EAGLEHAWK'S more polished teamwork, pace and ruck ascendancy along with their powerful finishing effort earned Eaglehawk the 1953 BFL pennant over Sandhurst by 31 points.
The Advertiser match report on that mid-October Monday 60 years ago stated that the Two Blues suffered from "a tardy start" but they accelerated to top pitch after half-time.
Eaglehawk booted eight goals to three after the long break, even though century goalkicker Harry Morgan was held goal-less by Hurst full-back Max Elliott.
Considering he had booted 24 majors in Round 19 only a month earlier, Morgan's eclipse was one of the grand final's main talking points.
The match report noted 32-year-old Morgan missed two easy shots early on but "his chances of goaling after those misses were limited through Elliott's superior play," the report noted.
Into the breach stepped Kevin Smith and George Ilsley, who snared four six-pointers apiece for Eaglehawk.
The Maroons' main goalkicker was Don Blackmore who also landed four.
Today it seems amazing that football was still being played towards the middle of October. These days the cricket seasons all over central and northern Victoria are underway by then.
But if you're still playing home and away footy rounds in the middle of September as they were in 1953, it's going to take a full month to get the finals out of the way. Such was the case six decades ago.
UNTIL half-time there was little between the two teams. After the main break the Two Blues were clearly the better side, adding eight goals to three.
There was a strong crosswind across the ground, causing players to pass the ball indiscriminately and over-indulge in hand passes.
"Some players, imbued with the idea of concentrating too much on 'spoiling' tactics instead of 'having a go for the ball' also added to the congestion," the match report read.
Sandhurst 'packed' the play in the first half, but after the main break Eaglehawk managed to break away and play as planned.
"Coach Kevin Curran gave an exhilarating performance for the Maroons, but he found the odds too great.
"It was a super effort from the former Hawthorn follower. Nevertheless he found it difficult to counter the Eaglehawk followers as there were a number who took a turn on the ball.
"When Curran was spelling from his ruck duties, Sandhurst looked like a sailing ship which had lost its sail. There was nothing there to force it along," the writer noted.
In contrast, the Two Blues' George Ennor played a dual role as full-back and follower. "With towering marks and lightning dashes to relieve, it would be impossible to asses the number of goals Ennor saved," the report added.
And rarely when he was rucking did Ennor have to play 'second fiddle'.
"He punched the ball with amazing accuracy to smaller colleagues, marked over the heads of Sandhurst opponents and often left them yards behind as he sprinted away."
MORGAN'S total eclipse by Elliott was clearly the sensation of the '63 grand final.
"The league's champion full-forward did not notch even one goal. Early in the game Morgan missed what should have been two easy goals and from then on his chances of goaling were limited through Elliott's superior play," the match report read.
But as noted above in this story, the brilliance of George Ilsley and Kevin Smith offset Morgan's failure.
"They were easily the 'big bombers' in Eaglehawk's attacking division. And pivot players Peter Crawford (Eh) and Harry Winfield (Sh) were in the play a lot and broke about even.
"But both were inclined to run around with the ball too much instead of getting rid of it smartly with kicks," the journalist noted.
Eaglehawk's rovers Dick Boyd and Herb Turner were great contributors for the Two Blues. And Michelsen medallist of 1963, Noel Evans, provided an inspirational story for Sandhurst.
"Indisposed with influenza during the week, Evans (17 kicks, six marks) took his place for the Maroons and gave a dazzling performance.
"For consistency Eaglehawk's teenagers John Caldwell, Bill Evely, Kevin Smith and Brian Harvey could not be faulted. Don Blackmore, with four goals, came up to expectations for Sandhurst as he was given plenty of stiff opposition from Ennor and Two Blues' coach Ollie Grieve.
"Meanwhile the Maroons' forward pockets were definitely a weak link. Veterans Bill White and Ted Millard were grand defenders for Eaglehawk," the writer reported.
"And Grieve (15 kicks, nine marks) pulled in four marks close to goals in the final term which completely crushed any chance Sandhurst had of threatening Eaglehawk's dominance."
Grand final details
Eaglehawk 0.3 4.7 8.10 12.13 –- 85
Sandhurst 2.0 4.4 6.9 7.12 -– 54
Goals – Eaglehawk: K. Smith 4, G. Ilsley 4, K. Bowe 2, A. James, H. Turner. Sandhurst: D. Blackmore 4, D. Gurry, N. Evans, N. Mummery.
Best – Eaglehawk: G. Ennor, B. Ashman, G. Ilsley, K. Boyd, W. Evely, K. Smith, A. James and O. Grieve. Sandhurst: K. Curran, M. Elliott, W. White, E. Millard, D. Blackmore, D. Munari and O'Farrell.
Central umpire: Jamieson.
Crowd: 14,000. Gate takings: ₤1930. Total for 1963 finals series: £5768.
In the stats department --- yes, even 60 years back --- Sandhurst garnered 29 more kicks than the Two Blues: 251 to 222.
Hurst: Kevin Curran 25 kicks, Nuttall 21. Eaglehawk: Bill Evely 21.
Eaglehawk players hauled in 70 marks compared with Hurst's 55.
Free kicks: Sandhurst 44, Eaglehawk 33. Marks: Two Blues 70, Maroons 55.
GEORGE Ennor, Eaglehawk's champion ruckman and defender, won the trophy for best afield in the '63 Big Dance.
Presenting the trophy Mr. L.W. Galvin, MLA, said even though he felt the decision was a hard one to make because there were a number of excellent players on the field, it was remarkable how many people felt Ennor had outshone them all.
The trophy was a silver tea service donated by the Bendigo parliamentarian.
Responding to Mr Galvin's remarks Ennor (14 kicks, 10 marks) said he wanted to thank the other players for their efforts but especially coach Ollie Grieve (ex-Carlton) for the "work he had put in training the team for the big game."
Maroons' coach and ruckman Kevin Curran added his congratulations saying Ennor's award was truly deserved.
In the thirds curtain-raiser Eaglehawk downed Golden Square by nine points –- 7.6 to 5.9. McLeod booted three of Square's five goals.
Meanwhile out at Huntly on that October weekend six decades ago, VFA club Prahran had defeated a combined Eaglehawk-Berrigan in a social, fund-raising match: 9.9 to 9.7.
Proceeds went to the Eaglehawk Baby Health Centre.
THE Eaglehawk senior players and club president Mr. W. Crawford were welcomed back to the Borough Town Hall on Saturday night. Mayor Cr. J.L. Hicks and the Mayoress, Mrs Hicks, introduced the players from the stage as they joined them.
In his speech, coach Grieve said he'd heard when he was offered the job at the Two Blues that the club had "a premiership side in the making."
With the welcome over, the Advertiser's Page 1 report noted that "the crowd in the Borough Town Hall then sang and danced until midnight."
TO ROUND off my look-backs through seasons ending with the numeral '3' here's the grand final winners from those years:
1963: Rochester 16.22 (118) def. Kyneton 10.14 (74)
1973: Sandhurst 14.14 (98) def. Golden Square 7.10 (52)
1983: Sandhurst 17.16 (118) def. Golden Square 17.9 (111)
1993: South Bendigo 20.22 (142) def. Sandhurst 11.11 (77), and
2003: Gisborne 18.12 (120) def. Eaglehawk 11.7 (73).
2013: Grand final selection: Golden Square to make it five flags-in-a-row, by 23 points over Strath Storm.
AFL Victoria medal: Simon Rosa (Golden Square).
2013 season tips total: 60.
By Richard Jones
