HIGHLIGHT of the 19th and concluding home and away round in 1953 was Harry Morgan's stunning bag of 24 goals.
The Eaglehawk full-forward equalled the BFL goal-kicking record at Canterbury Park where the Two Blues obliterated visiting Rochester by 184 points.
To an old journo the mind-boggling thing about the Monday's Advertiser report was that the amazing feat did not attract a major back page headline --- and not even run as an inside page lead.
Instead, the yarn on Morgan's feat was buried half-way down the results page tucked in underneath the gate receipts, goal-kicking table, an abbreviated final ladder and the brief results of the seconds final.
It had a tiny heading in small type: 'Morgan's 24 Goals'.
Nowadays, of course, a record-equalling performance such as Harry's would be front page as well as back page news.
The other much more well-known fact about Morgan's effort is that he didn't stay on the field for the full, four quarters.
Folklore has it that he came off at three-quarter time. However, the Advertiser report of Monday, September 14th, 1953 simply says:
"Seconds after he had kicked the staggering total of 24 goals against Rochester on Saturday, brilliant Eaglehawk full-forward Harry Morgan had to leave the ground with a pulled muscle.
"Giving a dazzling exhibition of anticipation, marking and sure-footed kicking the 32-year-old spearhead took two hours to get the 17 goals needed for his century and then another half-an-hour to equal the Bendigo league record."
Morgan had started the day on 83 goals for the year.
The Advertiser report went on (there were no bylines six decades back, so we don't know the writer): "Well aware that Morgan was after his century for the 1953 season, the small crowd was electrified when he shot three through the big sticks in the first seven minutes of play.
"Harry made lightning dashes from the goalmouth to intercept bullet-like passes, he marked over big packs as though glue-fingered, and he kicked accurately from all angles with gun-like precision.
"From 27 shots at goal the Eaglehawk star finished with 24 goals three behinds," the report added. We'd say 24.3 today.
The Advertiser match-day reporter noted that at times Morgan was goaling as fast as umpire Moore could bounce the ball. He apparently wanted to be fully fit for the semi-final coming up in a fortnight's time, hence his early departure from play.
A fantastic achievement to boot 20-plus majors in any decade !
SO THAT huge win cemented Eaglehawk's position on top of the ladder with a 15-4 win-loss record.
Even though there were only eight clubs in the BFL in the Fifties, they played 19 home-and-away rounds.
And the final round was played not at the end of August six decades ago --- but on September 12th.
Sandhurst and South Bendigo took their places in the Final Four, and spots in the upcoming finals, thanks to percentage.
The Maroons secured the double chance as they downed the desperately unlucky Echuca by three points to turf the Murray Bombers out of the finals. South downed the Maine by 35 points to secure fourth place and in the process tumbled the Magpies down from second to third.
Castlemaine had tumbled from top of the table in mid-August after 15 rounds, with a 12-3 record, to
ultimately end up third with a 13-5-1 draw situation.
The Magpies and the Hurst drew in round 16 on 7.13 (55) so the Maine won just the one game in the concluding four-week run to the finals.
They'd also suffered two losses in the run home.
ECHUCA'S inaccuracy cost the Murray Bombers the four points against Sandhurst.
The Murray Bombers had one of the final shots at goal for the match. But the shot missed badly, the Addy reporter wrote.
"It was just another case of Echuca's inaccuracy proving costly. In the final five minutes Echuca players ran into an open goal three times --- only to miss the major score each time," he wrote.
"Nevertheless, the game was one of the best ever seen on the Echuca ground. And the flashing of progress scores from the other vital fixture (South v Castlemaine) added to the closeness of the struggle."
Echuca surged to the lead at half-time -– 8.8 to 7.2 -– with the Maroons just in front at the last change: 11.7 (73) to 10.12 (72).
Echuca added 1.5 to 2.1 in the last quarter to fall short by three points. Don Blackmore booted six goals for Sandhurst to take his 1953 tally to 76.
Maroons' coach Kevin Curran was named best afield. "Practically every clearing kick by an Echuca defender invariably went to Curran and he was a spearhead of the Maroons' attack," the match report read.
O'Brien (4) and Johnson (3) were the main goalkickers for Echuca.
DOWN at the bottom end of the ladder, Golden Square made sure Kyneton would finish 1953 without a win.
Despite a 46-point loss, the Tigers had some consolation in that they'd discovered some "finds" among the younger players, the reporter wrote.
Among these promising youngsters were M. Brown, B. Bowe and Geoff Willis all of whom had filled regular positions in the senior side in recent weeks, he said.
"They should all have good seasons next year," the scribe predicted.
The Square, meanwhile, had also placed its emphasis on youth. "They've brought in several promising players including Carboon, whose display against Kyneton was outstanding, Hicks and Hall.
"Those last two showed plenty of dash while sixteen-year-old L. Prior had his first senior game and did well in defence."
Square controlled the match, apart from a lapse in the second quarter when the Tigers drew within nine points.
McHardy in the centre was Golden Square's driving force while Elliott was proved the master of Smith and Fasso and with deadly accuracy Elliott finished the match with nine goals, the scribe reported.
SOUTH'S pace worried Castlemaine all day and the Bloods' eventual 35-point win ensured them of a place in the Final Four.
The reporter at the game noted that South's advantage in pace, allied with control of the packs, handed them their comfortable win.
"Full honours for South's win must go to Alan McDonald who again proved himself a capable coaching strategist.
"Even the club's most ardent supporters could be heard giving McDonald a roasting for shifting Ken Carter, the champion defender, to the half-forward position," the scribe wrote.
Geoff Salathiel playing at centre half-back turned in an excellent game and proved a superb replacement for Carter. Meanwhile Carter booted two goals while key forward Lloyd Jones landed five.
Maine playing coach Wally Culpitt had "been out of touch in the last few games" the scribe observed.
"Perhaps if he followed the tactics of McDonald by going to a forward pocket there would be better outcomes for Castlemaine."
Ray Bower booted four goals for the Magpies with Les Murray and Des Fitzpatrick adding two each. Jack Scholes and Tommy Rielly were named as their best.
Final scores: South Bendigo 15.15 – 105 def. Castlemaine 10.10 – 70.
Sandhurst 13.8 – 86 def. Echuca 11.17 – 83.
Eaglehawk 36.18 – 234 def. Rochester 7.8 – 50.
Golden Square 20.14 – 134 def. Kyneton 13.10 – 88.
AROUND the traps: Tooborac won the Heathcote District FL grand final by 22 points over North Heathcote at the Colbinabbin ground.
Defeated only three times during the '53 season, Tooborac triumphed in the big game to take out their first premiership since 1938.
Final scores: Tooborac 9.10 def. North Heathcote 4.18.
Before the game started HDFL president Sam Cheatley presented the league's best and fairest trophy to Tooborac captain-coach Max Bennett, a former Sandhurst and Rochester wingman. Mr. Bert Warren of Heathcote awarded the trophy.
Runner-up Ted Tranter of Colbo received a trophy also.
In the Bendigo Football Association, the final four was settled at the end of 16 completed rounds. Harcourt, Northern United, Kennington and Provincial filled the Top Four berths.
In a preview of the first semi-final, Kennington warmed up for the following Saturday by downing their opponents Provincial: 10.11 to 6.6.
Provincial snared fourth spot by two, premiership points over YCW courtesy of a draw with Northern United earlier in the 1953 season.
Chewton (5 wins-11 losses) downed Kangaroo Flat (also 5-11) by a solitary point in the battle of the near-cellar dwellers. Bottom of the ladder North Bendigo (1-15) had the Rd. 16 bye.
Top of the table Harcourt had a comfortable victory over sixth-placed White Hills: 14.13 to 10.3. Second-placed United downed YCW (5th) by 21 points.
The Apple Eaters and the Swallows were drawn to play in the BFA's second semi-final in a fortnight's time.
FOOTNOTE: Morgan's 24 goals equalled the feat of Dave Mahoney who had landed the same total in 1913, just before the finals.
Playing for Bendigo City against California Gully at the Upper Reserve (the QEO) Mahoney booted 24 of City's 30 goals. Bendigo City went on to defeat South Bendigo for the 1913 premiership.
Mahoney later played for Richmond in the VFL.
Richard's final round BFNL tips: Gisborne by 20 points, Sandhurst by 39, Strathfieldsaye by 45 and Eaglehawk by 10.
Season total: 51.
By Richard Jones
