1973 VFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
The 1973 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football
game contested between the Richmond Football Club
and Carlton Football Club
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
in Melbourne
on 29 September 1973. It was the 77th annual Grand Final
of the Victorian Football League
, staged to determine the premiers for the 1973 VFL season
. The match was attended by 116,956 spectators. Although Carlton were the favourites to win, it was Richmond who would take the flag by 30 points, marking that club's eighth premiership victory.
by 27 points in a memorable high-scoring affair. The Tigers, who were clear favourites to win that game, were desperate to atone for that humiliating result.
At the conclusion of the regular home-and-away season
, Richmond had finished second on the ladder (behind Collingwood
) with 17 wins and 5 losses. Carlton had finished third with 15 wins and 7 losses.
In the finals series, Richmond lost to Carlton by 20 points in the Qualifying Final before defeating St Kilda by 40 points in the First Semi-Final. They then defeated Collingwood by seven points in the Preliminary Final (a game in which they came back from a 45-point deficit) to advance to the Grand Final. Carlton, after their win in the Qualifying Final, defeated Collingwood by 20 points in the Second Semi-Final to advance to the Grand Final.
Both sides had injury and illness concerns before the game. Richmond champion Francis Bourke
and captain Royce Hart
were not supposed to be playing on strict medical grounds, but such was their determination to play that they were selected anyway. For Carlton, Barry Armstrong
and Trevor Keogh
were ruled out, while Alex Jesaulenko
and Neil Chandler
were not fully fit. Carlton were forced to name Vin Catoggio
in the Grand Final side for his first full VFL game.
For umpire Ian Robinson
, this was the first of a record nine Grand Finals which he would officiate.
The Grand Final was played in hot, dry and blustery conditions in front of the fourth-largest crowd in VFL/AFL history. Kevin Bartlett, a renowned finals performer, was prominent early, gathering kicks at will. The memorable incident in the match occurred at the 4-minute mark of the quarter, when Carlton's captain-coach John Nicholls came out from the forward pocket to mark a kick from Alex Jesaulenko and collided heavily with Richmond defender Laurie Fowler. Nicholls managed to score a goal from the resultant free kick and 15-metre penalty, but suffered double vision as a result of the collision and had no further impact on the match. Richmond's desperation to win was apparent from the outset, and with Brian "Whale" Roberts starting to get on top of Percy Jones in the ruck contests, Richmond had managed to eke out a slender lead at quarter time, with Kevin Sheedy kicking all three of their goals.
Richmond's other ruckman Michael Green - whose form leading up to the Grand Final had fans worried - opened the scoring in the second quarter when he scored a goal from a free kick at centre half-forward. Carlton hit back with goals to David McKay and Kevin Hall before big Richmond forward Neil Balme left his mark on the game, when he king-hit Carlton full-back Geoff Southby and then did likewise to Vin Waite. Southby would not return to the field after half time. Carlton were still in the match until the 25-minute mark of the quarter, when Richmond - through goals to Bartlett, Hart, Balme, Roberts and Ian Stewart - took control and went into the main break 26 points ahead.
Hart kicked his third major to open the scoring for the second half, as Richmond began to slowly increase their lead. Stewart was moved to the half-forward line after injuring a leg, and kicked two goals for the quarter. Richmond's defense, led by Francis Bourke and Dick Clay, repelled attack after attack and restricted the Blues to just two goals for the quarter - to Neil Chandler and Robert Walls. At the last change, Richmond held a commanding 38-point lead.
Carlton was not about to go down without a fight. After making some positional changes, the Blues kicked the first three goals of the quarter through Garry Crane (2) and Walls. By the 15-minute mark they had managed to cut the margin to 18 points and if Nicholls had not missed a shot from the goal-square, the game would have been up for grabs. Richmond steadied after Tom Hafey replaced Noel Carter with Kevin Morris, and when Balme kicked truly before being substituted for Craig McKellar, the contest was effectively over.
Kevin Bartlett was Richmond's best player, gathering 27 touches (all kicks, not surprisingly) and a goal. Kevin Sheedy's three goals in the first quarter were pivotal in helping the Tigers get a solid start, and he continued to be constructive throughout the match, ending up with 16 kicks and 7 handpasses. Michael Green shrugged off concerns over his lead-up form to assist Brian Roberts in subduing Carlton ruckman Percy Jones, and starred all around the ground, taking 8 marks and kicking a goal. And captain Royce Hart, despite his illness, was at his imperious best, kicking three goals and taking a series of strong marks.
Garry Crane was rated as Carlton's best, and experienced finals campaigners Robert Walls and David McKay also played well. Richmond's win completed a great day for the club, having already secured the flag in the Reserves, Under 19s and Under 17s competitions. As Francis Bourke wrote after the game:
in the 1974 VFL Grand Final
and cementing Tom Hafey's reputation as one of the all-time great VFL/AFL coaches. Carlton's next appearance in a premiership decider came six years later, when it won the 1979 VFL Grand Final
against Collingwood.
Goals Carlton: Crane 2, Dickson 2, Hall 2, McKay 2, Walls 2, Chandler, Nicholls
Best Richmond: Bartlett, Sheedy, Green, Stewart, Hart, Sproule
Best Carlton: Crane, Walls, McKay, Hall, Pinnell, Jesaulenko
Umpire: Robinson
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
game contested between the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
and Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on 29 September 1973. It was the 77th annual Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
of the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, staged to determine the premiers for the 1973 VFL season
1973 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1973.-Premiership season:In 1973, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
. The match was attended by 116,956 spectators. Although Carlton were the favourites to win, it was Richmond who would take the flag by 30 points, marking that club's eighth premiership victory.
Background
This was the second consecutive year in which the two teams met in the premiership decider, with Carlton having won the 1972 VFL Grand Final1972 VFL Grand Final
The 1972 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 7 October 1972. It was the 76th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
by 27 points in a memorable high-scoring affair. The Tigers, who were clear favourites to win that game, were desperate to atone for that humiliating result.
At the conclusion of the regular home-and-away season
1973 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1973.-Premiership season:In 1973, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
, Richmond had finished second on the ladder (behind Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
) with 17 wins and 5 losses. Carlton had finished third with 15 wins and 7 losses.
In the finals series, Richmond lost to Carlton by 20 points in the Qualifying Final before defeating St Kilda by 40 points in the First Semi-Final. They then defeated Collingwood by seven points in the Preliminary Final (a game in which they came back from a 45-point deficit) to advance to the Grand Final. Carlton, after their win in the Qualifying Final, defeated Collingwood by 20 points in the Second Semi-Final to advance to the Grand Final.
Both sides had injury and illness concerns before the game. Richmond champion Francis Bourke
Francis Bourke
Francis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St...
and captain Royce Hart
Royce Hart
Royce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his...
were not supposed to be playing on strict medical grounds, but such was their determination to play that they were selected anyway. For Carlton, Barry Armstrong
Barry Armstrong
Barry Armstrong is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the VFL during the 1970s.Armstrong was a versatile player, used most often as a centreman and ruck rover. Twice a premiership player with Carlton, he is a member of the Carlton Hall of Fame.-External links:...
and Trevor Keogh
Trevor Keogh
Trevor Keogh is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton in the Victorian Football League.Keogh was recruited from Sandhurst in the Bendigo Football League and made his debut for Carlton in 1970. A rover, he has been described as "instrumental" in Carlton's premiership wins of...
were ruled out, while Alex Jesaulenko
Alex Jesaulenko
Alex 'Jezza' Jesaulenko MBE is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He is regarded as one of the game's greatest-ever players and is an official Legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame...
and Neil Chandler
Neil Chandler
Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...
were not fully fit. Carlton were forced to name Vin Catoggio
Vin Catoggio
Vincenzo "Vin" Catoggio is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.He was noted for his outrageous afro haircut and because of this was considered one of the real characters of the game...
in the Grand Final side for his first full VFL game.
For umpire Ian Robinson
Ian Robinson (Australian football umpire)
Ian Robinson was a leading Australian rules football field umpire in the Victorian Football League in the 1970s and 1980s....
, this was the first of a record nine Grand Finals which he would officiate.
Match report
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,... |
3.5 | 11.8 | 15.11 | 16.20 (116) |
| Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... |
2.2 | 7.6 | 9.9 | 12.14 (86) |
The Grand Final was played in hot, dry and blustery conditions in front of the fourth-largest crowd in VFL/AFL history. Kevin Bartlett, a renowned finals performer, was prominent early, gathering kicks at will. The memorable incident in the match occurred at the 4-minute mark of the quarter, when Carlton's captain-coach John Nicholls came out from the forward pocket to mark a kick from Alex Jesaulenko and collided heavily with Richmond defender Laurie Fowler. Nicholls managed to score a goal from the resultant free kick and 15-metre penalty, but suffered double vision as a result of the collision and had no further impact on the match. Richmond's desperation to win was apparent from the outset, and with Brian "Whale" Roberts starting to get on top of Percy Jones in the ruck contests, Richmond had managed to eke out a slender lead at quarter time, with Kevin Sheedy kicking all three of their goals.
Richmond's other ruckman Michael Green - whose form leading up to the Grand Final had fans worried - opened the scoring in the second quarter when he scored a goal from a free kick at centre half-forward. Carlton hit back with goals to David McKay and Kevin Hall before big Richmond forward Neil Balme left his mark on the game, when he king-hit Carlton full-back Geoff Southby and then did likewise to Vin Waite. Southby would not return to the field after half time. Carlton were still in the match until the 25-minute mark of the quarter, when Richmond - through goals to Bartlett, Hart, Balme, Roberts and Ian Stewart - took control and went into the main break 26 points ahead.
Hart kicked his third major to open the scoring for the second half, as Richmond began to slowly increase their lead. Stewart was moved to the half-forward line after injuring a leg, and kicked two goals for the quarter. Richmond's defense, led by Francis Bourke and Dick Clay, repelled attack after attack and restricted the Blues to just two goals for the quarter - to Neil Chandler and Robert Walls. At the last change, Richmond held a commanding 38-point lead.
Carlton was not about to go down without a fight. After making some positional changes, the Blues kicked the first three goals of the quarter through Garry Crane (2) and Walls. By the 15-minute mark they had managed to cut the margin to 18 points and if Nicholls had not missed a shot from the goal-square, the game would have been up for grabs. Richmond steadied after Tom Hafey replaced Noel Carter with Kevin Morris, and when Balme kicked truly before being substituted for Craig McKellar, the contest was effectively over.
Kevin Bartlett was Richmond's best player, gathering 27 touches (all kicks, not surprisingly) and a goal. Kevin Sheedy's three goals in the first quarter were pivotal in helping the Tigers get a solid start, and he continued to be constructive throughout the match, ending up with 16 kicks and 7 handpasses. Michael Green shrugged off concerns over his lead-up form to assist Brian Roberts in subduing Carlton ruckman Percy Jones, and starred all around the ground, taking 8 marks and kicking a goal. And captain Royce Hart, despite his illness, was at his imperious best, kicking three goals and taking a series of strong marks.
Garry Crane was rated as Carlton's best, and experienced finals campaigners Robert Walls and David McKay also played well. Richmond's win completed a great day for the club, having already secured the flag in the Reserves, Under 19s and Under 17s competitions. As Francis Bourke wrote after the game:
Imagine how we would have felt if we hadn't won the big one. We couldn't have looked [our other teams] in the eye - it's not often a club gets the chance to set such a record. How do we feel now? Bloody terrific, that's how. I never realised how sweet revenge could be, especially when it is for such a humiliating defeat as ours 12 months ago. Twelve months is a long time to live with the memory of last year's Grand Final disaster. But now we have something much better to live with. Four flags and the reputation of the strongest and most successful club in League history, that's what.
Epilogue
For the second time in their history, Richmond would go on to win successive premierships, defeating North MelbourneNorth Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
in the 1974 VFL Grand Final
1974 VFL Grand Final
The 1974 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1974. It was the 78th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
and cementing Tom Hafey's reputation as one of the all-time great VFL/AFL coaches. Carlton's next appearance in a premiership decider came six years later, when it won the 1979 VFL Grand Final
1979 VFL Grand Final
The 1979 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1979. It was the 83rd annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
against Collingwood.
Teams
Match Summary
Goals Richmond: Hart 3, Sheedy 3, Stewart 3, Balme 2, Sproule 2, Bartlett, Carter, GreenGoals Carlton: Crane 2, Dickson 2, Hall 2, McKay 2, Walls 2, Chandler, Nicholls
Best Richmond: Bartlett, Sheedy, Green, Stewart, Hart, Sproule
Best Carlton: Crane, Walls, McKay, Hall, Pinnell, Jesaulenko
Umpire: Robinson
See also
- 1973 VFL season1973 VFL seasonResults and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1973.-Premiership season:In 1973, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...