Sturt supporters which team was better...

[am Bays]

I'll take experienced SANFL view-points as well, e.g. robranisgod, magarey legend, Adelaide Hawk's etc.

This thread is inspired by the Bays 1985 thread, it was mentioned in there that the Port 1980 team and the Bays 1985 team are probably the best team seen in the SANFL if we accept the notion that the 70s and 80s was the pre-eminant era of SANFL footy. Bit harsh if it excludes the Port team of the 50s and the Norwood teams of the late 40s early 50s too I 'spose. It got me thinking what other teams are up there too and I think what about the Sturt teams of the 60s and 70s.

So Sturt supporters which teams was better - the mid 60s team which included Bagshaw, Halbert, Chessell, Schoff, Shearman etc or do you plump for the mid 70s team of Bagshaw, Nunan, Davies, Graham, Whelan etc?

I lean towards the 70s side as i feel they had higher level competition compared to the 60s when Port were in relative decline from their 50s and early 60s era, the Bays and North were starting to rise but raw in the late 60s and Norwood were in their documented drought from 1950-75. Where as in the mid 70s Port were rising again, Glenelg had a flag and were in the middle of four GFs in 5 years and Norwood were about to win 2 flags in 4 years.

I think Davies and Graham shaded players like Clarkson and Rigney.

So Sturt supporters which team was better the 60s or 70s Sturt team?

[Adelaide Hawk]

Here are the Premiership teams from that era. Such great players in each team, I'd need to give it some thought which team I think were better. Possibly the 1974 team .. but I haven't made my mind up yet

1966
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Hill, ME Jones, Dunn
HF: Miels, Halbert, Tilbrook
C: Hicks, Shearman, Clarke
HB: Short, Nelson, Schwarz
B: Adcock, Jarrett, Bagshaw
Ruck: Clarkson, Chessell, Rigney
Res: Murphy, Martin

1967
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Weir, ME Jones, Dunn
HF: Bagshaw, Schoff, Tilbrook
C: Hicks, Shearman, Clarke
HB: Short, Nelson, Schwarz
B: Adcock, Jarrett, Chessell
Ruck: Clarkson, Murphy, Rigney
Res: Greenslade, Miels

1968
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Chessell, Martin, Endersbee
HF: Miels, Schoff, Tilbrook
C: Hicks, Shearman, Clarke
HB: Short, Nelson, Schwarz
B: Adcock, Jarrett, Bagshaw
Ruck: Clarkson, Murphy, Rigney
Res: Burgan, Hill

1969
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Ottens, Greenslade, Nunan
HF: Bagshaw, Schoff, Tilbrook
C: Hicks, Shearman, Clarke
HB: Short, Nelson, Brooks
B: Adcock, Jarrett, Burgan
Ruck: Wild, Chessell, Rigney
Res: Hill, Endersbee

1970
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Ottens, Greenslade, Endersbee
HF: Burgan, Friedrichs, Tilbrook
C: Raymond, Shearman, Miels
HB: Short, Schoff, Brooks
B: Adcock, Nelson, Chessell
Ruck: Wild, Bagshaw, Rigney
Res: Nunan, Elliott

1974
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Wild, Whelan, Oatey
HF: Graham, Klomp, Lauder
C: Burgan, Howard, Miels
HB: Lloyd, Nelson, Casey
B: Adcock, Winter, Murphy
Ruck: Davies, Bagshaw, Nunan
Res: Barton, Sims

1976
Coach: Jack Oatey
F: Sims, Wild, Barton
HF: Graham, Klomp, Murphy
C: Burgan, Howard, Miels
HB: Lloyd, Nelson, Sanders
B: Wark, Casey, Lauder
Ruck: Davies, Bagshaw, Nunan
Res: Heinrich, Hill

[GWW]

Is the Martin at full forward in '68, Brian Martin, the prominent lawyer and judge?

[Adelaide Hawk]

Is the Martin at full forward in '68, Brian Martin, the prominent lawyer and judge?

Yes, that's correct. Kicked 10 goals in one match, then got dropped the following week to make way for the regular full forward

[mal]

BEST TEAM OF THOSE 60S/70S TEAMS ???

F:OTTENS, WHELAN,RIGNEY
HF:TILBROOK, HALBERT, GRAHAM
C:BURGAN, SHEARMAN,HICKS
HB:SHORT,NELSON,KLOMP
B:ADCOCK, JARRETT,CHESSELL

RUCK: DAVIES, BAGSHAW, NUNAN

RES: SCHOFF, ENDERSBEE

Without doubt that ruck combo is quite possibly one of the best and best performed in history

ST in the 60s revolutionised SANFL footy
The 50s belonged to the hard and tough PA teams
The 60s was ST as they were to skillful for PA
It was the most exciting footy I can recall
My 60s favourite was Diamond Jim Tilbrook who could kick the screwy ''miels''
Bob Shearman was brilliant, cant ever forget his kicking of the aggart
The best of them all in the 60s was Mr Magic Paul Bagshaw, amazing skills

Of the 70s
The 1974 team was better than 1976
Ken Whelan was my absolute favourite, a olden day version of Brett Burton
His skyscrping high marking at full forward was amazing
Flash Mick Graham was another fav of mine , can recall his bouncing and running when a wingman, and then his goalkicking when at half forward
Jumbo Rick Davies perhaps the greatest of them all
Jumbo revolutionised rucking with his checkside tactics in the 70s
Jumbo later became a champion full forward


My top 3 in order
1 DAVIES
2 BAGSHAW
3 SHEARMAN

[JK]

My old man reckons as a neutral supporter John Murphy was a great player (was the first I'd heard of the name)

[robranisgod]

My old man reckons as a neutral supporter John Murphy was a great player (was the first I'd heard of the name)

He was a fantastic strong player. He added that grunt to the midfield that protected the wonderfully skilled other midfielders. Actually as well as being very, very skilful in Murphy, Schoff, Schearman, Short and Schwarz Sturt had some exceptionally strong, hard disciplined footballers.

[Adelaide Hawk]

BEST TEAM OF THOSE 60S/70S TEAMS ???

F:OTTENS, WHELAN,RIGNEY
HF:TILBROOK, HALBERT, GRAHAM
C:BURGAN, SHEARMAN,HICKS
HB:SHORT,NELSON,KLOMP
B:ADCOCK, JARRETT,CHESSELL

RUCK: DAVIES, BAGSHAW, NUNAN

RES: SCHOFF, ENDERSBEE

Schoff, twice All-Australian couldn't make the 1st XVIII

I would have Doc Clarkson instead of Ottens. Colin Casey would make my side somewhere as well, either HB or FB. Halbert finished his career successfully at CHF but made his name in the centre.

My team would go something like:
F: Clarkson, Whelan, Rigney
HF: Graham, Schoff, Shearman
C: Burgan, Halbert, Hicks
HB: Short, Nelson, Casey
B: Adcock, Jarrett, Chessell
Ruck: Davies, Bagshaw, Nunan
Res: Klomp, Murphy

[mal]

Sandy Nelson [Bens Dad] and Paul Bagshaw made all of those teams
To show how versatile Baggy was, look at all the diff positions he was listed to play in those teams

[FlyingHigh]

How would the 1978 team compare to these others? Were any of the other Sturt teams this dominant?

[robranisgod]

How would the 1978 team compare to these others? Were any of the other Sturt teams this dominant?

1966 only lost two minor round games and the second semi compared with 1978 which lost one minor round game and the Grand Final. As stated before, many of the Sturt premiership sides weren't minor premiers, but they were certainly dominant in September/October

[MagareyLegend]

Re: "Jumbo revolutionised rucking with his checkside tactics in the 70s" is wrong.

Doc Clarkson revolutionised checkside rucking in the late 60s. Why do people want to try and change history with a few keyboard strokes.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I always have great memories of the Sturt teams 1966-70 as these were the years I was starting to learn the game, and Sturt were just fantastic. I saw them lose a Grand Final in 1965 by 3 points, but they picked up Bob Shearman after standing out of football for 12 months.

Doc Clarkson had wonderful duals with the dominant Bill Wedding, they had John Halbert at CHF, and a top full forward in Emmy Jones whose career came to an abrupt halt in 1968. The rovers Rigney and Dunn were a fair duo, we saw very few aboriginal players in those days. Sturt had some of the longest, most accurate kickers in the game, but they also had Schoff and Rigney who were shocking kicks, but still very effective.

Then there was the ruck roving duo of Bagshaw and Chessell. Early memories of Bagshaw are his raking 60+ metre drop kicks at the Parade. Brenton Adcock in the back pocket was the first BP player to leave his resting rover behind to attack the ball and provide rebound.

I recall the first time I saw Sandy Nelson, it was one of his first games and he thrashed the brilliant Don Lindner at Adelaide Oval. It seemed everyone who pulled on a Sturt lace up was a potential superstar.

Sturt were masters of kicking the ball long with a player running into position to receive the ball. They were the pioneers of the modern game. I recall the game at the Parade in 1966 when Bruce Jarrett kicked out after a behind was scored. The ball landed near the middle of the ground, Shearman grabbed it and, off few steps, drop kicked a point. Two kicks to cover the entire length of the ground.

There used to be a joke going around about who played on the half forward flank in 5 consecutive Grand Finals at Adelaide Oval, and never kicked a goal. All sorts of names came up, but the answer was ..... the SA Police Band

[mal]

STURT TEAM OF THE CENTURY

ADCOCK...GOLDING...RILEY
SHEARMAN...FITZGERALD...SCHOFF
BURGAN...RICHARDSON[Vic]...SCRUTTON
GRAHAM....HALBERT...GOODCHILD
WAYE...MORTON...BARRON

DAVIES..BAGSHAW...LANGLEY

INT CUMBERLAND...MAYMAN...MOTLEY

COACH :OATEY

A/hawk look at the 2 half forward flankers !!!

[am Bays]

STURT TEAM OF THE CENTURY

ADCOCK...GOLDING...RILEY
SHEARMAN...FITZGERALD...SCHOFF
BURGAN...RICHARDSON[Vic]...SCRUTTON
GRAHAM....HALBERT...GOODCHILD
WAYE...MORTON...BARRON

DAVIES..BAGSHAW...LANGLEY

INT CUMBERLAND...MAYMAN...MOTLEY

COACH :OATEY

A/hawk look at the 2 half forward flankers !!!

Aiden Riley and Stuie Graham?? Not bad for a first yearer to make the side. Stuey was alaways good at the time trails

[mal]

Re: "Jumbo revolutionised rucking with his checkside tactics in the 70s" is wrong.

Doc Clarkson revolutionised checkside rucking in the late 60s. Why do people want to try and change history with a few keyboard strokes.

Checkside was started before Rick Davies
Indeed Doc Clarkson was the original or one of the pioneers of checkside
It was mainly introduced so shorter or physically weaker ruckman could compete with heavier, taller or stronger ruckman


I dont know what Clarkson did
But Davies changed the thinking of checkside by the methods he used
Things can be construed as revolutionised by ''changing'' from the original concept

I cant recall the footy commentator but Im sure he used these words
Davies changed/mastered/revolutionised/ruckwork using the checkside tactics

It was a long time ago
I might be wrong, but those are my recollections

I cant change history, I only try and recall it