1980's SANFL

[rd]

Just about every year during the 80s has a memory (good & bad) for Sturt fans:

1980 - Last minor round game - kicking a million goals in the last quarter to slaughter West at Unley to snatch 3rd spot and the finals double chance by a slender % margin.
1981 - Rick Davies goes to Hawthorn. David Granger rearranges a young Kim Klomp's face at Alberton Oval.
1982 - Rick Davies returns from Hawthorn - plays in a forward pocket on one leg for the season and kicks over 90 goals. Jack Oatey's final season as Sturt coach - Sturt play an absolute shocker against Glenelg in the 1st semi final for Jack's last match in charge.
1983 - John Halbert replaced Jack Oatey. Davies kicks 151 goals including 10 in the Prelim Final against Norwood and 15 against eventual premiers West at Football Park in May. Thrashed Port by 114 pts at Unley. Ian Willmott makes his debut against Nwd at Nwd - kicks 6 and Sturt win by 7 points after being 5 goals down with only 5 minutes left in the game.
1984 - Sturt after a good start slide down the ladder in Halbert's 2nd and final season in charge. By now Sturt are in a quandry with having to choose between the veteran Davies & future star Willmott at full forward. Peter Motley is now the Club Champion as virtually all of Oatey's heroes from the mid 70s have gone.
1985 -Merv Keane is the new coach and Davies is asked to retire early in the season. One of many issues that was to cause severe heartache for Sturt fans for the next decade!
1986 & 87 -Keane patiently rebuilds a new look side around established stars Whittlesea & Paynter.
1988 -Sturt fans still celebrating the famous one point win over Port at Football Park in August - the game made famous by Carl Dilena's vicious attack on Russell Johnston's elbow. Just days after Whittlesea won the Magarey Medal, Keane is sacked as coach and Sturt embark on a very dark grim depressing era.
1989 - Groan.

[Leaping Lindner]

FF M.Parsons, G.Dietrich, A.Antrobus
HF S.Sims, P.Cloke, C.Burton
C T.Perkins, D.Jarman, G.McAdam
HB S.Riley, T.Clisby, J.Riley
FB D.Tiller, P.Arnold, P.Simmons

RUCK
M.Redden
A.Jarman
D.Hart

INT K.Klomp, P.Bennett

EMERG M.Armfield

Bit of a surprise that you included Cloke instead of Bennett there, LL. I recall Cloke played in the early 80's when North struggled a bit. Was he a standout then?

I also thought that Carlaw might be a chance on the wing, possibly at the expense of Perkins.

Perkins didn't start until 1990, but Carlaw was a long, long way behind wingmen such as Sanders, B Phillips and Campbell. Cloke was an absolutely outstanding player in a poor side. Most objective observers thought that he was very, very unlucky not to win the 1979 Magarey Medal. Tommy Hafey once said on radio that he rated Peter Cloke with Royce Hart as the best mark that he ever coached. It didn't stop him from sacking Cloke.

Some historian I am I had it my head Perkins started in the late 80's. Ummm....brain freeze.
In that case Campbell on the wing. Cloke only played 80 and 81 but still the best CHF I'd seen at North in that time. Benno missed too many goals for my liking

[Leaping Lindner]

* the intense rivalry between North and Glenelg from 85 to 87
Younger fans probably don't appreciate how strong this was at the time.

I'm in my late 40's and still consider The Bays are our number one rival. I'm sure it's the same for people from both sides and a similiar age.

[GWW]

1988 -Sturt fans still celebrating the famous one point win over Port at Football Park in August - the game made famous by Carl Dilena's vicious attack on Russell Johnston's elbow. Just days after Whittlesea won the Magarey Medal, Keane is sacked as coach and Sturt embark on a very dark grim depressing era.
1989 - Groan.

I realise this has been discussed numerous times (Keane's dismissal not Johnston's elbow , but does anyone know why Keane was sacked. Just when the Blues were competititve with the top clubs, they go and sack him, was an absurd decision. Did the Blues administration think they were better than they actually were ie. they thought a new coach would help them go one step further that Keane couldn't.

Or were there other underlying issues?

[on the rails]

Some historian I am I had it my head Perkins started in the late 80's. Ummm....brain freeze.
In that case Campbell on the wing. Cloke only played 80 and 81 but still the best CHF I'd seen at North in that time. Benno missed too many goals for my liking

Geez Nick - even after all therse years PB still causes you nightmares hey?

Seriously Bennett would have to be CHF and Sanders on the wing for the team of the 90's. Clokey's eara was the 70's and I rate "Sheep" ahead of Campbell.

[on the rails]

I realise this has been discussed numerous times (Keane's dismissal not Johnston's elbow , but does anyone know why Keane was sacked. Just when the Blues were competititve with the top clubs, they go and sack him, was an absurd decision. Did the Blues administration think they were better than they actually were ie. they thought a new coach would help them go one step further that Keane couldn't.

Or were there other underlying issues?

I always got told by Sturt people that because he was an "outsider" that older influential members including those on various committees were worried he was coaching away from the "Jack Oatey" style that Sturt had become famous for and Keane stood up to certain people who tried to interfere or influence him.

[Magpiespower]

Re: North's team...

Brenton Phillips or David Robertson on the wing?

Maybe Matty Campbell to a half-back flank?

the skit that Bomber Clifford and Bruce Lindner did during the Magarey Medal telecast, either 83 or 84.

Bomber Boy bread? The slogan was "It's official", but the pun was Bomber spelling it to kids who couldn't remember the slogan..."O-F-F".."It's OFF!!"

Reakon those skits, which also included a send-up of Malcolm Blight's ads for the removalists, were on the '86 telecast.

That telecast is perhaps best remembered for Chris Kirby's ventriloquist act which peed off Glynnis Nunn big time. IIRC, she was doing some fitness work at Torrens at the time. Pretty sure her then husband was involved at the club.

"Remember folks, don't just tip the winners, back 'em on Footypunt!"

Campbell's pocket!

Focus Video

Great home entertainment!

Still have a Focus Video membership card at home, believe it or not.

Still say that Peter Marker remains one of the best TV commentators SA has seen. Clear, concise, no hyperbole.

The best.

Unlike many TV commentators today, he didn't call every play.

Fine for radio, but in a visual medium, you don't have to tell us what we can already see!

I wonder if that was the same game when Brereton struggled, I think Martin Leslie flexed his muscles a bit...

'86.

That game probably made Leslie the #1 pick in the draft.

IIRC, Scott Salisbury got two games for punching on with Geoff Raines, while Raines got off scott free.

Was outraged at the time. Dirty Vics.

Fast forward a few months later...

[on the rails]

Re: North's team...

Brenton Phillips or David Robertson on the wing?

Maybe Matty Campbell to a half-back flank?

Good point MP however I punted on Sanders because he was the only one of those mentioned who played in a Premiership team and he played over 300 games in the end. May not have been as explosive etc as the others but he was a bloody good player and very reliable.

[Magpiespower]

Good point MP however I punted on Sanders because he was the only one of those mentioned who played in a Premiership team and he played over 300 games in the end. May not have been as explosive etc as the others but he was a bloody good player and very reliable.

Sanders, for sure.

Was thinking about Greg McAdam to half-forward at the expense of Craig Burton.

Amazed so many posters' all-time 80s teams dont have Braddles.

Criminal!

[nickname]

Amazed so many posters' all-time 80s teams dont have Braddles.

Criminal!

Or a West player. Fairly handy team that '83 one.

And FWIW Peter Cloke was a terrific player and one of the best marks I've seen in 40-odd years of SANFL footy.

[Magpiespower]

Or a West player. Fairly handy team that '83 one.

If it's any consolation, Tony Burgess and Grantley Fielke were in my squad...

[robranisgod]

1986 & 87 -Keane patiently rebuilds a new look side around established stars Whittlesea & Paynter.
1988 -Sturt fans still celebrating the famous one point win over Port at Football Park in August - the game made famous by Carl Dilena's vicious attack on Russell Johnston's elbow. Just days after Whittlesea won the Magarey Medal, Keane is sacked as coach and Sturt embark on a very dark grim depressing era.

In 1988 Sturt beat North by about 6 goals at Adelaide Oval in front of a good crowd. We were reigning premiers, didn't play too badly and yet lost quite comfortably. As I left the ground that day I said to my mate, Sturt won't go top this year but I reckon they will next year. I was only out by nine teams in my prediction. Of course they came bottom, not top.

It is amazing that one administrative decison can have on a club and it almost sent Sturt into terminal decline.

[JK]

Re: North's team...

Brenton Phillips or David Robertson on the wing?

Maybe Matty Campbell to a half-back flank?

Good point MP however I punted on Sanders because he was the only one of those mentioned who played in a Premiership team and he played over 300 games in the end. May not have been as explosive etc as the others but he was a bloody good player and very reliable.

Sanders is the one I remember most from the 90's (number 9?) ... The typical wingman with a huge engine that just kept covering ground all day long .. Geez North had some bloody good players in those days.

[smithy]

1988 -Sturt fans still celebrating the famous one point win over Port at Football Park in August - the game made famous by Carl Dilena's vicious attack on Russell Johnston's elbow. Just days after Whittlesea won the Magarey Medal, Keane is sacked as coach and Sturt embark on a very dark grim depressing era.
1989 - Groan.

I realise this has been discussed numerous times (Keane's dismissal not Johnston's elbow , but does anyone know why Keane was sacked. Just when the Blues were competititve with the top clubs, they go and sack him, was an absurd decision. Did the Blues administration think they were better than they actually were ie. they thought a new coach would help them go one step further that Keane couldn't.

Or were there other underlying issues?

Thanks to Mal from Woodcroft

[csbowes]

1988 -Sturt fans still celebrating the famous one point win over Port at Football Park in August - the game made famous by Carl Dilena's vicious attack on Russell Johnston's elbow. Just days after Whittlesea won the Magarey Medal, Keane is sacked as coach and Sturt embark on a very dark grim depressing era.
1989 - Groan.

Ahh that one point win over the Magpies was a classic... definitely miss the massive Sturt v Port matches... love the groan too, everything went wrong after that insightful board decision to sack Keane. Fools.

Rob, you continue your journalistic mastery on here and elsewhere!

[FlyingHigh]

I wonder if that was the same game when Brereton struggled, I think Martin Leslie flexed his muscles a bit, although it might have actually been Andrew Rogers who stood Dermie.

Reckon it was 1987 when Rogers towelled up Brereton.

[stampy]

wasnt it the bi-centenary carnival at the end of 88 when leslie gave dermie a couple to go on with? certain it was

[FlyingHigh]

Mustn't have been the same game then. Memory, eh?

[Hondo]

5 favourites from my club:
1) Darren Jarman
2) David Robertson
3) Andrew Jarman
4) Mick Redden
5) Tony Antrobus


3 favourite/admired players from another club:
1) Stephen Kernahan
2) Craig Bradley
3) John Platten


Favourite moment from the decade:
- 1987 Grand Final, getting the monkey off our back v Glenelg

Biggest disappointment:
- 1986 Grand Final loss, I thought that was our most brilliant team of the 80s but it all went wrong that day

One player from another club you wish you had at your club:
- Stephen Kernahan

All time 80's side:

FF R Davies, T Evans, M Naley
HF A Jarman, S Kernahan, D Jarman
C C Bradley, R Ebert, M Aish
HB M Leslie, G Phillips, P Motley
FB B Abernethy, T Burgess , R Gibbs

RUCK P Carey, G McIntosh, J Platten

INT M Redden, C McDermott, T McGuiness, G Fielke

Can't fit everyone on a 2 man bench and can't get the defence right

[rd]

1988 -Sturt fans still celebrating the famous one point win over Port at Football Park in August - the game made famous by Carl Dilena's vicious attack on Russell Johnston's elbow. Just days after Whittlesea won the Magarey Medal, Keane is sacked as coach and Sturt embark on a very dark grim depressing era.
1989 - Groan.

Ahh that one point win over the Magpies was a classic... definitely miss the massive Sturt v Port matches... love the groan too, everything went wrong after that insightful board decision to sack Keane. Fools.

Rob, you continue your journalistic mastery on here and elsewhere!

Ah yes journalistic mastery always involves hours and hours of serching for the right word and I think I nailed it using "Groan" for Sturt's 1989 season. I may just win a SANFL Writer's Award simply for that one word.