WILY coach Alan The Fox McDonald masterminded South Bendigos eighth, consecutive finals appearance in 1955.
Appointed in 1947 McDonald proved to be one of the Bendigo Football Leagues greatest ever leaders and he went on to coach at the highest level when Richmond snared him in the late 50s.
The Bloods had embarked on a team-building season in 1955. Leading players in John Hosking, Geoff Salathiel, Ken Connaughton, Ron Tranter and Mick Blow were lost at the start of the season.
McDonald again moulded a strong side for the 55 season with South living up to its reputation as the benchmark of that decade.
The Bloods annihilated Echuca in the 1955 preliminary final as the Murray Bombers bowed out of the finals race in what is now known as straight sets.
South booted 21 majors, with 11 individual goal-kickers, while Echuca could muster just nine six-pointers.
It was a close battle in the first quarter but South booted 14 goals in the middle, two quarters to establish an unassailable lead.
In the last three terms South merely toyed with their opponents making Echuca appear a side of bush footballers and a second rate one, at that, the match reports of the day said.
The Bloods established their 74-point winning margin by deploying the same tactics which were successful against Golden Square in the semi-final: opening up the game with speed.
Souths passes shot over every inch of the QEO. The co-ordination of the players was magnificent in the zig-zag journeys to the goal.
Echuca was once again shown up as an unfit team which resulted in the players being yards behind their opponents. Their whole game was inferior.
The Advertiser reporter wrote that Echuca was in trouble early when players failed to understand the methods of (VFL) umpire Alan Nash.
They had a large number of free kicks paid against them, he said.
With Jim Clark on a wing, Hayes at full-forward and Ern Parker rucking and resting in a forward pocket Echucas numerous opportunities in the first quarter were abortive because of poor marking and kicking.
At one stage Jos. Kenna had dropped four, easy marks within scoring range.
The Murray Bombers could find no counter to the brilliance of Ken Carter at centre half-back, Tas. Andrews in the centre and Bob Allison at full-forward.
Carter dominated the game and playing wide of his opponent rarely gave Echucas Roley Hall a kick.
Midway through the second term South Bendigo full-back Frank Kyne injured his foot and hobbled painfully from the ground. Echucas Len Johnson flashed out of a pack and scored a goal while Kyne was trudging off.
Kyne was replaced by Ken Smalley. However the loss of Kyne proved no setback as Smalley immediately gave his side valuable drive from centre half-forward.
Coach McDonald switched Lloyd Jones from centre half-forward to full-back and Jones found Ern Parker just as easy to blanket as Kyne had.
Parkers confidence was completely broken and he missed the easiest of shots. His seven shots during the match yielded just one goal !
The Advertisers special comments men Allan Snodger Arthur and Ollie Grieve (their bylines read: as told to Advertiser reporters) both remarked on the huge number of errors made by Echucas players.
Grieve dismissed suggestions that because of floods in the region in September, 1955 and the extra hour it had taken the Echuca team to reach Bendigo via a detour the players had lost their focus.
I doubt that, he said. The champion Eaglehawk defender and coach noted that Echuca full-back Jack Kirchofer had done okay on Bob Allison.
But his co-backmen allowed South players from the half-forward line into the goal square unattended.
Grieve said in his opinion Echuca had been loafing on the training track. Their last quarter was terrible and they need greater physical fitness.
This is clearly the first of many football lessons the Echuca boys have yet to learn, the Eaglehawk Hall of Famer wrote.
Sandhurst stalwart Arthur said Souths speed allowed them to keep the ball in motion and to get it to their forwards before they could be covered.
Both special comments men agreed that Souths Ken Carter was best afield.
SOUTH BENDIGO 4.1 10.7 18.9 21.12 (130)
ECHUCA 3.3 5.5 7.8 9.10 (64)
GOALS --- South Bendigo: R. Allison 5, R. Monro 3, C. Cugley 2, K. Smalley 2, B. Andrew 2, J. Elvey 2, A. McDonald, N. Kemp, I. Thompson, L. Jones, K. Walsh. Echuca: L. Johnson 2, J. Kenna 2, A. Hayes, L. Pain, E. Parker, J. Preston, R. Hall.
BEST --- South Bendigo: K. Carter (best on ground), R. Allison, B. Andrew, K. Smalley, L . Jones, J. Elvey, R. Monro. Echuca: R. Gibson, J. Dorgan, J. Kenna, J. Kirchofer, A. Hayes, L. Pain, L. Johnson.
Attendance: 7,944. Gate takings: 1,207 pounds.
Recruited from Leongatha, McDonald had played 49 games with Richmond under Jack Captain Blood Dyer. This stint included a best afield performance against Melbourne in the VFLs 1940 grand final.
After service in World War 2 The Fox played two seasons with Camberwell in the VFA before heading north to Bendigo --- his wife Phyllis home town.
The Bloods 1955 prelim. final win set up a grand final showdown with Sandhurst. The 55 grand final is regarded as one of the classics in BFL history, with freak weather conditions creating havoc. In the end it was a one-point result --- a real nail-biting finish to the biggest game of the 1955 season.
Full story in the grand final guide.
Richards preliminary final tip: Gisborne. Seasons total: 63.
By Richard Jones
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|