1978 The year it was

[Adelaide Hawk]

Robert was the fourth Norwood player to top 200 games, the previous three being Doug Olds, Ron Kneebone, and Bill Wedding. At the time he finished at Norwood, Oatey was the club's games record holder with 232.

[stampy]

1978 Was a time when Sponsorships were on the move
His Majestys Voice donated sums of $$$ to the SANFL
The trade off was that the Umpires would bear the HMV logo on thier umpires uniforms
Other sponsors in about those times were Dandy Ham and Brambles Transport

Currently the umpires wear sponsorship for TAB
Would that be for a sugarless drink we drank years ago, or a place where Nick X probably frowns upon ? ...


Just for the record all 3 squaded 1978 G/F umps, Mead, Scolefield, Foster had all won the Golden whistle Awards being the best umpire in a season

1977 was the start of 2 umps in the SANFL
That meant twice as many umps required
In theory does having 2 umps extend the longevity of umpires at all ?

I have no Umpiring stats, excepting that Dizzy Des Foster went on to umpire 300 games

His Masters Voice

[GWW]

Robert played for Norwood from 1961-73 (232 games), then played 69 games for Sturt from 1974-78. He also played 9 state games, was the regular roving partner to Port's Jeff Potter in the mid to late 60s and played in the 1966 & 1969 NFC carnivals. He was a member of Sturt's 1974 premiership team.

He coached Norwod for 6 seasons (1968-73) before being replaced by Bob Hammond. My understanding is he was Reserves coach at Sturt for awhile, and a skills consultant with the SANFL. He was born 16 August 1942, so he would have turned 36 in his final season of football.

Thanks for that info. I find it interesting that he was captain/coach for Norwood, then went onto as player only at Sturt (nothing major about it, I just find it interesting how these things happen), i guess a little similar to Paul Weston captain/coach at Torrens, then finishing up at Norwood as a player.

[JK]

Robert was the fourth Norwood player to top 200 games, the previous three being Doug Olds, Ron Kneebone, and Bill Wedding. At the time he finished at Norwood, Oatey was the club's games record holder with 232.

Thanks mate, figured he must have been close

[Adelaide Hawk]

Robert played for Norwood from 1961-73 (232 games), then played 69 games for Sturt from 1974-78. He also played 9 state games, was the regular roving partner to Port's Jeff Potter in the mid to late 60s and played in the 1966 & 1969 NFC carnivals. He was a member of Sturt's 1974 premiership team.

He coached Norwod for 6 seasons (1968-73) before being replaced by Bob Hammond. My understanding is he was Reserves coach at Sturt for awhile, and a skills consultant with the SANFL. He was born 16 August 1942, so he would have turned 36 in his final season of football.

Thanks for that info. I find it interesting that he was captain/coach for Norwood, then went onto as player only at Sturt (nothing major about it, I just find it interesting how these things happen), i guess a little similar to Paul Weston captain/coach at Torrens, then finishing up at Norwood as a player.

In a way, but Robert has never liked the decision to be replaced as coach and decided to join Sturt in order to play under his father. Good move as they won the flag in his 1st year. Whatever people may feel about it, and Robert had his detractors, he certainly ushered in a bold new era at Norwood, introducing many of the players who went on to play in the 1975 premiership team.

When I was with the Under 17s, there was a pre-season umpires' strike. We played a trial at Norwood before the league trial, and Robert umpired our game. He was fantastic, not only umpired well, but was coaching as he went, offering advice and compliments to all players as the match was in progress. I've always had tremendous respect and admiration for Robert.

[GWW]

The impression i have of R Oatey is that he was a "hard task master", or strong disciplinarian, would that be a fair assessment?

[smithy]

here he is at his athletic best.

[mal]

Robert Oatey was one of the toughest fearless rovers that has played SANFL football
Early one season he was badly injured
If I recall correctly he badly damaged his knee
The media speculated that he would be out for the season or for a year
Bob astounded a few by playing about 4-6 weeks after

[Adelaide Hawk]

The impression i have of R Oatey is that he was a "hard task master", or strong disciplinarian, would that be a fair assessment?

I never actually played under him, but I imagine he would have had that school teacher approach to coaching. I know several players who played under Oatey and they enjoyed it because they learnt a lot about the game.

While we had a young list, Oatey's style was effective, but as more seasoned players came to the club, the need for a different style of coach became apparent. I think Hammond would have been just as much a disciplinarian, but treated players more like individuals. We saw several players lift their games to a new level under Hammond.

[mal]

RESERVES GRAND FINAL
NW V WA

NORWOOD TEAM IN BUDGET
1 DALWOOD G
2 DOHERTY M
3 MENZEL G
4 SAPWELL T
5 WALKER N
6 HOLLIDAY M
7 EDWARDS D
8 MADDISON G
9 DUNSTAN G
10 STANBRIDGE
12 SYMONS D
18 ZUBRINICH G
21 FARRELL S
22 GREGG M
23 RIX G
24 DILLON R
26 SEROTSKI D
34 COLOSANTE U
35 POPE R
37 LOKAN J
38 CLARK G
39 LEAHY G

Some big names in that lot
Ross Dillon one of the great marks in those days, gave NW wonderful service
Rodney Pope the star WA /NW half back flanker, and these days a good barman

I can envisage a long raking sweeping left foot kick by Greg Rix hitting a fast leading Ugo Colosante !


WEST ADELAIDE
1 BRODERICK M [CAPT]
2 HUMPHREY L
3 PAPST T
4 ROBERTSON G
5 ROBERTSON I
6 WOODS M
8 DEJONG D
9 BUCKLEY J
10 IRELAND B
11 GROSSER L
12 HALL D
14 PIERSON T
15 RECHNER S
16 MUERET P
17 BEECH M
18 HOUSE C
19 HAGAN N [VICE CAPT]
20 LEONARD F
22 NUNN D
23 BURGESS T
24 MORRIS G
25 MELVILLE V
31 WHITTINGTON M
32 RAVLICH L

What a line up
De JONG a very good ruckman
GROSSER a brilliant rover
PIERSON later kicked a 100 goals for WV
MEURET the magician
BURGESS very good defender
This team would give the current league teams a real contest

Earlier matches

NORWOOD
WA 9-3....13-11...19-13...23-14 [152]
NW 3-1.....7-2......12-12..16-15 [111]
best WA included Weideman and Luders

RICHMOND
NW 4-4...7-5...13-11...15-15[105]
WA 0-3...5-6....7-10...12-13 [85]
NW best included Craig, Palm

SECOND SEMI FINAL
NW 4-9...8-14....14-16....18-19 [127]
WA 0-0....2-6.....7-10......12-11 [83]


I have no details of this Reserves GF match

PREMIERS 1970-77
70 NW
71 NW
72 CD
73 NW
74 WV
75 NW
76 NW
77 ST

NW had won 14 reserves flags , equal with WT
PA had 12 flags up to 1977

[Pseudo]

(reserves) PREMIERS 1970-77
70 NW
71 NW
72 CD
73 NW
74 WV
75 NW
76 NW
77 ST

I coulda sworn that WV won it in '73 not '74. I think you might have the whole list out by a year - i.e. the first year is '69 not '70.

[Adelaide Hawk]

1978 Reserves Grand Final:
Norwood 5-5 10-8 19-11 24-15 159
West Adel 3-1 9-5 11-8 18-11 119
Best
N: Olsen Palm Gregg Doherty Clark Dillon Sapwell Dunstan
WA: Grosser Leonard G.Robertson Morris Hagan Papst
Goals:
N: Pope 4 Dalwood 4 Clark 3 Zubrinich 2 Palm 2 Dillon 2 Stanbridge Farrell Menzel Dunstan Holliday Olsen Colasante
WA: Pierson 3 Morris 3 Beech 3 Rechner 2 Meuret 2 Grosser Buckley Papst Ireland G.Robertson

Amazing number of top names in that lot. For me, it's a walk down memory lane, a lot of guys I played junior footy with, and mates such as Mark Doherty, Grant Zubrinich, Craig Stanbridge, Stevie Farrell, Gary Maddison, Alby Menzel, and big Ugo. A number of them found their way to other league clubs, such was the player depth at Norwood in those days.

Gary Maddison went to Queensland where he played state footy (kicked 6 goals against SA in one game) and made a fortune in the computer game. The Clark who booted 3 goals is disgraced former ATSIC Chairman Geoff Clark.

[mal]

(reserves) PREMIERS 1970-77
70 NW
71 NW
72 CD
73 NW
74 WV
75 NW
76 NW
77 ST

I coulda sworn that WV won it in '73 not '74. I think you might have the whole list out by a year - i.e. the first year is '69 not '70.

Its the way the budget had the teams listed
It changed from one section to another and is confusing

So it was

70 NW
71 CD
72 NW
73 WV
74 NW
75 NW
76 NW
77 ST

I have listings form 1920-1977
Did the Reserves comps start in 1920 ???????

SA had yet to win a Reserves Grand Final

[Adelaide Hawk]

I have listings form 1920-1977
Did the Reserves comps start in 1920 ???????

There's conjecture over that one. I have premiers back to 1919 with West Torrens, but I have also found entries in Norwood records saying "Norwood second eighteen won the premiership of the S.A.F.A. It was its first season in the competition". This was in an annual report from 1906.

S.A.F.A. is what the S.A.N.F.L. was called at the time.

[mal]

1978 Reserves Grand Final:
Norwood 5-5 10-8 19-11 24-15 159
West Adel 3-1 9-5 11-8 18-11 119
Best
N: Olsen Palm Gregg Doherty Clark Dillon Sapwell Dunstan
WA: Grosser Leonard G.Robertson Morris Hagan Papst
Goals:
N: Pope 4 Dalwood 4 Clark 3 Zubrinich 2 Palm 2 Dillon 2 Stanbridge Farrell Menzel Dunstan Holliday Olsen Colasante
WA: Pierson 3 Morris 3 Beech 3 Rechner 2 Meuret 2 Grosser Buckley Papst Ireland G.Robertson

Amazing number of top names in that lot. For me, it's a walk down memory lane, a lot of guys I played junior footy with, and mates such as Mark Doherty, Grant Zubrinich, Craig Stanbridge, Stevie Farrell, Gary Maddison, Alby Menzel, and big Ugo. A number of them found their way to other league clubs, such was the player depth at Norwood in those days.

Gary Maddison went to Queensland where he played state footy (kicked 6 goals against SA in one game) and made a fortune in the computer game. The Clark who booted 3 goals is disgraced former ATSIC Chairman Geoff Clark.

WA played NW 4 times in this season
In all 4 games WA outscored NW in the last qtrs
The winning teams in all 4 games got off to very good starts and leads by qtr time
Looking at the line ups, I would have thought WA may have had the most talent ?


ROSS DILLON
Was nicknamed Marshall Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon is the lead actor in that great TV Western show Gunsmoke [Gunsmoke currently on Foxtel]
Ross looks nothing like the TV actor, but with a fair bit of imagination resembles more like another actor, Warren Beatty
Ross Dillon was recruited from the Melbourne Football Club in 1973 and retired at the end of this season
He played 114 games for NW
He was one of the most courageous footballers to put on a NW jumper
Dillon was a very strong mark and generally played key positions
I saw him play at Thebarton Oval against WT one day and must have taken 20+ marks

QUESTION
Was Dillon fit enough to play in the league Grand Final in the twilight of his career ?
Would he have made the league G/F team if Adamson was not recruited ?

RODNEY POPE
Rodney Pope is remembered as a fine half back flanker at both WA/NW
He might have had mixed feelings about playing in this game
Pope kicked 4 goals in this match which is surprising
Pope finished the season on 296 league games
He played again in 1979 and reached the 300 game milestone
Pope joined NW in 1974 and finished in 1979
He played 95 games for NW in total

QUESTION
Why did Pope leave WA to play for NW ?

[Adelaide Hawk]

ROSS DILLON
Was Dillon fit enough to play in the league Grand Final in the twilight of his career ?
Would he have made the league G/F team if Adamson was not recruited ?

RODNEY POPE
Why did Pope leave WA to play for NW ?

Ross Dillon was Reserves playing Coach in 1978. Due to injuries, he agreed to play league in the absence of Wayne Phillis from rounds 15 to 20. Goal tallies for those games were 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 0, so he aquitted himself well. Wit hthe return of Phillis, Dillon returned to the Reserves.

However, come finals time, more injuries, this time to Paul Adler, saw Dillon back in the team for the Qualifying and 2nd Semi finals. He only kicked 1 goal, and was omitted once Adler was available for the Preliminary Final.

He played 15 Reserves games for 42 goals. Combined with his League tally, he kicked 61 goals for the season.

Rodney Pope - simply did not fit into Fos Williams' plans, along with Greg Nicholson. Norwood snapped them up, and they became great players for the Norwood Football Club. Some coaches make strange decisions, and this was a classic case.

[bayman]

Some coaches make strange decisions, and this was a classic case.

yeah some coaches have pre conceived ideas about certain players, the wayne stringer/jim west one still baffles me...after all big strong marking & straight kicking forwards don't grow off trees, jim walked in to the 'meet the coach' meeting & was sacked on the spot


while not sacked the mark williams with the ross gibbs one & he made it almost unbearable for darren mansell who had to do almost twice as much as everyone else on the track

[robranisgod]

Some coaches make strange decisions, and this was a classic case.

yeah some coaches have pre conceived ideas about certain players, the wayne stringer/jim west one still baffles me...after all big strong marking & straight kicking forwards don't grow off trees, jim walked in to the 'meet the coach' meeting & was sacked on the spot

Jim West and Wayne Stringer were teammates together in 1987-88 and probably for a couple of years before that. Perhaps Wayne saw something he didn't like regarding Jim in those earlier playing days.

[bayman]

Some coaches make strange decisions, and this was a classic case.

yeah some coaches have pre conceived ideas about certain players, the wayne stringer/jim west one still baffles me...after all big strong marking & straight kicking forwards don't grow off trees, jim walked in to the 'meet the coach' meeting & was sacked on the spot

Jim West and Wayne Stringer were teammates together in 1987-88 and probably for a couple of years before that. Perhaps Wayne saw something he didn't like regarding Jim in those earlier playing days.

pure & simply it was a personality clash

[Adelaide Hawk]

I never did know why Jim West left Glenelg. All I know is I was surprised (and delighted) to hear he was coming to Norwood where he kicked 80 goals in 1997 and a valuable member of our premiership team. I think at times some coaches need to suck it up and stop putting their personal feelings ahead of the welfare of the club.