The 1979 season - quirks

[Magpiespower]

Port... 1967-77

Always laugh when fellow Port supporters talk about these 'hard times'.

Might not have won a premiership between 1966-1976, but made the finals every year bar one.

And played in five grand finals...

[Adelaide Hawk]

Port... 1967-77

Always laugh when fellow Port supporters talk about these 'hard times'.

Might not have won a premiership between 1966-1976, but made the finals every year bar one.

And played in five grand finals...

Six GFs ... 1966, 67, 68, 71, 72, 76.

I recall one night on 5AA years ago, Graham Cornes suggested that it was easy for Port supporters to be loyal because they have never had to endure droughts of success like other clubs.

I remember one very passionate Port supporter ringing up and whingeing that he had supported the Magpies though the tough years, 1966 to 1976. Like you, I couldn't stop laughing. He really thought people should have felt sorry for him or something.

Ask South supporters if regular finals appearances and 6 GFs in a decade constitute "tough times".

[Magpiespower]

Six GFs ... 1966, 67, 68, 71, 72, 76.

Never was much chop at maths!

That era is a bit before my time but the consensus seems to be that these weren't 'great' Port teams.

Might be a little harsh because they were always 'up there'.

Spose they were always gonna suffer in comparison to the champion teams they followed.

I'd take regular GF appearances over finishing 5th and 6th every year...

[Adelaide Hawk]

Six GFs ... 1966, 67, 68, 71, 72, 76.

Never was much chop at maths!

That era is a bit before my time but the consensus seems to be that these weren't 'great' Port teams.

Might be a little harsh because they were always 'up there'.

Spose they were always gonna suffer in comparison to the champion teams they followed.

I'd take regular GF appearances over finishing 5th and 6th every year...

No, maybe they weren't "great" Port teams, but they had enough top quality players in that era. The Cahill brothers, Cunningham, Freeman, Potter, Obst, Cooper, Ebert, Light, James, Gerlach, Elleway, etc, etc.

Their "problem" was they ran into a brilliant Sturt team in the 1966-68 GFs, nearly stealing the 67 one, only a couple of late goals sealed that one for the Blues. Then in 1971-72, North Adelaide were a very good team.

There is a theory that the game changed in the mid 60s and Port under Fos Williams didn't change with it. Certainly Jack Oatey and Mike Patterson brought new styles of play into the SANFL.

[dedja]

2 memories from '79.

1. worst year for the Bays in over a decade, beat Norwood & Sturt (previous years grand finalists) in the first 2 games then disappeared.

2. it would have had to be the worst GF I've seen (until the Port/NA later when the Roosters kicked only one goal). All I remember was that it was cold & wet and Greg Phillips kept punching the ball out of bounds.

[MagareyLegend]

Certainly Jack Oatey and Mike Patterson brought new styles of play into the SANFL.

AH, what style do you think Patto brought to the SANFL?

[McAlmanac]

Certainly Jack Oatey and Mike Patterson brought new styles of play into the SANFL.

AH, what style do you think Patto brought to the SANFL?

Sartorial

[Adelaide Hawk]

Certainly Jack Oatey and Mike Patterson brought new styles of play into the SANFL.

AH, what style do you think Patto brought to the SANFL?

He introduced the style John Kennedy had success with at Hawthorn in 1971, saturating the centre square at bounces and keeping the forward lines open. It was so successful in both VFL and SANFL that both states had to introduce the centre square (or diamond at first).

[robranosgod]

Certainly Jack Oatey and Mike Patterson brought new styles of play into the SANFL.

AH, what style do you think Patto brought to the SANFL?

He introduced the style John Kennedy had success with at Hawthorn in 1971, saturating the centre square at bounces and keeping the forward lines open. It was so successful in both VFL and SANFL that both states had to introduce the centre square (or diamond at first).

The North team of 1971-72 also took the use of run and handball to a new level. Jack Oatey and Sturt had pioneered the use of attacking handball, but I believe Patto used it more as an attacking weapon from defence. I remember instances of all six defenders getting involved in a chain of handballs to run the ball out of defence. to Paul to Anderson (or Barr) on to Jaworsyj (or Neil Sachse to Howard to David Burns and then a long kick to Barrie. Barrie to big Dennis to goal. Alas this style lasted for three years and then the wheels fell off as far as Patto's coaching was concerned.

[robranosgod]

Six GFs ... 1966, 67, 68, 71, 72, 76.

Never was much chop at maths!

That era is a bit before my time but the consensus seems to be that these weren't 'great' Port teams.

Might be a little harsh because they were always 'up there'.

Spose they were always gonna suffer in comparison to the champion teams they followed.

I'd take regular GF appearances over finishing 5th and 6th every year...

No, maybe they weren't "great" Port teams, but they had enough top quality players in that era. The Cahill brothers, Cunningham, Freeman, Potter, Obst, Cooper, Ebert, Light, James, Gerlach, Elleway, etc, etc.

Their "problem" was they ran into a brilliant Sturt team in the 1966-68 GFs, nearly stealing the 67 one, only a couple of late goals sealed that one for the Blues. Then in 1971-72, North Adelaide were a very good team.

There is a theory that the game changed in the mid 60s and Port under Fos Williams didn't change with it. Certainly Jack Oatey and Mike Patterson brought new styles of play into the SANFL.

You have left Peter Woite off of that list. Other than running into two very good sides the other problem for Port was that their last three or four players were invariably not up to standard. Would anyone say though that Port had a better list than the Bays in that era and the Bays "only" won the one flag and finished runner up 4 times. I didn't realise until I wrote this that in the period 1966 to 1976 (in fact 1977) there were only three runners up, and only four different premiership teams.

[Choccies]

Port... 1967-77

Always laugh when fellow Port supporters talk about these 'hard times'.

Might not have won a premiership between 1966-1976, but made the finals every year bar one.

And played in five grand finals...

Six GFs ... 1966, 67, 68, 71, 72, 76.

I recall one night on 5AA years ago, Graham Cornes suggested that it was easy for Port supporters to be loyal because they have never had to endure droughts of success like other clubs.

I remember one very passionate Port supporter ringing up and whingeing that he had supported the Magpies though the tough years, 1966 to 1976. Like you, I couldn't stop laughing. He really thought people should have felt sorry for him or something.

Ask South supporters if regular finals appearances and 6 GFs in a decade constitute "tough times".

They sure do........ It's either a very dim light or a very long tunnel........

[blueandwhite]

"The other "unbelievable" happening in 1979 was Phil Gallagher's report against South Adelaide and subsequent 4 match suspension. For a pure ball player with no physical aggression in his game whatsoever, the penalty seemed somewhat excessive."

I was at that particular game. Gallagher was inable to chase down Souths Ron Hately who had just run into his 2nd or 3rd open goal for the game. While the ball was being relayed back to the centre,hateley and gallagher were jogging back to the wing,a clearly frustrated Gallagher kicked hateley from behind and brought him to the ground. 4 matches...he got off light.