NON-PREMIERSHIP MATCHES

1965 GOLDEN FLEECE NIGHT PREMIERSHIP

RESULTS
ABOUT
TEAMS / FORMAT
EVENTS
MATCH REPORTS
RESULTS

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

Date

Teams

1/4

1/2

3/4

Final

Margin

Venue

Day/Time

Crowd

ROUND 1

Sep-02

Carlton (6)

9.3 (57)

12.5 (77)

17.6 (108)

21.10 (136)

76

Lake Oval,

Thu

23,500

Melbourne (7)

0.0 (0)

3.6 (24)

5.9 (39)

8.12 (60)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-07

Richmond (5)

3.5 (23)

8.8 (56)

14.11 (95)

18.14 (122)

65

Lake Oval,

Tue

19,500

Fitzroy (11)

1.3 (9)

4.4 (28)

6.7 (43)

8.9 (57)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-09

Hawthorn (12)

3.7 (25)

5.15 (45)

8.20 (68)

9.25 (79)

15

Lake Oval,

Thu

19,725

South Melbourne (8)

3.3 (21)

4.6 (30)

6.8 (44)

9.10 (64)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-14

North Melbourne (9)

4.2 (26)

9.6 (60)

11.9 (75)

13.12 (90)

24

Lake Oval,

Tue

15,880

Footscray (10)

3.6 (24)

5.7 (37)

9.7 (61)

9.12 (66)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

SEMI FINALS

Sep-16

Carlton (6)

3.0 (18)

7.4 (46)

8.9 (57)

14.15 (99)

59

Lake Oval,

Thu

23,730

Richmond (5)

1.4 (10)

3.6 (24)

4.8 (32)

5.10 (40)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-21

Hawthorn (12)

3.2 (20)

4.5 (29)

5.5 (35)

6.10 (46)

42

Lake Oval,

Tue

13,550

North Melbourne (9)

3.3 (21)

7.3 (45)

9.6 (60)

13.10 (88)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

GRAND FINAL

Sep-27

Carlton (6)

3.1 (19)

4.1 (25)

6.2 (38)

9.3 (57)

40

Lake Oval,

Mon

37,750

North Melbourne (9)

1.1 (7)

6.5 (41)

10.8 (68)

14.13 (97)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

 

ABOUT

ABOUT THE 1965 SERIES

*North's first senior VFL trophy - since crossing from the VFA in 1925 the Kangaroos had suffered through a largely fruitless existence in the VFL. Their only premierships had come at Under 19 and Reserve Grade level in 1946/47/57 and the closest the club had come to a senior flag was Grand Final appearances in 1950 (VFL Grand Final) and 1961 (VFL Night Premiership).

The 1965 night final presented another opportunity but it would not be easy as Carlton, their opponent in the decider, had finished 5 wins and a whopping 30% of percentage above the Kangaroos in the VFL premiership.
Picture
The Age newspaper announces North's first senior VFL premiership (28-9-1965)
Statistically, it seemed their dream run towards an inaugural senior title was about to come to an end but the football public descended on Lake Oval regardless, hoping to see a football fairytale. Fans poured through the turnstiles as the Kangaroos started nervously, lucky to finish the first quarter just 12 points behind.

North rallied in the second term, piling on 5.4 to a solitary goal to lead by 16 at halftime. The stadium gates had to be closed half way through the second quarter, with hundreds of fans turned away. Not long afterwards the overcrowded terraces could take no more and the gates between the outer and the members reserve were forced open, remaining that way for the rest of the match.

With a senior premiership finally within reach, the Kangaroos dominated the second half, kicking 8.8 to 5.2 to claim a famous 40-point win. After the match North Melbourne coach Alan Killigrew was "carried from the field by players and supporters to the tremendous cheering of the capacity crowd." [The Age 28-9-1965]

TEAMS / FORMAT

PARTICIPATING TEAMS

The series featured the eight teams that missed the VFL finals series:
5th - Richmond 
6th - Carlton
7th - Melbourne
8th - South Melbourne
9th - North Melbourne
10th - Footscray
11th - Fitzroy
12th - Hawthorn
They competed for the K.G. Luke Trophy (valued at £75 and donated by VFL President Kenneth Luke) with the winning team receiving a £1400 cash prize.

SERIES FORMAT

The teams were randomly drawn in the opening round (5 vs 11 / 6 vs 7 / 8 vs 12 / 9 vs 10) with winning teams advancing to the next stage, and losing teams eliminated from the series.

EVENTS

NOTABLE EVENTS

*Unfamiliar territory - Melbourne's glory era officially ended in 1965; the Demons missing the VFL finals for the first time since 1953. Their appearance in the 1965 Night Series-opener at Lake Oval was just their second match in the competition, the other being in 1957 when all 12 league clubs competed in the Night Premiership.


*Crowd records broken - a mix of North Melbourne's run to the final and warm weather resulted in the 1965 series being the most successful of the 1956-1971 era. A record total of 153,635 fans attended, exceeding the old mark for a seven-game series set in 1961 (152,019). The Grand Final crowd of 37,750 surpassed the old record of 36,300 set in 1964, and the average crowd per game (21,948) topped the old record of 21,717 set in 1961. 


*Leading Goalkicker of the Series - Carlton's Kevin Hall and North Melbourne's Frank Goode tied for series honours with 9 goals apiece (both played in 3 games).

MATCH REPORTS

MATCH REPORTS

Listed below are match reports for all 7 games played during the series. This is the first time these reports have been collated and published online or in print. Unless otherwise noted the information was sourced from The Football Record and The Age newspaper.

ROUND 1
SEMI FINALS
G.F. TEAMS
GRAND FINAL
ROUND 1

Match 1 - Thursday, September 2

CARLTON

9.3 (57)

12.5 (77)

17.6 (108)

21.10 (136)

MELBOURNE

0.0 (0)

3.6 (24)

5.9 (39)

8.12 (60)

BEST PLAYERS:

Carlton

Barassi, Nicholls, Hall, Buckley, Anderson, Lofts, Silvagni, Gallagher, Cox

Melbourne

Crompton, Emselle, McLean, Wise, Rowe, Mann

GOALKICKERS:

Carlton

Hall 6, Gallagher 3, Nankervis 3, Stone 2, Nicholls 2, Trotman, Cox, Crane, Greenwood, Silvagni

Melbourne

Emselle 4, Townsend, Vearing, Stewart, Foster

REPLACEMENTS:

Carlton

unknown

Melbourne

unknown

UMPIRE:

Grant

CROWD:

23,500

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Melbourne’s first Night Series match since 1957

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 2 - Tuesday, September 7

RICHMOND

3.5 (23)

8.8 (56)

14.11 (95)

18.14 (122)

FITZROY

1.3 (9)

4.4 (28)

6.7 (43)

8.9 (57)

BEST PLAYERS:

Richmond

Dimattina, Hogan, Richardson, Busse, Gowers, Sheahan

Fitzroy

Rogerson, Booth, Hays, Fry, Bond, Slocum

GOALKICKERS:

Richmond

Hogan 4, Richardson 3, Bartlett 2, Guinane 2, Northey 2, Sheahan, Davenport, Jewell, Crowe, Dimattina

Fitzroy

Cromarty 3, Rogerson, Calverley, Brown, Dawson, Hepper

REPLACEMENTS:

Richmond

unknown

Fitzroy

unknown

UMPIRE:

Toohey

CROWD:

19,500

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

A typo in The Age has Fitzroy’s final score as 8.8 (57), The Sun and the Football Record have the correct score of 8.9 (57)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 3 - Thursday, September 9

HAWTHORN

3.7 (25)

5.15 (45)

8.20 (68)

9.25 (79)

SOUTH MELBOURNE

3.3 (21)

4.6 (30)

6.8 (44)

9.10 (64)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Browne, Coverdale, Roach, Beck, Youen, Arthur, Naider

South Melbourne

John, Reilly, Heriot, Skilton, Matthews, Kingston

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Coverdale 2, Smith 2, Hoskins, Peck, Parkin, Arthur, Browne

South Melbourne

Kingston 3, Matthews 2, John 2, Lucey, Skilton

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

(none)

South Melbourne

Goonan replaced Papley (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Gambetta

CROWD:

19,725

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

A typo in the Football Record (14-9-1965) has Hawthorn's halftime score as 5.5 - other sources have the correct score of 5.15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 4 - Tuesday, September 14

NORTH MELBOURNE

4.2 (26)

9.6 (60)

11.9 (75)

13.12 (90)

FOOTSCRAY

3.6 (24)

5.7 (37)

9.7 (61)

9.12 (66)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne

Waddington, Gaudion, Teasdale, Pascoe, Dean, Dowdie

Footscray

Schultz, Vosilaitis, Jillard, Shanahan, Bisset, Whitten

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne

Teasdale 3, Dowdie 2, Goode 2, Ibrahim, Dean, Pascoe, Allison, Johnson, Rogers

Footscray

Whitten 3, McKenzie 2, Bisset 2, Ion, Vosilaitis

REPLACEMENTS:

North Melbourne

unknown

Footscray

unknown

UMPIRE:

Gaudion

CROWD:

15,880

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

SEMI FINALS

Match 5 - Thursday, September 16

CARLTON

3.0 (18)

7.4 (46)

8.9 (57)

14.15 (99)

RICHMOND

1.4 (10)

3.6 (24)

4.8 (32)

5.10 (40)

BEST PLAYERS:

Carlton

Gallagher, Nicholls, Quirk, Reilly, Goold, Lofts, Cox

Richmond

Richardson, Dean, Davenport, Brown, Swift, Gowers

GOALKICKERS:

Carlton

Hall 3, Nicholls 3, Gallagher 3, Board 2, Cox, Quirk, Collins

Richmond

Hogan 2, Guinane, Sheahan, Northey

REPLACEMENTS:

Carlton

unknown

Richmond

unknown

UMPIRE:

Blew

CROWD:

23,730

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 6 - Tuesday, September 21

HAWTHORN

3.2 (20)

4.5 (29)

5.5 (35)

6.10 (46)

NORTH MELBOURNE

3.3 (21)

7.3 (45)

9.6 (60)

13.10 (88)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Beck, Youren, Browne, Dickson, Roach

North Melbourne

Dowdie, Pascoe, Benton, F. Goode, Waddington, Dugdale, Teasdale

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Peck 2, Browne, Parkin, Horskins, Beck

North Melbourne

F. Goode 4, Dowdie 3, Davies 2, Karanicolas, Pascoe, Teasdale, R. Goode

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

(none)

North Melbourne

R. Goode replaced Johnson (second quarter)

UMPIRE:

Sheales

CROWD:

13,550

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

G.F. TEAMS

CARLTON

COACH

Ron Barassi

 

BACKS

J. Gill

Lofts

Boyd

HALF-BACKS

Lloyd

Goold*

Anderson

CENTRES

Crane

Barassi (C)

Stewart

HALF-FORWARDS

Quirk

Stone

Cox

FORWARDS

Reilly

Hall

Board

FOLLOWERS

Nicholls

Silvagni

ROVER

Gallagher

 

RESERVES

B. Gill*

Collins

EMERGENCIES

Nankervis*

*Goold was replaced in the selected Carlton side by B. Gill

(Nankervis was promoted from emergency to reserve)

NORTH MELBOURNE

COACH

Alan 'Butch' Killigrew

 

BACKS

Davies

Dugdale

Delanty

HALF-BACKS

McAuliffe

Waddington

O’Brien

CENTRES

Karanicolas

Benton

Gaudion

HALF-FORWARDS

Dean

B. McCarthy

Allison

FORWARDS

Rogers

F. Goode

Ibrahim

FOLLOWERS

Teasdale (C)

Pascoe

ROVER

Dowdie

 

RESERVES

R. Goode

Allan

EMERGENCIES

McGrath

Perry

 

GRAND FINAL

1965 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL

Match 7 - Monday, September 27

CARLTON

3.1 (19)

4.1 (25)

6.2 (38)

9.3 (57)

NORTH MELBOURNE

1.1 (7)

6.5 (41)

10.8 (68)

14.13 (97)

BEST PLAYERS:

Carlton

Silvagni, Nicholls, Loft, Cox, Quirk, Stewart

North Melbourne

Pascoe, Dowdie, Gaudion, Teasdale, Davies, McCarthy, F. Goode, Dean

GOALKICKERS:

Carlton

Stone 2, Silvagni 2, Gallagher 2, Nicholls, Nankervis, Reilly

North Melbourne

F. Goode 3, Dowdie 2, Ibrahim 2, Teasdale 2, Allison 2, Davies 2, Pascoe

REPLACEMENTS:

Carlton

Nankervis replaced Board (three-quarter time)

North Melbourne

R. Goode replaced Benton (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Fisher

CROWD:

37,750

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

North Melbourne’s first senior VFL premiership since joining the league in 1925.

The stadium gates were closed half way through the second quarter, with hundreds of fans turned away (The Age 28-9-1965)

 

Written and researched by David Eastman
First published 15/2/2017
Last updated 30/4/2022