Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 23 September 1940, page 11


football

NARROW WIN FOR

MELBOURNE

so

Essendon Persistent

By PERCY TAYLOR

MELBOURNE 12-15 (90 pts i ESSENDON 12-13 (85 pts )

Finishing strongly although two of its men were too sacred to be of any use, Melbourne defeated Essendon in the League preliminary final on the Melbourne ground on Saturday, and will thus meet Richmond in the grand final next Saturday

Heavy min in the last quarter made the ground almost a lake Melbourne W5 more adaptable In those conditions although Essendon was three points ahead at one stage in the wet

As the weather looked doubtful in the morning, the attendance (47 348) and takings (£2811) were satisfactory In the corresponding game last y. ear the (figures were 60 848 and £4291 respectively Half an inch of rain fell on Friday night and as the ground had been watered In the afternoon it was fairly heavy However, the afternoon was fine until the torrential downpour In the last quarter

Melbourne deserves congratulations on achieving fine victory, despite injuries It finished with only 10 sound men and others were handicapped by injuries Kodda suffered a blow on the head in the second quarter and officials seriously considered replacing him at half-time However he was allowed to go on again although he remembered nothing about the game at the finish It was just as well for Melbourne however that he was not replaced, because Lock came down heavily early in the third quarter, and later attention on the ground was carried off suffering from a severely sprained ankle Baxter replaced him at full-back but he also crashed heavily In the first two or three minutes a team-mate spreadeagled him Trainers worked on him for about five minutes and sufferand from a knock on the head and a stiff neck he wandered slowly to a forward pocket He also was dazed for the rest of the game and did nothing Ball took over the full-back position, where he played remarkably well

Essendon did not fare so badly Begley injured his shoulder in the first quarter, and was replaced after half-time by Wilson who took over his old position at half-back and Hird went to half-forward Torney was handicapped by a kick on the hand in the third quarter, and Green had a head injury There were several minor injuries

Although defeated Essendon's fine effort pleased supporters, and it might easily have won There was much good play on both sides and the crowd went home wet but well satisfied with the standard

Trophies for best players were awarded as follow -Crockford trophy L Griggs Frankfield trophy H Lambert, W French trophy E Plummer, supporters trophy, E Bryce

Many telegrams were received wishing Essendon good luck, and a cablegram came from Palestine from Captain Martin whose father is an official

Among the visitors to the room was Jack Dyer (Richmond) who received a warm welcome He came to wish good luck to the captain

Essendon players and officials will hold a wind up social at the clubrooms on Thursday

MELBOURNE'S RUCK WORK

Melbourne struck superiority and clever I forward work were winning factors Essendon

fully expected to win in the nick butMuellci repeatedly rose, above Torney to hit the bill to his lover Melbourne's second ruck was also full of life The superiority of Bnggott over Buttsworth \asnnoiher big factor Buttsworth is never at home on a heavy ground, and his opponent moved too quickly for him The co-operation between Baggott and Smith (full-forward) was masterly and had Smith kicked with reasonable arearacy Melbourne would have had such a "real, lead in the early stage, that Essendon would have been toiling all day In the first quarter for example, Smith kicked 1-5 from six shots and all might have been goals He kicked 3-7 for the day;

The defence was not notable despite the fact that Essendon's attackers with the exception of Ciilggs and Bryce were too slow in their movements Fischer when not following marked grandly in a back pocket On the other side Emfelle turned many attacks but his sturdy opponent Bryce kicked four goals which tells the story McLean on one half-back flank was solid all day and Hingston on the other began slowly but finished brilliantly Lock handled Watts fairly well until he was hurt

Across the centre there was little between the players . H Lambert probably had a little the better of La Fontaine although he occasionally tried to do too much However he looks as if he will develop into one of the best conti he-men in the League On the wings Anderson and Wart man were a little ahead of their smaller opponents whose resistance however this spirited and who were often seen in useful play Anderson did not play as brilliantly as he did in the previous match but Wartman improved

The high marking of Ball and Fischer who. to a lesser extent of Mueller was too much for Essendon and it was this advantage that was one of the chief areatons for Melbourne s success

Having led by three points at quartertime Melbourne raced to a 14 points lead in the second Then after an incident near its goal which is referred to elsewhere it seemed to lose its calm-ness and poise From that stage It was says struggling

HOW THE GAME WAS WON

Melbourne i ruck extended beyond Its superiority i5.îî.,lr ""I i "II APRIL b> *~ 1 to 12 In if J...11mnrt , Essendon seemed anxious and 1 írlíA*.* pi"irtlc,',,r,i lacked "Turner Griggs STAR "s 'kill by writes the goal of the SA at " b Brine to Mueller

'Walled the score Farndon continued to in must?' not I'fWne ince of the mark writes. I "IPrtinltiM before unfolds turn BRITISH . ended 9 good "oak tree in "'1912 " tail tail. 10 'around Melbourne, which used hand whilst hedgerow?. lace frills playing bril

office "as OViíí."1 ever Jones 6"' years So far t.O." ebb and Bagged mode openings Sat issues are being massed on <" n! I I can, "10 ?»">««? as it dash by ney me as she picked out was for an lÄ£iie.,dtinct! at Essendon was a (feature of glass in"." a held of which Melbourne Similar? Melbourne however missed life »nïïi,lndc<:l5U<! forward play There More nm Mnj,u0"j A fumble by McLean let Bryce ThiS 1500. and then Hird was through beau To. . ÜY\Bnce another Essendon then S. Li. P"1"1 , A city Kit out by Hearne's 52T«,!^*»*°?' and the co-operation between tree' i."" Smith left "> swollen Then the luA? as, 'ever over JonM in the air and of Ila "(wamuch better made UP lost WM'1.,^.MrV was a feature of play in the use career when Melbourne kicking 7-9 to retain. A. "B last change by 0-18 To 0-11

5KA. believe Essendon looked the more irate and 114 missing and position plain My second," I"" "assisted by Melbourne lilting miss thy '"* kicks Mueller marked well but nSVV" masons Hotel In the quarter For

SSi ?.?ir,li,ar^ ET' Essendon In attack but mralm\Jul blow seemed to be everywhere UiSLÄs bells magnificent Passing Really. he ffS, ffe raid on of the return pass and

kilnS Sturt '6 |0"<"1' applauded

best price laid started late in the third quarter SSi wife" 'sales in the last quarter Amid "a!' slender lead tore forward to give He) has nÄM*0*' and look Essendon into the lead An?,?" 8' Immediately afterward changed M5 iS" after .. essendon sung with great Wall's bu' calls superb marking nts ki. " "do "this Then Houston came iiS fliî..0ïn and ash are" now, in dash shdKiiv i "finding he beat Essendon off again unless goes determination however Essendon ¡S!ií",»nd when Eielb) Iron a tree kick

shall «í.h"1" is" winning Melbourne came down in air "and '""''"?. '"a wife' and editor

of Äi?<*m.M "added goals Bryce scored again

BASSET"! by career was too late

indeed for her ascendancy) over Buttsworth tlUi in. "face operation with Smith shared hour M J¡'!h Parking Ball and Fischer the US as an player for Melbourne Fischer also «täui*!'?,ln. the ruck all Bon 3 days old ""

WaS went '""back were valuable Imselle 55 of ."'""J dashing game- Mueller, in the Main placed at. more than a useful stayer usual To steady and reliable It hall back and lU ELIJAH ne Hingston played gloriously) li assist "'" It contains Beamer Smith

OrKr' ?"' probably the best of the others

Sr" V centre half forward was Eswndon t such as a". run of life love k many good Tc«SulnSd..K",,d nicely to P"«l"0" Hnnolds Spï£3?«*l played one of his best time for the visit He "is continually In the to Ick of ladies.' ",. quick lead out giving him many dSiPdM - L. Lambert robust fast and iii Ir i¿">1 in ">. centre Torpey excelled In wSs»..?"1? worked hard in the nick Bryce tonsils,. a danger In attack and Plummer was 3 Inskip"' hardworking In defence Green

-Breffit .?' La Fontaine Beomrs Es endon

Orline (j, Reynolds (21 Eng by (2) Walls (21

iltSS?. "H,8"!1" the umpire and again he was driving in of. handled a hard game with the RS SI I?. "". occasionally did not intense ? Se ton in his interpretation of the of dropping. ao¡£5J'c(¿,w he could be excused In the car