1961 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP
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*Geelong's comeback - the Cats claimed their first senior trophy since winning the 1952 VFL Premiership.
However, they did it the hard way; trailing 1961 wooden-spooners North Melbourne by 11 points with seven minutes to go then kicking three goals against the wind to steal the flag. For North Melbourne it was a missed chance to claim their first silverware at senior level since transferring from the VFA to the VFL in 1925. Their only other opportunity had been in 1950 when they reached the VFL Grand Final but that also ended in heartbreak (the Shinboners' premiership drought would eventually end in 1965). *Leading goalkicker in the series - Carlton's Tom Carroll (2 games) and North Melbourne's John Dugdale (3 games) kicked 11 goals each to lead all scorers in the series. Geelong's Doug Wade (3 games) was next best with 10 goals. *Big crowds return - after disappointing crowd totals in 1959 (76,300) and 1960 (93,100) fans flocked back to night football with the 1961 series total exploding to 152,019. This total was only surpassed in this era by the 1957 series (187,200 from 11 games) and 1965 series (153,635 from 7 games). *VFL Players' Provident Fund - this served as a pension fund for players and 1961 marked the first time players received credits for taking part in Night Series matches. Night games were deemed to be worth 50% of the usual amount credited for premiership matches. |
The 1961 Night Premiership Trophy [David Eastman]
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ROUND 1 |
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DATE |
TEAMS |
1/4 |
1/2 |
3/4 |
FINAL |
MARGIN |
VENUE |
DAY/TIME |
CROWD |
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Aug-31 |
Collingwood (9) |
2.2 (14) |
5.7 (37) |
10.11 (71) |
14.14 (98) |
19 |
Lake Oval, South Melbourne |
Thu (8:00pm) |
16,222 |
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Fitzroy (5) |
2.3 (15) |
5.6 (36) |
8.9 (57) |
11.13 (79) |
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Sep-05 |
North Melbourne (12) |
6.4 (40) |
10.5 (65) |
13.8 (86) |
14.12 (96) |
15 |
Lake Oval, South Melbourne |
Tue (8:00pm) |
17,854 |
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Essendon (7) |
2.2 (14) |
3.8 (26) |
7.11 (53) |
11.15 (81) |
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Sep-07 |
Geelong (6) |
3.0 (18) |
7.5 (47) |
9.6 (60) |
13.7 (85) |
5 |
Lake Oval, South Melbourne |
Thu (8:00pm) |
21,760 |
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South Melbourne (11) |
3.3 (21) |
3.4 (22) |
6.5 (41) |
12.8 (80) |
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Sep-12 |
Carlton (8) |
3.2 (20) |
5.5 (35) |
9.9 (63) |
12.12 (84) |
46 |
Lake Oval, South Melbourne |
Tue (8:00pm) |
23,468 |
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Richmond (10) |
1.3 (9) |
1.4 (10) |
4.5 (29) |
5.8 (38) |
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SEMI FINALS |
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DATE |
TEAMS |
1/4 |
1/2 |
3/4 |
FINAL |
MARGIN |
VENUE |
DAY/TIME |
CROWD |
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Sep-14 |
Collingwood v
North Melbourne moved to Sept.15th due to torrential rain |
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Sep-15 |
North Melbourne (12) |
0.2 (2) |
7.5 (47) |
8.7 (55) |
14.10 (94) |
26 |
Lake Oval, South Melbourne |
Fri (8:00pm) |
15,110 |
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Collingwood (9) |
2.4 (16) |
5.4 (34) |
9.5 (59) |
10.8 (68) |
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Sep-19 |
Geelong (6) |
4.4 (28) |
7.6 (48) |
10.8 (68) |
14.12 (96) |
25 |
Lake Oval, South Melbourne |
Tue (8:00pm) |
27,240 |
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Carlton (8) |
2.4 (16) |
5.8 (38) |
9.9 (63) |
10.11 (71) |
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GRAND FINAL |
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DATE |
TEAMS |
1/4 |
1/2 |
3/4 |
FINAL |
MARGIN |
VENUE |
DAY/TIME |
CROWD |
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Sep-25 |
Geelong (6) |
1.9 (15) |
4.10 (34) |
6.15 (51) |
9.20 (74) |
12 |
Lake Oval, South Melbourne |
Mon (8:00pm) |
30,365 |
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North Melbourne (12) |
0.0 (0) |
4.3 (27) |
5.5 (35) |
9.8 (62) |
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MATCH REPORTS
Unless otherwise noted the information was sourced from The Football Record and The Age newspaper.
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ROUND
1 |
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Match
1 - Thursday, August 31 |
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COLLINGWOOD |
2.2
(14) |
5.7
(37) |
10.11
(71) |
14.14
(98) |
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FITZROY |
2.3
(15) |
5.6
(36) |
8.9
(57) |
11.13
(79) |
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BEST
PLAYERS: |
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Collingwood |
Rist, M. Delanty,
Norman, Burns, Weideman, Henderson |
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Fitzroy |
Clark,
Abrahams, Aston, Vernon, Campbell, Powell |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Collingwood |
M.
Delanty 4, Weideman 3,
Norman 3, K. Rose, Poore, Hutchesson,
Roper |
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Fitzroy |
Clark
3, Abrahams 3, Campbell 2, Vernon, Wright, Crow |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Collingwood |
List
replaced Turner (selected side) |
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Burns
replaced Gray (first quarter) |
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Thripp replaced Mahon (second quarter) |
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Fitzroy |
Stevens
replaced Duncan (three-quarter time) |
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Wicks
replaced Slocum (three-quarter time) |
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UMPIRE: |
Hodgson |
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CROWD: |
16,222 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/Football
Record |
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NOTES: |
- |
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Match
2 - Tuesday, September 5 |
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NORTH
MELBOURNE |
6.4
(40) |
10.5
(65) |
13.8
(86) |
14.12
(96) |
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ESSENDON |
2.2
(14) |
3.8
(26) |
7.11
(53) |
11.15
(81) |
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BEST
PLAYERS: |
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North
Melbourne |
Dwyer,
Dugdale, Teasdale, Robertson, Rowe, Snell |
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Essendon |
Timms, Hebard,
Mitchell, Leek, Epis, Murdoch |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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North
Melbourne |
Dugdale 6, Eastmure
3, Snell 3, Teasdale, Aylett |
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Essendon |
Evans
3, Timms 3, King 2, Sampson, Murdoch, Mitchell |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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North
Melbourne |
O’Brien
replaced Ryan (third quarter) |
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Darby
replaced Waddington (last quarter) |
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Essendon |
(none) |
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UMPIRE: |
Irving |
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CROWD: |
17,854 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/Football
Record |
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NOTES: |
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Essendon's qtr by qtr scores in the Football
Record (7-9-1961) are totally wrong: they are shown as 2.3 / 5.6 / 8.9 /
11.15 |
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However,
the actual match report on the same page confirms the totals in The Age
were correct: 2.2 / 3.8 / 7.11 / 11.15 |
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Match
3 - Thursday, September 7 |
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GEELONG |
3.0
(18) |
7.5
(47) |
9.6
(60) |
13.7
(85) |
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SOUTH
MELBOURNE |
3.3
(21) |
3.4
(22) |
6.5
(41) |
12.8
(80) |
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BEST
PLAYERS: |
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Geelong |
Miller,
Wade, B. Goggin, McGrath, Callan,
Helber |
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South
Melbourne |
F.
Johnson, McCormack, Skilton, Oaten, Munn, McGowan |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Geelong |
Wade
6, B. Goggin 3, Wooller, Yeates, M. Goggin, A. Lord |
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South
Melbourne |
Oaten
3, McGowan 3, Skilton 2, Johnson 2, McCormack,
Hopkins |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Geelong |
Norman
replaced Goodland (third quarter) |
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South
Melbourne |
Woolley
replaced Oaten (three-quarter time) |
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UMPIRE: |
Brewer |
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CROWD: |
21,760 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/Football
Record |
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NOTES: |
- |
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Match
4 - Tuesday, September 12 |
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CARLTON |
3.2
(20) |
5.5
(35) |
9.9
(63) |
12.12
(84) |
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RICHMOND |
1.3
(9) |
1.4
(10) |
4.5
(29) |
5.8
(38) |
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BEST
PLAYERS: |
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Carlton |
Silvagni, Carroll, Collis, Cox, Heathcote, Collins |
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Richmond |
Gahan, Branton, Saddington, Robertson, Johnson, Patterson |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Carlton |
Carroll
6, Cross 2, Heathcote, Brereton, Collis, J.
Williams |
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Richmond |
Richmond
2, Saddington, Langridge,
Johnson |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Carlton |
J.
Carroll replaced Crowe (half-time) |
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Richmond |
Richmond
replaced Williamson (third quarter) |
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Lockhart
replaced Loughran (three-quarter time) |
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UMPIRE: |
Nunn |
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CROWD: |
23,468 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/Football
Record |
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NOTES: |
- |
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SEMI-FINALS |
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Match
5 - Friday, September 15 |
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NORTH
MELBOURNE |
0.2
(2) |
7.5
(47) |
8.7
(55) |
14.10
(94) |
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COLLINGWOOD |
2.4
(16) |
5.4
(34) |
9.5
(59) |
10.8
(68) |
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BEST
PLAYERS: |
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North
Melbourne |
Aylett,
Gaudion, Waddington, Ryan, Dwyer, Jenkins, Eastmure |
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Collingwood |
Henderson,
Reeves, Bennett, Withers, Delanty, Weideman |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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North
Melbourne |
Aylett
6, Dugdale 3, Eastmure 3,
Snell, Mantello |
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Collingwood |
Donald
2, Delanty 2, Beers, Weideman,
Norman, Turner, Bennett, Hutchesson |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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North
Melbourne |
O’Brien
replaced Gaudion (last quarter) |
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Collingwood |
(none) |
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UMPIRE: |
Andrew |
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CROWD: |
15,110 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/Football
Record |
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NOTES: |
Originally
scheduled for Sept.14 but postponed due to torrential rain |
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Match
6 - Tuesday, September 19 |
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GEELONG |
4.4
(28) |
7.6
(48) |
10.8
(68) |
14.12
(96) |
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CARLTON |
2.4
(16) |
5.8
(38) |
9.9
(63) |
10.11
(71) |
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BEST
PLAYERS: |
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Geelong |
Rice,
Long, B. Goggin, Nicholls, Callan,
Wooller |
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Carlton |
Silvagni, Nicholls, T. Carroll, Crowe,
Collins, Brereton |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Geelong |
Wooller 4, Long 3, Wade 2, Rice 2, B. Goggin, Yeates, A. Lord |
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Carlton |
T.
Carroll 5, Brereton 3, Silvagni, Nicholls |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Geelong |
Noran replaced Helmer
(half-time) |
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Luttrell
replaced O’Neill (last quarter) |
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Carlton |
B.
Williams replaced J. Williams (half-time) |
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J.
Carroll replaced Barry (last quarter) |
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UMPIRE: |
Nunn |
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CROWD: |
27,240 |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/Football
Record |
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NOTES: |
- |
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1961 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL
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Match
7 - Monday, September 25 |
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GEELONG |
1.9
(15) |
4.10
(34) |
6.15
(51) |
9.20
(74) |
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NORTH
MELBOURNE |
0.0
(0) |
4.3
(27) |
5.5
(35) |
9.8
(62) |
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BEST
PLAYERS: |
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Geelong |
Long,
O’Donnell, Yeates, Wooller,
Pomeroy, Miller, M. Goggin |
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North
Melbourne |
Dwyer,
Waddington, Cheatley, Gaudion,
Teasdale, Snell, Robinson |
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GOALKICKERS: |
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Geelong |
O’Donnell
3, Wade 2, Yeates, Norman, Callan,
Wooller |
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North
Melbourne |
Teasdale
3, Dugdale 2, Robertson, Aylett, Eastmure, Jenkins |
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REPLACEMENTS: |
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Geelong |
Stephens
replaced Rice (second quarter) |
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Sutherland
replaced Nicholls (last quarter) |
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North
Melbourne |
(none) |
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UMPIRE: |
Irving |
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CROWD: |
30,365* |
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SOURCE: |
AGE/SUN/Football
Record |
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NOTES: |
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Geelong
trailed by 11 points with seven minutes to go but kicked three goals against
the wind to steal the match. |
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CROWD
DISCREPANCY: |
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Current
AFL records have the crowd for this match as 30,465 |
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The
Age (26-9-1961) and The Football Record (31-8-1962 / 2-9-1965 / 25-9-1967 /
4-9-1968 / 28-9-1970) confirm it was actually 30,365 |
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