1960's SANFL

[nickname]

History repeats 30 years later (almost). Kevin Morris got West into a Grand Final and then "See ya". Makes you wonder.

A little different I think in that he'd coached us for 4 years and only just sneaked us into the final five in one of those years.

[mal]

On the matter of leaving WA after the 1963 coaching saga
Here are some quotes :

NEIL KERLEY
I dont think too many coaches get the sack after winning a premiership and losing another by 3 points
Thats still a sad and very bitter pill
That was a personal issue between Cliff Semmler and a couple of others
My sole job was getting the team to perform well and win matches
I may have trodden on a few toes at committee level but what that did- it actually destroyed a footy team
Theres no question, we were then in a situation with the players we had available for the next few years to win quite a few Premierships
I think 5 or 6 of our top platers left, they were all state players
They left because they didnt like what happened
Strange in a way and I think I pulled my weight and of course the following year I left and went to SA
Actually with the sacking it opened up a couple of doors for me

ROBERT DAY
Kerleys demise was a surprise
It was put to us that Kerley was asking for too much money
In hindsight, we didnt necessarily see it that way
All Kerley was doing was to renegotiate his coaching deal
But in those days , you had two very strong people in Cliff Semmler and Neil Kerley
Semmler was not going to back down and Kerley was not going to back down

KEN EUSTICE
I felt it was a personal thing against Kerley
It was a split club
There was ill feeling...the fun had gone out of it
I reckon it put WA back 10 or 15 years
And then Cliff Semmler left about a year later when he was transferred to Melbourne with the wheat board
He was respected because of his strength ...he did a great job in many ways but I think he lost the respect after that
Eustice believed a sticking point was over 200-300 pounds
You ask any club back then and they'd take the hat around and collect it if you could buy a Premiership


Some of the players that eventually left WA
Neil Kerley
Jeff Bray
Bertie Johnson
Don Roach
Ken Eustice

[smithy]

When members of committees think they are bigger than the club and it is all about them that is when clubs fall apart when egos get in the way and power struggles happen.

Hallelujeh brother.

Merv Keane and all sturt supporters of 1989 agree./

[mal]

8/5/61
On this day



WT V NW THEBARTON OVAL

3 players received broken bones, a 4th a sprained ankle, and another player was reported for allegedly striking, in a violent league football match between WT and NW
The match has been described as the roughest seen since WW2
It was won by WT by 20 points
WT wingman Jim Slavens left leg was broken, and NW Full Forward Phil Stephens and NW Ruckman Geoff Feehan received broken right thumbs
All three are expected to be out for 8 weeks
Slaven could miss the rest of the season
NW Half Forward John Vickers was reported for allegedly striking WT Centre Half forward Brian Townsend
Most importantly on this day I turned 3 years old

[Punk Rooster]

For the second time in his life Jack Oatey stopped coaching and saw WA win a flag the next season

I f I was West Adelaide, I'd be exhuming his corpse...

[mal]

19/9/61
A significant day
WDV and CD were invited to join the SANFL comp for the 1964 season
Judgement was made the night b4 at a meeting of delegates
Both teams fielded seconds teams in 1959
There was an expectation in 1959 that by about 1962, that both clubs would be informed of League promotion prospects


A question I might have asked in 1961 was , could the comp accommodate 10 clubs ?
The talent pool would be divided into 10 instead of 8 teams
Would have it weakened the standard of the comp at all ?

Was the timing right ?
Australia lost a lot men or had a lot of men away on active duty in WW2 in the early 40s
Reproduction diminished in Adelaide in the early 1940s
The pool number of 17-21 year old men by 1961 there4 would be less than a warless period

From about 1945 on, there most probably was a significant rise in boys being born
By 1964 there would be lot more young men available to play footy, than at the start of the 60s ?
A generation of the baby boomers were available to the SANFL
So perhaps the timing was right in this regard

[robranisgod]

19/9/61
A significant day
WDV and CD were invited to join the SANFL comp for the 1964 season
Judgement was made the night b4 at a meeting of delegates
Both teams fielded seconds teams in 1959
There was an expectation in 1959 that by about 1962, that both clubs would be informed of League promotion prospects


A question I might have asked in 1961 was , could the comp accommodate 10 clubs ?
The talent pool would be divided into 10 instead of 8 teams
Would have it weakened the standard of the comp at all ?

Was the timing right ?
Australia lost a lot men or had a lot of men away on active duty in WW2 in the early 40s
Reproduction diminished in Adelaide in the early 1940s
The pool number of 17-21 year old men by 1961 there4 would be less than a warless period

From about 1945 on, there most probably was a significant rise in boys being born
By 1964 there would be lot more young men available to play footy, than at the start of the 60s ?
A generation of the baby boomers were available to the SANFL
So perhaps the timing was right in this regard

The other alternative at the time that was South Adelaide, who were an absolute basket case having not finished higher than 6th in an 8 team comp since 1945 was to be relocated to Elizabeth. 4 of the clubs were for this move, 4 were against and South survived by the casting vote of the league president. Ironically they won the flag in 1964, the first year of Woodville and Central, but they were bottom again by 1969. Hindsight is a great thing, but I think an 8 team comp was the right number for the SANFL. Other than South there was generally no easy game for the other clubs prior to the introduction of Woodville and Centrals. 10 clubs seemed to spread the talent and certainly the money to fund the clubs was spread too thinly. By the mid 1970s the top clubs had more easy games than hard games. I compare that situation to the WAFL at the same time where all 8 clubs won a flag within a 10 year period.

[mal]

SA BOUNDARIES
1959 Was a year when the League clubs boundarys were changed
This is what was said about South Adelaide at the time
SA for years has had divided territory, and , has, consequently, been the week REED of the league
On August 3, 1959, SA gained considerable territory [including 9 schools, compared with 4 in its former territory] and the boundaries distribution committee , comprising Millhouse, Kenny, Ramsey, reallotted other boundaries

POPULATIONS OF PREVIOUS TO NEW BOUNDARIES 1959
I have listed previous boundaries first

GL 75500...60017
NA 86500...73130
NW 70500...63579
PA 56000...58048
SA 54250...53469
ST 52500...65749
WA 40500...57448
WV 40000...42266
WT 63000...62670

GL and NA had the highest populated districts pre 1959 but that dropped a fair bit
The big winners were WA who had a massive up in their new boundaries

CENTRALS + PAUL GARNETT
CD was not listed as , but would have had chunks of areas in the Northern suburbs ?
CD was unable to claim any current league footballer who lived in the CD boundary
WA footballer Paul Garnett worked in a bank in Angaston in 1958
At the time CD had tried to claim Jamestown resident Garnett, who had to stand out of footy for a while
Garnett ended up winning a right of appeal to play for WA
By 1959 the SANFL waived the rule on CD being able to claim such players

INTERSTATE PLAYERS
PRIOR to 1959 Interstate recruits had to complete a 13 week residential qualification b4 being allowed to play in the SANFL
They had to live within that clubs boundaries
This rule assisted NW in the early 60s, as the club recruited several Victorian players

CITY POPULATIONS either 1959 or 1960
1777700 Melbourne
562500 Adelaide
389000 Perth
109200 Hobart

[robranisgod]

There were also a few interesting cases regarding North at the time of the boundary changes of the late 1950s. Lindsay Backman and his family were passionate South supporters but lived in the North area. backman sought a clearance to South, but North wouldn't clear him. Then with the proposed new boundaries it was discovered that Backman would no longer be tied to Woodville not North, so North reluctantly cleared Backman to South for an undisclosed sum rather than lose him to Woodville for nothing. Backman of course went on to play centre in South's premiership side and was a Knuckey cup winner and 200 game player.

The other story is that there was another gun junior who North were about to lose to Woodville, John Robinson. He was only about 11 years of age but showed all the signs of being a top player. North made him 19th man for their under 17s (then known as junior colts) so that he became tied to North. He went on to play league at 17 years of age and had a very good career for North.

[mal]

THIRD BEST CLUB ?

Leading into 1960 there was conjecture as to which team was the 3rd best in the SANFL
Stats were taken from 1907-1959
Port was the best
Norwood was second best
An article suggested that WT was the 3rd best
However NA, can claim to be the 3rd best or almost 3rd best
Here are the stats for each team leading into the 1960s

Included are
played
wins
losses
draws


GL
NA 85-20-63-2
NW 91-20-71-0
PA 83-16-67-0
SA 79-39-40-0
ST 87-29-57-1
WA 83-29-54-0
WT 84-19-65-0
The only team GL have kept up with is SA

PA
GL-83-67-16-0
NA 118-82-36-0
NW 124-78-43-3
SA 110-88-20-2
ST 119-84-35-0
WA 127-76-49-2
WT 121-84-36-1
The best performed team against the mighty magpies appeared to be WA
I would have expected NW to have the 2nd best record v PA

NA
GL 85-63-20-2
NW 122-47-72-3
PA 118-36-82-0
SA 110-84-26-0
ST 108-55-49-4
WA 113-59-53-1
WT 106-49-56-1
Behind ST which is interesting


NW
GL 91-71-20-00
NA 122-72-47-03
PA 124 43-78-03
SA 103-72-31-00
ST 117-65-51-01
WA 116-71-45-00
WT 112-63-47-02
NW is 2nd best, interesting to note that ST has done OK against them

SA
GL 79-40-39-0
NA 110-26-84-0
NW 103-31-72-0
PA 110-20-88-2
ST 109-39-70-0
WA 104-42-62-0
WT 113-38-71-4
South have drawn 6 games, and 4 against WT
Only more wins against GL at this stage
Have had some success v WA compared to other teams they have played

ST
GL 87-57-29-1
NA 108-49-55-4
NW 117-51-65-1
PA 119-35-84-0
SA 109-70-39-0
WA 50-58-1
WT 53-57-4

WA
GL 83-54-29
NA 113-53-59-1
NW 116-45-71
PA 49-76-2
SA 104 62-42
ST 109-58-50-1
WT 107-48-55-04
Considering SA overall record, WA have had some trouble with them

WT
GL 65-19-0
NA 106-56-49-1
NW 112-47-63-2
PA 121-36-84-1
SA 113-71-38-4
ST 113-57-53-3
WA 107-55-48-4
15 draws makes WT the most drawingest team in the comp[add another draw in 1969 WA V WT in a final]

LADDER 1907-1959 MOST WINS

PA 802-559-235-8
NW 785-457-319-9
NA 762-393-358-11
WT 756-387-354-15
WA 759-369-382-8
ST 762- 365-387-10
SA 728-236-486-6
GL 592-172-417-3

If exclude drawn games, this is the winning % of wins of the clubs

PA 69-7
NW 58-2
NA 51-5
WT 51-1
WA 48-6
ST 47-9
SA 32-4
GL 29-0

It can be argued that WT with 15 drawn games to NA 11 drawn games is very marginally the 3rd best club pre 1960s
This is really a surprise to me that WT had such a good record by 1960

The perceived big 4[PA/NW/ST/GL] decades later was far different come 1960

[GWW]

The other story is that there was another gun junior who North were about to lose to Woodville, John Robinson. He was only about 11 years of age but showed all the signs of being a top player. North made him 19th man for their under 17s (then known as junior colts) so that he became tied to North. He went on to play league at 17 years of age and had a very good career for North.

Thats the ex commentator on ABC tv?

What position did he play? Approx how many games?

[robranisgod]

The other story is that there was another gun junior who North were about to lose to Woodville, John Robinson. He was only about 11 years of age but showed all the signs of being a top player. North made him 19th man for their under 17s (then known as junior colts) so that he became tied to North. He went on to play league at 17 years of age and had a very good career for North.

Thats the ex commentator on ABC tv?

What position did he play? Approx how many games?

Yes, that is the same John Robinson. He was predominantly a wingman although he also played in the back pocket. He would have played about 160 games for North between 1965 and 1975. Sadly for him he had to withdraw with injury from the North 1971 second semi final side on the morning of the match and he then missed out on the premiership. In 1972 he played in the second semi final but was dropped for the Grand Final.

He was certainly selected anumber of times for the state squad but never played state football.

[robranisgod]

THIRD BEST CLUB ?

Leading into 1960 there was conjecture as to which team was the 3rd best in the SANFL
Stats were taken from 1907-1959
Port was the best
Norwood was second best
An article suggested that WT was the 3rd best
However NA, can claim to be the 3rd best or almost 3rd best
Here are the stats for each team leading into the 1960s

Included are
played
wins
losses
draws


GL
NA 85-20-63-2
NW 91-20-71-0
PA 83-16-67-0
SA 79-39-40-0
ST 87-29-57-1
WA 83-29-54-0
WT 84-19-65-0
The only team GL have kept up with is SA

PA
GL-83-67-16-0
NA 118-82-36-0
NW 124-78-43-3
SA 110-88-20-2
ST 119-84-35-0
WA 127-76-49-2
WT 121-84-36-1
The best performed team against the mighty magpies appeared to be WA
I would have expected NW to have the 2nd best record v PA

NA
GL 85-63-20-2
NW 122-47-72-3
PA 118-36-82-0
SA 110-84-26-0
ST 108-55-49-4
WA 113-59-53-1
WT 106-49-56-1
Behind ST which is interesting


NW
GL 91-71-20-00
NA 122-72-47-03
PA 124 43-78-03
SA 103-72-31-00
ST 117-65-51-01
WA 116-71-45-00
WT 112-63-47-02
NW is 2nd best, interesting to note that ST has done OK against them

SA
GL 79-40-39-0
NA 110-26-84-0
NW 103-31-72-0
PA 110-20-88-2
ST 109-39-70-0
WA 104-42-62-0
WT 113-38-71-4
South have drawn 6 games, and 4 against WT
Only more wins against GL at this stage
Have had some success v WA compared to other teams they have played

ST
GL 87-57-29-1
NA 108-49-55-4
NW 117-51-65-1
PA 119-35-84-0
SA 109-70-39-0
WA 50-58-1
WT 53-57-4

WA
GL 83-54-29
NA 113-53-59-1
NW 116-45-71
PA 49-76-2
SA 104 62-42
ST 109-58-50-1
WT 107-48-55-04
Considering SA overall record, WA have had some trouble with them

WT
GL 65-19-0
NA 106-56-49-1
NW 112-47-63-2
PA 121-36-84-1
SA 113-71-38-4
ST 113-57-53-3
WA 107-55-48-4
15 draws makes WT the most drawingest team in the comp[add another draw in 1969 WA V WT in a final]

LADDER 1907-1959 MOST WINS

PA 802-559-235-8
NW 785-457-319-9
NA 762-393-358-11
WT 756-387-354-15
WA 759-369-382-8
ST 762- 365-387-10
SA 728-236-486-6
GL 592-172-417-3

If exclude drawn games, this is the winning % of wins of the clubs

PA 69-7
NW 58-2
NA 51-5
WT 51-1
WA 48-6
ST 47-9
SA 32-4
GL 29-0

It can be argued that WT with 15 drawn games to NA 11 drawn games is very marginally the 3rd best club pre 1960s
This is really a surprise to me that WT had such a good record by 1960

The perceived big 4[PA/NW/ST/GL] decades later was far different come 1960

The so called big four was just for about 8 years from 1974 until 1982, why this has had such an impact on so many commentators is a mystery to me.

Even coming up to 1960 North with 8 premierships had to be in front of Torrens with 4 premierships.

Also you mention that North are behind Sturt in your stats yet the way I read it North are in front of Sturt 55 to 49 at this stage. Even now North and Sturt are close to even in everything other than wooden spoons where Sturt have about 20 compared to North about 5.

[on the rails]

The other story is that there was another gun junior who North were about to lose to Woodville, John Robinson. He was only about 11 years of age but showed all the signs of being a top player. North made him 19th man for their under 17s (then known as junior colts) so that he became tied to North. He went on to play league at 17 years of age and had a very good career for North.

Thats the ex commentator on ABC tv?

What position did he play? Approx how many games?

Yes, that is the same John Robinson. He was predominantly a wingman although he also played in the back pocket. He would have played about 160 games for North between 1965 and 1975. Sadly for him he had to withdraw with injury from the North 1971 second semi final side on the morning of the match and he then missed out on the premiership. In 1972 he played in the second semi final but was dropped for the Grand Final.

He was certainly selected anumber of times for the state squad but never played state football.

Ben Hart's father too!

[robranisgod]

The other story is that there was another gun junior who North were about to lose to Woodville, John Robinson. He was only about 11 years of age but showed all the signs of being a top player. North made him 19th man for their under 17s (then known as junior colts) so that he became tied to North. He went on to play league at 17 years of age and had a very good career for North.

Thats the ex commentator on ABC tv?

What position did he play? Approx how many games?

Yes, that is the same John Robinson. He was predominantly a wingman although he also played in the back pocket. He would have played about 160 games for North between 1965 and 1975. Sadly for him he had to withdraw with injury from the North 1971 second semi final side on the morning of the match and he then missed out on the premiership. In 1972 he played in the second semi final but was dropped for the Grand Final.

He was certainly selected anumber of times for the state squad but never played state football.

Ben Hart's father too!

Exactly, thus explaining Ben's red hair and pace. Ben's height remains a mystery.

[mal]

GLENELG 1961
Finishing position
7TH
Leading goalkickers
N CROMPTON 37
C RICHENS 32
B WEBBER 22
H KERNAHAN 15

PLAYERS / GAMES PLAYED FOR 1961
20 G FRASER
20 H KERNAHAN
20 R LEAHY
20 C RICHENS
20 D STAITE
19 K ABLEY
19 G SINCLAIR
18 B BEAL
18 N CROMPTON
18 P CUTTEN
17 G BRANSON
17 B WEBBER
15 I BUTLER
15 W HERRON
15 H LINKE
15 C HUNT
14 D BLACKBURN
10 D HEWETT
9 T KENDALL
8 C ROWETT
7 G PAYNE
6 L SCHUPELIS
6 R WESTLEY
5 J BARNES
5 C GROSE
5 A LINKE
5 B WALTON
4 B ALEXANDER
4 D BATEMAN
4 J HIBBERD
4 F HOWARD
4 K LOKAN
4 K ROWE
2 P ANESBURY
2 B BUGDEN
2 B MCNAMARA
1 N DAVIES
1 P FRENCH
1 B PARKER
1 P ROBINSON

GL used 40 players, only 3 players had played 100+ games
R LEAHY 123
K ABLEY 117
N DAVIES 122 [and only1 game in 1961]

H KERNAHAN
Known as Harry the Horse and dad of David and Stephen

C RICHENS
I keep reading how good a player he was

SOME EDUCATION ON H LINKE + J HALBERT
1961 was a year to remember for Haydn Linke
Linke 18 votes ran 2nd in the 1961 Magarey Medal to John Halbert[The previously unlucky John Halbert finally won the Medal after several near misses]
Linke played in the 2nd bottom side GL, Halbert for the wooden spooners ST
Both Linke and Halbert were teachers
Linke has been dubbed the man who forfeited the Magarey Medal
Beaten by only 2 points by Halbert, Linke temporarily retired from League Football when in peak form late in the 1961 season, to concentrate on his teaching studies
Linke [15] played 3 less games than Halbert [18]
Perhaps Halbert was fortunate but Halbert had been runner up 3 times in this award
Halbert became the first school teacher since Jeff Pash[1939] to win the MM
Bob Oatey[NW] finished on 11 votes was a trainee teacher
The 1961 VFL Brownlow medalist was John James, and you guessed it, he was a teacher as well !
I once worked for a John James in the late 70s,surely not the same person

QUESTIONS
Would love some info on these GL players, and in particular Hayden Linke

[robranisgod]

Hayden Linke was a half back flanker. Fearless and rugged but scrupulously fair, he never again reached the heights of 1961. He remained at the Bay until about 1967. His brother Ambrose wasn't a bad player either and a third brother Inness had a couple of league games as well.

One player of interest is the leading goalkicker, Neil "Froggy" Crompton. He had come over from Melbourne where he had been a reserve in two of Melbourne's Grand Final sides. He had also been a first class cricketer of some note for Victoria but he couldn't make the SA side when he came here. He returned to Melbourne after the 1961 season and resumed both his cricket career with Victoria (for whom he ended up playing 45 matches) and his footy career for Melbourne. His moment of fame came in the 1964 VFL premiership where in the dying moments Collingwood who were leading by three points threw both their rovers on to the ball. Compton, the back pocket player followed his man down and grabbed the ball on the half forward flank from where he goaled. The siren rung soon afterwards with Melbourne premiers. Crompton who sadly passed away sometime ago remains the last goalkicker in a Melbourne premiership team. Ironically given that he was Glenelg's leading goalkicker in 1961, the Grand Final goal was supposedly Crompton's first goal for Melbourne in 8 years.

[mal]

NEIL FROGGY CROMPTON
Made his debut for Victoria in 1957
Opened the batting on debut
His opening batting partner was the great NM man Allen Aylett
Crompton made 31
Aylett made 24 b4 being run out , his batting partner at the time was Crompton


Crompton made 3 Sheffield Shield 100s as a left handed batsman
Got 10 Brownlow votes in 1962, so must have been a decent footballer
And off course kicked THAT goal in the 64 GF
It has been said his coach Norm Smith 'bailed him up after the game and told him off for being in the wrong place'[what the...]

[200 Killer Wasps]

[quote="robranisgod"]Hayden Linke was a half back flanker. Fearless and rugged but scrupulously fair, he never again reached the heights of 1961. He remained at the Bay until about 1967. His brother Ambrose wasn't a bad player either and a third brother Inness had a couple of league games as well.

They were from Karoonda.

[Leaping Lindner]

Anyone who loved 1960s SANFL and hasn't already done so needs to get themselves a copy of Michael Sexton's book "1964 A Game A Season A State ". Just picked up a copy last week when I was back in adelaide and it's a ripper. One of the most enjoyable footy books I've ever read.
Gerry at At The Toss Of The Coin has copies for anyone interested.