1978 The year it was

[mal]

LEADING GOALSCORERS IN 1978
Does not include the Grand Final goals

CD
68 GEORGE , kicked 10 goals twice in a row, played only 15 games so a very good debut season
30 SAYWELL, Sally was a brilliant left foot flanker
25 NORSWORTHY

GL
54 HODGEMAN, an astonishing amount for a rover
53 D PHILLIS, must have been injured only played 14 games, sensational full forward
50 S COPPING , those long arms, strong marks, and he kicked 6 more goals in 1978 than a certain NW left footed half forward !

NA
28 BARUZZI, what a hairstyle
28 CLOKE
26 TILLER

NW
44 WOODCOCK, splinterdick was a star, for him to get within 6 goals of Copping was a great effort
36 MICHALANNEY, Big Jim , much under rated player
22 GALLAGHER getting in practice for the grand final ....

PORT
90 EVANS big strong marking bearded star full forward
36 CAHILL
36 CUNNINGHAM , 72 goals from the resting rovers[DC + BUCKY] was a phenominal effort

SA
38 LINKE
33 HATELEY a very good return for a wingman
26 RUSCUKLIC

ST
72OR 73 BAGGY8[19 games] a star played a ruck rover changing in back pocket at times in the 60s, ST needed a forward after losing Greenslade and up there Whelan
IF Baggy8 didnt get injured late season he may have even kicked 100 goals, he missed about 4 games
55 WINTER played a lot of his career as a full back/back pocket, so a great return
34 DERRINGTON
33 BARTON Ive added Robbie as he and Jim Derrington roved as well at times and kicked 67 gaols between them, great returns

WA
37 MEURET, Ive heard the cliche of Mr Magic for Lindsay Head and Bagg8, but I reckon Mueret is another to a lesser degree
34 MORRIS
34 DAVOREN

WT
35 KELLETT
34 JACKMAN all the skills, brilliant to watch
34 INGLIS played CHF + Ruck, so this was a great effort

WV
30 ROBERTS, later to beome a star forward in the VFL and NA, brilliant mark and player
30 HOWARD cant recall him ??
22 CLOSE

THE LADDER 50+ goals [including night games]
90 EVANS
72 OR 73 BAGSHAW
68 GEORGE
55 WINTER
54 HODGEMAN
54 PHILLIS

[robranisgod]

36 MICHALANNEY, Big Jim , much under rated player
22 GALLAGHER getting in practice for the grand final ....

And the only two Norwood players to play in all four of that clubs premierships between 1975 and 1984.

[robranisgod]

28 CLOKE

Considered by Tommy Hafey to be one of the two best marks (with Royce Hart) that he ever coached. Possibly the most courageous mark that I have ever seen. Very, very unlucky not to win the 1979 Magarey Medal. Hampered by arthritic hips that saw his VFL career finished at 22 years of age. Brother of David and uncle of Travis Cloke. Like his brother and nephew he was a very ordinary kick which probably had an impact on his VFL career.

[mal]

Advertisement 30/9/78

PLAY IT AGAIN FANS
$5-00

Relive the excitement of todays Grand Final clash with 5AD FOOTBALL Grand Final Casette
Featuring 1 hour of great highlights with commentary by Rod Mcleod, Brian Lees, Mick Clingly, Murray Tippett and David Christie
Send $5 by cheque or postal note to :
5AD GRAND FINAL CASSETTE
121 King William Street
Adelaide
5001
Cash sales at the 5AD switchboard during office hours

[mal]

Grand Final Entertainment

HATS
40,000 free hats will be given put
20,000 of each teams colours

McNALLY TO SING A TRILOGY
Singer John Mcnally will perform his own Trilogy
A combination of Waltzing Matilda,The Road to Gundagai, Advance Australian fair
[You could buy John Mcnallys Ireland album for $5-99 as well]

PREMIERSHIPS CAPTAINS AND SPECIAL GUESTS
Some of the men who have captained Premiership teams in years gone were special guests
They were introed b4 the game
They are :
Geoff Motley PA skipper in 59,62,63,65
Don Gilbourne NA skipper in 60
Neil Kerley WA skipper in 61, SA in 64
Jack Thiele WT skipper in 45
John Halbert ST skipper in 66,68

Geoff Motley Ive heard was a star as was his son Peter who later played for ST [what happened to father + son rule]
Neil King Kerley was a very good player, very tough [But I hated him when he broke Damien Nygaards jaw] in later years I liked his commentaries on footy
John Halbert was a star , and later coached GL

Don Gilbourne + Jack Thiele were b4 my time

[robranisgod]

Grand Final Entertainment

HATS
40,000 free hats will be given put
20,000 of each teams colours

McNALLY TO SING A TRILOGY
Singer John Mcnally will perform his own Trilogy
A combination of Waltzing Matilda,The Road to Gundagai, Advance Australian fair
[You could buy John Mcnallys Ireland album for $5-99 as well]

PREMIERSHIPS CAPTAINS AND SPECIAL GUESTS
Some of the men who have captained Premiership teams in years gone were special guests
They were introed b4 the game
They are :
Geoff Motley PA skipper in 59,62,63,65
Don Gilbourne NA skipper in 60
Neil Kerley WA skipper in 61, SA in 64
Jack Thiele WT skipper in 45
John Halbert ST skipper in 66,68

Geoff Motley Ive heard was a star as was his son Peter who later played for ST [what happened to father + son rule]
Neil King Kerley was a very good player, very tough [But I hated him when he broke Damien Nygaards jaw] in later years I liked his commentaries on footy
John Halbert was a star , and later coached GL

Don Gilbourne + Jack Thiele were b4 my time

Don Gilbourne is a member of the SANFL Hall of Fame. He played in 3 premierships for North, in 1949, 1952 and 1960. He commenced as a half forward but later played in the back pocket. He was renowned as a magnificent exponent of the drop kick. He represented the state on many occasions and won the O'Halloran trophy for best for South Australia in an interstate game against Victoria in 1957. Some posters may remember his younger brother Bob, who also played for North but also represented SA in Sheffield Shield cricket in the mid to late 1960s.

Geof Motley was a champion. He played in nine premierships. When he won the 1964 Magarey Medal there was universal joy even though he played for the dreaded Port Adelaide. Such was his demeanour on the field that he had the respect of everyone. In all of his career, he never was reported once, he was extremely hard but extremely fair.

John Halbert was a great player too. As well as winning a Magarey medal he was runner up three times as well, twice to Lindsay Head. He played in many poor Sturt sides before captaining them to their drought breaking premiership of 1966. My lasting memory is of him marking near the goalsquare late in that Grand Final and I have never seen a man with a bigger smile on his face as he went back to kick the goal that put Sturt 10 goals in front.

[robranisgod]

Geoff Motley Ive heard was a star as was his son Peter who later played for ST [what happened to father + son rule]

Geof Motley had a famous spat with Port Adelaide, hence he took down all of his photos from the club and his son Peter chose to play with his mates at Sturt. The Motleys had settled at Blackwood in the heart of the Sturt area.

It is amazing how many champions fall out with their clubs. We all know of Barrie Robran's sons playing at Norwood, but what of Bob Quinn's son and grandson playing at South rather than Port and even Russell Ebert's elder son played juniors at the Eagles. Brett also tried out initially with them and it was only when he was rejected by the Eagles that he reluctantly tried out with Port.

[bayman]

off course halbert also coached sturt....he had to have walked under a ladder 3 grand finals in a row for 3 runners up

[mal]

There were 3 umpires squaded for the Grand Final
This was trimmed down to 2 on the day, the other was the reserve ump

FIELD UMPIRES
The 3 Umpires were
Des Dizzy Foster : 202 games and umpired the 1976 G/F
Bob Scolefield : 162 games , no G/F
Peter Mead : 165 games 2 G/F

GOAL UMPS
Alton Smith: who was to break the record of G/F appearances., this G/F his 11th[Locky Trevellow held the previous record]
Ray Mules: in his 3rd G/F

BOUNDARY UMPS
Peter Brownrigg : 8th G/F
Neville Shanahan: 5th G/F [a star boundary ump who has won the Silver whistle award]

[Adelaide Hawk]

John Halbert ST skipper in 66,68

John was captain of the club in 1968 but didn't play in the Grand Final. Bob Shearman was acting captain.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Advertisement 30/9/78

PLAY IT AGAIN FANS
$5-00

Relive the excitement of todays Grand Final clash with 5AD FOOTBALL Grand Final Casette
Featuring 1 hour of great highlights with commentary by Rod Mcleod, Brian Lees, Mick Clingly, Murray Tippett and David Christie
Send $5 by cheque or postal note to :
5AD GRAND FINAL CASSETTE
121 King William Street
Adelaide
5001
Cash sales at the 5AD switchboard during office hours

I bought that cassette. Think I still have it out the back somewhere.

[JK]

Got any more info on the names involved here lads?

CD
68 GEORGE , kicked 10 goals twice in a row, played only 15 games so a very good debut season

Featuring 1 hour of great highlights with commentary by Rod Mcleod, Brian Lees, Mick Clingly, Murray Tippett and David Christie

[robranisgod]

Got any more info on the names involved here lads?

CD
68 GEORGE , kicked 10 goals twice in a row, played only 15 games so a very good debut season

Featuring 1 hour of great highlights with commentary by Rod Mcleod, Brian Lees, Mick Clingly, Murray Tippett and David Christie

Max George was a full forward from Western Australia. He kicked six goals for WA in the first state game played at Footy Park in 1974. He was a good lead. He kicked 10 goals against North at ELizabeth in 1978. He lost form completely and didn't make Centrals finals side in 1979. I think that he was cleared to Torrens but had no impact.

Rod McLeod was a former Victorian commentator who came over to 5KA as a football commentator and news reader. He was a very big man. By 1978 he was selling cars for John Cahill and doing footy calling in his spare time. A good caller who sadly passed away many years ago.

Brian Lees was a former league umpire and occasional Port Adelaide league player who commentated for many years. Sadly he too is now dead.

Mick Clingly was a former Torrens forward or occasional defender. He was best on ground in Torrens 1953 premiership. He once kicked a place kick goal when he had a day out kicking about 8 goals. He was also a good cricketer who played stae in the late 1950s. He was still playing cricket for Woodville in the early 1970s at about 40 years of age. Mick Clingly was a confident, good bloke with a touch of lair, but very popular. Unfortunately he too has passed away.

Murray Tippett was a sporting commentator with 5AD. He later worked for the league.

And David "Nipper" Christie was a former Woodville rover. He may have been the first Woodville player to play 100 games. He was a good rover. I believe he was related to the Obst family but had to play for Woodville because of residential qualifications. He worked for a number of different radio stations and ended up as a sporting reporter for ABC radio.

[JK]

Brilliant, thanks for that RIG ... Some of those names I was more familiar with than others, but still didn't know much about their background.

Max George was an interesting story.

[mal]

MAX GEORGE
Swan Districts/Fitzroy/Geraldton/Central Districts until 1979
GEORGE a big name player definitely played 1979 for CD
According to Robranisgod he crossed over to WT in 1980
But then he played for CD in 1981 as well, his last SANFL season
That makes 6 transfers since his debut for Swan Districts

GEORGE played 8 games for CD in 1981 and kicked 26 goals that season
He played a total of 33 SANFL games [WT season included ?] and kicked 120 goals in the SANFL

Greg meggsy Edwards was doing some startling things as a forward in 1980-81
Perhaps the emergence of Meggsy was the reason why George ended his career at CD in 1981
George was 28 years old in 1981, an age where a full forward could be peaking
Was there room for both Meggsy and George in 1982 ?
Perhaps not, or perhaps George was injured or whatever

George didnt play in 1982
History shows that Edwards had an amazing 1982 season and kicked 104 goals
He was a sensational full forward, his career ended prematurely, what might he have been otherwise
When his career ended it was one of the saddest days I can recall in SANFL footy

CD leading goalscorers since George Debuted until 1981
1978 GEORGE... 68
1979 DUCKWORTH... 41... whatta footballer , CD got some star Western Australians over in the 70s
1980 NORSWORTHY...40... a rover
1981 PLATTEN... 51... what a player

Then
1982 EDWARDS 104

Also in 1981/82 CD had another brilliant recruit
Michael Wright from South Melbourne who kicked 44 goals in 1981 and 77 goals in 1982 , and played CHF a fair bit

With Edwards, Wright in the forward line , thats a double reason why perhaps George didnt play


Just imagine this forward line if they all lined up and fired in 1982 !

PLATTEN...GEORGE...EDWARDS
WILSON...DUCKWORTH...GILLES

Meggsy was a Brambles worker in those days, and Mally was his Bank Teller !
I was proud to eventually know a player that kicked 100 goals in a season

[Magpiespower]

According to Mots, he took a young Peter out to Port. But they said he wasn't good enough. Maybe some lingering bitterness?

Wright famously declared he was gonna win the Magarey. Even before playing a game. Top-ten finish in '82. Pretty sure he ended up at North.

But geez, I would've loved an early/mid-80s Port midfield with Bradley, Anderson and Motley...

[mal]

When we think of the tradegies of what can happen to footballers
I think of Neil Sasche, Greg Edwards, Peter Motlley
All 3 met with off and on field injuries that ended thier careers prematurely
Thier lives changed in an instant, and we as spectators are robbed of seeing any prolonged careers
Then theres the players who suffer from ailments later in life from playing a hard contact sport

IAN STASINOWSKI
Recently Norwood went public with thier Foundation to help past players
The recent passing away of one of the clubs most enigmatic characters Ian stazza Stasinowski, a 1978 Premiership player was the catalyst for some former NW footballers to help thier old team-mates
In the final days of Stasinowskis life some past players including 1978 Premiership player John two eight elbows Wynne and several others bought Stasinowski a reclining chair, and made sure his fridge was stocked up
KEITH THOMAS "" We put our arm around him.""
JOHN WYNNE "" I think Stazza was overwhelmed by it but it got us thinking- what if we did this in a more forMAL way.""

FOUNDATION
300 people packed the NW town Hall very recently to officially launch the Redleg Foundation- created to help former players and officials later in life

GREG TURBILL
1978 Premiership rover Greg Turbill was the first player the Foundation assisted
Greg was a courageous footballer, probably too courageous for his own good
It has been well documented about some of Turbills knee and hip injuries that he suffered during an injury interrupted career
He ends up being one of the greatest rovers to play for NW, who knows how much better he might have been if relatively injury free
A story goes about how Turbill was badly injured and bruised after a game in the 80s
Amazingly he played the week after, this is quoted as : one of the greatest acts ever by a NW player :
Turbill shifted to Darwin to avoid the colder winters of Adelaide, it is said that he would take half a day to get out of bed
The Foundation aware of Turbills plight took it upon themselves to organise funds to pay for a Hip replacement for him
JOHN WYNNE "" Former players have a lifelong connection that cant be broken, all were[Foundation] doing is harnessing and giving it a bit of shape.""

Great stuff
The stars of 78 are all 50+ year old now
In 78 they were young athletes, and prob wouldnt have thought of a Foundation 33 years later

ADAMSON
Another 1978 Redleg, the star recruit, Brian Adamson was also in poorish health in recent times, perhaps another Foundation consideration

[mal]

Got any more info on the names involved here lads?

CD
68 GEORGE , kicked 10 goals twice in a row, played only 15 games so a very good debut season

Featuring 1 hour of great highlights with commentary by Rod Mcleod, Brian Lees, Mick Clingly, Murray Tippett and David Christie

Max George was a full forward from Western Australia. He kicked six goals for WA in the first state game played at Footy Park in 1974. He was a good lead. He kicked 10 goals against North at ELizabeth in 1978. He lost form completely and didn't make Centrals finals side in 1979. I think that he was cleared to Torrens but had no impact.

Rod McLeod was a former Victorian commentator who came over to 5KA as a football commentator and news reader. He was a very big man. By 1978 he was selling cars for John Cahill and doing footy calling in his spare time. A good caller who sadly passed away many years ago.

Brian Lees was a former league umpire and occasional Port Adelaide league player who commentated for many years. Sadly he too is now dead.

Mick Clingly was a former Torrens forward or occasional defender. He was best on ground in Torrens 1953 premiership. He once kicked a place kick goal when he had a day out kicking about 8 goals. He was also a good cricketer who played stae in the late 1950s. He was still playing cricket for Woodville in the early 1970s at about 40 years of age. Mick Clingly was a confident, good bloke with a touch of lair, but very popular. Unfortunately he too has passed away.

Murray Tippett was a sporting commentator with 5AD. He later worked for the league.

And David "Nipper" Christie was a former Woodville rover. He may have been the first Woodville player to play 100 games. He was a good rover. I believe he was related to the Obst family but had to play for Woodville because of residential qualifications. He worked for a number of different radio stations and ended up as a sporting reporter for ABC radio.

Correct RGOD
David Nipper Christie is the first player to get to 100 games for the Woodpeckers
He achieved the milestone in round 4 1969 against WT
Nipper finished on 124 games
Nipper played in the first league Woodville team in 1964
His first league game was against a great club RGOD !

By the looks of things the Trifecta for first players to a 100 games might have been
1 CHRISTIE
and boxed for 2nd and 3rd Freddy Hansch / Rodney Allen

[baggy8]

Geof Motley was a champion. He played in nine premierships. When he won the 1964 Magarey Medal there was universal joy even though he played for the dreaded Port Adelaide

Hang on rig. I couldn't have been part of the universe when that MM count took place. A champion no doubt, but I always thought of his MM as a reward for long and faithful service and that the '64 MM should have been the first of Peter Darley's two (he won everything else that year).

[robranisgod]

Geof Motley was a champion. He played in nine premierships. When he won the 1964 Magarey Medal there was universal joy even though he played for the dreaded Port Adelaide

Hang on rig. I couldn't have been part of the universe when that MM count took place. A champion no doubt, but I always thought of his MM as a reward for long and faithful service and that the '64 MM should have been the first of Peter Darley's two (he won everything else that year).

Sure Darley was certainly favourite, but Motley was second favourite. Most people thought that Darley's time would come (they weren't to know that he would get the knee injury the next year) and Motley's win was greeted with great joy.