NON-PREMIERSHIP MATCHES

1968 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-05

Collingwood (7)

4.5 (29)

6.6 (42)

10.7 (67)

16.10 (106)

24

Lake Oval,

Thu

14,285

Fitzroy (11)

3.2 (20)

6.12 (48)

6.16 (52)

10.22 (82)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-10

Hawthorn (6)

3.3 (21)

6.7 (43)

8.10 (58)

11.14 (80)

5

Lake Oval,

Tue

12,059

Melbourne (8)

3.2 (20)

7.4 (46)

9.8 (62)

11.9 (75)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-12

South Melbourne (9)

2.1 (13)

5.2 (32)

10.5 (65)

18.7 (115)

12

Lake Oval,

Thu

10,020

North Melbourne (12)

5.4 (34)

9.9 (63)

15.16 (106)

18.19 (127)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-17

Richmond (5)

3.4 (22)

8.8 (56)

11.10 (76)

15.15 (105)

1 (E/T)

Lake Oval,

Tue

15,037

Footscray (10)

6.1 (37)

8.3 (51)

13.5 (83)

16.8 (104)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

SEMI FINALS

Sep-19

Collingwood (7)

2.5 (17)

8.6 (54)

12.8 (80)

14.10 (94)

34

Lake Oval,

Thu

15,366

Hawthorn (6)

3.3 (21)

6.6 (42)

14.10 (94)

19.14 (128)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

Sep-24

North Melbourne (12)

4.4 (28)

7.6 (48)

12.9 (81)

18.11 (119)

30

Lake Oval,

Tue

7,052

Richmond (5)

3.6 (24)

6.13 (49)

10.15 (75)

12.17 (89)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

GRAND FINAL

Sep-30

Hawthorn v North Melbourne moved to Oct.2 due to extreme wind conditions

Mon

-

Oct-02

Hawthorn (6)

1.4 (10)

8.7 (55)

11.11 (77)

16.15 (111)

61

Lake Oval,

Wed

15,650

North Melbourne (12)

2.4 (16)

2.6 (18)

3.7 (25)

6.14 (50)

South Melbourne

(8:00pm)

 

ABOUT

ABOUT THE 1968 SERIES

*Hawthorn breaks their drought - at this point in their history Hawthorn had two things in common with Footscray and North Melbourne; they all transferred from the VFA to the VFL in 1925, and they all struggled for success in the big league. The Hawks only flag at senior level had been the 1961 VFL premiership. In 1968 they happily added a night premiership trophy to their threadbare trophy cabinet.

Picture
1968 Night Series Grand Final programme (private collection)
TEAMS / FORMAT

PARTICIPATING TEAMS

The series featured the eight teams that missed the VFL finals series:
5th - Richmond 
6th - Hawthorn
7th - Collingwood
8th - Melbourne
9th - South Melbourne
10th - Footscray
11th - Fitzroy
12th - North Melbourne
They competed for the K.G. Luke Trophy (donated by VFL President Kenneth Luke) with the winning team receiving a $2800 cash prize.

SERIES FORMAT

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

EVENTS

NOTABLE EVENTS

*McKenna equals a record... or does he? - The Age newspaper has Collingwood's Peter McKenna kicking 10 goals in the 1968 series-opener against Fitzroy, equalling Peter Schofield's record set in 1959 for most goals in a night series match.

However, the match report in the Football Record (10-9-1968) has him kicking 9 for the game. Throughout the period 1968 to 1971 the Record continues to report that McKenna fell one short of matching Peter Schofield's tally. It is not until the 1990s that McKenna's total starts appearing in Football Record pre-season editions and AFL Stats Guides as a 10-goal haul.

So did he equal the record? Research is continuing... stay tuned!


*Huddo cuts loose - Hawthorn's Peter Hudson kicked 7 goals against Collingwood in the semi-finals then topped that effort with 8 goals in the final - a record that still stands for most goals in a Night Series/Pre-Season Cup Grand Final. In total Hudson kicked 18 goals in the Hawks' three matches, equalling Fred Goldsmith's record set in the 1958 series.


*Extra-time for the First Time - the opening round Richmond-Footscray clash was decided by sudden-death extra time – the very first VFL-AFL match to go to extra time. Scores were level at the end of time-on so play was allowed to continue until the deadlock was broken. A mere 11 seconds into extra-time a set-shot by Royce Hart was rushed through for a behind and the siren was sounded. The Sun reports that neither team knew the first score would win.


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 5

COLLINGWOOD

4.5 (29)

6.6 (42)

10.7 (67)

16.10 (106)

FITZROY

3.2 (20)

6.12 (48)

6.16 (52)

10.22 (82)

BEST PLAYERS:

Collingwood

McKenna, Neave, Potter, Price, McKenzie, Greening, Dunne

Fitzroy

Murray, Cole, Newnham, Cobain, Searl, Andrews, Zunneberg

GOALKICKERS:

Collingwood

McKenna 10, Price 3, Tuddenham, Dunne, Britt

Fitzroy

Searl 5, Lazarus 3, Walford, McKenzie

REPLACEMENTS:

Collingwood

unknown

Fitzroy

unknown

UMPIRE:

Deller

CROWD:

14,285

SOURCE:

AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

McKenna also kicked 11 goals the previous weekend (Round 20 vs South Melbourne)

 

 

GOALS DISCREPANCY:

The Age has McKenna kicking 10 goals in this match - McKenna 10, Price 3, Tuddenham, Dunne, Britt

The Footy Record (10-9-1968) has him kicking 9 - McKenna 9, Price 3, Tuddenham, Dunne, Britt, Richardson

 

Throughout the period 1968 to 1971 the Football Record says McKenna fell one short of matching Peter Schofield's 10 goal record.

It is not until the 1990s that McKenna's total starts appearing in the Football Record and AFL Stats Guides as a 10-goal haul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 2 - Tuesday, September 10

HAWTHORN

3.3 (21)

6.7 (43)

8.10 (58)

11.14 (80)

MELBOURNE

3.2 (20)

7.4 (46)

9.8 (62)

11.9 (75)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Parkin, Bremner, Wilson, Fisher, Crimmins, Meagher

Melbourne

Johnson, Parke, Mann, Dixon, Davis, Groom, Hardeman

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Hudson 3, Fisher 3, Smith, Angus, Meagher, Gay, Crimmins

Melbourne

Parke 3, Mann 2, Biffin 2, Lakes, Aubrey, Vagg, Emselle

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

unknown

Melbourne

unknown

UMPIRE:

Coates

CROWD:

12,059

SOURCE:

SUN/AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

Hudson soccered the winning goal through in the final minute of the game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 3 - Thursday, September 12

SOUTH MELBOURNE

2.1 (13)

5.2 (32)

10.5 (65)

18.7 (115)

NORTH MELBOURNE

5.4 (34)

9.9 (63)

15.16 (106)

18.19 (127)

BEST PLAYERS:

South Melbourne

Bedford, McAuliffe, Davison, Bennett, Cook, Anderson

North Melbourne

Dugdale, Wood, McCarthy, G. Farrant, Scholes, Johnston, Dwyer

GOALKICKERS:

South Melbourne

Cook 4, McAuliffe 4, McCracken 2, Jacobs 2, Rantall, Haenan, Bedford, Davison, Luke, Mallett

North Melbourne

G. Farrant 4, McCarthy 2, Scholes 2, Wood 2, Peterson 2, Thompson 2, Kekovich, Karanicolas, Redenbach, Dell

REPLACEMENTS:

South Melbourne

Greenwood replaced Sarich (half-time)

McCracken replaced Sudholz (last quarter)

North Melbourne

Redenbach replaced Hopgood (three-quarter time)

Heywood replaced Kekovich (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Matheson

CROWD:

10,020

SOURCE:

SUN/AGE/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 4 - Tuesday, September 17

RICHMOND

3.4 (22)

8.8 (56)

11.10 (76)

15.15 (105)

FOOTSCRAY

6.1 (37)

8.3 (51)

13.5 (83)

16.8 (104)

BEST PLAYERS:

Richmond

Jewell, Dean, Hart, Bartlett, Bourke, Burgin

Footscray

Bisset, Merrington, Jillard, Greenwood, Whitten, Magee

GOALKICKERS:

Richmond

Hart 4, Brown 3, Jewell 2, Hunt 2, Bartlett 2, McInnes, Patterson

Footscray

Bisset 6, Whitten 2, Welsh 2, Merrington 2, Dempsey 2, Sandilands, Spargo

REPLACEMENTS:

Richmond

Clay replaced Moore (half-time)

Strang replaced Bowden (last quarter)

Footscray

Cumming replaced McGowan (third quarter)

Bartlett replaced Marsh (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Crouch

CROWD:

15,037

SOURCE:

SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

This game was decided by sudden-death extra time – the first VFL-AFL match to go to extra time.

Scores were level at the end of time-on so play was allowed to continue until the deadlock was broken. A mere 11 seconds into
extra-time a set-shot by Royce Hart was rushed through for a behind and the siren was sounded.

The Sun reports that neither team knew the first score would win.

 

SEMI FINALS

Match 5 - Thursday, September 19

COLLINGWOOD

2.5 (17)

8.6 (54)

12.8 (80)

14.10 (94)

HAWTHORN

3.3 (21)

6.6 (42)

14.10 (94)

19.14 (128)

BEST PLAYERS:

Collingwood

McKenna, Farmer, Jenkin, McKenzie, Greening, Potter

Hawthorn

Crimmins, Arthur, Hudson, Keddie, Growcott, Meagher, Parkin

GOALKICKERS:

Collingwood

McKenna 6, Farmer 2, Richardson, Price, Tully, Hill, Greening, Britt

Hawthorn

Hudson 7, Crimmins 3, Keddie 2, Arthur, Chilton, Fisher, Parkin, Meagher, Angus, Smith

REPLACEMENTS:

Collingwood

Hill replaced Tuddenham (second quarter)

Green replaced Potter (three-quarter time)

Hawthorn

(none)

UMPIRE:

Huggins

CROWD:

15,366

SOURCE:

SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match 6 - Tuesday, September 24

NORTH MELBOURNE

4.4 (28)

7.6 (48)

12.9 (81)

18.11 (119)

RICHMOND

3.6 (24)

6.13 (49)

10.15 (75)

12.17 (89)

BEST PLAYERS:

North Melbourne

McCarthy, Dugdale, Scholes, R. Peterson, Redenbach, Benton, Hopgood, Dell

Richmond

Peardon, Moore, Strang, Richardson, Jewell, Smythe

GOALKICKERS:

North Melbourne

G. Farrant 5, R. Peterson 4, Thompson 2, Scholes 2, Wood 2, Dugdale, Redenbach, Dell

Richmond

Hart 3, Hunt 2, Clay 2, Dean, Moore, Patterson, Smythe, Jewell

REPLACEMENTS:

North Melbourne

Howell replaced Dwyer (second quarter)

Backhouse replaced Steward (half-time)

Richmond

Peardon replaced Perry (selected side)

Bond replaced Patterson (half-time)

UMPIRE:

Jolley

CROWD:

7,052

SOURCE:

SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

-

 

G.F. TEAMS

HAWTHORN

COACH

John Kennedy

 

BACKS

Parkin

Bremner

Beck

HALF-BACKS

Olsson

Gay

Growcott

CENTRES

Meagher

Wilson

Chilton

HALF-FORWARDS

Keddie

Ferguson

Chiron

FORWARDS

Angus

Hudson

Fisher

FOLLOWERS

Blood

Arthur (C)

ROVER

Crimmins

 

RESERVES

Francis

G. Smith

EMERGENCIES

Crowe, Appleby, Crane, Law

NORTH MELBOURNE

COACH

Keith McKenzie

 

BACKS

Allison

O’Brien

Johnston

HALF-BACKS

Benton

Steward*

Murphy

CENTRES

Kekovich

Dugdale (C)

Karanicolas

HALF-FORWARDS

Wood

McCarthy

Redenbach

FORWARDS

G. Farrant

Thompson

Peterson

FOLLOWERS

Dell

Hopgood

ROVER

Scholes

 

RESERVES

Howell

Pagan*

EMERGENCIES

Backhouse

Montgomery*

*Steward was replaced in the selected North Melbourne side by Pagan

(Montgomery was promoted from emergency to reserve)

 

GRAND FINAL

1968 VFL NIGHT PREMIERSHIP - GRAND FINAL

Match 7 - Wednesday, October 2

HAWTHORN

1.4 (10)

8.7 (55)

11.11 (77)

16.15 (111)

NORTH MELBOURNE

2.4 (16)

2.6 (18)

3.7 (25)

6.14 (50)

BEST PLAYERS:

Hawthorn

Hudson, Meagher, Crimmins, Arthur, Wilson, Olsson, Chilton

North Melbourne

Kekovich, Scholes, Wood, Thompson, Redenbach, Allison

GOALKICKERS:

Hawthorn

Hudson 8, Arthur 2, Crimmins 2, Chilton, Parkin, Meagher, Keddie

North Melbourne

Thompson 3, Scholes 2, Redenbach

REPLACEMENTS:

Hawthorn

(none)

North Melbourne

Montgomery replaced Dugdale (half-time)

Howell replaced Johnston (last quarter)

UMPIRE:

Jolley

CROWD:

15,650

PRIZEMONEY:

Hawthorn $2800, North Melbourne $1500

SOURCE:

SUN/Football Record

NOTES:

Originally scheduled for Sept.30 but postponed due to extreme wind conditions.

 

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