Club History Port Adelaide Premiership Years

[Ford Fairlane]

It's off-season and we're bored so here's a bit of a history lesson for those too young and a reminisce for those too old.


1977 Premiership
1977, the year that followed 1976. A simple enough fact but especially significant for Port Adelaide supporters. 1976 was the year Port was to throw the monkey off its back, to break the drought in premierships extending back to 1965. But despite dominating the 1976 season with the minor premiership, Magarey Medal (Russell Ebert with a record number of votes) and 90 goals kicked by Randall Gerlach, Port stumbled at the final hurdle to contemporary nemesis, the Jack Oatey-led Sturt.

What else was there to do for Port Adelaide but pick itself up and dominate again? In 1977 Port finished minor premiers by 7 points and Tim Evans topped the goal kicking table in only 14 games. Max James finished runner up in the Magarey Medal to former Magpie Trevor Grimwood who had joined Fos Williams at West Adelaide. Sturt on the other hand stumbled through the 1977 season to miss the finals, finishing seventh with 9 wins.

1977 was significant for other reasons. After a two year absence following a dispute with the Port Adelaide Council, the Port Adelaide Football Club returned to Alberton as its home ground. Just as Port Adelaide is coming home in 2014 to the Adelaide Oval so it came home in 1977 to Alberton Oval. In an epic round 1 match at Alberton, Port Adelaide overcame Glenelg with a trademark withering six to zero goal last quarter to triumph 25.12 (162) to 20.15 (135) in front of 16,558 spectators.

The following week Port crashed back to earth with an 82 point loss to Norwood at Football Park. Although a humbling defeat it was a reality check for Port that kick-started an 8 game winning streak. The next week Port smashed Centrals by 101 points then soundly beat Sturt by 60 points, 21.9 (135) to 11.9 (75) in the traditional Anzac Day Grand Final rematch in front of an astounding 32,395 spectators. People flocked to Port v Sturt clashes in the 1960s and 1970s.

Glenelg finally broke Port’s winning streak at the Bay Oval, then Port met its round 2 conqueror Norwood at Alberton Oval. In a scintillating clash, Port Adelaide defeated traditional arch-rival Norwood by 2 points, 9.17 (71) to 10.9 (69) in front of 22,738 spectators. A titanic struggle was played out in front of an extraordinary crowd resulting in a thrilling Magpie victory.

Port Adelaide continued on its merry way in the 1977 season, winning 7 of its last 10 games (including a draw with Sturt) with one of only two losses by a solitary point at Unley to that team again, Sturt. Port finished the year as clear minor premier with 17 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses.

Despite finishing minor premier in 1976 and contesting the Grand Final, some important player turnover was essential to Port taking the ultimate step in 1977. Port Adelaide had turned over its side significantly from the 1976 defeat to Sturt, with the most notable inclusions of journeyman North Adelaide premiership ruckman John Spry, Essendon century goal kicker Geoff Blethyn, and returning prodigal son Trevor Sorrell after a playing coach stint in Tasmania. Rookies Tony Hannan and Len Warren would play their part on the big day, as would Ivan Eckermann, returning to the club after his initial stint in 1974-5. Kym Curtis, a young key forward from Port Augusta also joined the club in 1977, playing 13 games including the Second Semi Final but would just miss out on the big day. Curtis experienced premiership success two seasons later.

Deserving special mention is Randall Gerlach who decided to play on in 1977 against medical advice for a debilitating chronic kidney condition that ended his career at age 24. Gerlach brought up his 100th game for Port during the 1977 season. Six months after playing in the 1977 Grand Final, Randall’s kidneys would shut down, consigning him to dialysis and kidney transplants.

Important moves were made at both ends of the field during the season that would freshen up the Port side. For several years Port’s squad had contained two great full forwards in Randall Gerlach and Tim Evans. Gerlach had kicked 90 goals in 1976 as Port charged into the Grand Final. Gerlach led the forward line during much of 1977 but he was replaced at the goalfront by Evans later in the season. By round 15, Gerlach led Port’s goalscoring with over 40 goals, while Evans was not in the league’s top 20 goalkickers (cutoff at 30 goals). Amazingly, by the end of the 22 round season Evans topped the SANFL goalkicking list with 75 goals, adding another 12 goals in two finals matches to finish with 87 goals for the season. Lethal roving duo Brian Cunningham and Darrell Cahill added nearly a century of goals between them for the season, while tall goal scoring half forward Trevor Sorrell contributed over 40 goals, as did Gerlach.

At the other end of the field high-flying star full back Max James was growing restless in defence and continued trying to convince coach John Cahill to move him on the ball. Following a Simpson Medal winning performance in the state game against Western Australia playing as an on-baller, James started the next week in his customary role in defence for Port against traditional rival Norwood at Norwood. With the game slipping away, at half time James was moved onto the ball and sparked a revival that saw Port get up by 10 points. James’s new position was secured but presented Cahill with a new challenge. To accommodate James’s move, young forward Greg Phillips was moved to full back. Phillips took to the role with aplomb and was to carve a hugely successful career at Port and Collingwood as a key defender.

However in 1977, this created a very young and inexperienced backline with club champion and 1975 Magarey Medallist Peter Woite and wily back pocket Carl Fragomeni the only experienced defenders. The situation was exacerbated with a season ending injury to Fragomeni on the cusp of the finals leaving inexperienced defenders Ivan Eckermann, Tony Hannan, Len Warren, Greg Phillips and Randall Gerlach partnering Woite in the backlines to contest the Grand Final. Another young defender, Tony Giles was to come off the bench in the Grand Final to replace the injured Eckermann across half back.

1977 was also the centenary season of the South Australian National Football League, founded in 1877 as the South Australian Football Association. Port Adelaide was one of the original founding members of the SAFA.
Just as Port Adelaide had opened the centenary season against Glenelg so it bookended the 1977 season against the Bays in the Grand Final. Glenelg under the guidance of Neil Kerley in previous years had established itself as a modern-day football force with the 1973 premiership and grand final appearances in 1974 and 1975, in 1974 dispensing Port in the Preliminary Final. An intense and often bitter rivalry between Port Adelaide and Glenelg was building.

Port Adelaide legend John Cahill coached the Magpies in the 1977 Grand Final while champion Victorian and Carlton premiership coach and player, John Nicholls coached Glenelg. On the playing side, Port Adelaide featured greats such as Russell Ebert, Peter Woite, Brian Cunningham, Darrell Cahill, Max James, Randall Gerlach, Bruce Light and a young Greg Phillips. Well known to Port supporters on the black and gold side were Graham Cornes, the Phillis brothers Fred and Wayne, Peter Carey and former Carlton star Syd Jackson.

Port Adelaide had defeated Glenelg three times previously during the 1977 season, including a 25 point win in the Second Semi Final two weeks earlier. Glenelg had won once, at Glenelg Oval in June. All this counted for nought come the bounce down at 2.20pm on Saturday 24 September 1977 at Football Park in front of 56,717 spectators in the Grand Final umpired by Peter Mead and Robin Bennet.

Those fortunate enough to be at the game witnessed one of the great, skilful, tough, tight, bruising grand finals. Glenelg jumped out to a 5 goal to 2 goal lead raising ghosts of grand finals past for Port supporters. Tim Evans kicked two goals late in the quarter to steady nerves and get Port Adelaide into the match. Bruce Light, Port Adelaide’s electrifying, fiery wingman was reported in the first quarter but disregarded this setback to feature high in the best players with a typical bustling performance. Following Glenelg’s early breakaway and Port reeling the Bays back in, the game became a close, high-scoring game. Port kicked 5 goals to 3 in the second quarter to lead by 10 points at the half time break, which was punctuated by an all-in brawl featuring John Spry employing a fearsome choke hold to try and see the colour of Graham Cornes’s tongue.

As was the theme of the game, injury and controversy were playing a key role. As noted, Port had already lost reliable back pocket Carl Fragomeni to injury late in the season. By half time Tim Evans and feisty wingman Kym Kinnear were concussed, Evans’s condition euphemistically attributed in the media to a ‘clash of heads’ with Glenelg full back Fred Phillis. Evans had already kicked 6 goals to half time and was to finish with 7 goals for the match. Dangerous ball-magnet rover Darrell Cahill and Ivan Eckermann had thigh injuries. Eckermann, a rugged defender who had been transformed from a goalsneak early in his career returned to the forward line to make up numbers. Ivan was nearly immobile in a forward pocket sporting a huge pressure bandage on his injured thigh. In a game of heroes, Eckermann kicked 3 goals in the second half while hobbling in the forward pocket.

As an aside, on the Sunday Football Show the following day, John Cahill was asked what message he ran out to Eckermann after Ivan had missed a seemingly simple set shot for goal. Cahill replied that he had told Ivan if he had anyone fit left on the bench Ivan would have been dragged!

Glenelg opened quickly after half time kicking early goals before Port steadied again through goals to Evans and Eckermann, and after 4 goals apiece for the term Port still held Glenelg at arm’s length by 9 points at three quarter time. In the final quarter Port Adelaide slipped away to a 26 point lead but 3 late goals to Glenelg cut the final winning margin to 8 points, 17.11 (113) to 16.9 (105).

The SANFL’s centenary season had seen one of its greatest Grand Finals won by its proudest and most powerful club, the incomparable Port Adelaide Football Club. This was truly a game of heroes. Tim Evans and Ivan Eckermann were magnificent in the forward line, contributing 10 goals between them. Evans led all scorers on the day with 7.2. Superbly skilled rover Brian Cunningham was typically fearless, busy and dynamic winning best on ground plaudits; Port’s champion centreman and then triple Magarey Medallist Russell Ebert used his sublime skills by hand and foot to create many opportunities for Port; the big bear Randall Gerlach, who retired after the game, was tireless providing ruck support to Spry as well as playing in defence and using his big frame and vice-like grip in the unfamiliar role of stopping instead of finishing off attacks as he stymied many forward thrusts by Glenelg; Max James in his on-ball role was commanding around the ground; young defenders Greg Phillips, Len Warren, Tony Hannan and Eckermann/Tony Giles performed admirably on the biggest occasion; Bruce Light as mentioned was hard-working and exciting on his wing, while workhorse ruckman John Spry was tireless in ruck. Every player that day is a Port Adelaide hero.

Port Adelaide coach John Cahill experienced the depths of despair in 1976 in his first Grand Final in charge of Port Adelaide. Perhaps a new hardness was forged in the fires of that defeat as Cahill climbed the mountain as Port Adelaide’s jubilant 1977 Premiership coach. Cahill would not lose a Grand Final again after 1976.

Port Adelaide had grabbed the monkey from its back and hurled it into oblivion. Russell Ebert accepted the Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy on the ground with the immortal words “It's taken us a bloody long time, but by geez it's worth it!" Little did Russell know how many more times that trophy would be returning to its rightful home over many years to come.

 

[Macca19]

1988 season

1988 was a season of change, of new beginnings and ultimately, a year of success. After the close finals heartbreak of 1986 and 1987, the club decided to part ways with Russell Ebert - a decision that nearly tore the club in half. Jack Cahill returned to the club as coach after a 5 year absence and would bring with him an era of success that helped to catapult the Port Adelaide Football Club onto the national stage.

Not only were there key changes off field, but a number of changes on field would pay future dividends. One of the key moments of the season was Round 4 against Norwood at the Parade. Anthony Williams tragic passing sent shockwaves throughout the club and would see brother Stephen miss the clash. Inconsistent rover George Fiacchi came back into the side to replace Stephen in his back pocket – a move that would see George win a Jack Oatey Medal and become a 7 time premiership player. Stephen would return and become one of the premier midfielders in the competition. Facing a 4 goal defecit going into the last quarter, Port Adelaide dug deep and recorded one of the clubs greatest and most emotional of victories. This win was the catalyst of the season.

Round 6 saw another vital on field change. Regular defender Martin Leslie played the first part of the season filling a hole at Centre Half Forward. Through injury, he missed Round 6 against West Adelaide, forcing Cahill to play regular Full Forward Darren Smith at Centre Half Forward and moving fledgling flanker Scott Hodges to the goal face. Smith would become a 7 time premiership Centre Half Forward and as for Hodges, well, who could predict that he would become one of the most dominant SANFL footballers of the post-war era. Roger Delaney, David Brown, Andrew Obst, David Hutton and Rohan Smith would be other young players to cement themselves as SANFL stars.

On field it was also the year of the comeback. 4 times throughout the year the team would come back from 20+ point deficits to win. This came twice against rival Glenelg, and no more stunning than on the eve of the finals in Round 20. Facing a 30 point ¾ time margin, the team on the back of a dominant midfield performance would storm home to win in emphatic fashion.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing however. In Round 19, Port would not only lose a classic to Sturt by a single point in front of 38,000 people, it would lose its inspirational Captain Russell Johnston to suspension for the rest of the year. A 5 week lay off would mean that the club would need to lose a final to have its Captain play again in 1988.

Losing a final was never an option. Port Adelaide finished top of the ladder with 16 wins for the season and would face arch-rival Norwood in the Second Semi Final. Port dominated the play and won comfortably by 60points. Norwood failed to kick a goal in the first half and their final score of 2.5 17 was the lowest SANFL finals score in nearly 70 years. Port Adelaide was into another Grand Final.

For the second year running, Glenelg won its way into the Grand Final from the Elimination Final, defeating Sturt, Central and Norwood along the way. As well as losing Johnston, Port lost Mark Warton to a hamstring tear at training during grand final week. This gave a reprieve to experienced premiership winning defender Greg Boyd.

Port started strong favourites against the Tigers, but it was Glenelg that would settle first and take control of the first quarter. Glenelg kicked three goals for the term and kept Port Adelaide goalless to lead by 19 points at the first change. It could have been a 24 point margin had Peter Carey not missed from 20 out in front on the siren.

But as Port Adelaide did so often in 1988, it settled, regrouped and worked its way back on top. It took to the seven minute mark of the quarter for Port to kick its first major – a snap from 50 to the top of the square that took a right angled bounce through the goals. From that moment on, it was all Port Adelaide. Port Adelaide’s centre line became impenetrable as Stephen Williams put the clamps on the damaging Alan Stringer, the likes of Hutton, Obst and Rohan Smith winning plenty of the ball and David Hynes dominant in the ruck. The Magpies peppered the attack and hit the front after goals to Tim Ginever and a wonderful left foot snap on the run by Rohan Smith. Port led at the main break by 7 points.

The third quarter was more of the same. Scott Hodges opened the scoring with successive goals and when Richard Foster slotted a great left foot snap off the pack midway through the term the Magpies led by 27 points and had full control of the contest. Glenelg goaled through Craig Budarick to end the quarter, their first goal in over 60 minutes of game time.

With a margin of 21 points at the final change, the match was still well and truly for the taking for either side. David Browns early goal was cancelled out by Craig Budarick but it was the lightning quick Phil Harrison running into an open goal 10 minutes in that put Port Adelaide in the box seat. Scott Hodges’ fourth goal moments later looked to seal Glenelg’s fate. But, to Glenelg’s credit, they kicked two goals in two minutes to put the pressure back on the Magpies. It would be two of the club’s best midfielders that would seal Port Adelaides first premiership since 1981. Tim Ginever goaled 22 minutes in and when Stephen Williams played on and goaled from 30 metres out it was party time. The match, and the premiership, was Port Adelaide’s.

Port Adelaide had many heroes on the day, with the back line being one of the shining lights. The half back line of Martin Leslie, Greg Phillips and Bruce Abernethy is widely considered one of the greatest in the South Australian football folklore. All three had mighty games, none more so than Abernethy. Abernethy’s opponent Darren Mansell kicked the first two goals of the match, but from that moment on, Abernethy kept him almost possession less for the rest of the match. Not only did Abernethy shut out a dangerous opponent, he became the teams prime ball mover, picking up a massive 26 disposals and 10 marks off a back flank. His dominant performance was rewarded with the Jack Oatey Medal. Roger Delaney kept Max Kruse to just the one kick in the first three quarters, whilst late inclusion Greg Boyd had a stellar game in a back pocket. Acting Captain Martin Leslie and George Fiacchi picked up near 50 disposals between them, rebounding with pace and class.

David Hynes effort in the ruck is also worthy of special note. Hynes filled the void of the suspended Russell Johnston with aplomb, rucking tirelessly all match to pick up 21 disposals, 26 hitouts and 6 marks to be only a whisker away from taking the Jack Oatey away from Abernethy. Hynes fed the likes of Tim Ginever (28 disposals, 2 goals), Stephen Williams (25 disposals, 1 goal) and David Brown (20 disposals, 2 goals) all day. Scott Hodges finished with 4 goals to be the leading scorer on the ground. Martin Leslie and a tear filled Russell Johnston held the cup aloft to the cheers of the Port Adelaide faithful.

Not only did Port Adelaide win the league premiership, it completed the double with the reserves winning the premiership over Woodville. Mark Tylor kicked 9 goals in a 50 point victory.

A decade of brilliance had begun.

Port Adelaide 12.12 (84)
Glenelg 8.7 (55)
Best: Abernethy, Hynes, Ginever, Delaney, Williams, Leslie, Fiacchi, Phillips, Brown
Goals: Hodges 4; Brown, Ginever 2; Foster, R Smith, Harrison, Williams

 

[Ford Fairlane]

1979 Premiership

1979 was not the premiership pundits expected Port Adelaide to win, following a stuttering minor round campaign in 1978 in defence of its 1977 premiership finishing with a Preliminary Final defeat to eventual Premiers Norwood.

Port Adelaide had lost Randall Gerlach to illness after the 1977 Grand Final and then ominously Max James was lured over the border by South Melbourne. Before James’s move to the Swans, for decades Big Bob McLean had imperiously and defiantly swatted away Victorian interest in Port’s stars. However, in the 1979 pre-season the walls of Fortress Alberton were breached again.

Explosively talented and rugged centre half forward David Granger was tempted back to St Kilda for another crack at the VFL. But almost unbelievably, Port Adelaide’s captain and greatest player, then triple Magarey Medallist Russell Ebert, agreed to join North Melbourne, to learn under the tutelage of the legendary Ron Barassi at a VFL powerhouse.

Ebert was to stay only the one season with North, training with Port during the week and travelling to Melbourne to play on weekends. Despite occasional ill-informed comment, Russell (who turned 30 years of age during the 1979 season) had a stellar year with North. In his first and only year at VFL level, Russell played 25 games for North Melbourne, kicked 15 goals, polled 9 Brownlow Medal votes (3rd highest for North that year, behind Gary Dempsey and Ross Glendinning and ahead of North’s recognised VFL stars such as Malcolm Blight, Keith Greig, Stan Alves and Wayne Schimmelbusch), and accumulated 534 possessions for the season back when that was a measure of impact on a game, especially for a player with Russell’s sublime skills. Ron Barassi had no doubt that had Ebert joined the VFL at a younger age he would have been a champion of that competition, just as he was at Port Adelaide. Thankfully, Russell’s commitment was to Port Adelaide.

However for the 1979 season, Ebert was unavailable and this raised the question of whether his loss would be felt as keenly at Port as the loss of Russell’s contemporary champion Barrie Robran was at North Adelaide following his terrible knee injury.

As if these losses were not challenging enough, two more Port Adelaide champions departed Alberton. Star centre half back and 1975 Magarey Medallist, 182 game player Peter Woite joined Glenelg, while aggressive, electrifying wingman Bruce Light retired after 216 games.

On the credit side, as Port lost several greats, a champion name returned to Port Adelaide to continue a dynasty, through Fos Williams’s three sons, Mark, Anthony and Stephen, following a difficult transfer negotiation with West Adelaide. Port also acquired solid on-baller Mark Dawson from North Melbourne as part of the Russell Ebert transfer. Following the mid-year Teal Cup competition, exceptional young wingman Bruce Abernethy broke into the league side, adding dash, penetrating kicking and goal-scoring power to the midfield. This group added to outstanding 1978 recruits Stephen ‘Bomber’ Clifford from Collingwood and Milan Faletic from West Torrens who had settled into the Port team. Greg Boyd, son of Port legend Dave Boyd, debuted in 1979 and played in the Grand Final, while mercurial wingman/half forward Ross Agius who also debuted in 1979 was unlucky to miss out on a Grand Final berth. 1978 debutants Ian Bradmore and Peter Hofner established themselves to play in the Grand Final (Hofner edging out Ross Agius for a spot on the day), while tall forward Trevor Sorrell completed the switch to defence as a reliable and attacking full back.

Port’s greatest concern was in ruck with a knee injury hobbling John Spry, while 1978 Collingwood ruck recruit Murrie Batt left the club. Experienced ruckman Chris Natt was seeking a clearance to Torrens, leading Port to recruit Norwood reserves ruckman Robert ‘Sticks’ Dolan during the season. Natt eventually remained at Port to lead the Magpie rucks and Dolan was to play a significant role in the biggest game of the year.

1979 saw something of a shift of football’s established order of the past 15 years. The acknowledged big 4 of Port, Sturt, Norwood and Glenelg was split with Glenelg and Sturt finishing seventh and ninth respectively. Norwood snuck into the top 5, finally finishing in fourth place.
SANFL’s newest expansion clubs Central District and Woodville both reached the finals, with Centrals claiming the minor premiership and Woodville contesting the Elimination Final. Neither club was to win a final in 1979. Perennial struggler South Adelaide finished in the top 3 and reached the Grand Final, its first since winning the 1964 Premiership.

1979 was a season in search of a Premier. Like the Lady of the Lake in Arthurian legend, a worthy king was being sought upon whom to bestow the Excalibur of the competition’s ultimate prize. By the end of the minor round it appeared that this might be the team from Elizabeth. Centrals was coached by Oatey student Daryl Hicks and led by 1979 Magarey Medallist John Duckworth, a big powerful speedy on-baller/centre half forward who intimidated opposition defenders with bursting goal-bound runs to inspire his team and the Dogs’ emerging supporter base.

Port Adelaide’s minor round was hardly attention grabbing. Port won 14 games and lost 8, experiencing defeat against 7 other teams in the competition. Despite these results, Port still finished the minor round in second place. In the team count for the Magarey Medal, Port recorded the lowest total votes for the competition. But as Port Adelaide were to show time and again, the Magpies in September are an entirely different team, fearsome and focused on ruthlessly dismantling the opposition.

Port dispatched South in the Qualifying Final by 38 points then met minor premier Central District in the Second Semi Final the following week. After falling 19 points behind in the second quarter, Port Adelaide turned on its finals after-burners and blew Centrals away by 26 points with its trademark relentless finals football. The match was summed up in one unforgettable moment. As Port were turning the screws on Centrals, Duckworth launched one of his usually inspirational runs at the Port defence and tough half back flanker Tony Giles - who would have been giving away at least 10cm and 12kg to Duckworth - met him head on and laid a magnificent front on tackle. It was a bit akin to a rodeo rider on a raging bull as he hung on and brought Duckworth down to win a holding the ball free kick. With the Giles tackle it was as much a psychological battle as physical and Giles had the mental strength to win that battle, which exemplified Port Adelaide as a team.

Centrals were so rattled they lost the following week in the Preliminary Final to South Adelaide, setting up a Port Adelaide versus South Adelaide Grand Final. On Port’s part, while it had won handsomely to gain direct entry to the Grand Final, its build up was not without drama. Lead ruckman Chris Natt was suspended after being reported in the Second Semi Final. Inexperienced back up ruckman Robert Dolan experienced hamstring soreness during Grand Final week and was in some doubt for the match. Star rover and captain Brian Cunningham had a leg injury that required pain killing injections pre-match, Darrell Cahill had pain-killing injections for two broken fingers, while Greg Phillips was recovering from bronchitis. Tough experienced wingman Kym Kinnear’s finals series was ruined with a medial ligament strain. Mark Dawson pulled a hamstring in the first quarter of the Grand Final.

The 1979 Grand Final was played on Saturday 29 September before a crowd of 50,428 and umpired by Peter Mead and Bob Scholefield in dismal conditions with driving rain, a wet, greasy track and a strong south westerly wind being the norm. Scoring to the southern or golf course end was nearly impossible. Port kicked with the breeze in the first quarter and making the most of the conditions kicked 5 straight goals to no score by South. Tim Evans, Stephen Clifford and Mark Dawson goaled in the opening 8 minutes, with Evans and Darrell Cahill adding goals late in the term. South fought back with the breeze in the second term kicking 3.7 to Port’s 0.3.
Resuming after half time with an 8 point lead Port controlled the game to add a further 4.6 in the second half while holding South goalless to run out winners by 31 points, 9.9 (63) to 3.14 (32). Port Adelaide produced a powerful defensive performance to hold South goalless for three quarters of the Grand Final. No goals were kicked by either side to the southern end, Port kicking 5 points and South Adelaide 1 point.

South were considered to have some chance to upset the Magpies, largely through an expected vast superiority in ruck with form ruckmen Peter Hines and Andrew Bennett against the inexperienced Robert Dolan. But Dolan lifted his game to great heights to beat the two South stars and feature in the best players. Dolan received specialist coaching from John Nicholls during the season which undoubtedly helped improve his game.

Darrell Cahill was high in the best players with a prolific possession winning game both as a rover and loose man in defence; Mark Williams played a typically hard, vigorous wet weather game; while Milan Faletic’s class showed even in unfavourable conditions. Tim Evans kicked 4 goals, while fellow key forward, young 1977 Port Augusta recruit Kym Curtis impressed at centre half forward and providing support to Dolan in ruck. Greg Phillips put on a master class of discipline as the key defensive general that day and the lasting impression of the game is Phillips destroying South’s forward thrusts time and again by repeatedly spoiling the ball out of bounds when South had the breeze. Phillips used his spoiling tactics to establish mastery of boundary throw-ins to run down the clock and prevent any cohesive build up by the Panthers.

John Cahill’s role as coach should not be overlooked. He has always been renowned for instilling the Fos Williams’ true Port Adelaide tradition in every team he coaches. Tactically he thwarted South’s offensive drive by limiting the impact of its attacking half back flanker Gary Mousley; Russell Ebert and Chris Natt were used virtually as assistant coaches in the grandstand in the Grand Final; pre-season he had contacted VFL coaches such as David Parkin and Barry Davis for coaching ideas; and had enlisted John Nicholls to provide ruck coaching to Robert Dolan.

Chris Natt and Ross Agius joined the team for the lap of honour as Port Adelaide recognised its supporters and the players who helped it reach football’s pinnacle.
On a wet and windswept West Lakes, the Lady of the Lake fittingly found her true champion.

 

[longdonkey]

Here's a few things from the 77 game I remember. Fred Phillis and Tim Evans punching it out in the southern goal square. Kym Kinnear knocked out. Ivan Eckerman 4 goals but couldn't run. Bucky Cunningham snap over the shoulder in the left forward pocket right in front of where I was sitting.
But I love the story Kym Hodgeman when they got 14 pts clear just into time on "We've got it now"

 

[Asgardian]

1979 Premiership

Darrell Cahill adding goals late in the term.

That Darrell Cahill goal was either the biggest fluke of all time or DC has a slide rule in his head to figure out angles.

I was sitting right at the back of the open to the weather terraces, with 2 mates, both South supporters.

Here's an approximation



DC kicked it over his left shoulder to round about the goal square, but when the ball arrived there it did a 90 degree right hand turn mid air to go straight through for a goal.

At that stage my 2 mates lost all hope, saying if that can register a goal for Port, what hope did South have?

By the end of the game, if they had weapons, they would have happily murdered Greg Phillips for getting it out of bounds so damn often.

T'was "Sticks" Dolan's best game of footy ................ ever.

I came away from the match wet through like a drowned rat, as did my mates, but I was smiling.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

1980 Premiership

If 1979 was the year the Lady of the Lake sought a rightful champion, then 1980 was the year Port Adelaide strode commandingly to the sword in the stone, ripped it from its mooring and wrought havoc on the competition. Renowned and respected Port Adelaide historian John Wood referred to 1980 as Port Adelaide’s annus mirabilis or year of wonderful events, and with good reason.

On the playing side, 1980 saw the return of Port Adelaide legend Russell Ebert from his season with North Melbourne, David Granger returned from his season at St Kilda, while experienced VFL player Glen Elliott joined Port Adelaide also from St Kilda, although Elliott was to play little part in Port’s amazing year. West Torrens ruckman Mick Hamill was also cleared to Port during the year, the first player to have a transfer fee set by the Permit Tribunal.

Off-field, 1980 saw Big Bob McLean step aside as Port Adelaide’s General Manager after an illustrious 41 year career with Magpies. Big Bob played 147 games for Port Adelaide from 1939-48 and commenced in administration in 1949. He was a legendary administrator at club, state and national level. Words cannot do justice to the impact Bob McLean had on Port Adelaide. South Adelaide Secretary Manager Ron Taylor was named as Big Bob’s successor on 4 August 1980, with Big Bob retiring on 8 October 1980.

Port Adelaide’s 1975 Magarey Medallist Peter Woite, playing for Glenelg, announced his retirement from league football due to persistent knee injuries.

Port Adelaide, the 1979 Premier, was to reach a new level of football brilliance with the return of Ebert and a supremely confident John Cahill as coach who demanded even more from the team in terms of dedication, fitness, strength, skills and professionalism. Port was to finish minor premiers with 19 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw in the minor round. Port’s average winning margin was 80 points.

After drawing with Centrals in round 1 Port defeated Norwood by 108 points, Woodville by 161, South Adelaide by 24 and West Adelaide by 117 before losing to Sturt at Unley by 4 points. Even in that game Port Adelaide supporters can still recall fondly that David Granger played one of the great centre half forward games on Sturt’s VFL star recruit Gary Hardeman, booting 6 goals. After that hiccup, the carnage continued with Port defeating Glenelg by 51 points, West Torrens by 90, North Adelaide by 122, Centrals by 4, Norwood by 90, Woodville by 51, South by 94, West by 91, Sturt by 63 before another hiccup, dropping a game to Glenelg at Glenelg Oval by 24 points. Following that setback Port finished off the minor round with wins over Torrens by 56 points, North 102, Centrals 91, Norwood 55, Woodville 75 and South 72.

Port Adelaide’s domination over the competition was utter and complete. Port scored the most points over a season (3,421) and had the least kicked against it (1,851). Port became the first team to score 3,000 points in a minor round. From being the lowest scoring team in the 1979 Magarey Medal count (90), Port polled the most votes (213) in 1980. Port won the League and Reserves premierships and won the Stanley H Lewis Memorial Trophy for a record seventh time, this trophy being awarded to the club that performs best across the four grades of SANFL competition.

Despite all this dominance, amazingly, Port finished only half a game ahead of Glenelg with 19 wins and 3 losses. But Port and Glenelg were not to meet in the finals as Glenelg lost both of its finals comprehensively to Sturt and Norwood to be dismissed in straight sets.

As well as an extraordinary team performance, Port Adelaide produced outstanding individual feats. For the fourth time in its storied history, Port Adelaide completed the ultimate treble, winning the premiership and producing the Magarey Medallist and league leading goalkicker.

Russell Ebert returned from North Melbourne even fitter, stronger and more dedicated to being the complete footballer. Against West Torrens in round 17, Ebert broke the Port Adelaide club record of 264 league games previously held by John Cahill.

His one-handed skills were a breathtaking addition to his renowned strength, skill, balance, poise and football brain, with the ‘Hammer of Thor’ overhead smash handball added to his football armoury. This involved Ebert hoisting the ball one-handed above his head when tackled and handballing in a volleyball spiking action to team-mates in the clear. After some initial confusion on the part of umpires, the handball was declared legal, further bamboozling his bewildered opponents.

In an individual climax to the stellar 1980 minor round, Russell Ebert added a fourth Magarey Medal to stand alone in the pantheon of football greats with multiple Magarey Medals. Ebert remains the only footballer to have achieved this feat.

At the goalfront Tim Evans set about rewriting football history. The bearded wonder kicked a club record 16 goals in Port’s round 5 clash against West Adelaide. In round 17, as Ebert broke the Port Adelaide club record for league games played, Tim Evans brought up his hundredth goal for the season en route to piling on 14 goals for the match against West Torrens. Evans became the first player to kick 10 goals in a SANFL Second Semi Final as Port dispatched Sturt by 63 points during which he broke Fred Phillis’s single season SANFL goal kicking record of 137 goals set in 1969. Tim Evans was to finish 1980 with 146 goals to his name.

Nonetheless, as Port’s season suggests, this team was not reliant on one goalkicker, no matter how dominant. Ross Agius cast aside the disappointment of missing out on the 1979 Grand Final by establishing himself as an elusive opportunist goal scorer with 60 goals for the year. As part of a subtle shifting outer key forward set up, Milan Faletic kicked 46 goals and reliable goal scoring rover Darrell Cahill kicked 41 goals. This ability to create goals apart from Evans’s contribution was important in the Grand Final.

After gorging itself on rivals and records throughout the 1980 season, on Saturday 4 October 1980, in front of 54,870 spectators with umpires Des Foster, Peter Mead and Bob Scholefield officiating, Port Adelaide confronted an unlikely opponent, Norwood in that most traditional of SANFL rivalries. Norwood, coached by former Richmond strongman Neil Balme, had beaten West Torrens, Glenelg and Sturt to win through to the Grand Final from 5th spot to set up the clash of the SANFL’s heavyweight arch-rivals. Norwood was loaded with talented players with recent premiership winning experience, including tough and brilliant captain Michael Taylor who was runner up to Russell Ebert for the 1980 Magarey Medal, renowned hard on-baller John Wynne, fiery rover Greg Turbill, dependable full back Ian Stasinowsky, dangerous goalsneak Roger Woodcock, skilful and elusive wingman Phil Gallagher, experienced Sturt recruit Bruce Winter and a couple of young rising stars, the mercurial Michael Aish and Port’s current Chief Executive, Keith Thomas.

Port Adelaide had thrashed Norwood three times during the regular season, by 108 points (Alberton Oval), 90 points (Football Park) and 55 points (Norwood Oval). But just as Port are a different team in finals so too are Port versus Norwood finals clashes. As in 1979, Port again experienced drama in the lead up to the big game. Tony Giles missed the Grand Final following an off-field altercation during the finals series that left him with a broken jaw. Tony Hannan was recalled by Cahill from Whyalla and played in the Second Semi and Grand Finals. Tim Evans broke his thumb during the first half of the grand final and took no part in the game after half time, leaving Cahill to swap Chris Natt and Robert Dolan out of the goalsquare. David Granger was unlucky to miss selection for the Grand Final and would have been handy in the circumstances. Oh for a crystal ball before such important games!

In complete contrast to 1979, the 1980 Grand Final was played in 27 degree warm, sunny conditions that presented an entirely different challenge to the players as the heat sapped their energy throughout what was to no one’s surprise a tough, hard, fiercely fought gladiatorial contest. This was a day indeed that Port Adelaide would have to wield Excalibur with all their might.

Norwood opened the contest kicking with the strong northerly breeze and opened up an early 19 point lead but goals to Russell Ebert, Tim Evans and Ross Agius helped keep the margin to a manageable 8 points at quarter time. Port’s turn with the breeze in the second quarter saw an off-target Magpies register 2.6 for the term to Norwood’s 1.3 to go into half time with the slenderest of leads. Tim Evans had two goals to half time but his game was over with injury. This was a truly tough contest with players from both sides hurling themselves fearlessly into the fray, determined not to concede a centimetre, everything a grand final should be was on show on this day.

By three quarter time Norwood had eked out a four point lead, 7.9 to 6.11, but Port had been heroic in holding the Redlegs with the breeze and setting themselves up to come home to the scoring end. While Port was considered to be the fresher side having played only one final over the month, it had already had to defend strongly into the breeze in hot and trying conditions for two quarters.

At the halfway stage of the last quarter, Port had opened up a 16 point advantage, but Norwood surged again with two goals in a minute to Turbill and Woodcock. The contest was still alive! Finally goals late in the quarter to Greg Boyd and Mark Williams put the match beyond Norwood’s reach. In a gruelling, thrilling, epic, heroic encounter, Port triumphed by 18 points, 11.15 (81) to 9.9 (63). This was a Grand Final for the ages, one of the great premiership deciders.

For Port Adelaide no-one was better than Greg Phillips who was supreme across half back shutting down Norwood’s direct path to goal. The Port centreline of Kym Kinnear, Mark Williams and Bruce Abernethy provided plenty of ball to repeatedly drive Port deep into the attacking zone. Rovers Brian Cunningham and Darrell Cahill found plenty of the ball to spark the Magpies, while Ross Agius led all scorers with 3 goals. Quite possibly the most relieved man at the final siren was brave ruckman Chris Natt who performed valiantly to be the best big man on the ground. Natt had endured the horror Grand Final in 1976 opposed to Rick Davies, was overlooked in 1977 and had missed the 1979 premiership due to suspension. Finally Chris Natt had the premiership he had so craved and so deserved.

And so the King had been crowned after an annus mirabilis where Port had strode like a colossus across the competition and triumphed in a truly classic Grand Final that left a host of courageous, exhausted warriors in its wake. Back to back Premierships were in the Magpies' trophy cabinet, but like the Lord of the Rings, this was to be a trilogy and the Return of the King was still to come in the following year.

As a post-script, it was mentioned earlier that Port had won the reserves premiership. This match should also be noted as an extraordinary result in an extraordinary year. Port played a Glenelg side that included budding young stars Stephen Kernahan and Chris McDermott. Port Adelaide was clear favourites having beaten the Bays by 91 points two weeks earlier in the Second Semi Final. However the Grand Final looked gone from the Magpies’ grasp as Glenelg established a 44 point three quarter time lead, 13.12 to 6.10. Coming home with the breeze, Port Adelaide kicked 9.6 to a solitary point by Glenelg in the last quarter to win the Reserves Premiership by 15 points, 15.16 (106) to 13.13 (91). David Granger kicked 5 goals for the Premiers and Mick Hamill was judged best afield.

 

[Macca19]

Epic, epic reviews Ford

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Thanks Macca, yours was a beauty too, evoking vivid memories of another great season.

Now for 1981.

 

[Macca19]

I should have 1994 done in the next couple of days.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Look forward to that one. Watching that grand final - especially the last quarter - still gives me chills. Like 1981 that was another season we were written off halfway through - they never learn!

Going through the 1980 review I still wonder at how good we were that year. I was lucky enough to witness that season and probably didn't appreciate at the time just how easily we vanquished team after team. We were almost blase about it as supporters. When we beat Woodville by 161 points Bruce Abernethy expressed disappointment about kicking 'only' 6 goals in the third quarter after amassing 31 goals in the other three. And the newspaper report mildly rebuked Milan Faletic for missing a chance to kick 10 goals, finishing with 8.5.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Thanks Macca, yours was a beauty too, evoking vivid memories of another great season.

Now for 1981.

Yeah great stuff you blokes.

77, 79, 80 & 81 were all amazing Premierships and all amazing for completely different reasons. 1980 was the first one I actually went to and I bought a "Magpies Premiers 1980" pennant outside the ground before the game. I truly thought I had jinxed us until very late in the game. I went to every game that year expecting us to win by 20 goals. I went to every game every year expecting us to win but 1980 was something else, Port Adelaide were simply miles ahead of everyone else. Credit to Norwood for making a game of it in the decider. Must have been KT playing with the Port Adelaide spirit???

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I can testify like Asgardian to the sogginess of the 1979 grand final. 1992 was another Ark weather grand final.

And 1980 was a hot day. I still remember my face was red as a tomato by the end of the day (sun screen, what was that?) except for my lily-white forehead covered as it was by my ubiquitous beanie (I did outgrow the beanie ... couldn't spoil the fashion statement that was my Alberton mullet )

 

[Ford Fairlane]

To quote the inimitable Doc Neeson, this is it folks, over the top. The 1981 season review.


1981 Premiership

In 1977 Port Adelaide broke its 12 year premiership drought and in the same year celebrated rock band The Eagles released Hotel California as a single from the album of the same name. Hotel California is recognised as a classic rock offering and has been open to various interpretations. It contains a lyric that summed up Port Adelaide’s 1981 season:

They stab it with their steely knives
But they just can’t kill the beast

Port Adelaide faced its most challenging year as it strived for what Americans like to call the Three-peat and what Australians a little less laconically call three in a row, Premierships in 1979-1980-1981. Defections, injury and form concerns appeared to be derailing Port’s campaign from the outset, much to the barely disguised glee of opposition clubs and media commentators. But as they were to discover, Port Adelaide are not so readily written off.

Port Adelaide’s stellar 1980 team was weakened for the 1981 season with the move of Mark Wiliams to Collingwood, while Milan Faletic was recruited by St Kilda. The lure of the VFL competition and their clubs’ not always cashed up cheque books was hitting home in South Australia, again impacting the state’s greatest club. Mark Williams was an instant hit in Victoria gaining VFL state team selection and winning Collingwood’s Copeland Trophy in his first year.

On the credit side, as part of the Williams deal, talented young Collingwood ruckman Russell Johnston moved to Alberton (where he became a team-mate of David Granger who was suspended for striking Johnston in a VFL reserves match in 1979). Tony Martyn was recruited from the Melbourne Football Club during the season, proving to be a tough and skilful wingman who performed admirably in the 1981 Grand Final.

Of the local players, tall, tough young defender Danny Hughes from Cummins in Port’s productive west coast country recruiting zone established himself in the league side, debuting at 17 years of age. Hughes would go on to become one of the game’s leading full backs first with Port Adelaide and later with Melbourne in the VFL. A lightly framed but sublimely skilled youngster by the name of Craig Bradley debuted for the Magpies and played in the 1981 Grand Final. A bout of glandular fever in May restricted Bradley to 5 games, but he was selected as soon as he fully recovered. Bradley of course went on to have an exceptional football career with Port Adelaide and later Carlton in the VFL. Russell Ebert’s younger brother Craig (father of current Power star Brad Ebert) was recruited from North Adelaide’s zone and played 7 games in 1981. Another youngster, Martin Leslie, played 4 games, just missing out on a 1981 Grand Final berth and also went on to have an illustrious career with Port Adelaide and later Brisbane.

The SANFL introduced two new awards to the competition, with the Jack Oatey Medal officially recognising the best player in the grand final and the Ken Farmer Medal acknowledging the league’s leading goalkicker for the season. When the dust settled on the 1981 season, Port Adelaide, history-makers as always, had engraved the names of club champions Russell Ebert and Tim Evans on both newly minted medals.

However, this was far from the club’s thinking early in the 1981 season as injury appeared set to cruel Port in its defence of the 1980 premiership. Disaster struck in round 1 in a 51 point loss to Glenelg at Football Park as champion Port centre half back Greg Phillips went down with a torn Achilles tendon. Phillips opted against season-ending surgery, hoping natural healing would see him back during the 1981 season.

Russell Ebert was initially moved back into the key outer defence post, but allied with the pre-season loss of Milan Faletic, this left a gaping hole in John Cahill’s forward structure. This in turn was leaving Tim Evans exposed at full forward allowing opposition defences to concentrate all their attention on the champion full forward, although Evans was still productive with 34 goals after 9 rounds. Volatile and gifted centre half forward strongman David Granger was the obvious solution but Granger was struggling with injury and suspension.

While Russell Ebert performed creditably in defence, Port missed the superb balance of defensive and attacking instinct Phillips had honed as the general of the Port defence. Port in turn missed Ebert’s massive influence on the ball. This turned into a crisis as Port’s champion rover combination of Brian Cunningham and Darrell Cahill fell by the wayside in the first part of the season with long term groin injuries. Ebert was returned to the midfield as first year key defender Danny Hughes filled centre half back.

As the halfway point of the year approached, the near invincible Port Adelaide of 1980 was a mere shadow of its glorious self, tumbling to seventh place on 4 wins and 5 losses. Port had suffered three losses in the preceding 4 weeks to West Adelaide at Alberton (16 points), North Adelaide at Alberton (50 points) and South Adelaide at Football Park (8 points). Only a 14 point win against lowly Woodville at Woodville between the West and North defeats broke the sequence. The following week Woodville were beaten by Sturt at Woodville by 161 points. While John Cahill maintained there was no such thing as a bad win, Port supporters were feeling worried.

The loss to North Adelaide at Alberton prompted prominent South Australian football commentator Ken Cunningham to write off Port Adelaide’s chances of making the finals to defend its 1980 premiership. He declared the Magpies were ‘gone’ and the buzz was reverberating through the media. The steely knives were indeed being sharpened.
Port’s round 1 conqueror Glenelg on the other hand were steamrolling unchallenged through the 1981 competition. Seemingly stung by their ignominious exit from the 1980 finals series, the Bays had swept all before them to remain unbeaten through the first 10 rounds of the 1981 season.

But the winds of change were blowing and first full gusty breeze was felt by Sturt in round 10, the week after Port had lost to South Adelaide. David Granger, having overcome his injury and suspension issues returned to Port’s key outer forward post and had an immediate impact. Mercurial and volatile, tempestuous and brilliant, the prodigiously talented and rugged Granger rejuvenated the struggling Port Adelaide forward line not only through his own significant contributions but also by imposing himself physically to create time and space for Tim Evans and protect the small forwards.
Port Adelaide comfortably dispatched the then second-placed Sturt by 34 points and the electricity of an emergent Port Adelaide was alive in the air. Ominously for the competition too, number 22 Greg Phillips reappeared on the reserves team sheet.

David Granger’s return was not without drama though. He was reported by four umpires for a seemingly legitimate hip and shoulder bump on Sturt’s Nigel Wark. Granger interviewed post-match said there was nothing wrong with the bump, it was just a fair hip and shoulder. John Cahill said the umpires were creating a soft, wide game that could end the fierce physical contact that players considered acceptable if not enjoyable. The SANFL tribunal dismissed the charge leaving Granger free to play on. Ken Cunningham, admitting he had not seen the incident, couldn’t accept all the umpires were in the wrong. But it was clear Granger was increasingly coming to the attention of the lawmakers. This was to have repercussions beyond the 1981 season and for football rules as we knew them.

Nonetheless, the stage was set for Port’s return encounter with the unbeaten Glenelg, this time at the Bay Oval. David Granger was available and Greg Phillips had returned from his Achilles tendon injury. However, with Glenelg in control and leading early it was feared Port’s resurgence would be short-lived. The Bays led by 29 points at quarter time and added a fifth goal in the second quarter before Port had goaled. But that man again, the impossible, irrepressible Granger launched a torpedo punt from centre wing with a heavy ball for a goal and the Magpies were alight. By half time the margin was a slender 3 points in Glenelg’s favour. Port stormed home in the second half to defeat Glenelg by 21 points on their own dunghill and snap their unbeaten streak. There is a memorable moment in that game where Peter Carey shoved Granger in the back to win a ruck contest but tapped it straight to Paul Belton who ran into an open goal. Granger started to jog back to position, but stopped, turned, pointed at Carey and laughed. It became a classic moment captured by a media photographer. This photo became a fitting twin set with a picture of David ‘conducting’ the Sturt cheer squad with a ‘double-V’ sign the previous week.

From then on, Port Adelaide was back in town. The beast had been wounded but to paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of its demise were greatly exaggerated. From being seventh placed with 4 wins and 5 losses at round 9, Port Adelaide stormed home to win 11 of its remaining 13 games and claim second spot on the SANFL ladder with 15 wins and 7 losses, only percentage ahead of South Adelaide and behind Glenelg, which finished the minor round with a 19 win 3 loss record as it did in 1980. Greg Phillips, Darrell Cahill, Brian Cunningham and Craig Bradley all returned to the side during the second half of the year, but there were still some close wins, notably 1 point over Norwood at Norwood and 9 points over West at a sodden heavy Richmond track. But Port was regenerating its cohesion and winning comfortably was becoming a habit again. Tim Evans claimed the Ken Farmer Medal with 90 goals over the minor round. He was to finish with 98 goals by the end of the finals.

In the second part of the season Port’s two losses were to Centrals by 23 points at Elizabeth in round 14 and minor round nemesis Glenelg at Alberton by 26 points in round 17. An outlandish scorecard saw Port leading that game at half time by 34 points, 7.10 to 3.0. The Bays had an outrageous second half, kicking 13.2 to Port’s 2.8 to run out winners 16.2 (98) to 9.18 (72). This was the last game Port lost in 1981. Port was missing Trevor Sorrell, Greg Phillips, Russell Johnston, Bruce Abernethy, Brian Cunningham, Darrell Cahill, Craig Bradley and Andy Porplycia. Nearly all were available for the 1981 Grand Final.

Port Adelaide met Norwood in the final minor round game of the 1981 season at Football Park. The 1980 Grand Final combatants who had fought each other to a standstill in that memorable game were playing for a top three finish. An unprecedented minor round crowd of 35,213 attended the match. Norwood produced a Glenelg-like scoreline of 12.1 but was no match for the by then rampant Magpies who obliterated the Redlegs on their way to kicking 16.23 and winning by 46 points, a margin which greatly flattered Norwood and relegated them to another Elimination Final. This was the third time Port had dispatched Norwood during the season, with the one point win at Norwood and a 36 point win in the traditional Anzac Day clash of the previous year’s grand finalists. Port had beaten Norwood in eight consecutive games over 1979-80-81.

Port met South Adelaide in the Qualifying Final and summarily dismissed the Panthers by 41 points, 18.22 (130) to 12.17 (89) to set up the final everyone was looking forward to, Port v Glenelg in the Second Semi Final. As contests go, the Second Semi was not one. Port turned on its typical finals power to prey on Glenelg’s mental fragility in finals, especially finals against the Magpies. Port destroyed the Bays by an even nine goals in front of 35,002 spectators, 22.15 (147) to 13.15 (93). Glenelg despite 19 wins in the minor round for two consecutive years were physically and psychologically crushed by Port Adelaide.

The only damage Glenelg had done to Port was in the tribunal room where Trevor Sorrell was suspended for one match for striking following an altercation between Sorrell, Ralph Sewer and Ivan Eckermann. Sewer was suspended for three games while Eckermann was reprimanded. Sorrell’s ‘love tap’ while undisciplined seemed innocuous enough, delivered with a quip about Sewer’s choice of clubs in moving from Woodville to Glenelg. But the decision stood. Peter Hofner ultimately edged out Martin Leslie for a spot in the 1981 Grand Final team.

Glenelg were consigned to the Preliminary Final where Norwood had arrived ominously with comprehensive wins over West Adelaide (33 points) and South Adelaide (83 points). Surprisingly, Glenelg hauled itself up from the mauling handed out by Port Adelaide to comfortably account for Norwood by 55 points.

Port Adelaide met Glenelg in the Grand Final on Saturday 3 October 1981, in front of 52,659 spectators. The game was officiated by Peter Mead and Bob Scholefield. The 1981 Grand Final was no more a contest than the Second Semi Final. Kicking with the breeze in the first quarter under overcast skies, Port Adelaide simply rag-dolled Glenelg from the opening bounce with its typical strong aggressive finals football and scintillating teamwork. Glenelg’s early attempt at some physicality fell apart as Neville Caldwell was left unconscious and stretchered from the field following a collision with David Granger. Russell Ebert was controlling the centre and the quarter was punctuated by a monster torpedo goal by Stephen Clifford from inside the centre square. By quarter time the margin was 35 points, 6.5 (41) to 1.0 (6) and in the mind of most pundits, the game was over.

Another line from The Eagles Hotel California comes to mind

You can check out any time you like
But you can never leave

Glenelg had checked out of the Grand Final sometime in the first quarter but they couldn’t leave.

The game’s memorable moment came in the second quarter as David Granger fired out a 30 metre handball to Russell Ebert running through half forward. Ebert accepted the handball, cut inside, took a couple of bounces then slotted an imperious goal, raising his arms in triumph. Even Russell, circumspect champion that he is, knew the Bays were done. Although kicking into the breeze, at half time Port had slightly stretched its lead to 38 points 8.6 to 2.4.

Despite losing Bruce Abernethy to a hamstring strain in the second quarter, Port added another 4.5 in the third quarter and stretched its lead to 66 points at three quarter time, compiling 23 scoring shots to 7 at that point in the game. Coming home to the scoring end Glenelg outscored Port in the last quarter but hardly saved face. The final margin was 51 points, 14.11 (95) to 6.8 (44). For the third time in three years Port Adelaide’s captain was to raise the Thomas Seymour Hill trophy in victory.

The maestro, Russell Ebert won the inaugural Jack Oatey Medal for best afield in a grand final with a commanding 37 possession game to dictate the match from the midfield. He was closely followed by tough and cheeky Stephen ‘Bomber’ Clifford in a dominant midfield quinella supported by skilful rovers Brian Cunningham and Paul Belton, with Darrell Cahill excelling in his usual on-ball and loose man in defence role. Tony Martyn and Kim Kinnear played traditional tough Port finals football pumping the ball forward from the wings and super-talented Craig Bradley capitalised with 3 goals 1 point to lead all scorers. Clifford also added three straight goals. The entire Port defensive unit, led by general Greg Phillips, was superb in shutting down Glenelg’s forward options, reducing the Bays to six individual goal scorers. Suspended Trevor Sorrell joined his team-mates for the traditional lap of honour and retired after the game.

John Cahill had established himself as one of the coaching greats as the architect of Port’s 1979-1980-1981 Premiership trifecta and four Premierships in five years. Cahill joined Port Adelaide immortal Fos Williams and Sturt’s Jack Oatey as the only coaches to convert two consecutive premierships into three since 1907.

In a sour post-script to the game, Glenelg’s Football Director Harry Kernahan used video evidence to report David Granger for striking Neville Caldwell. Glenelg called for a five year ban on Granger, who was suspended for six matches by the league tribunal. The incident fuelled the increasingly hostile and bitter relationship between Port and Glenelg which was to deteriorate further in 1982 and reignite in fury in 1990.

 

[pastmyprimus]

Brilliant write-up. That goes for the others that you and Macca have done. Brings back a lot of happy memories.

This initiative is a great way of preserving the club's rich and proud history.

 

[pastmyprimus]

Also liked the use of lyrics from Hotel California in the write-up. A nice touch.

Reminded me of the ACDC classic. The drive to Alberton oval along Port Road would have been known as the highway to hell for opposition clubs and supporters.

 

[Macca19]

1994 Season

“You can never write off Port Adelaide”. A statement. A mantra. A way of life for the Port Adelaide Football Club. For decades, the psychological fear that Port Adelaide had put onto its opponents had paid dividends. No matter how far behind, no matter how late in the match, there was also the knowledge that at the flick of a switch, the Magpies soldiers could steal a game from its opponents grasp. It had done it before on the biggest stage. 1994 was another such example.

The squad had gone through significant change in 1994. Gone were youngsters who were key players in 1993. Che Cockatoo-Collins left for Essendon. Troy Bond – 1993 Best and Fairest winner – went to Carlton, his younger brother Shane also leaving for West Coast. Brayden Lyle also left for West Coast, whilst talented tall duo Damien Sheehan and Shane Wakelin joined the AFL. Not only did the club lose its youth, it lost its most respected of champions. Premiership star, Captain and leader Greg Phillips retired at the end of 1993.

The silver lining of so many players leaving meant it gave greater opportunities to another group of talented youngsters. 19 year old Darryl Wakelin filled the void at centre half back. He was helped by a 20 year old, tough as nails back flanker in Stephen Carter. 22 year old tall utility Darryl Poole started to influence games both as a ruck and across half forward. Two teenagers developed up forward in Simon Pedler and Troy Olsen. Both would have an influence come finals time. Troy Hull and Michael Gaffney would play games through the midfield. And then there was a small, quick, Aboriginal kid who’d climbed up from the Under 17s to debut mid year. His name was Andrew Mcleod and he showed plenty of the potential brilliance that would mark his future AFL career.

Former Geelong and Sydney player Tony Malakellis came across from the AFL. With pace, agility and skill, he fit straight into the midfield. Scott Spalding came across from Carlton. A wingman who struggled early in the year but really made a back flank his own late in the season. The club also recruited Crow ruckman Darren Bartsch from West Adelaide. The biggest recruit of the year however was Scott Hodges. Free from his AFL duties after being delisted by Adelaide, Scotty played the whole year with his real home at Port Adelaide.

Things however didn’t all go according to plan for Port Adelaide in the first half of the season. Despite winning its first three matches, the club fell to 5-6 at the halfway mark of the season and found itself outside of the five. Many scribes began to write off the club. “Too old, Too slow” they said.

The turning point of the season came against Glenelg in Round 14. The club had lost its past three matches including to Norwood at Alberton. Port Adelaide would end up thrashing the Mark Williams led Glenelg team by 132 points on their own turf. The match would see the stunning debut of Andrew Mcleod, who kicked 3 goals. Like the club itself, Scott Hodges had been inconsistent to start the season. 8 goals against the Tigers saw him regain confidence and hit peak form. In the remaining 11 matches, Hodges kicked a bag of 11, 2 bags of 10, 2 bags of 8 and a 7 to finish off kicking 100 goals in the minor round to win the Ken Farmer Medal, dragging Port Adelaide up the ladder with him.

“You can never write off Port Adelaide”. Including the Glenelg match, Port Adelaide went on a 10-1 streak to finish the year, including winning the last 9 matches to finish second on the ladder. The one loss, and the team that finished above them were the Eagles. Woodville/West Torrens were the leading club. The Bruce Winter led side had won the premiership in 1993, the Foundation Cup in 1993 and 1994 and it seemed a fait accompli that they would go back to back at the end of the season. They were a brutal football team. Strong and tough physically, highly attacking, laden with talent and held that heir of arrogance that all great football teams have. They were good, and they knew it.

Port had the wood on the Eagles in 1993, but it all came crashing down with a 74 point thrashing in the 1993 2nd Semi Final. The Eagles went on to win the flag whilst Port missed the Grand Final. This continued in 1994, with Port suffering a 66 point loss in Round 6 in front of 15,000 people at Football Club and a 42 point loss in Round 15 at Woodville Oval. Port got its own back in Round 25 with an 82 point thumping of its own at Alberton. Bruce Winter wrote this off as “one, we can’t play that badly again and two, the finals aren’t played at Alberton”.

Port faced Central District in what would be a record breaking Qualifying Final. Only 24 hours after the AFL’s first extra time final, the SANFL had its own with the clubs locked on 13.14 each at the final siren. Central had come back from 4 goals down to lead by 7 points with under a minute left on the clock. But as they say…”You can never write off Port Adelaide”. A goal to Scott Hodges and a behind to Darryl Borlase sent the match into extra time. It was that man again - Scott Hodges - that gave Port Adelaide the victory, kicking 2.1 in extra time to see Port face off against the Eagles in the 2nd Semi.

The Eagles won the 2nd Semi in a similar result to 12 months earlier, by 73 points, making the Alberton loss look an arbitrary hiccup on the way to the flag. Port saw off Central again in the Prelim Final, winning by 90 points with Simon Pedler and Troy Olsen kicking 9 goals between them. It wasn’t all fun and games though. Wingman Troy Hull dislocated a shoulder and would miss the Grand Final, whilst influential big man Darryl Poole, would miss through suspension, after headbutting Simon Luhrs. Stephen Williams and Roger Delaney would come back from injury to play in the big one.

The Eagles were unbackable favourites leading into the big game. Port Adelaide weren’t used to being the underdog. They were favourites leading into their previous 4 Grand Finals. The Eagles though looked the goods. The fixture saw them have the bye in Round 23, meaning they had only played 3 matches in the previous 6 weeks. Would the Eagles fresh legs see them run over the top of Port Adelaide? Would Port Adelaide be more finals hardened and ready to play? What happened over the next 120 minutes will be talked about for generations.

The match started under poor conditions and as the rain teemed down, it seemed to wash away Port Adelaide’s chances with it. By the 25 minute mark of the first quarter, the Eagles led 6.2 to 0.3. The match as a contest looked over. The Eagles had dominated the midfield, dominated across half back and had winners up forward. Scott Morphett had kicked 3 goals and Andrew Taylor looked dangerous. Darren Mead – playing just his 2nd match in 4 months – had to replace Brett Chalmers in the ruck. Ports trump card had been well beaten by David Niemann.

Within 2 minutes, Meads influence in the ruck saw Port record its first goal through Tim Ginever. Seconds later, Scott Hodges took a strong one hander, received a 25 metre penalty and kicked his first for the day. At ¼ time, Port trailed by 22 points. The game settled in the second quarter as the rain continued to fall. Both clubs kicked 2.3 for the quarter, leaving the margin at 22 points at the main change. Simon Pedler had worked into the game up forward, taking a couple of strong marks and goaling. Tim Ginever, Stephen Williams and Darryl Borlase were getting the ball in the middle. Darren Mead, was still impacting in the ruck. Paul Northeast had shut Scott Morphett out of the match and Darryl Wakelin was playing a beauty at centre half back.

The weather cleared up over half time and as the temperature warmed, so did the contest. Port Adelaide harassed, attacked and wore down the Eagles physically. The quarter was played at a frenetic pace but the goals did not come. Hodges, Smith, Mcleod and Williams all missed from within 20 metres and nearing the end of the quarter, Port had only kicked 1.7 to 1.2 for all its dominance. Stephen Williams marked and goaled on the siren to put the margin back to 12 points at the final stage. For all intents and purposes, Port should have been in front. This only increased the drama.

There was one player who wasn’t living up to expectation. Scott Hodges had struggled against Jason Spehr before. The Eagles full back had held Hodges to just the single goal twice throughout the year – including the 2nd semi-final. Hodges had just the 4 touches going into the last quarter and it seemed that Spehr would be a match winner for the Eagles again. Could Hodges break free and impact the last quarter? Could Port Adelaide dig deep again against a fresh Woodville/West Torrens? As they say…”you can never write off Port Adelaide”.

Within 60 seconds Hodges had made an impact. Rohan Smith hit him on a long lead and Scotty had goaled from 50 out. 4 minutes later, Hodges took a 2-grab mark under extreme pressure from Spehr. Suddenly the scores were level. Within a minute, it was Hodges again, tapping a ball forward to Andrew Mcleod who soccered through his first goal. 8 minutes into the last quarter, Port Adelaide was in the lead for the first time. The Eagles had stalled at the wrong time. They could barely get their hands on the ball. Their arrogance had gone. They were in trouble, and they knew it.

It wouldn’t end there. Moments later, it was that man – Scott Hodges – who marked a Darryl Wakelin bomb and goaled. Suddenly he had kicked 4. And it was Hodges again a minute later who had snapped over his shoulder to Andrew Mcleod who juggled a mark and kicked his 2nd for the quarter.

Then it would be Malakellis’ turn to join the party, sharking the ball of a pack and snapping truly. Not to be outdone, it was Hodges turn again, with one of the Grand Finals finest moments. A snap by Ginever had gone across the face to the advantage of Jason Spehr. As Spehr ran off, Hodges came from 5 metres behind and brought him down with a lunging tackle. As a broken Spehr stood the mark, Hodges kicked his 5th. In 14 minutes Port Adelaide had turned a 12 point defecit into a 31 point lead. The crowd knew, the players knew, the opposition knew, Port Adelaide was home.

Hodges would add another, as would Ginever and Port Adelaide would run out winners by 37 points. They had done the unthinkable. They were written off mid year. They were written off after the 2nd Semi. They were written off 20 minutes into the first quarter. Despite this, they had completed one of the biggest come backs in Grand Final history to win in style.

The heroes of the day were endless. Scott Hodges had sunk the Eagles dynasty with 5 last quarter goals. His opponent Jason Spehr was never the same. Tim Ginever and Stephen Williams were epic in the midfield. Ginever had taken over the captaincy and delivered with a Best and Fairest in a premiership year. Darryl Wakelin won the Jack Oatey Medal for his role at centre half back on Sam Phillipou. Phillipou had beaten Wakelin convincingly in the 2nd Semi, but Darryl regrouped and kept his opponent to just 1 mark and 3 kicks for the match. Recruits Tony Malakellis and Scott Spalding had big games. So did elder statesmen Roger Delaney and Rohan Smith. Brett Chalmers came back from a poor start to have an untold influence in the second half.

It was a victory against massive odds. It was the comeback to end all comebacks. It was the sweetest premiership of all. “You can never write off Port Adelaide”….ain’t that the truth!

Port Adelaide 15.16 106
WWT Eagles 10.9 69
BEST: Wakelin, Ginever, Williams, Hodges, Northeast, Delaney, R Smith, Spalding
GOALS: Hodges 6; Ginever, Williams, Mcleod 2; Borlase, Malakellis, Pedler

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Fantastic review Macca. Great to be reminded of the drama leading up to the big day.

Interesting story on Scott Spalding - part of his deal signing with Port was getting a job through the club. It turned out to be pretty dismal, he was packing hessian bags in one of the warehouses on the Port. He would get home every day covered in dust and unimaginably itchy. He finally threw it in and found himself a job as a Coke rep which he found far more enjoyable. I imagine his turnaround in form came with his his job transfer.

 

[Macca19]

1989 Season

From the hunter to the hunted. After the premiership success of 1988, Port Adelaide was no longer chasing. They had achieved the ultimate and it was now up to the rest of the competition to chase them down. And whilst a legitimate contender arose to challenge the thrown, the end result would be one to remember.

Port lost one of its favourite sons at the end of 1988 in Martin Leslie. The All Australian centre half back was the original number 1 pick at the 1986 draft and left for Brisbane at the end of the season. Midfielder Roger Kerr returned to WA after just the one season. Experienced players in Stephen Curtis, John Harvey, Craig Ebert and Jon Simpson also left.

On the recruiting front, Paul Rizonico came in from Collingwood. A defender who could swing up forward, Paul would miss the 1989 premiership, but would have success in future years. A true clubman, he still works at the club to this day. 1989 saw the emergence of a new batch of future premiership stars. 18 year old Darren Mead debuted. He’d become a major player through the 90s and at AFL level for the club.
18 year old Simon Tregenza established himself as a star of the competition. With just 2 SANFL games to his name at the start of the year, Simon’s lightning speed and silky skills on a wing saw him finish 2nd in the Magarey Medal. 19 year old Adrian Settre impressed throughout the year with his pace and goal sense. 19 year old Paul Northeast established himself on a back flank. A no frills, ungainly, rugged, tough defender with one of the most unique kicking styles in football, Paul’s 8 premiership medals would see him as one of the most successful SANFL players of all time.

The year started well for the Magpies, winning the Foundation Cup against Glenelg by 3 points. A Scott Hodges goal from the boundary with a couple of minutes left was enough to win it for the club. That would be it for Glenelg for the year. They snuck into the finals in fifth spot and lost its Elimination Final to Norwood. Another challenger would need to arise, and that challenger was North Adelaide.

North Adelaide had tasted success throughout the 80s. They had made three consecutive grand finals from 1985-87, winning the last of those. Under Mick Nunan they were a team known for their skill and attractive football. They had a team mixed with reliable experience and talented youth. Their forward line of Bennet, Smart, Tasker, Darren Jarman and Darel Hart were capable of kicking big scores. Their defence was water tight, filled with 200 game veterans who had played through their successful era.

1989 would be Port, North and then the rest. The gulf in class between the two top sides and the rest of the competition was significant. North won the minor premiership with 19 wins. Port lost 2 of its first three games, went on an 18 game winning streak before losing its last two games to finish second on the ladder. Central finished third, 5 wins behind Port.

Port and North had shared victory in its first two outings of the year. It faced off on Fathers Day in Round 21 for the match of the year. 29,204 people filled Football Park to see North win an epic encounter by 4 points. They would get the weeks rest. Port would play Central, who hadn’t won a final since 1972. That run would continue in the Qualifying Final. After trailing by 13 points at half time, Port stormed home with a 17 goal to 2 second half to win by 85 points.

The second Semi between Port and North would follow a similar story. After trailing by 22 points late in the second quarter, a 10 goal to 4 second half saw port victorious by 23 points and into its second successive grand final. North would have to get there the long way, beating Norwood in the Preliminary Final by 36 points. And so it was set. The two clear best clubs of the season facing off in the big one.

Port went in favourites as expected, after their dismantling of North in the second semi. North were expected to hit back hard. They had done so all year. They were rarely beaten and had more talent than anyone. The two clubs had very contrasting styles. Port were brash and full of brawn. They played tough, uncompromising football. North were skilful, stylish and when on song played beautiful football.

Grand Final day came and the weather told a vital story. A strong, blustery wind going towards the southern end and showers throughout the morning would play into Ports hands. It would make North’s skilful, accurate style of play difficult to pull off. But, it’s a Grand Final….anything can happen on the day. What happened, I don’t think anybody was expecting.

The day started poorly for North with Port Adelaide winning the toss and kicking with a significant breeze in the opening term. It didn’t get any better. 10 seconds into the match, Scott Hodges led strongly, marked and goaled from 30 out in front. North managed to cut the margin to 4 points with 5 minutes of strong attacking. It was the closest they would get. From then on, it was all Port Adelaide.

Darren Smith, who had a poor grand final in 1988, slotted through a neat goal from a tight angle after some strong work from Wayne Mahney. His namesake Rohan goaled after some great defending by Greg Phillips. From the next bounce down, Hodges marked on the lead again, kicked his second, and the margin was out to 24 points. Scotty would kick his third goal just prior to the quarter time siren, after a wonderful running effort from Roger Delaney.
It was a strong first quarter. Port made full use of the breeze and led by its captain Russell Johnston in the ruck, was well on top. The midfield was winning plenty of the football and North were breaking down across half forward. Port were finding space wide with Tregenza and Hutton on top of their opponents. Now, it would be Port’s turn to defend against the wind.

There is a famous saying, “The best form of defence is attack”, which certainly rang true in the second quarter. Port harassed, attacked, gave North no space to move and dominated the quarter as it did the first. Port held North to just the single behind, whilst kicking four goals themselves. Two of those goals came from Russell Boyd.

Russell Boyd was an interesting story. A stocky rover with pace and a booming kick, ‘Rusty’ had struggled with injury throughout his career. Debuting in 1982, Russell had managed just the 40 matches in 7 seasons prior to 1989. A badly broken ankle, 2 broken arms, a knee reconstruction on his left knee, a knee reconstruction on his right, Russell had made the medical rooks his own and had played just the single match in the previous two seasons. But 1989 would be different for Rusty. Russell worked his way into the side mid year, had a strong finals series and 2 goals off the bench in a premiership would be sweet reward after years of setbacks.
At half time, Port Adelaide led 9.7 to 0.3. It was an emphatic half of football by Port Adelaide. The much vaunted North Adelaide forward line had been thrashed by their opponents. Smart and Bennett were well beaten by Boyd and Phillips, whilst Delaney had kept his opponent kickless for the second year running. Port had winners all over the park. Johnston was dominating against Mick Redden in the ruck, Brown, Obst and Tregenza were winning plenty of the ball. Hodges and Darren Smith had kicked 5 goals between them.

Things didn’t improve for North Adelaide after the break. Well, they did break through for their first goal, thanks to Craig Burton who received the ball from Kim Klomp and goaled from 30 out. It was their only goal for the match. As the rain came down, the goal scoring dried up. Port kicked just the two goals for the quarter, through Simon Tregenza and Darren Smith.

The goals would return in the last. Darren Smith kicked his fourth goal. Scott Hodges did the same. Andrew Obst soccered through a great goal, then a minute later kicked his second. It was all about the celebration after that. Port Adelaide had gone back to back and in style, by 94 points.

It was an incredible result. This was North Adelaide, the best team of the year, who had the best defence statistically in 9 years with a forward line with near endless options. It was the lowest Finals score in 90 years.

In a win such as this you can’t help but say that everyone played well. Russell Johnston was judged best afield and won the Jack Oatey Medal. After the heartache of 1988, this was an emotional winner. Johnston finished with 17 disposals and over 20 hitouts, led the midfield with aplomb and completely blanketed Mick Redden. Redden had played state of origin earlier in the year against Victoria and was the best ruckman in the SANFL at the time.

18 year old Simon Tregenza finished 2nd in the Magarey Medal during the year and would have been 2nd best afield in the big one. He dominated on the wing, picking up 31 disposals and a goal. Andrew Obst was brilliant in the centre, as was Stephen Williams, both of whom blanketed the dangerous Darren Jarman. Darren Smith, who had a poor grand final 12 months earlier, was excellent at centre half forward, with 21 disposals and 4 goals. Scott Hodges got the team going with 3 goals in the opening term.

When your opponent only kicks the one goal for the match, the defence deserves a special mention. The three talls of Greg Phillips, Roger Delaney and Greg Boyd dominated their highly rated opponents. George Fiacchi and Bruce Abernethy rebounded strongly, whilst Paul Northeast had a strong showing against Darel Hart.

It was a victory for the ages. One of the most commanding grand final results of the modern era.

Port Adelaide 15.18 (108)
North Adelaide 1.8 (14)
BEST: Johnston, Obst, Tregenza, Phillips, Delaney, D Smith, Williams, Hutton, R Smith, Fiacchi
GOALS: Hodges, D Smith 4; R Boyd, Obst 2; Hutton, Tregenza, R Smith

 

[tribey]

Redden had played state of origin earlier in the year against Victoria and was the best ruckman in the SANFL at the time.

1 July 1989.

South Australia got obliterated at the MCG in the afternoon and that same evening young Tribey was in attendance at Footy Park with his dad to see us crush a hitherto undefeated(?) North, with both teams missing a stack of key players who were busy licking their wounds in Melbourne.

I wish I still had the Hang Ten stirrups I wore that night.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I was at that state game with a few mates and had no idea what the result was even late that night. SANFL results didn't matter to Victorians and none of was going to risk hotel rates to phone home. We ran into a contingent of the SA state players on the town late at night and asked Roger Delaney who won the Port v North game. Roger told us Port had won by 7 goals. Surprised by the margin we asked him how he knew. He pulled a set of keys out of his pocket, jangled them and smiling said "My magic keys told me". So we still weren't sure until we arrived at Bordertown the next day and bought a Sunday Mail.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I expect Macca19 has been curious as to what I've been up to with the 1990 seaon review. Almost done Macca and I will start posting it in instalments.


1990 Premiership

Something in the air

Port Adelaide Against the World. A mantra of South Australian football. From deep within the walls of Fortress Alberton a heady cocktail of premiership success had been manufactured steadily since 1870. Since the arrival of Foster Neil Williams in 1950 and his succession by protégé John Vincent Cahill in 1974 that premiership mixture had accelerated and become all the more potent, gathering Port Adelaide 16 premierships from 1950-1989, including an Australian record 6-in-a-row premierships under Williams from 1954-59 (Geof Motley coaching the 1959 premiership side) and a hat-trick from 1979-1981 under Cahill. Port Adelaide’s reign over the local competition was undeniable and infuriating to the less successful clubs living in the shadow of overwhelming success cast from Alberton.

At the beginning of the 1990 season John Cahill stood on the cusp of another hat-trick of premierships, having won the flag in 1988 with a triumphant return to his Alberton empire vanquishing perennial Port Adelaide victim, the hapless Glenelg, pretenders to the throne during Cahill’s sojourn to Collingwood and West Adelaide in previous years. The following season, another pretender to the throne that had emerged over the previous several years, the slickly-skilled but mentally fragile North Adelaide, had been ruthlessly demolished in the 1989 Grand Final. Port Adelaide had obliterated North Adelaide, containing the seemingly free-scoring Roosters to a miserable, lonely solitary goal, while compiling 15.18 to prevail by 94 points.

Port Adelaide stood astride the SANFL football mountain yet again. Port supporters revelled in the success of the club, further excoriating opposition clubs and their supporters. It was in this landscape that the thoughts of Port administrators turned to the horizons of the great football club. It was all well and good to stand astride Mount Lofty but what of Everest? Should not the greatest club in the land aspire to scale the highest peak?

John Cahill first stood at the foot of the premiership hat-trick mountain in 1981. His efforts were bedevilled by a set of player loss, injury and suspension circumstances that nearly derailed the climb before it left base camp. In the end Port climbed the mountain and completed the hat-trick of premierships of 1979-1980-1981.

In 1990, such circumstances were kinder to Port Adelaide. Yes, players had been lost to Victoria, there were injury concerns, but the well-honed Port Adelaide machine was in good running order and well-prepared for its assault on season 1990. Little did Cahill know at the time though that the intentions of those administrators to find a higher mountain to climb would lead to an extraordinary challenge for his team in the 1990 season.

So the 1990 season was like the Russian Babushka doll. A season within a season within a season. On-field, Port was seeking yet another premiership. Off-field Port Adelaide was seeking a bigger stage for Australia’s most successful football club. The two would intertwine to create a maelstrom of fury at Port Adelaide. The barbarians at the gate of Fortress Alberton were massing and bringing oil to light.

Within this firestorm came a name that would become one of the legends of Port Adelaide. After two seasons of spearheading Port Adelaide’s forward line, twenty two year old Scott Lyall Hodges would explode like a supernova on the 1990 season with incredible goalkicking feats and an almost unbelievable Magarey Medal triumph. Hodges, who was forced to stand out of football by Central District as a junior to join his beloved Port Adelaide where his father Jeff played, ensured his status in Port Adelaide folklore as a legend of the club with an astonishing year of goal scoring feats. Black and white blood courses through Hodges’ veins and the on and off-field challenges faced by Port Adelaide in 1990 seemed to ignite Port’s champion spearhead to unforeseen levels of performance hurtling him into the stratosphere of superhero status in the Port Adelaide pantheon of greats. He would maintain this status throughout his career and beyond with his goal-scoring exploits, his courage to play through injury and his unrivalled ability to produce his best when most needed.

As was becoming all too common in the SANFL, Port Adelaide lost premiership stars to the expanded VFL, renamed the Australian Football League for the 1990 season, reflecting its growing spread across Australian states. At the beginning of 1990, South Australia remained the last football bastion yet to fall to the national competition. Among Port’s playing ranks, Robin had lost his Batman in 1990 with Roger Delaney heading over the border to join Fitzroy, leaving George Fiacchi behind in the Batcave. Tough and talented on-baller Andrew Obst moved to the Melbourne Demons. Dual premiership player, speedy wingman Phil Harrison also left Alberton to pursue a coaching career in Millicent. Tim Ginever and George Fiacchi were unavailable for a number of games through injury, while robust on-baller and forward Darryl Borlase missed much of the season with a broken leg sustained in round 4 against North Adelaide.

Port was strangely inactive in pre-season recruiting, a fact lamented by John Cahill before the season opened. However, Port Adelaide was to secure a double recruiting coup shortly before the 30 June clearance deadline, with the return of favourite sons Mark Williams and Ben Harris from the AFL by round 9.

Mark Williams’s storied football history included back to back premierships with Port in 1979-80 before a 201 game VFL/AFL career at Collingwood (135 games) and Brisbane (66 games), Williams won the Copeland Trophy in his first year at Collingwood, played state football for Victoria and captained the Victorian Magpies. He was also the inaugural vice-captain of Brisbane. Returning to Port to play football with brother Stephen (who had also spent some time at Carrara with the Bears), Williams brought back his trademark ferocious attack on the ball, football skills and acumen, a wealth of experience and leadership.

Ben Harris proved himself to be a talented key position player over five seasons at Port and established himself as a strong and reliable full back prior to a move to the newly formed Brisbane Bears in 1987. After 14 games with the Bears, Harris returned home to Port and reclaimed the last line of defence key position, which had been unsettled since the pre-season move of Roger Delaney to the AFL.

The seemingly endless junior star supply line at Port produced an exquisite gem. A precociously talented 16 year old with blistering speed and sublime skills was introduced to the Port league side in the pre-season. That player was the incomparable Gavin Wanganeen. Although young and slightly built, the poise, skills, balance, flexibility (that saw him earn the nickname ‘Rubberman’) and athletic ability of Wanganeen saw him become a fixture in the Port side and ultimately a premiership player by the end of the season. That was just the illustrious beginning of a stellar career that Wanganeen blazed across the football skies like a searing comet. Port Adelaide SANFL Premiership player, Brownlow Medallist, Essendon Premiership and Team of the Century player, Port Adelaide’s inaugural AFL captain and Port Adelaide AFL Premiership player were just a few of the accolades gathered by the amazing Wanganeen during his magnificent career. His dizzying array of individual match feats are too numerous to recount, but his goal-scoring deeds in the 2004 Preliminary and Grand Finals will live forever in the memories of those fortunate enough to have witnessed them. These finals exploits would have a pre-cursor in the 1990 Grand Final.

Port’s pre-season form through the Foundation Cup had been mediocre, recording two wins and three losses, although Port was never as interested as some clubs in being March premiers. However, there was a pre-season game in 1990 before the Foundation Cup started that caught the public’s imagination and was a portent of events to come. Port Adelaide met 1989 VFL grand finalist Geelong on Sunday 25 February in a trial game billed as the SAFM Interstate Challenge Match. The match, promoted by radio station SAFM, caught the attention of a South Australian public hungry for top flight interstate club football. A crowd estimated at 35,000 attended the game at Football Park in a timeslot more familiarly associated with cricket. An under-prepared Port conceded a 9 goal lead to Geelong by half time but roared back into the match with a 7 goal third quarter that nearly halved Geelong’s lead. In the end, Geelong’s depth and conditioning set them apart, steadying to win by 52 points in a high quality encounter that had the fans demanding more and the coaches content with a solid albeit early pre-season hit out. Undoubtedly antennae were twitching at AFL House and Alberton at this turnout for a very early pre-season trial game.

Shaking off its pre-season Foundation Cup lethargy, Port Adelaide launched into its premiership defence with a 92 point belting of Central District at Elizabeth Oval in round one of the 1990 SANFL season, kicking its highest opening round score of 26.12 (168). Ominously, Scott Hodges slotted 10 goals for the Magpies after a meagre 3 goals in 5 Foundation Cup games. Round 2 saw Port meet Norwood in the Anzac Day fixture at Football Park, held on a Wednesday in front of a record minor round crowd of 36,397 supporters. Port disposed of Norwood by 46 points, 18.19 (127) to 12.9 (81) to continue John Cahill’s dominance of the Redlegs. The following Monday saw Port slip to its first defeat with Glenelg prevailing by 26 points in a Monday night clash at Football Park that drew 15,290 spectators. Port bounced back the following Saturday in round 4 to defeat North Adelaide by 38 points at Alberton Oval in the rematch of the 1989 grand finalists. North kicked 12.11 to perform 11 goals better than it did in that fateful grand final. Port kicked 19.7 to show the Roosters that Port were still their masters. Scott Hodges was travelling well in front of goals with an 8 goal haul to go with scores of 10, 6 and 2 goals in the earlier rounds for a total of 26 goals. David Hynes chalked up his hundredth game for Port. During the season he would be joined by George Fiacchi, Ben Harris and Geoff Phelps, while Russell Johnston would later play his 200th game with Port Adelaide.

After cruising through the first round of matches against its SANFL opposition, Port was comfortably placed in the top 3, only dropping one more game in this time, a shock heavy defeat whilst injury-depleted to West Adelaide at Richmond in round 6. In a round 11 Sunday match Port suffered a rare defeat under Cahill to Norwood by 27 points after leading at three quarter time by 6 points. After a week’s break in the local competition for the state game against Western Australia, Port bounced back in round 12 to beat top team Glenelg in a Sunday game at Football Park by 20 points, 21.15 (141) to 18.13 (121), and close the gap at the top of the table. Port Adelaide had earlier agreed to a request from the SANFL to surrender its home ground advantage to move the game to Football Park and accommodate an expected big crowd to see the square off between two teams viewed as potential grand finalists. Port’s victory was witnessed by a crowd of 24,880 who saw a Port team like a champion racehorse positioning itself for its customary dazzling run home to the finals and beyond.

By the end of round 14 Port had not yet hit its straps but was solidly positioned in the top 3, half a game behind early pacesetters Glenelg. Then the local football landscape erupted.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Port aims for the national stage

On Sunday 29 July, Port players were in recovery mode following a comfortable 62 point win over West Torrens in the round 14 late game of a Saturday double header at Football Park. On Sunday respected Victorian journalist Mike Sheahan went to press with an article claiming it was believed that Port Adelaide was in deep discussion with the AFL over entering the national competition. Speculation gathered momentum quickly and was spreading like wildfire by Tuesday 31 July when Port Adelaide formally advised the SANFL then publicly announced that a Heads of Agreement had been signed with the AFL on 30 July to field a Port Adelaide team in the AFL in the 1991 season.

The news was met with unbridled delight by most Port Adelaide supporters and furious indignation by the SANFL and all other clubs. Port was accused of treachery and as the vitriol ran through the local media there were calls to remove the club immediately from the local competition. The SANFL advised Port to withdraw its AFL bid or face exclusion from the 1991 SANFL draw. The use of Football Park to host AFL matches was denied. Friendships fractured along club lines and reports of ugly confrontations between Port and other supporters emerged. The news was so momentous on a local scale that ongoing reporting pushed the Iraq invasion of Kuwait on 2 August out of lead status in local media.

Port Adelaide had negotiated handsome entry conditions in meetings with the AFL that were revealed to have stretched back to early July following an approach to Port by AFL Executive Commissioner Alan Schwab through intermediary Ian McKenzie, a former Port Adelaide General Manager. A meeting between Schwab and Port President Bruce Weber was arranged for 7 July. As Weber recounted in a 1990 interview with Port Adelaide historian John Wood for the Magpie News November 1990, Vol.1(4) Schwab was very keen on a club side entering the competition having seen the early difficulties of the West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Bears. Schwab had the greatest respect for Port Adelaide, believing it to be the best club outside Victoria. Schwab as a former General Manager of Richmond was very aware of Port Adelaide’s strength, tradition and history. Negotiations continued through July between the AFL and a sub-committee from Port until the signing of the Heads of Agreement at the end of the month.

The AFL’s keenness to have Port Adelaide involved in its competition was reflected in the entry conditions negotiated with Port. Port was guaranteed that 28 of 44 players already drafted could remain in SA; Port would have access to up to six out-of-contract former SANFL players in the AFL; a three year moratorium on drafting players was agreed; Port would retain its country zone as well as some of the rest of SA as a zone; a limit was placed on use of Port’s yearly dividend for paying off its entrance fee; there was no up-front fee payment with the AFL paying $1.4 million in the first two years. Port’s plan also included fielding a reserves team in the AFL, or optimistically, using Port Adelaide in the SANFL for this purpose. When the SANFL’s reaction became clear, it was reported that the South Australian Football Association would become the home of Port Adelaide’s reserve grades.

Weber maintained that while Port’s move established the club’s future in the national competition, it also set about protecting the SANFL. The moratorium and retention of contracted SANFL players kept quality players in the state. By acting before the SANFL’s self-imposed 1993 negotiation date, the competition would be spared the annual haemorrhage of local players drafted to the AFL. Port’s agreement would see funds generated by the club returned to the local competition to strengthen grass-roots football.

Weber was later certain the entry conditions caused Port problems with the AFL club Directors. Port was assured by the AFL that the numbers were there to see Port’s entry bid accepted. Under AFL rules a two thirds majority of clubs had to agree for a proposal to be passed. The initial vote was to be held on 6 August, but despite the assurances from the AFL Commission that Port’s proposal would be accepted, the AFL clubs deferred the vote to 20 August. At the 20 August meeting Port’s proposal was again deferred until 19 September. Collingwood were unhappy about another black and white team entering the competition. Other clubs were concerned about Port’s concessions and how it would affect their position. The reaction in South Australia to Port’s bid would have been watched with disquiet by the AFL clubs. Weber was convinced in these early stages that Port was only one club shy of getting the required majority. He believed if he could have spoken to Collingwood, he could have struck a deal that would have allayed their anger at sharing club colours and pushed Port’s proposal over the line.

However, Weber was unable to negotiate with the AFL or its clubs due to legal action instigated by the SANFL and the remaining nine clubs led by Glenelg and Norwood. Firstly Port was hit with an injunction to prevent any further negotiations with the AFL or its clubs. Despite this legal manoeuvre, the SANFL was free to negotiate an alternative offer with the AFL. Next, each Port Adelaide Director was hit with a personal liability claim for damages against the SANFL and its clubs, which threatened their assets and livelihood. Port Adelaide countered with a restraint of trade claim so it could continue to negotiate, but this counter-claim was held up in the legal process.

Against this bitter and acrimonious backdrop, Port’s bid lost traction with the AFL clubs. In a swirling maelstrom of club jealousies, concerns over Port’s concessions, hostile legal battles, local animosity, media posturing and a volatile, discordant atmosphere, Port could no longer make headway with its bid. To no one’s surprise the SANFL stepped in with its own proposal to the AFL for a composite team in the national competition. Their initial bid was rejected but with further refinement and dilution of the terms and conditions negotiated by Port Adelaide, and with Port Adelaide effectively locked out of negotiations by legal action, the composite team bid was ultimately successful. When the AFL clubs finally met again on 19 September, the SANFL’s proposal was accepted with a 13-1 vote. While Ross Oakley maintained Port’s bid had not been rejected and was still being considered, it was clear the AFL dream for Port Adelaide was over for now.

The AFL ensured Port Adelaide was not punished by the SANFL for its attempt to reach for the stars, with the club continuing on unimpeded in the local competition and its legal costs covered by the national body. All legal action was withdrawn.

From the outside looking in it appeared the AFL Commission headed by Ross Oakley and Alan Schwab was keen to have Port Adelaide join the national competition, while the clubs preferred a SANFL-approved entry with lesser concessions. After the 20 August impasse Oakley maintained Port Adelaide was the Commission’s preferred choice and he was looking forward to the removal of legal obstacles to continue negotiations. When pressed on the unavailability of Football Park, Oakley stated that all the AFL financial plans were based on Port playing its home games at Alberton Oval. The reality was that the 20 August deferral by the AFL clubs would allow the Heads of Agreement between Port and the AFL to lapse with a 31 August expiry date and allow a formal SANFL bid to be accepted. It was apparent by this time the majority of the AFL clubs were looking at an alternative to Port Adelaide.

Like a seasoned surfer Port Adelaide had seen the big wave coming and with its usual sense of destiny caught the wave and taken it for a spectacular ride aiming for the shoreline. Port had sailed on the crest of the wave and traversed the depths of its teal green tube, surrounded by sharks and dolphins, soaring over treacherous reefs but ultimately being dumped before the prize could be reached.

Port Adelaide would learn from this experience, adapt, improve and ultimately achieve its aim of playing on the national stage. Port Adelaide sometimes loses battles but it is all about winning wars.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Back on the oval



Meanwhile there was an SANFL football season to contend and a prize to be won at that level. The AFL bid was an enormous distraction for the players, with a media circus erupting around the club, national ambitions in the minds of players and expectations of the administrators that the club would prove its ambitions with on-field performance. The Port Adelaide versus the World mantra taking on an almost tangible, palpable aspect with the club locked in an intense physical and psychological battle with the rest of the competition.

Many clubs would have collapsed under the weight of such expectation and seething anger and hatred. Port Adelaide, to paraphrase from the movie Spinal Tap, turned its intensity up to 11 and produced some of its most scintillating football. The aforementioned 1990 Iraq invasion of Kuwait precipitated military action led by the United States. From Fortress Alberton sailed a battleship the equivalent of the mighty USS Missouri, bristling with armaments.

Despite being well-placed at this point of the season, Port Adelaide had not been playing its best football. That situation was about to change dramatically. The round 15 game against West Adelaide seemed a lifetime removed from the round 14 game against West Torrens. West Adelaide in round 6 had surprisingly embarrassed an injury-riddled Port by 82 points at Richmond. Port Adelaide in full battle mode returned the favour with interest, exploding the game with a devastating 13 goal third quarter to demolish West Adelaide by 108 points, 27.16 (178) to 10.10 (70).

Local media identity Ken Cunningham, who had savagely criticised Port Adelaide during the week, chose that game to make a carefully orchestrated appearance to ensure his vocal opposition to Port Adelaide’s bid was clear. With West Adelaide in tatters in the last quarter Cunningham chose his moment to leave the game, pushing his way through the crowd and provoking some minor confrontation with the Alberton faithful. It was little more than publicity-chasing light entertainment but was indicative of the simmering and at times outright tensions of the time.

Following the West Adelaide game Port continued its demolition act, defeating Woodville by 36 points, South Adelaide by 94 points; Sturt by 148 points en route to kicking a mammoth record 34.18 including a 14 goal last quarter and a rare goal by Greg Phillips; Central District by 79 points; before closing out the 20 round season with an 82 point drubbing of Norwood. Port did not lose a match for the rest of the minor round. During this period, Glenelg slipped to defeat against North Adelaide, allowing Port to claim top spot and hold it at the end of the minor round. So at this time of unparalleled upheaval and with the weight of the football world on its shoulders, Port Adelaide yet again stood astride the SANFL, daring the pretenders to take their best shot at the champion.

The name is Hodges, Scott Hodges


In terms of individual achievement, the previously mentioned intensity of 11 was most fitting, as the Magpie champion in the number 11 guernsey, Scott Hodges, seemed to take the whole AFL campaign as a personal mission to get Port Adelaide over the line. The battleship Port Adelaide was nuclear-armed and Scott Hodges was its warhead. After kicking 10 goals against South Adelaide in round 9, Hodges stood unchallenged at the top of the 1990 list of leading goalkickers, a spot he had last occupied after opening the season with 10 goals against Centrals. A bruised knee suffered in that game took some off the edge of Hodges’ awesome firepower for a short while but Scott played through injury, which became a trademark of his long and celebrated career at Port Adelaide.

In the month of August immediately following the announcement of Port’s AFL bid, the nuclear warhead was launched. Using his powerful hands and outstanding athleticism to mix astute leading and imposing contesting marking with fierce ground level pressure and skills allied to a laser-guided thumping set shot kick, Hodges in consecutive weeks kicked 14 goals against West, 10 goals against Woodville, 11 goals against South and 11 goals against Sturt. That brought up an extraordinary total of 46 goals in 4 weeks of football. Hodges was the first player to kick 10 goals or more in three consecutive games, then to prove it was no fluke made it four consecutive games. Hodges kicked his hundredth goal of the season against South Adelaide and finished the 20 game minor round on top of the goal kicking ladder with 127 goals. Hodges had kicked 6 bags of 10 goals or more, the first player to achieve that feat in a single season. More explosive goal kicking heroics were to come in the finals.

Full forwards don’t win Magarey Medals. Only Fred Phillis had accomplished that deed when he set the then SANFL individual season goal kicking record of 137 goals in 1969. Tim Evans had broken that record in 1980 with 146 goals and Rick Davies bettered Evans’s record in 1983 with 151 goals. Neither had come close to winning the SANFL’s ultimate individual accolade. On 10 September 1990, Scott Hodges caring not for history had other ideas as he demonstrated he had caught the umpires’ eyes time and again with his spectacular goal kicking deeds. Hodges polled 16 votes (3 first preferences, 3 second preferences and 1 third preference) to edge out, among others, team mate Simon Tregenza by 1 vote and take home the Magarey Medal to add to his Ken Farmer Medal. Scott was not yet finished collecting medals in 1990 at that stage. He would go on to win the AR McLean Medal as Port Adelaide’s Best and Fairest in 1990 and of course collect the ultimate team accolade, a Premiership medallion.

As John Cahill noted on the night, a thought had to be spared for Simon Tregenza who had finished runner up in a Magarey Medal for the second consecutive year. Scott Hodges, the consummate team man as always, stated he had hoped ‘Trigger’ would poll one more vote so they could each take a Magarey back to Alberton. Simon would also finish runner up to Hodges in the Port Adelaide Best and Fairest count. As well as the Magarey Medal, Port brought home the Under-17 Best and Fairest McCallum Medal, won by brilliant youngster Troy Bond. Port Adelaide’s Barry Miller polled the most votes in the Under-19s Tomkins Medal but was ineligible. With the AFL imbroglio still a constant reminder of the turbulent football scene, Bruce Weber exclaimed “We came, we collected the hardware, now we’re going home” much to the chagrin of the rest of the SA football clubs.

Bring on the finals

Port entered the 1990 finals series as minor premier on the back of a 9 game winning streak starting with the round 12 win over Glenelg. It is said that every win brings you closer to defeat. Port’s 1990 AFL bid was over as the SANFL’s composite team bid had been accepted by the AFL clubs several days before Port met Glenelg in the Second Semi Final on Saturday 22 September. Perhaps this was an energy-sapping omen akin to Delilah cutting Sampson’s hair. John Cahill was concerned that Port had not had a tough match in the lead up to the finals, since the AFL bid was announced. This was followed with a week off as minor premier, while Glenelg tuned up with a 23 point win over North Adelaide in the Qualifying Final. Cahill was concerned that Port’s physical and mental intensity might not be up to the standard required of finals and Port Adelaide.

Cahill’s fears were realised as Port Adelaide left their best form back at Alberton that day. The battleship never left dock. The nuclear warhead fired with Scott Hodges kicking 7 goals. George Fiacchi was exceptional in the back pocket. After that, winners were sparse on the ground for Port. Glenelg controlled the rucks through Chris Melican and Gary Christie, giving an armchair ride to their midfielders with Chris McDermott and David Marshall especially damaging. John Cahill filed that piece of information away for future reference. Greg Phillips was particularly angry with his game on Michael Murphy as he had his colours lowered by the Bay centre half forward. Apart from Scott Hodges, Greg’s fellow key position players had a mediocre day. Glenelg was hungrier and more desperate on the day, a bitter pill for Port to swallow as that was the cornerstone of Port’s unparalleled success, but a harsh reality check for the remainder of the finals series. Teams would not turn up to wait to be beaten in finals. Despite Port turning in their worst performance in close to three months, Glenelg prevailed by only 11 points, 16.14 (110) to 15.9 (99). If Port could get through to the Grand Final there was plenty of room for improvement, while Glenelg had played close to their best football.

Two obstacles stood in Port Adelaide’s way, a preliminary final and North Adelaide, which had comfortably disposed of South Adelaide the week before. Normally this would count as one obstacle but John Cahill had never won a preliminary final as a senior coach. He had experienced preliminary final losses as coach of Port in 1974, 1975, 1978 and the memorable 1982 final, Collingwood in 1984, and West Adelaide in 1985. Preliminary finals seemed to be a bogey for Cahill. 1990 Preliminary Final opponent North Adelaide, one of the power clubs of the mid-1980s and 1987 Premier had been completely humiliated by Port in the previous year’s Grand Final. North would be looking for retribution for the 1989 result and was carrying the hopes of the rest of the football community wanting the arrogant, impetuous upstarts from Alberton see their premiership hopes go the same way as their AFL ambitions.

Port Adelaide responded by smashing North Adelaide like guitars. The battleship Port Adelaide sailed into Football Park on 29 September with cannons and guns blazing and launched a 13 megaton nuclear missile at North Adelaide that flattened the Roosters in a mushroom cloud that could be seen from Prospect, and more importantly from Brighton Road. At quarter time Port Adelaide led by 58 points, 10.5 to 1.1. Port’s first quarter score was an SANFL finals record. Early in the second quarter the margin had blown out to 88 points as Port led 15.5 to 1.1. From that point with North in tatters, Port set their sights on the week ahead and cruised to an emphatic 91 point victory, exactly doubling North Adelaide’s score 28.14 (182) to 14.7 (91). Port’s midfield, led by Mark Williams and ably supported by brother Stephen, Simon Tregenza and David Hutton across the centreline, bounced back from the previous week’s setback to dominate their North opponents. Russell Johnston and David Hynes rebounded from their previous week’s lethargy to feature high in the best players. John Cahill finally ticked the preliminary final box.

The best North could take from the game was that unlike the 1989 Grand Final they had managed to outscore Scott Hodges. But it took every one of their 14 goals to do so as Hodges blasted through an incredible 13 goals, which was simply unheard of in a preliminary final. In fact it was unheard of in an SANFL final as Hodges added to his record collection. Hodges had kicked his seventh 10 goal haul of the season, extending his own record on that score. The SANFL goal kicking record was within reach with Scott now sitting on 147 goals, only 4 goals behind Rick Davies’ season total of 151 goals, and the SANFL’s biggest game to come. Scott Hodges loved rising to a big occasion.

Despite their thrashing North Adelaide had been very physical and Port did not come out of the match unscathed. Rohan Smith had his jaw broken in three places by a Kym Klomp elbow and was out of the Grand Final. The photo of the moment of impact in the Monday Advertiser was harrowing and damning. David Brown pulled a hamstring in the dying moments of the game and Tim Ginever injured an ankle. Paul Northeast was on report for striking Klomp and off to the tribunal. The dangerously brave David Hutton almost miraculously survived an ugly, brutal shirtfront from Darren Jarman, delivered as Hutton was running unprotected with the flight of the ball.

In the end Brown didn’t recover in time, Ginever played the Grand Final under duress, Hutton seemed fine and Northeast was cleared of striking although reprimanded for attempted striking. For the losers, Klomp was slapped with a 7 match suspension while Neil Craig was reprimanded for striking Ginever.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Onwards to Victory

Every epic drama needs a hero and a villain. Light must be contrasted against dark, good against evil. The side of the football fence you sat on determined who was cast as the hero and villain in this piece. Nonetheless, it was most fitting the 1990 Grand Final should come down to a meeting of Port Adelaide and Glenelg. The two best teams in the 1990 competition, Port and Glenelg were rugged competitors who had become bitter adversaries from the 1970s and through the 1980s with acrimonious on and off-field events punctuating their rivalry. This enmity reached its zenith in 1990 with Glenelg positioning itself as the flag-bearer for the SANFL competition leading the crusade against Port Adelaide’s AFL bid. This was to be a battle to the bitter end with no love lost between the protagonists. The 1990 Grand Final would be the last played in a competition as South Australians knew it, with the advent of an unknown SA-based composite team entering the national competition in 1991.

The 1990 Grand Final was moved back one day to be played on Sunday 7 October. This was to avoid a clash with the AFL Grand Final with the AFL finals series extended a week following a replay of the drawn Qualifying Final between Collingwood and West Coast. It was a small nod of good fortune to Port Adelaide following some of the brutal contests in the Preliminary Final. Adrian Settre and Richard Foster came in for the desperately unlucky Rohan Smith and David Brown, while for Glenelg Matthew Liptak replaced the injured Clayton Lamb.

Port Adelaide opened the 1990 Grand Final under sunny skies, kicking with the advantage of a slight breeze to the southern end. Umpires Rick Kinnear and Mark Mackie were in charge of the big game being held in front of 50,589 fervent spectators. This historic Grand Final would prove a game for the ages, tight, torrid, hard and close, played at a frantic pace from beginning to end. Intense pressure and heavy but generally fair bodywork would be the order of the day and when silky skills and cohesive team play escaped the clutches of this unyielding intensity they would be applauded and remembered. Goals would become jewels to be treasured.

John Cahill was happy with the hunger, desire and numbers at the ball in training. There would be no repeat of the lackadaisical approach in the Second Semi Final. Pre-match moves reflected what Cahill had learned in that final. Mark Williams was shadowing Chris McDermott while Bruce Abernethy picked up David Marshall. Neither Glenelg player would exert much influence on the game. Paul Rizonico started in defence to give Port more flexibility and rebound. Port controlled the early going but could not convert on the scoreboard, registering five points before that man again, Scott Hodges marked in the goal square and goaled. Wayne Mahney followed up with a goal, converting a set shot from 50 metres, right on Mahney’s range. Mahney was in everything up forward in these early stages, attacking and harassing in his inimitable fashion. Port now led 2.5 to 0.2

Glenelg too had wasted a couple of set shot opportunities in the early stages before Rod Jameson snapped their first goal. As players were making position for the ensuing centre bounce a melee broke out in the Port forward line with David Hynes and Scott Hodges tag teaming their respective opponents Alan Bartlett and Chris Duthy. Bartlett had taken exception to some treatment from Hynes and with players on tenterhooks it wouldn’t take much to set the game alight. Hynes threw an impressive flurry of left and right hooks but didn’t connect, much to Bartlett’s good fortune. Players and umpires converged and the spot fire was extinguished.

Darren Smith goaled from a mark and 50 metre penalty following another clash between players. The umpires were asserting themselves to ensure the emotion-charged contest did not get out of hand. At around the 25 minute mark Port led by 9 points, 3.5 to 2.2, then John Fidge hit a purple patch, converting 3 majors for Glenelg. Fidge found himself in better position than Ben Harris to score two goals, one from a mark and walk-in goal, then collecting a loose ball from Harris’s grasping hands in the goal square and goaling. Earlier Fidge had goaled from a free kick when George Fiacchi decided to check the bounce factor of Fidge’s head against the Football Park turf. Scott Salisbury was probably flattered by George’s imitation of one of his favourite tactics. Fidge however seemed unfazed.

In between Fidge’s burst of goals, Adrian Settre came off the bench to score a goal for Port, crumbing a Hodges’ spoil.

At quarter time despite having the run of the ball for much of the quarter and kicking with the breeze, Port found itself trailing Glenelg by 3 points 4.5 to 5.2, largely due to Fidge’s 3 late goals. Fiacchi was prominent in defence and Tregenza caught the eye with some trademark possessions and hard running. Port were looking Hodges-centric and Glenelg were regularly dropping two men back on him with Bartlett supporting Duthy and where possible the ruckman dropping into the space in front. Russell Johnston had come off in the first quarter with an ankle injury and would take no further part in the game. It was now up to David Hynes to lead the Port rucks single-handed and the spring-heeled, combative Hynes as usual rose to the challenge, despite giving away centimetres and kilograms to his Glenelg opponents.

The second quarter contained enough drama for an entire grand final, let alone a single quarter. The breeze had started to swing around to the north during the break and by late in the quarter Port had use of it again, although it was still only a light breeze. Like Port Adelaide in the first quarter, Glenelg were on top in general play for the first part of the quarter but could not break down Port’s defence, adding only 4 points in this time. Ben Harris had tightened up considerably on Fidge, his close checking and telescopic arms were effecting spoils from the unlikeliest angles. Greg Phillips had shut Michael Murphy down and Port’s flankers Paul Northeast, Richard Foster and Paul Rizonico were on top of their opponents. George Fiacchi was continuing his first quarter form.

After a tight, tough arm-wrestle that lasted for 18 minutes Port broke the goal drought through Scott Hodges, converting a free kick for a push in the back. Two minutes later Hodges goaled again from a set shot to bring up his 150th goal of the season, marking after running onto an Adrian Settre kick to space. Coach John Cahill had moved Mark Williams into the forward line to provide protection for Hodges and Williams used all his guile to block Bartlett’s double teaming. Then Mark Williams goaled himself with a set shot from 50 metres after marking in front of Bartlett from a Simon Tregenza kick. Port was suddenly 13 points in front, 7.7 to 5.6.

Port Adelaide had broken the Glenelg shackles, Hynes was on top in ruck and giving Port’s in and under midfielders first use of the ball, players were finding space and some fluent teamwork was coming together. Then the unthinkable happened. From the centre bounce, Wanganeen drove the ball forward and Scott Hodges went down in the marking contest as Bartlett backed into him and Duthy crashed over the top. Hodges sat up grimacing, grasping at his left knee. The Port faithful roared as Hodges found his feet, but after hobbling around for a few moments, he left the ground helped by the club doctor and a trainer and headed straight down into the rooms. The Port faithful now held their breath, not knowing how bad the injury might be and what this would mean for the Magpies’ Premiership hopes.

In the ensuing cosmic inhale, Michel Murphy finally slipped Greg Phillips’s football sleeper hold to mark and goal from only his second kick. Then came Port Adelaide’s turn for a 3 goal burst in the dying moments of a quarter. The unlikely source of this spark was the Port rover variously nicknamed ‘Hollywood’ and ‘Hulk Hogan doll’ for his stature, muscular build and crop of straw blonde hair. Adrian Settre, who came into the side for the injured David Brown, kicked two freakish snapped goals. The first came as Settre was being slung in a tackle, managing to throw the ball onto his left boot from 40 metres out directly in front and then watching in amazement as the ball bounced twice on its journey to an unprotected goal being chased by desperate Bay defenders before bobbing past the goal umpire. Settre followed this up grabbing the ball off hands of a pack from a David Hutton kick forward. With another left foot snap this time across his body from close to goal on a tight angle, Settre put the ball over the goal umpire’s head. Settre and the assembled Port supporters were delirious with delight.

Port’s margin was out to 19 points, 9.7 to 6.6, and was extended to 25 points by Stephen Williams in the shadows of half time. Williams in the clear between wing and half forward took the ball from David Hutton who had been prominent throughout the term, then turned and running at the goal launched a massive drop punt from 55 metres out, clearing the goal line by 10 metres. Port was leading 10.7 to 6.6, but there was still time for one last moment of drama. Glenelg cleared from the centre bounce and Matthew Liptak was adjudged to have marked only 30 metres out, more or less directly in front just before the half time siren sounded. His kick after the siren sprayed to the left for a point and Port supporters after a seeming yoga lesson in breathing techniques over a rattling 30 minutes could finally draw normal breath again.

Port had produced a stunning second quarter adding 6.2 to 1.5 and going into half time with a clear four goal lead, 10.7 to 6.7. Port also went into half time with a raft of injury concerns. Russell Johnston was out of the game with an ankle injury, Scott Hodges had a knee injury, Wayne Mahney was nursing a sore hamstring, and Tim Ginever was concussed as well as nursing his sore ankle. Port against the world. Beware the wounded Magpie. Grand finals are Port Adelaide territory. All truisms for a very good reason. They are all true. Port Adelaide steeled itself for the second half of the 1990 Grand Final.

The Port faithful roared once more as Scott Hodges resumed his spot at full forward at the start of the third quarter, his left knee heavily strapped. Hodges revealed after the game that at the time of the injury he thought his day was done but as the pain eased during half time he thought there was no way he was going to stay off the field. Hodges’ courage to play through injury and his unwavering commitment to the Port Adelaide cause were on full show again.

The third quarter became the Gavin Wanganeen show as the magical mercurial Wanganeen displayed the nascent skills that would highlight his superb career. However, it was Scott Salisbury who goaled first in the quarter to cut the margin to 18 points. Both teams were creating opportunities but not finishing off. Port’s defence was stoic with Harris continuing his fine spoiling act, George Fiacchi was still in everything despite a heavy bump from Jameson and was supported by hard running defensive team mates with Richard Foster and Paul Rizonico catching the eye. Scott Hodges marked early and his resultant set shot sailed out on the full as he adjusted to the damage to his stabilising leg.

Then came Gavin Wanganeen as he dispossessed Salisbury in a tackle and sprinted into goal and converted. It was a breathtaking moment and restored Port Adelaide’s 4 goal lead, 11.8 to 7.8. Then it was Wanganeen for Port again as Scott Hodges took the ball in a ground level contest, gave to Tim Ginever who found Wanganeen who chipped over Ross Gibbs for a goal.

Between Wanganeen’s brace of goals, Fidge goaled for Glenelg. Michael Murphy who had been moved to a flank after Greg Phillips had cut him out of the game at centre half forward marked in the goal square and goaled after Wanganeen’s second goal. Port led by 17 points 12.8 to 9.9. The Grand Final produced another twist as umpire Rick Kinnear was forced from the field with a calf injury and replaced by reserve umpire Laurie Argent.

Late in the quarter Stephen Williams set up a goal for Scott Hodges with a chip pass over the top after marking. Hodges marked and goaled from close range to bring up his fourth goal for the game and season goal number 151 to equal the SANFL record. John Fidge missed a set shot opportunity for Glenelg to claw back some ground at the end of the quarter and Port went into the three quarter time break with a 22 point lead, 13.9 to 9.11.

Port had a remarkable third quarter, racked with injury and kicking into the breeze, Port produced a performance reminiscent of Muhammad Ali’s remarkable rope-a-dope strategy against the fearsome George Foreman in the legendary Rumble in the Jungle World Heavyweight title fight held in Kinshasa, Zaire in 1974. Port rolled back on the ropes and absorbed all the punishment Glenelg could muster then countered with lightning speed and brilliant efficiency. Port’s tackling intensity was magnificent with even lightly framed Gavin Wanganeen making his physical presence known to Glenelg enforcer Scott Salisbury. Greg Phillips and Bruce Abernethy were having an influence, the elusive Simon Tregenza was finding the ball, Tim Ginever aching from head to foot was busy and Darren Smith was presenting with strength and courage. Wayne Mahney while clearly without his customary zip was still competing hard as John Cahill demands.

If the third quarter was like the early rounds of the Rumble in the Jungle as Ali absorbed punishment on the ropes daring Foreman to wear himself out, the last quarter was like the amazing round 8 of that World Heavyweight contest as Ali came off the ropes and sent Foreman sprawling to the canvas and defeat with a flurry of punches to the head.

Glenelg opened the goal scoring in the final quarter with a 50 metre penalty to David Marshall after marking. Bruce Abernethy was the offending player but amusingly ABC caller Daryl Hicks insisted on blaming Paul Northeast even after viewing the slow motion replay which showed Northeast involved in the preceding passage of play up the ground and clearly showed number 5 Bruce Abernethy delivering the bump. Nonetheless Port’s lead was reduced to 16 points, 13.9 to 10.11.

Now the time had come as Port Adelaide stepped off the ropes and delivered a stunning combination of goals to send the Bays reeling. Adrian Settre kicked long to Scott Hodges on the lead who reaching high took a clean grab over Gibbs who had dropped into the space in front of Hodges. Hodges goaled, breaking the SANFL goal kicking record with his 152nd goal, and restoring Port’s 22 point lead 14.9 to 10.11. There was no time for celebration and no inclination from Hodges or his team mates as their eyes were set firmly on one prize only, the 1990 Heavyweight crown.

Scott Hodges goaled again, this time from 50 metres out for his sixth goal for the match and 153rd for the season. Port Adelaide moved the ball brilliantly from deep in defence to attack in an exhilarating passage of play starting with Paul Rizonico to Greg Phillips to Bruce Abernethy to David Hutton and then to Stephen Williams who from the wing found Hodges on the lead. Hodges took the ball powerfully on his chest between two Glenelg opponents with Seebohm dropping into the space in front and Duthy on his hammer. Port now led by 29 points, 15.10 to 10.11.

Darren Smith then grabbed a piece of the goal kicking action as Port forced the ball forward from centre wing to Simon Tregenza who launched the ball to Hodges and Duthy in the goal square. Smith sharked the spillage and snared the goal. Port Adelaide had blown the margin out to 35 points, 16.10 to 10.11, on the back of punishing body work and superb ball movement. Port had left enough time for a Glenelg comeback and similar to the 1977 Grand Final where Graham Cornes experienced defeat as a Glenelg player, the Bays duly obliged kicking three goals in the latter part of the quarter, but it was too little too late. Port continued to attack, playing with great desperation but could not produce a late goal. The final siren sounded with Port rebounding from defence yet again to Scott Hodges presenting on centre wing despite hobbling badly by the end. Port had triumphed against all odds in this historic Grand Final by 15 points, 16.12 (108) to 13.15 (93). The battleship Port Adelaide had sunk the pride of the Bay. Ali had knocked out Foreman.

It was mayhem on the oval as ecstatic Port players and coaches sought each other out to enjoy the greatest of victories in this most tumultuous of seasons. It was Port Adelaide against the world and Port Adelaide as usual came out on top. Mark Williams took time out to console former Brisbane team mate John Fidge. The post-match celebrations were pandemonium as Port players, officials and supporters released the pressure of season within a season within a season. Max Basheer was roundly booed as he made his way to the presentation dais. Basheer’s attempt at congratulating Glenelg was almost inaudible among the booing of Port supporters. Harsh maybe, but the passions of this unforgettable season were still running high.

George Fiacchi deservedly won the Jack Oatey Medal for best afield in the 1990 Grand Final. George accepted the award, congratulated his team mates and the opposition then roared into the microphone that “There will always be a Port Adelaide Football Club.” Russell Johnston called David Brown and Rohan Smith onto the dais to accept the Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy with him and John Cahill. Brown and Smith set off on the traditional lap of honour with the players and were joined by the tiny elfin figure of Erin Phillips, also getting a chance to parade the trophy with dad’s help.

Being the 1990 season, there was still time for one more moment of controversy. Losing coach Graham Cornes chose the usually solemn occasion of the vanquished coach and captain congratulating the victors in their rooms for some graceless editorialising comments about the impact of Port Adelaide’s actions on the local competition. At this point, Cornes was politely asked by David Arnfield to leave the rooms. Cornes received little sympathy from the media for his tactless comments with admitted Glenelg supporter Andrew Capel reporting the comments were uncalled for, and that was not the time or place to vent his feelings. Veteran football commentator Dick Jones was scathing, among a range of criticisms of Cornes’s performance, calling the comments totally unwarranted and completely unnecessary, the performance of a sore loser and smacking of sour grapes. Jones added that Cornes deserved his send off from the Port rooms.

Finally the players could revel in the victorious conclusion to a season that had taken the most unexpected twists and turns and delivered crushing pressure far beyond those already expected of a club chasing a third consecutive premiership. As mentioned, George Fiacchi was adjudged best on ground for a brilliant performance in his back pocket, snuffing out Glenelg forward thrusts and repeatedly turning attack into defence. George, who like Scott Hodges had been magnificent throughout the finals series, also like Hodges would probably have gladly shared his medal with at least two other team mates who were outstanding on the day. The lion-hearted David Hynes was a colossus in ruck, single-handedly beating the two established Glenelg ruckmen. And that man Scott Hodges, who collected records like Glenn A Baker, again was nothing short of sensational. Made a target by Glenelg coach Cornes, Hodges was often double-teamed, Glenelg players dropped into his leading space, and he appeared cut down by a debilitating knee injury before half time. Again and again he fought back, finishing with a dozen shots on goal, six goals for the match, and a swag of hard fought contests at ground level.

While these three stood out, every Port player contributed to ensure the legend of Port Adelaide remained intact. Fiacchi was ably supported by the entire defensive unit as the players continually generated run from defence and shut down dangerous forwards. Grand final master Greg Phillips obliterated all opposition, while Paul Rizonico and the reinstated Richard Foster continually found the ball. Paul Northeast played a typically resolute game, while Ben Harris, after a shaky start, repeatedly thwarted Glenelg’s over-reliance on Fidge. Mark Williams and Bruce Abernethy shut down their designated opponents to reduce much of Glenelg’s creativity around the ball, whilst imposing their own resourcefulness on the game. Mark’s brother Stephen Williams was powerful and direct with the ball, while David Hutton and Simon Tregenza attacked and defended purposefully and relentlessly from the wings. Tim Ginever while restricted to running in straight lines was typically busy and creative. Wayne Mahney up forward was strong and lively. Gavin Wanganeen was brilliant and decisive, breaking Glenelg’s spirit with his third quarter cameo. The same with Adrian Settre with his unlikely second quarter burst. Darren Smith presented hard all day creating a path through the key outer attacking post. Russell Johnston looked set for a big game before injury cut him down and Geoff Phelps provided presence from the bench.

After winning the Federal election in 1993 Paul Keating said ‘This is the sweetest victory of all. This is a victory for the true believers; the people who, in difficult times, have kept the faith.’ He may well have been channelling John Cahill who described this as his greatest premiership as a player or coach. Cahill lauded the fighting qualities of the 1990 team as exemplifying what Port Adelaide is about, commitment, courage and desperation. Cahill had completed a second hat-trick of premierships as Port Adelaide coach to go with the 1979-81 set. Cahill won this third leg of the trifecta in extraordinary circumstances under the most crushing pressure in what turned out to be an historic SANFL grand final.


Port Ad 4.6 10.7 13.9 16.12 (108)
Glenelg 5.2 6.7 9.11 13.15 (93)

Goals: Hodges 6, Settre 3, D Smith Wanganeen 2, Mahney S Williams M Williams 1
Best: Fiacchi, Hynes, Hodges, Phillips, M Williams, Tregenza, Abernethy, Hutton

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Epic Ford, epic.