Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995), Sunday 30 September 1979, page 17


CARLTON 11.16(82)

COLLINGWOOD 11.11 (77)

II0S

True grit came to the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday when Carlton clinched the 1979 VFL premiership in a desperate grand final struggle against a-plucky Collingwood.

The Blues won by five points, 11.16 (82) to

11.11 (77) after withstanding a determined fight back by the Magpies in the final term.

The game, although lacking some of • the brilliance of previous grand finals, kept the 113,545 spectators on the edge of their seats throughout.

Much of the credit for Carlton's win — to give the club its 12th premiership and first since 1972 when it beat Richmond — must go to the Blues younger brigade.

Carlton's half forward flanker Wayne Johnston, 22, playing in his first full season of VFL football after being recruited from the VFA club Prahran, was best afield.

From ROBERT

BIDMEADE,

in Melbourne, and AAP

He gave a brilliant display and sent his team into attack repeatedly with penetrating left-foot kicks. He had 19 kicks and seven marks for the game.

Continued centre pages

Collingwood's Rene Kink gets his kick away in spite of attention from Robert Klomp, of Carlton, in the VFL grand final at the MCG yesterday. Carlton won by five

points.

VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE GRAND F

A BLUE,

Kod Austin, of Carlton, aboijuto rpark,behind Collingwdod's Ross Brewer.. WartriTg* for-crumbs-are Magpies* Ray Byrrid (26)'arrd'Graham 'ArtdefSoh"

Continued from page 1

Teammate Wayne Harmes, 19, who played in the back pocket and the centre, won the Norm Smith medal for his determined effort.

The medal, awarded for the first time this year, commemorates Norm Smith who played 210 games for Melbourne and has been rated one of the best coaches in league history.

One particular piece of play by Harmes late in the final quarter helped Carlton's victory.

After gaining possession on the centre wing, on the members' stand side of the oval, Harmes kicked forward but the wind held the ball up. He chased it, dived at it as it was about to go out of bounds and punched it wildly towards the goal square, where rover Ken Sheldon was unmarked.

Sheldon, 19, another of Carlton's young brigade, made no mistake to bring up his third goal for the game.

A fourth member of Carlton's young brigade who must be congratulated for his effort is 21-year-old wingman Peter Francis, who was recruited from Bendigo at the start of the season. He won his wing for most of the game and had

16 kicks.

Carlton captain-coach Alex Jesaulenko, who crashed heavily at the 15-minute mark of the final quarter and

was carried off was still in the Carlton rooms receiving pain killing injections when the siren sounded.

He said the victory was a "tremendous team effort".

"The wet weather during the week forced us to prove that we could play well under any conditions", he said.

Although Carlton was goalless until mid-way through the second quarter,

Jesaulenko said he had not been wors?:. ried.

"The players at that stage just had to do the things they had been taught to do", he said.

"Each man just kept plugging on, because they knew the breaks would come their way".

He said he hoped to pull the boots on again next season but if his form and fitness did not come up to standard he would consider retiring.

Collingwood coach Tom Hafey said the Magpies lost mainly because Carlton won around the packs.

When the Blues had lifted their

game, Collingwood players had stopped running and had failed to get in front of their opponents.

"I think our players gave their best, but whether their best was good enough on the day is another matter", he said.

"Certainly a few of our men did not perform as we hoped they would when Carlton became more desperate and lifted their own style of game".

It was Collingwood's fourth grand final defeat by less than two goals.

The Magpies have appeared now in seven grand finals since their last win in 1958. including the replay against North Melbourne in 1977, for six losses and a draw.

The major turning po

came late in the seconc Jesaulenko moved himsi pocket.

He switched the bi Harmes to the centre ingwood's Kevin Morr wide of the Carlton ski his side plenty of drive.

Carlton had kicked

hinds when Harmes sla Carlton's first goal for tl 20-minute mark of the

His goal triggered ol goals in the time-on per Blues a one-point lead

Collingwood's Brownl ner, ruckman Peter M< magnificent game.

Collingwooid took a sti game in the first quarter most torrid and ferociou VFL grand final for m;

Players from both sid( the sodden turf every fe series of brawls erupted o

Collingwood's Rene

ported by field umpire K allegedly spitting in Jesaulenko.

Carlton's Trevor K« face the VFL tribuna:

following an incident quarter.

Field umpire Bill D Keogh for alleged undu in that he jumped int Collingwood s Russell C

The Magpies adaptec greasy conditions at firs struggled to get its runn ing.

The solid Collingwood the dashing Bill Picken back, and Peter McCc back, kept Carlton goa second quarter.

Carlton was desperat

and Jesaulenko was fc

radical changes to his 1

Big Mark MacLure

forward and Picken folio high-marking David IV from the back pocket l forward.

Suddenly, Carlton thr< ing wood shackles and bo goals. Collingwood's 28 invaluable in the condit

peared.

The crowd was seethi ment at half time with C to a one-point lead.

In the decisive third

ingwood attacked relen

half forward line was in 1

Magpies failed to con1 scoring opportunities.

The Blues' small men i

ly winning the ball off around the ground.

Carlton supporters wh ing their champagne bo pation of another premie:

the Blues went into the h a 21-point lead must li hearts in their mouths wh spirit of Collingwood in nearly snatched victory.

Collingwood kicked 4 (10) in h the final term

After the match, Jesai ried back onto the field, to the victory dais to be the VFL premiership ci

The crowd rose again

FINAL

IAY!

; point in the game :ond quarter when imself to the back

; brilliant Wayne litre, where Coll[orris had played skipper and given

:ive.

ed only seven be

slammed through jr the match at the the second term,

i off another four

period to give the ad at half time,

iwnlow Medal win

Moore, played a

a strong grip on the rter after one of the cious openings to a r many years.

sides were flung to y few minutes as a ed over the ground.

:ne Kink was rere Kevin Smith for

in the face of

Keogh will also unal on Monday, :nt in the second

1 Deller,. reported induly rough play,

into the back of :11 Ohlsen.

ipted better to the

first, and Carlton unning game flow

rood defence led by ken at centre-half[cCormack at full goalless until the

erate at this stage s forced to make

lis line-up.

ure moved to fullfollowed him, while i McKay shifted cet to centre half

i threw off the Colld booted five quick > 28-point lead — )nditions — disap

:ething with exciteth Carlton clinging

hird quarter, Coll•elentlessly but its s in trouble and the convert numerous

s.

nen were continualoff the packs and

s who were uncorke bottles in antici;miership win when he last change with ist have had their is when the fighting d in the final term, tory.

ed 4.2 (26) to 1.4

term.

Jesaulenko was careld, and he hobbled o be presented with ip cup.

gain to congratulate

Jesaulenko as he left the field and hobbled back to the Carlton rooms. It was a memorable salute to one of the champions of VFL history.

Jesaulenko has played in Carlton's past four premiership wins in 1968, 1970, 1972 and 1979. He took over as coach mid-way through last season.

Jesaulenko, who had made several mistakes in the first quarter-and-a-bit, said after the match that he had been "very toey", as if he was playing in his first senior game again.

Although he has played in several premiership teams, this was his first grand final as captain-coach.

SCORES

GRAND FINAL CARLTON

0.4 (4) 5.7 (37) 10.12 (72) 11.16 (82)

COUINGWOOD

2.2 (14) 5.6 (36) 7.9 (51) 11.11 (77)

GOALS:

CARLTON: Jim Sheldon 3, Jim Buckley 2, Mark Maclure 2, Michael Young, Peter Jones, Wayne Harmes, Peter Francis.

COUINGWOOD: Craig Davis 4, Ron Wearmouth, Allan Edwards, Ron Brewer, Andrew Ireland, Leigh Carlson, Rene Kink, Russell Ohlsen.

BEST:

CARLTON: Wayne Harmes, Mark Moclure, Mike Fitzpatrick, Wayne Johnston, Bruce Doull,

David McKay.

COLLINGWOOD: Peter Moore, Bill Pkken, Craig Davis, Russell Ohlsen, Ron Wearmouth, Ray

Shaw.

INJURIES:

CARLTON: Alex Jesualenko (leg), Percy Jones (ankle).

COLLINGWOOD: Kevin Worthington (thigh), Dennis Banks (leg).

REPORTS: Rene Kink (Collingwood), Trevor Keogh (Carlton).

COMMODORE CUP

(Reserve grade)

NORTH MELBOURNE

2.2 (14) 5.10 (40) 8.12 (60) 13.14 (92) COUINGWOOD

5.1 (31) 6.6 (42) 7.11 (53) 9.13 (67)

GOALS:

N. MELBOURNE: John Murphy 5, Stephen Easton, Xavier Tanner, John Iwanuch 2, Kerry Good, Doug Smith.

COLLINGWOOD: Des Herbert 3, Russell Johnson 2, Gerarld Belts, Geoff A jstin, Tony Show,

Peter Daicos.

BEST:

N. MELBOURNE: John Murphy (best on ground), Mich Nolan, John Cassin, Ken Montgomery, Darryl Schimmetbusch, Maurice Boyse.

COLLINGWOOD: Barry Price. Terry Wight, Tony Shaw, Des Herbert, Mark Dreher, Mick

Warren.

UMPIRES: Rowan Sowers, Jim Chapman.

UNDER-19s

CARLTON 9.18 (72) d FITZROY 8.9 (57)

'GOALS:

CARLTON: Gilday 3, Hubbard 2, Glascott, Kourkoumelis, Hegarty, linkins.

FITZROY: Carroll 2, Cox 2, Alford, Fyffe, Weatherald, Zerella.

BEST:

CARLTON: Hubbard, Whillas, T. Dean, Caruana, R. Dean, Linkins.

FITZROY: Fyffe, Cox, Grimley, Alford.

REPORTS: Brett Grimley (Fitzroy), Mark Hegarty (Carlton), Ian McKie (Carlton), Brett Grimley (Fitzroy).

LEADING GOALKICKERS

91: K. Templeton (Foots, —),• 90: M. Roach (Richm, —); 88: C. Davis (Coll, 4); 87: R. Beecroft (Fitz, —); 60: M. Blight (N. Melb, — ),• 59: R. Glendinning (N. Melb, —); 57: T. Daniher (Ess, — ), D. Cloke (Richm, —)i 56: T. Morwood (S. Melb, —); 55: G. Sidebottom (St K, —); 54: R. Kink (Coll, 1); 53: K. Sheldon (Carl, 3); 47: B. Quinlan (Fitz, —); 46: G. Wilson (Fitz, —). Mr Maclure (Carl, 2); 45: M. Moncrieff (Haw, —)j 40: D. Clarke (Geel, —); 39: S. Madden (Ess, —), L. Thompson (S. Melb, —); 37:1, Donohue (Geel, —), K. Bartleft (Rich, —).