1966 GOLDEN FLEECE NIGHT PREMIERSHIP

*North goes back-to-back - the Kangaroos' 1965 night premiership win was their first senior flag since entering the VFL in 1925. They quickly added more silverware to their trophy cabinet by winning the 1966 series, in the process joining South Melbourne (1956-57) and Footscray (1963-64) as the only clubs to win consecutive night premierships.


*Rule trials - at a meeting of VFL coaches late in the season it was proposed that three new rules be trialled in the 1966 series. All of these rules were later adopted for VFL premiership matches:
  • a free kick for the ball being kicked out of bounds on the full (adopted in 1969);
  • four boundary umpires (adopted in 2008);
  • a centre square of 50 yards marked on the field, with only four players from each team permitted in the square when the ball is bounced in the centre circle (adopted in a modified form in 1973).

*Prizemoney - during 1966 Australia switched from the imperial to metric system of measurement and as part of this change the national currency changed from pounds to dollars. This meant series prizemoney was converted from £1400 to $2800 for the winning team, and from £650 to $1300 for the runner-up. These values remained unchanged for the rest of this era of the night series.
Picture
1966 Night Series Grand Final programme (private collection)
*Crowd numbers crash - after setting a new seven-game series record of 153,365 spectators in 1965, crowd numbers in 1966 slumped to just 94,900; the third-lowest total in series history. This signalled the start of a steady decline with attendance totals dropping every year (except 1971) throughout the rest of this era.

*Leading Goalkicker of the Series - North Melbourne's John Dugdale led the scoring with 14 goals from three matches.

ROUND 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-01

South Melbourne (8)

3.2 (20)

8.8 (56)

12.10 (82)

14.12 (96)

10

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

15,700

Footscray (10)

0.6 (6)

1.8 (14)

6.12 (48)

11.20 (86)

Sep-06

North Melbourne (7)

4.2 (26)

9.4 (58)

11.8 (74)

14.12 (96)

20

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Tue (8:00pm)

10,200

Fitzroy (12)

3.3 (21)

4.5 (29)

8.8 (56)

11.10 (76)

Sep-08

Melbourne (11)

2.6 (18)

2.10 (22)

8.12 (60)

10.13 (73)

3

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

13,800

Richmond (5)

3.3 (21)

7.5 (47)

8.9 (57)

9.16 (70)

Sep-13

Hawthorn v Carlton moved to Sept.15th due to torrential rain

Sep-15

Hawthorn (9)

4.4 (28)

4.6 (30)

7.9 (51)

9.14 (68)

9

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Thu (8:00pm)

9,100

Carlton (6)

2.1 (13)

4.3 (27)

5.4 (34)

9.5 (59)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMI FINALS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-19

North Melbourne (7)

3.7 (25)

7.7 (49)

13.9 (87)

13.12 (90)

3

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Mon (8:00pm)

14,200

South Melbourne (8)

2.1 (13)

7.6 (48)

8.9 (57)

12.15 (87)

Sep-21

Hawthorn (9)

1.1 (7)

6.4 (40)

9.6 (60)

13.10 (88)

28

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Wed (8:00pm)

10,100

Melbourne (11)

3.3 (21)

6.6 (42)

8.8 (56)

8.12 (60)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRAND FINAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DATE

TEAMS

1/4

1/2

3/4

FINAL

MARGIN

VENUE

DAY/TIME

CROWD

Sep-26

North Melbourne (7)

5.5 (35)

10.7 (67)

15.10 (100)

20.12 (132)

53

Lake Oval, South Melbourne

Mon (8:00pm)

21,800

Hawthorn (9)

2.0 (12)

6.0 (36)

8.4 (52)

12.7 (79)

 

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

Match 1 - Thursday, September 1

SOUTH MELBOURNE

3.2 (20)

8.8 (56)

12.10 (82)

14.12 (96)

FOOTSCRAY

0.6 (6)

1.8 (14)

6.12 (48)

11.20 (86)

BEST PLAYERS:

South Melbourne

Heriot, Sarich, Harrison, Skilton, Haenen, Priest, Papley

Footscray

Schultz, Bisset, Spargo, Zeuschner, Stevens, Cook, Bradley

GOALKICKERS:

South Melbourne

Sarich 5, Skilton 3, Sudholz 2, Phillips 2, Robertson 2

Footscray

Bisset 3, Spargo 3, Jackman 2, Bradley, Prior, Dempsey

REPLACEMENTS:

South Melbourne

unknown

Footscray

unknown

UMPIRE:

Gaudion

CROWD:

15,700

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 2 - Tuesday, September 6

NORTH MELBOURNE

4.2 (26)

9.4 (58)

11.8 (74)

14.12 (96)

FITZROY

3.3 (21)

4.5 (29)

8.8 (56)

11.10 (76)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne

Johnson, Dwyer, McCarthy, Dowdle, Gaudion, Dugdale

Fitzroy

Newnham, Lazarus, Aspinall, Cromarty, Hellings, Peoples

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne

Dugdale 5, Dowdle 4, McCarthy, Allan, Allison, Johnson, Ibrahim

Fitzroy

Cromarty 4, Lazarus 4, Booth 2, Drake

REPLACEMENTS:

North Melbourne

McGrath replaced Waddington (selected side) then replaced Gavin (second quarter)

Fitzroy

Slocum replaced McRae (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Grant

CROWD:

10,200

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 3 - Thursday, September 8

MELBOURNE

2.6 (18)

2.10 (22)

8.12 (60)

10.13 (73)

RICHMOND

3.3 (21)

7.5 (47)*

8.9 (57)

9.16 (70)

BEST PLAYERS:

Melbourne

Mann, Williams, Osborne, Aitken, Alves, Groom, Massey

Richmond

Campbell, Barrot, Bartlett, Patterson, Ronaldson, Dimattina

GOALKICKERS:

Melbourne

Smith 2, Aitken 2, Groom 2, Emselle, Mann, Feldmann, Stone

Richmond

Campbell 5, Clay 2, Patterson, A. Richardson

REPLACEMENTS:

Melbourne

unknown

Richmond

unknown

UMPIRE:

Jolley

CROWD:

13,800

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

SCORE DISCREPANCY:

Richmond's 1/2 time score in The Football Record = 7.5 (The Age has 7.4)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 4 - Thursday, September 15

HAWTHORN

4.4 (28)

4.6 (30)

7.9 (51)

9.14 (68)

CARLTON

2.1 (13)

4.3 (27)

5.4 (34)

9.5 (59)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Meagher, McLean, Parkin, Crimmins, Smith, Keddie, Arthur

Carlton

Lofts, B. Gill, Stone, Nicholls, Robertson, Jones, Board

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Crimmins 2, Smith 2, Keddie 2, Arthur, Browne, Ferguson

Carlton

Quirk 3, Nicholls 2, Board, Robertson, Vincent, Jones

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

(none)

Carlton

Vincent replaced Hall (three-quarter time)

UMPIRE:

Sheales

CROWD:

9,100

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Originally scheduled for Sept.13 but postponed due to torrential rain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SEMI-FINALS

Match 5 - Monday, September 19

NORTH MELBOURNE

3.7 (25)

7.7 (49)

13.9 (87)

13.12 (90)

SOUTH MELBOURNE

2.1 (13)

7.6 (48)

8.9 (57)

12.15 (87)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne

Dowdle, Dwyer, Johnson, Benton, O’Brien, Dugdale, McCarthy

South Melbourne

Papley, Sudholz, Skilton, Cook, Keenan, Haenan, Magee,

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne

Dowdle 4, Dugdale 3, Dean 2, Karanicolas 2, Allison, Dwyer

South Melbourne

Sudholz 3, Robertson 2, Matthews, Magee, Dunn, Papley, Skilton, Pedrotti, Sarich

REPLACEMENTS:

North Melbourne

unknown

South Melbourne

unknown

UMPIRE:

Sleeth

CROWD:

14,200

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Originally scheduled for Sept.15 but pushed back due to the postponement of Carlton v Hawthorn on Sept.13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 6 - Wednesday, September 21

HAWTHORN

1.1 (7)

6.4 (40)

9.6 (60)

13.10 (88)

MELBOURNE

3.3 (21)

6.6 (42)

8.8 (56)

8.12 (60)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Gay, McLean, Crimmins, Parkin, Wilson, Johnson, Dickson

Melbourne

Mann, Groom, Emselle, Dixon, Johnson, Feldman

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Gay 4, Keddie 2, Johnson 2, Browne 2, Law, Meagher, Smith

Melbourne

Mann 3, Feldman 2, Emselle, Groom, Aitken

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

unknown

Melbourne

unknown

UMPIRE:

Grant

CROWD:

10,100

SOURCE:

AGE/SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Originally scheduled for Sept.19 but pushed back due to the postponement of Carlton v Hawthorn on Sept.13

 

1966 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL

NORTH MELBOURNE

HAWTHORN

Alan Killigrew

COACH

Peter O'Donohue

 

R. Goode

Waddington

Allan

BACKS

Poole

Dunshea

Ferguson

Benton

Davies

O’Brien

HALF-BACKS

Lade

McLean

Parkin

Johnson*

Dwyer

Gaudion

CENTRES

Wilson

Meagher

Johnson

Ibrahim

McCarthy

Allison

HALF-FORWARDS

Law

Gay

Keddie

Karanicolas

Dugdale

Rogers

FORWARDS

Smith

M. Browne

Arthur (C)

Teasdale (C)

Dean

FOLLOWERS

Peck

Dickson

Dowdle

ROVER

Crimmins

 

Wood*

Backhouse

RESERVES

Gardner

Robson

McKernan*

EMERGENCIES

Stafford

R. Browne

*Johnson was replaced in the selected North Melbourne side by Wood (McKernan was promoted from emergency to reserve)

 

Match 7 - Monday, September 26

NORTH MELBOURNE

5.5 (35)

10.7 (67)

15.10 (100)

20.12 (132)

HAWTHORN

2.0 (12)

6.0 (36)

8.4 (52)

12.7 (79)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne

Dowdle, Dugdale, McCarthy, Dwyer, Dean, Rogers, Gaudion

Hawthorn

Keddie, Browne, Peck, Meagher, Law, Ferguson

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne

Dugdale 6, Dean 3, Dowdle 3, Rogers 3, McCarthy 2, Ibrahim, Allison, Karanicolas

Hawthorn

Peck 4, Browne 2, Smith 2, Crimmins, Law, Gardner, Keddie

REPLACEMENTS:

North Melbourne

McKernan replaced Allan (last quarter)

Hawthorn

Gardner replaced Wilson (half-time)

Robson replaced Crimmins (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Perkins

CROWD:

21,800*

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

The teams played a rematch at York Park, Launceston on Oct.9th with North again victorious, this time by 34 points (18.19 to 13.15)

That exhibition match was also Peter Hudson's debut in Hawthorn colours.

CROWD DISCREPANCY:

Media reports of the day (and current AFL records) have the crowd for this match as 22,800

Later editions of the Football Record (25-9-1967 / 4-9-1968 / 28-9-1970) confirm it was actually 21,800

 

Written and researched by David Eastman
First published 15/2/2017
Last updated 17/11/2018