hadn't kicked so badly in the '84 prelim, I reckon we wouldv'e been a big chance the following week.
Players I've spoken to thought at the time thought they should've won 1988 also.

Port arguably the best team in 77, Minor premiers beats us in the 2nd Semi but if Holsty had stayed on Ebert when he was shifted to HF at 3/4 time.....

74 and 88 we spent a lot of tickets coming from the Elimination final - think we are still the only club to make five GFs from the Elimination final (74, 82, 87, 88 and 92) - which puts a different perspective on us not being good in September but leaves October wide open...

Yeah 84 and 09 even though we didn't make the GFs we can make an arguement for but we didn't, so we can't

*sob*

[JK]

In 1982 Peter Marker commented that the SANFL was very strong if a team as good as North were seventh and in 1983 Bruce McAvaney in a call said that we were witnessing the birth of a very strong side. In a nutshell only two flags from that group was an underachievement, but what I would give now to have a team underachieve with only two flags

Talk to me about underachieving, i saee your under-achieving and raise you ours!!!

1970, 75, 81, 1990 should all be in trophy cabinet at the Bay

81 maybe not so given we we're a team in transitions at the stars of the 70s: McInerney, Weston (yes I know he went to the VFL), McFarlane, Caldwell, Cornes etc were being replaced or in the process of being replaced by McGuinness, Symonds, Kernahan, McDermott (all debuted in 81).

I reckon Port owned you guys in 84', so it would have taken a fair upset imho .. You certainly had the talent, but some of those younger players were still to hit their prime. Think we gusted it out that little bit better than you in the 2nd half of the Prelim, but from memory we should have been 5 goals down at halftime, and from there, given what we saw for the remainder of the decade I wouldn't have had any confidence in us reeling you in.

[robranisgod]

81 maybe not so given we we're a team in transitions at the stars of the 70s: McInerney, Weston (yes I know he went to the VFL), McFarlane, Caldwell, Cornes etc were being replaced or in the process of being replaced by McGuinness, Symonds, Kernahan, McDermott (all debuted in 81).

Until the finals Glenelg was the best side in 1981. Glenelg was minor premier by 4 games plus percentage.

Weston, McFarlane, Caldwell and Cornes all played in 1981. McInerney was the only player from the group you mentioned who didn't play in the 1981 Grand Final.

As an opposition supporter I often wondered why McInerney who had been a very good footballer lost form so completely at such a relatively young age. He turned 27 in 1981, yet was absolutely finished.

[Magellan]

Speaking of North upsets over Port in the 80s. North whipped Port in 1984 in round 17 at Footy Park. I only came on board in1985 (good timing!) so I don't know how that result was viewed at the time. Sounds like it was a significant upset, given their respective spots on the ladder at the end of the minor round.

We also beat Port mid-season by a similar margin in 1982 at Footy Park, although I think that was due to Port's absence of players on state duty.

Over to you, RiG (and others with good memories).

[JK]

Speaking of North upsets over Port in the 80s. North whipped Port in 1984 in round 17 at Footy Park. I only came on board in1985 (good timing!) so I don't know how that result was viewed at the time. Sounds like it was a significant upset, given their respective spots on the ladder at the end of the minor round.

We also beat Port mid-season by a similar margin in 1982 at Footy Park, although I think that was due to Port's absence of players on state duty.

Over to you, RiG (and others with good memories).

Vague memories of that game in 84 mate, reckon Mark Hofner had his number taken - Would have been viewed as a big upset I would have thought given Port were pretty hot premiership favourites. A few weeks later it might not have been viewed as such a surprise though because North really emerged late in 84' with some great performances to see the season out.

[robranisgod]

Speaking of North upsets over Port in the 80s. North whipped Port in 1984 in round 17 at Footy Park. I only came on board in1985 (good timing!) so I don't know how that result was viewed at the time. Sounds like it was a significant upset, given their respective spots on the ladder at the end of the minor round.

We also beat Port mid-season by a similar margin in 1982 at Footy Park, although I think that was due to Port's absence of players on state duty.

Over to you, RiG (and others with good memories).

Vague memories of that game in 84 mate, reckon Mark Hofner had his number taken - Would have been viewed as a big upset I would have thought given Port were pretty hot premiership favourites. A few weeks later it might not have been viewed as such a surprise though because North really emerged late in 84' with some great performances to see the season out.

It was certainly an upset but Port were nowhere near hot favourites at that stage to win the flag. Port, Central and Glenelg were just about equal favourites for most of that season with South considered a big chance as well. Port only finished minor premier in front of Glenelg by less than 1%.

North had beaten South the week before by 90 points and later in the season lost to Glenelg by 3 points at Glenelg and to Norwood by 1 point at Norwood. North came 8th and only won 6 games out of 22 yet had a percentage of over 50%. Norwood won 13 games and had a very similar percentage to North.

As I said earlier North were developing into a good side and 1984 was an aberration caused mainly by long term injuries to a number of star players.

Port on the other hand were on the slide as evidenced by 1983 and 1985. With due respect they would have been the poorest side in living memory to win the minor premiership (up until the advent of the Crows). They virtually had no injuries. Hindsight is a marvellous thing but if ever a side was going to win the flag from 5th position it was Norwood in 1984. They were better than the normal 5th side and the general consensus was that the 4 in front of them were worse than the normal top four sides,

There certainly was no outstanding side like West in 1983 or Port in 1980.

The biggest shock of all in 1983 was the disintegration of West. Like North they suffered a number of serious injuries and also it was strongly rumoured that their coach "took his eye off the ball" whilst contemplating taking a role with SA's ill fated Americas Cup challenge. The runner up from 1983, Sturt, also fell in an absolute hole in 1984. I am not aware of what happened to Sturt but John Halbert, who had coached the losing Grand Finallist in each of the previous three years, lost his job at the end of 1984.

[JK]

Wow I had a totally different recollection of Port that year - I always thought they would win the flag and so did most I knew.