Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Monday 4 September 1944, page 9


FOOTSCRAY GOES TO SEMI-FINAL

GRAND FINISH TO GAME OF HIGH STANDARD

PLAYS ESSENDON THIS WEEK

By PERCY TAYLOR

After one of the most remarkable matches of the season Footscray de-

feated Carlton by a point-scored after the final bell had soundedand displaced that team from the four. Footscray will now meet Essen-don (third) in the first semi-final, at St. Kilda on Saturday, and Richmond (first) and (Fitzroy) second will meet in the second semi-final on the following Saturday.

Richmond displaced Fitaroy from top place on percentages, but had to fight hard to overcome the smart Collingwood team, which led by nine points at half-time. Essendon easily defeated South Melbourne, Fitzroy, only two points ahead at half-time at Geelong, went on to win comfort-ably; North showed excellent form to defeat St Kilda; and Melbourne were much too good for Hawthorn, which has faded away considerably.

Footscray Wins After Great Recovery

FOOTSCRAY . 2.2 8.9 10.11 12.17 (89) CARLTON ... 4.2 8.4 10.9 ' 13.10 (88) Seventeen points behind with twothirds of the last quarter gone, Foot-scray seemed to have no chance of defeating Carlton at Carlton. Players then went for a recovery, and with great dash and determination and by splendid all-round play they kept Carlton from scoring and gradually made up their leeway. With less than a minute left Ryan levelled the scores with a behind, and, pressing on the attack, the ball went to Hickey, who marked just before the bell rang. With people swarming on to the ground his 45 to 50 yards punt kick went off the hands of Chitty for a behind. There was a tense moment while the goal umpire conferred with the field umpire, and the excitement was intense when one flag was raised.

Carlton's accurate passing was the feature of their success in the first quarter. Play generally was fast and even, and of high standard. Footscray lost opportunities by too much short passing, but they won in the ruck and were slightly ahead in the marking duels. Carlton, playing the steadier game, were seven points ahead at half-time, but Footscray, showing more dash, entered the last quarter two pointe ahead. Carlton began the last quarter with superb play, and when they kicked three goals in succession they seemed to have the game won. It was at that stage that Footscray began to fight back. They called on their reserve of strength, and with greater pace and good passing, and solid play, gradually took command, with Carl-ton lapsing into errors.

Olliver, who dominated the ruck every time he went there, and who marked superbly all day. was Footscray's best player. He was well supported in the ruck by Grove, who also rarely missed a mark. Greenham was sure and steady in defence, and Ryan, Hickey, A. McTaggart, Miller, and Wood were best of an even side.

Clark, on Carlton's half-back line, played with great spirit and dash, and he and Chitty, who was centre half-back and then full-back, were best players. Mooring, Atkinson, Sanger, McLean, Grieve, and Savage

were also useful.

Goals: Footscray: Wood (6), Grove (2), Olliver, Ryan, Miller, G. Tribe. Carlton: Grieve (2), Mooring (2), Wrout (2), Price (2), Conley (2), Bennett, Way, Savage.

Hawthorn Outclassed by Melbourne

MFLBOURNE 4.11 10.16 11.26 14.27 (111) HAWTHORN. 1.3 1.7 3.11 6.13 (49) Hawthorn were completely out-classed by Melbourne, but they showed flashes of good team work, marking and passing in the second half. The absence of any sustained co-ordinated effort made useless their frequent individual displays. Melbourne's finely organised football was marred by extremely poor kick-ing for goal. The game was ragged. Goals: Melbourne: Panning 6, Beames 3, Heywood 2, Dowsing, Herbert, Kennedy. Hawthorn: Brannan, King 2, O'Keefe, Black-

man.

Best Players: Melbourne: Smith, Heywood, Fanning, McLean, Dow-sing, Newman, Cordner, Irwin. Haw-thorn: Slater, Brannan, Jensen, Bal-wyn, King, Blackman.

Good Form by North at St Kilda

N. MELB . . 5.2 10.5 12.9 16.15 (111) ST KILDA . 4.5 6.5 8.8 12.10 (82)

In a fiery, "crowd pleasing" game speedy North Melbourne played their last match of the season like a pre-miership side. In the first half North forwards were well on top. St Kilda battled on, and in the third quarter a couple _of goals in quick succession, plus some erratic kicking by North, gave St Kilda a show, but North's speed and system were too ¡good.

Goals: North Melbourne: Roulent 5, Hunter 4, Findlay 4, Crump, Moran, O'Brien. St Kilda: Loxton 5, Rippen 2, Killigrew, Hall, McI Intyre, Armour, Morcom.

Best Players: North Melbourne: Findlay, Harrison, Roulent, Hunter, Garlick, Cross, O'Brien, Moran. St Kilda: Snell, Loxton, Garvin, Killi-grew, Rippon, Gray, Wells. Mcin-tyre (St Kilda), injured, replaced by Indian. R. Smith (North Mel-bourne), injured, replaced by

Thomas.

Essendon Too Strong

For South

ESSENDON . 5.7 12 10 18.18 17.24 (126) S. MELB . . 2.1 4.3 4.5 6.8 (44) With a 55 points lead over South Melbourne at half-time, Essendon "coasted" along till the final bell, saving their key men as much as

possible for the second round games. I

Essendon began well, the forwards in particular working smoothly.

The home team won because they were too well balanced. Recent changes in the placings have im-proved the team. On present indi-cations the same team will probably play Footscray in the first semi-final. South Melbourne were not disgraced, having suffered heavily through injuries. They fought on gamely, but lacked incentive.

Goals: Essendon: Powell 7, Noel Smith 3, Hutchinson 3, Mcivor 2, R. Reynolds, Cassin. South Mel-bourne: Graham 2, Engelleener, Mangan, Linden, Hartridge.

Best Players: Essendon: Powell, Coward, Hutchison, Cassin, R. Rey-nolds, Mcivor. South Melbourne: Graham, King, Grossman, Engel-leener, Matlock, Crane, Mangan, Richards. Engelleener, compound fracture and dislocation of finger, replaced during last quarter by Maloney.

Richmond Impresses At Collingwood

RICHMOND . 4.2 6.4 13.10 15.18 (108) C'WOOD . . 0.4 7.7 8.7 10.8 (68)

Except in the second quarter, when they kicked seven goals to two, Col-lingwood could not counter the vig-orous football of Richmond. Rich-mond successfully kept the game packed, directed its attacks straight down the ground, and were more accurate in front of goal. Colling-wood held command in the ruck, but the excellent work of their followers was frustrated by the dominance of Richmond rovers, who repeatedly cleared the ball from packs.

Goals: Richmond: Harris 4, Morris 4, Bawden 3, F. Cook 2, Jones, Broadstock. Collingwood: Mears 3, Richards 2, utting 2, McHale, Wil-liams, Golbally.

Best: Richmond: Bawden, Smeaton, Merrett, Oppy, Morris, Waldron, Harris. Collingwood: Richards,Ryan, Mears, McHale, Murphy, Utting, Carruthers.

Fitzroy Win Hard and Fast Game

FITZROY . . 3.4 6.5 12.10 15.15 (105) GEELONG . 3.2 6.3 8.8 10.10 (70)

After a brilliant first half the game at Geelong developed into one of ordinary standard, with Fitzroy a superior side and Geelong losing op-portunities forward. It was hard, fast, and open, with fine defences on each side. Fitzroy won in the packs, but Geelong, by adopting smothering tactics, stopped many

moves.

Goals: Fitzroy: Sier 5, Stackpole 4, Wright 2, Ruthven 2, Hearn, Symons. Geelong: White 6, Butcher, Bris-bane, Doughtery, Nankervis. "

Best Players: Fitzroy: Hillard, B. Clay, Calverley, O'Bryan, Symons, Ruthven, Dawson. Geelong: Tucker, Howie, Butcher, Fitzgerald, White, Sing, and Altman, who was replaced in the last quarter by Nankervis.