1974 VFL Grand Final
Encyclopedia
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 determine the premiers for the 1974 VFL season
. The match, attended 113,839 spectators, was won by Richmond by a margin of 41 points, marking that club's ninth premiership victory. The game itself is also notable for being the first grand final broadcast in colour.
. They were yet to win a flag.
The Kangaroos were coached by Ron Barassi
, who in his second year as coach of the Kangaroos had managed to reverse the club's fortunes after it had finished as the bottom side in the 1972 season
. The addition of experienced players to North Melbourne from other clubs such as Doug Wade
(Geelong
), Barry Davis
(Essendon
) and John Rantall
(South Melbourne
) added great strength to the side.
At the conclusion of the regular home-and-away season
, Richmond had finished first on the ladder with 17 wins and 5 losses. North Melbourne had finished second with 16 wins and 6 losses.
In the finals series leading up to the Grand Final, North Melbourne defeated Hawthorn
by 38 points in the Qualifying Final before losing to Richmond by 21 points in the Second Semi-Final. They then met Hawthorn again in the Preliminary Final, which they won by just four points to advance to the Grand Final. Richmond advanced straight to the Grand Final on the back of their win in the Second Semi-Final.
In the week leading up to the Grand Final, North Melbourne wingman Keith Greig
won his second consecutive Brownlow Medal
.
marked strongly and kicked the first goal of the game. North had the majority of the crowd support due to the fact it was striving for its first VFL premiership. Wayne Walsh
kicked Richmond’s first goal after receiving a free kick in the forward pocket. Inspirational Tigers captain Royce Hart
was right on top at centre half-forward, marking strongly on several occasions. Daryl Cumming
handpassed to tall youngster David Cloke
and he registered the Tigers’ second goal with an excellent left-foot snap under extreme pressure from several North defenders. Both sides were applying intense physical pressure, and this resulted in several basic errors in general play. Misses to Hart, Kevin Bartlett and Paul Sproule
saw Richmond move to 2 goals 7 behinds (19 points), before Barry Richardson goaled after a strong mark to give the Tigers a comfortable lead near quarter-time. The Kangaroos, however, fought back with a fine snap from full-forward Doug Wade, which chalked up his 100th goal for the season. Veteran rover Barry Cable
kicked a goal right on the siren after receiving a free kick, to bring North to within ten points.
to the unguarded Michael Green
, who dribbled through the easiest of goals. North seemed to falter after this as Richmond lifted dramatically. Shortly after, Sheedy passed to an unchecked Hart, who marked and goaled from the forward pocket. The Tigers’ charge continued as Green took a strong mark and converted from the goal square. Then North's Keith Greig
won the ball in fine style on the Members’ wing, dodged two Tiger opponents, took a bounce and passed to Wayne Schimmelbusch
, who dished off to Cable. But Cable, who was on his own, somehow fumbled the mark and the ball rolled through for a behind. Richmond then went forward, where Neil Balme
was given a free kick for a trip. He subsequently sent a towering torpedo punt right through the middle from the outer half-forward flank. Hart continued to dominate, kicking two goals – one from a top mark, where he threw himself sideways, and the other from a snap after gathering a loose ball from a ball-up. Robert Peterson
replied with a good snap-shot goal for North, to reduce Richmond’s lead to 20 points at the long break.
’s shot for goal narrowly missed, before Wade got one back for North. Richmond, however, quickly replied when Thorpe converted from a free kick. The standard of play was excellent, as the Kangaroos’ 19th man Arnold Briedis
goaled with a fine kick on the run. Richmond’s teamwork was the major difference between the sides. Kevin Morris
was felled on the outer wing and shortly afterwards a fight broke out involving a large group of players. Wade charged from full-forward at Tiger defender Robert McGhie
, but McGhie ducked and Wade was sent sprawling to the turf. Bryan Wood
and Paul Feltham
tangled, along with Morris and Kekovich. The Tigers added points to Sheedy, from a free kick, Sproule, from a mark, and Cumming, from a snap. With McGhie limping noticeably, Kekovich slammed through his second goal. North threw everything at Richmond, but the Tigers’ defence stood firm. Morris missed after a kick on the run. From the kick-in, however, Sheedy took a superb high mark and goaled from the outer pocket. Following a high-standard third quarter, the Kangaroos had reduced Richmond’s half-time lead by only one point.
, who had his number taken as a result. Cumming increased the Tigers’ lead to 44 points when he goaled from a free kick. Richardson booted the next goal after taking a fine mark diving sideways. Greig replied for the Kangaroos with a good running goal. Richardson, using his body well to keep his opponent out, took another strong mark, and goaled. Cameron Clayton
came on to the field to replace Wood, with Sheedy going off to allow Brian Roberts
a run. Burns kicked North’s 13th goal, but it was all to no avail for the Kangaroos. Richmond finished the match full of running and scored a convincing 41-point victory.
. It would be another six years before Richmond appeared in another Premiership decider, when it contested the 1980 VFL Grand Final
.
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 North Melbourne Football Club
North 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...
, 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 28 September 1974. It was the 78th 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 1974 VFL season
1974 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1974.-Premiership season:In 1974, 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, attended 113,839 spectators, was won by Richmond by a margin of 41 points, marking that club's ninth premiership victory. The game itself is also notable for being the first grand final broadcast in colour.
Background
Richmond, the reigning premiers, were making their third consecutive appearance in a Grand Final. Conversely, this was only North Melbourne's second appearance in a Grand Final in their long history, their sole previous appearance having been in the 1950 VFL Grand Final1950 VFL Grand Final
The 1950 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 23 September 1950. It was the 54th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the...
. They were yet to win a flag.
The Kangaroos were coached by Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
, who in his second year as coach of the Kangaroos had managed to reverse the club's fortunes after it had finished as the bottom side in the 1972 season
1972 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1972.-Premiership season:In 1972, 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 addition of experienced players to North Melbourne from other clubs such as Doug Wade
Doug Wade
Douglas Graeme Wade is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club....
(Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
), Barry Davis
Barry Davis
Barry Davis is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League with Essendon and North Melbourne, before coaching his original team between 1978–1980.- Essendon career :...
(Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
) and John Rantall
John Rantall
John "Mopsy" Rantall was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Originally from Cobden, Rantall moved to the South Melbourne Football Club where he debuted in 1963. He moved to North Melbourne Football Club with the intention of playing in a premiership side in 1973 and...
(South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
) added great strength to the side.
At the conclusion of the regular home-and-away season
1974 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1974.-Premiership season:In 1974, 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 first on the ladder with 17 wins and 5 losses. North Melbourne had finished second with 16 wins and 6 losses.
In the finals series leading up to the Grand Final, North Melbourne defeated Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
by 38 points in the Qualifying Final before losing to Richmond by 21 points in the Second Semi-Final. They then met Hawthorn again in the Preliminary Final, which they won by just four points to advance to the Grand Final. Richmond advanced straight to the Grand Final on the back of their win in the Second Semi-Final.
In the week leading up to the Grand Final, North Melbourne wingman Keith Greig
Keith Greig
Keith Greig played on the wing for the Australian rules football North Melbourne Football Club from 1971 to 1985. He is considered as one of the most exciting players of the era, earning the nickname "Racehorse" because of his blistering speed on the field.Greig was recruited from Brunswick in 1971...
won his second consecutive Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
.
Match summary
| 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,... |
3.8 | 10.11 | 12.17 | 18.20 (128) |
| North Melbourne North 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... |
3.2 | 8.3 | 11.4 | 13.9 (87) |
First quarter
The match was played on a dry surface in overcast conditions. The game developed into a battle of defences in the early part of the opening quarter, before North’s Sam KekovichSam Kekovich
Sam Kekovich is an Australian media personality, sports commentator and former Australian rules football player.He is well known for his controversial behaviour, both on and off the field, and most recently for his series of satirical advertisements as the spokesman for Meat and Livestock...
marked strongly and kicked the first goal of the game. North had the majority of the crowd support due to the fact it was striving for its first VFL premiership. Wayne Walsh
Wayne Walsh
Wayne Walsh is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL in 1968, then between 1972 and 1975 and again from 1977 to 1978 for the Richmond Football Club and also between 1969 and 1971 for the South Melbourne Football Club.-References:...
kicked Richmond’s first goal after receiving a free kick in the forward pocket. Inspirational Tigers 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...
was right on top at centre half-forward, marking strongly on several occasions. Daryl Cumming
Daryl Cumming
Daryl Cumming is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond, Melbourne, North Melbourne and South Melbourne in the VFL during the 1970s....
handpassed to tall youngster David Cloke
David Cloke
David Cloke is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.Cloke was a powerful ruckman and occasional forward who enjoyed a marvellous career at two VFL/AFL clubs. He began with Oakleigh where he played alongside his brother Peter, and in 1974 he went to Richmond...
and he registered the Tigers’ second goal with an excellent left-foot snap under extreme pressure from several North defenders. Both sides were applying intense physical pressure, and this resulted in several basic errors in general play. Misses to Hart, Kevin Bartlett and Paul Sproule
Paul Sproule
Paul Sproule is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Essendon Football Club in the VFL from 1968 to 1971 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1972 to 1975. He was senior coach of Richmond in 1985....
saw Richmond move to 2 goals 7 behinds (19 points), before Barry Richardson goaled after a strong mark to give the Tigers a comfortable lead near quarter-time. The Kangaroos, however, fought back with a fine snap from full-forward Doug Wade, which chalked up his 100th goal for the season. Veteran rover Barry Cable
Barry Cable
Barry Cable is an Australian former Australian rules footballer who played in the West Australian National Football League and Victorian Football League . Cable played as a rover. He won the Sandover Medal three times while playing with the Perth Football Club.-Club career:Cable played 225 games...
kicked a goal right on the siren after receiving a free kick, to bring North to within ten points.
Second quarter
After their late rush in the first quarter, the Kangaroos started strongly in the second term. Early goals to captain Barry Davis and two from Wade saw them open up a 12-point lead. Then, a major turning point in the game occurred when Kevin Sheedy took a clever one-handed mark in the forward pocket for the Tigers. He went back to take his shot for goal from a very acute angle, ran in as if to kick, but then handballed over the man on the mark (North’s) Brad SmithBrad R. Smith
Brad R. Smith is a former Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League during the 1970s...
to the unguarded Michael Green
Michael Green (Australian rules footballer)
Michael Green is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1966 and 1971 and then again between 1973 and 1975 for the Richmond Football Club.Green is now well known in the Melbourne legal community...
, who dribbled through the easiest of goals. North seemed to falter after this as Richmond lifted dramatically. Shortly after, Sheedy passed to an unchecked Hart, who marked and goaled from the forward pocket. The Tigers’ charge continued as Green took a strong mark and converted from the goal square. Then North's Keith Greig
Keith Greig
Keith Greig played on the wing for the Australian rules football North Melbourne Football Club from 1971 to 1985. He is considered as one of the most exciting players of the era, earning the nickname "Racehorse" because of his blistering speed on the field.Greig was recruited from Brunswick in 1971...
won the ball in fine style on the Members’ wing, dodged two Tiger opponents, took a bounce and passed to Wayne Schimmelbusch
Wayne Schimmelbusch
Wayne Schimmelbusch is a former Australian Rules Footballer in the Victorian Football League .A courageous wingman and inspirational speedster who seemingly never knew when to give up, Schimmelbusch played in 306 games, including 29 finals games, for the North Melbourne Football Club...
, who dished off to Cable. But Cable, who was on his own, somehow fumbled the mark and the ball rolled through for a behind. Richmond then went forward, where Neil Balme
Neil Balme
Neil Allen Balme is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1969 and 1979 for the Richmond Football Club.-Playing career:...
was given a free kick for a trip. He subsequently sent a towering torpedo punt right through the middle from the outer half-forward flank. Hart continued to dominate, kicking two goals – one from a top mark, where he threw himself sideways, and the other from a snap after gathering a loose ball from a ball-up. Robert Peterson
Robert Peterson (footballer)
Robert Peterson is a former Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
replied with a good snap-shot goal for North, to reduce Richmond’s lead to 20 points at the long break.
Third quarter
North Melbourne appeared after half-time without its skipper Davis, who had an injured leg. After just two minutes of play, Sheedy goaled for the Tigers after taking a mark. Then David ThorpeDavid Thorpe (footballer)
David Thorpe is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray and Richmond in the VFL.A centreman, Thorpe played with Footscray from 1965 to 1973. He won the Charles Sutton Medal for the club's best and fairest player in 1968 and 1972...
’s shot for goal narrowly missed, before Wade got one back for North. Richmond, however, quickly replied when Thorpe converted from a free kick. The standard of play was excellent, as the Kangaroos’ 19th man Arnold Briedis
Arnold Briedis
Arnold Briedis is a former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne in the VFL during the 1970s.A centre half forward, Briedis was a member of North Melbourne's inaugural premiership side in 1975, kicking 5 goals in the grand final...
goaled with a fine kick on the run. Richmond’s teamwork was the major difference between the sides. Kevin Morris
Kevin Morris
Kevin Morris is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1971 and 1976 for the Richmond Football Club and then from 1977 until 1981 for the Collingwood Football Club....
was felled on the outer wing and shortly afterwards a fight broke out involving a large group of players. Wade charged from full-forward at Tiger defender Robert McGhie
Robert McGhie
Robert 'Robbie' McGhie is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1969 and 1972 and again in 1979 for the Footscray Football Club, from 1973 to 1978 for the Richmond Football Club and in 1980 and 1981 for the South Melbourne Football Club.-References:*Hogan P: The...
, but McGhie ducked and Wade was sent sprawling to the turf. Bryan Wood
Bryan Wood
Bryan Wood is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1972 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club and between 1983 and 1986 for the Essendon Football Club.-References:...
and Paul Feltham
Paul Feltham
Paul Feltham is a sport psychologist and former Australian rules footballer and coach. He is best known for a short stint as caretaker coach of the Brisbane Bears in 1989.- Playing career :...
tangled, along with Morris and Kekovich. The Tigers added points to Sheedy, from a free kick, Sproule, from a mark, and Cumming, from a snap. With McGhie limping noticeably, Kekovich slammed through his second goal. North threw everything at Richmond, but the Tigers’ defence stood firm. Morris missed after a kick on the run. From the kick-in, however, Sheedy took a superb high mark and goaled from the outer pocket. Following a high-standard third quarter, the Kangaroos had reduced Richmond’s half-time lead by only one point.
Fourth quarter
From the first bounce, Hart drove the Tigers forward, where Cumming grabbed the loose ball and handballed to Richardson, who was alone in the goal square. The subsequent goal came after only 51 seconds of play in the term. Not long after, strong play by Thorpe led to the ball being forced towards Cumming, who tapped it to Sheedy for another goal. Richmond’s surge continued when Hart grabbed a loose ball on the centre wing and passed to Sheedy, who drove deep into the forward pocket with a drop kick. Richardson then gathered the crumbs and cleverly eluded an opponent, before snapping a terrific right-foot goal. Hart was flattened in an incident with North’s Phil BakerPhil Baker (footballer)
Phil Baker is a former Australian rules footballer who played for North Melbourne and Geelong in the Victorian Football League during the 1970s....
, who had his number taken as a result. Cumming increased the Tigers’ lead to 44 points when he goaled from a free kick. Richardson booted the next goal after taking a fine mark diving sideways. Greig replied for the Kangaroos with a good running goal. Richardson, using his body well to keep his opponent out, took another strong mark, and goaled. Cameron Clayton
Cameron Clayton
Cameron Clayton is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond, Melbourne and Essendon in the Victorian Football League ....
came on to the field to replace Wood, with Sheedy going off to allow Brian Roberts
Brian Roberts (Australian rules footballer)
Brian Stanley Roberts is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1971 and 1975 for the Richmond Football Club ....
a run. Burns kicked North’s 13th goal, but it was all to no avail for the Kangaroos. Richmond finished the match full of running and scored a convincing 41-point victory.
Epilogue
This was Richmond's fourth VFL Premiership in eight years, all of them under the coaching of Tom Hafey. It was also the second time that the team had won back-to-back VFL flags. While this victory signaled the end of a very successful era for Richmond, for North Melbourne it was just the beginning. They would participate in the next four Grand Finals, eventually breaking through to win their first VFL Premiership in 19751975 VFL Grand Final
The 1975 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1975. It was the 79th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
. It would be another six years before Richmond appeared in another Premiership decider, when it contested the 1980 VFL Grand Final
1980 VFL Grand Final
The 1980 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1980. It was the 84th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
.
Teams
Goalkickers
Richmond:
|
North Melbourne:
|
See also
- 1974 VFL season1974 VFL seasonResults and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1974.-Premiership season:In 1974, 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...