The Greatest Game of Football Ever Played

I was ten years old in 1973 and already tempered by watching Glenelg lose Grand Finals. At the time, only the middle aged recalled our one Premiership season, a glorious against the odds win over Port (in 1934). Since 1967, the Club under Neil Kerley had gained new respect but that tended to dissipate each Spring.

In 1973, as 1934 (and 2013), we had finished 6th the previous year. But in 1973, it seemed the Tigers couldn’t lose. Wins piled up so frequently that when we dropped a game (at Prospect) it came as a relief.

Glenelg 1973 Grand Finals Team Photo

Glenelg 1973 Grand Finals Team Photo

So when Grand Final Day came around, we were warily optimistic. Wary, as North Adelaide confronted us. Premiers in 1971 and 1972, Champions of Australia in 1972, the only team to have beaten us in the regular season, they had serious talent and leadership: Coach Mike Patterson, the brothers Robran and Sachse, full-back Bob Hammond, the best ruck combination in the league in Spry and Sporn.

The day itself was a presage of summer, a brisk warm northerly gust keeping the old mercury over 85F. Officially, 56,525 jammed into Adelaide Oval, which coped easily, despite no billion dollar upgrade. 1973 marked the last Grand Final there until 2014.

If you watch the replay, recorded in black and white on very few cameras, you’ll see how the game has changed. Despite a handful of outright howlers, a sole field umpire, Murray Ducker, kept good control of the game (and without a mike). How oddly gratifying to watch long periods of play and not notice him!

There were hoardings (mainly advertising cigarettes) but no sponsors’ names on guernseys. The players had a lot of unkempt hair and none of them feared going hard at the ball or the man. Goals were celebrated with a minimum of fuss and the best player on the day got a watch. It was hard, fast and free-flowing, attacking football.

Game highs and lows – First & Second Quarters

North kicked with the wind and scored early through Rodney Robran. Brilliant close-in work by Fred Phillis led to Rex Voigt answering at the northern end. The action was fast and furious, with North reaping the breeze late to lead by 21 points.

Umpire Ducker, on the members’ side, somehow concluded Greg Bennett was holding the ball when no one laid a hand on him, which helped fire us all up. I was near the pickets on that side of the ground with my best friend, Scott Williams and my other good friend from primary school, Warren Churchett (now sadly gone). We agreed that the scores would even up by half time but as I recall, none of us saw Bob Tardif, our lead ruckman, grab at his hip after a ruck contest.

John Sandland replaced Tardif early in the second term, leaving Bob Tregenza as our only ruck against Sporn and Spry, two of the best in the business. This he did all day, driving himself relentlessly (and later, to hospital) with some stout assistance from Twiggy Caldwell. Thus the team covered what could have been a “major catastrophe” and by direct, attacking play, gained a lead of a goal at the half.

Game highs and lows – Third Quarter

The Bays defended by attacking into the wind and though North hit the front near the bell, Rex Voigt answered twice to give us an eight point lead at lemon time, to come home with the persistent breeze. Scott, Warren and I were hopeful.

Game highs and lows – Final Quarter

Nothing about the first 15 minutes suggested that either side were wilting. It was goal for goal and the Tigers had eked out a 15 point lead courtesy of Voigt, Carey and Bomber Hamilton, who was thrown on to a flank after taking the full force of a textbook hip-and-shoulder. Scott, Warren and I were feeling smug but Adrian Rebbeck, who had come on late for the Roosters, bobbed up with goals and kept them in touch.

The next 15 odd minutes were a sweat-soaked, nail biting, heart racing nightmare of the mind and nerves. As nicely summarised in Pride of the Bay “… for the next 15 minutes Glenelg, stonewalled by an inspirational, desperate effort from North full back and captain Bob Hammond, could not score.” Meanwhile, North attacked repeatedly; Collins and Marriott warmed up as both Coaches got increasingly twitchy; Millard found Voigt with a pass and he steered through his 7th goal, only to have it disallowed for illegal shepherding – the umpire’s biggest error of the game.

From that free, North went the length of the ground in quick time, as Ian Aitken cried “It’s got to be a North Adelaide goal, surely!” The enemy clawed back to within 7 points and we were rattled, no doubt of it. Marker and Caldwell collided going for the ball and with “players nearly at a walk”, Dennis Sachse grabbed a mark and goaled, to leave us a solitary point in front.

Kerley swung Fred Phillis into defence as a loose man where he did some good things but this meant that Hammond became even more dominant, turning back all of our forays and marshalling constant counter-attacks. The Bays seemed to be holding on, holding their breath and awaiting the end …North went forward again and as Ian Aitken calls it:
“…here comes Colbey on sheer guts, that’s all he’s got left: he angles it down and it’s all North Adelaide in defence…the Glenelg forward line is shot: Marsh is across there…Marsh comes around the corner – there’s only about 3 minutes left – a good kick! And there’s Rebbeck – steadies – Colbey’s gone, they’re all gone…towards centre half-forward – up goes Freddie Phillis: the brilliant Robran…” and his voice is drowned out as Robran left-foots it to the square where John Plummer marks, the crowd screams or groans, the North Coaching bench does the conga and Aitken, audible again, exclaims “They’re going to win this, North Adelaide!”
I admit that at this point, believing we had snatched defeat from victory’s jaws, tears welled up.

The coup de grace

Amid triumphant whoops from its supporters, North, now 5 points in front, attacks again. But Colbey gets a free at centre half back and dinks the ball over to Anderson, who lopes up the wing. Wally May reminds listeners, as if any need reminding, that Glenelg have “got to get a goal”.

And then, almost in slow motion, the battle for control of the ball; Hammond again, paddling it near the line; Sachse takes over and handballs away but a fresh and fast Craig Marriott gathers and sends a Hail Mary kick over his head and there is Cornes, floating way up in the air to grab the ball, writing his name into football legend.
May sums up: “Well, he’s got to do it, if you can mark like that and kick straight and win a Grand Final, you’ll never ever forget it. All the strain on number 12. Every bit of strain.”

And of course, he does it. Despite a less than dominant performance throughout the day, Studley pops through a goal from 30 or so metres out on a 45 degree angle, cool as a cucumber, to put Glenelg a point up with 5 minutes of time on played.

After that, still more drama. North come again – Jim Rawson smothers the kick that might have robbed us and as he lies on the ground with a free kick for the most blatant push-in-the- back in history, Aitken enthuses, “You’re witnessing the greatest game of football ever played, in my opinion. A fantastic conclusion to a brilliant season.” (His co-commentator, Max Hall, must have felt compelled to hose things down, promising the chance to see 15 minutes of edited highlights of the game at noon the next day.)

Glenelg, with its second wind, pressed forward again and Sandland marked and goaled after the siren and the day was ours. As the alliterative banner proclaimed, the “Tremendous, Talented, Tenacious, Terrifying, Tear-Away Tigers” had finally proved their worth!

I confess partiality. I may have an unhealthy obsession with this game, tending to watch portions when the present team is having a lean run. As a fellow-VP, Torrie Osborn, points out, I should focus on Glenelg’s future efforts, not those of its past. But there is a place for nostalgia at a Football Club – it can sustain and cheer; it may even inspire.
So, did Ian Aitken exaggerate? I maintain that he got it right. The 1973 SANFL Grand Final was the greatest game of football ever played – for the circumstances leading up to the contest and of the day itself; for quality, intensity, tension, drama, and honour.


¹ DVDs of the game can be bought at the Club. The commentators were Max Hall, Wally May and Ian Aitken.

² The team was Peter Anderson, Greg Bennett, Neville Caldwell, Peter Carey, Brian Colbey, Graham Cornes, Kerry Hamilton, Stephen Hywood, John McFarlane, Peter Marker (C), Craig Marriott (res), Peter Millard, Fred Phillis, Wayne Phillis, Jim Rawson, John Sandland (res), Bob Tardif, Bob Tregenza, Rex Voigt and Greg Wickens.

³ Peter Cornwall and John Wood, page 206. Chapter 13 gives a comprehensive review of the game and season.

4 It is difficult and perhaps unfair to single out best players in such a game. Bob Tregenza, Wayne Phillis, Peter Carey, Rex Voigt, Kerry Hamilton, Peter Millard and Peter Anderson gave their all for four long quarters but really, all played well. The same goes for North, for whom special mention must be made of Bob Hammond, Barry Robran, David Marsh and Adrian Rebbeck.




 

16 Comments

  1. Reply

    Darren Venn

    May 2, 2015

    I was 11, sitting in front of the centre stands, with Mum and Dad. When Rebbeck got that goal, I started bawling my eyes out. Mum kept telling me "Glenelg will get back" but she was crying too!! All I can remember after that was Hammond running the ball out of full back.When Cornes kicked that goal, the tears started again...and only stopped when Sandland grabbed that mark.
    I haven't seen a better game since. Glenelg were such an exciting football team to watch. And North Adelaide played skilful, fair football and had beaten a typically rough Port Adelaide for two years in a row. A formidable opponent to beat.

    Thanks for your account. I only found it today (May 2, '15) and held onto your every word. Up the Bays!

    Darren Venn.

    • Reply

      Lesley Jakobsen

      May 21, 2015

      Darren, thanks for sharing that! I spend much of my time at Glenelg games these days "bawling my eyes out". The difference is that I'm an adult (statistically speaking)....

  2. Reply

    Ant McLean

    March 26, 2017

    Great article, I was there, I came down from Blanchetown and slept outside the ground Friday night.
    Since the win, Bays1973 has dominated my life, for many years it was my email address. I have the photos of that day on my walls, I watch the golden era on YouTube regularly and the 73 final is on my bookcase shelves.
    Flew down from Townsville in 2003 for the 30th reunion and had my pic taken with the team on stage! That win in 73 has dominated my life ever since.
    That Day in September!
    Go the might GFC
    ANTHONY M

    • Reply

      The Varnished Culture

      May 31, 2017

      Brilliant comments! Thanks for that, everyone. Even if the Bays never win another Flag (and they will) we'll always have '73.

  3. Reply

    michael cullen

    May 31, 2017

    quite simply this was the best day of my life!
    yes i have been married twice and was present at the birth of my kids?

    i too was 10yrs old in 1973 and attended every game that year - even the waterbag trip to elizabeth, twice i was fortunate to travel on the cheersquad bus, to prospect and alberton.

    when plummer goaled i started bawling and continued to do so until studley took that mark, we were up the scoreboard end so my dad hoisted me on his shoulders so i could see the kick that put us back in front. (i have goosebumps typing this lol)

    i am a member at the bay, have been all my adult life, and saw scotty williams last saturday at gliderol and said g'day, i also know him from glengowrie high days and he is now my plumber.

    has been a hard road being a tiger fan but would not swap it for anything
    GO THE TIGES!!!

  4. Reply

    Lachlan Waterman

    May 31, 2017

    Brilliant article. My favourite game and never tire of reading about this historic day. My version can be read in my new book Kings of the Game in the chapter on Neil Kerley: The King of S.A.
    www.kingsofthegame.net

    • Reply

      TVC

      May 31, 2017

      We will read and review that!

      • Lesley Jakobsen

        June 3, 2017

        Hi Lachlan, I went on your website just now to buy a copy of your book - in hardcover. It said, click the BUY NOW button, but there wasn't one?

  5. Reply

    Ivan Bayliss

    June 2, 2017

    Hi Peter and Lesley, I have only just read your brilliant account of the day, obviously I was there too and it is a day I will never forget. Thank you. See you at the upcoming GFC Raceday, I hope.

  6. Reply

    John Milbank

    July 27, 2019

    Oh, so memorable for me, too. I was working in Darwin and could only listen to the radio broadcast. I watched the recorded telecast when it was shown on Darwin TV a couple of weeks later. My uncle, Graham, was a Glenelg player, mainly in the Seconds, a decade or so earlier, so I was a passionate Tiger supporter.

  7. Reply

    CALVIN HEATH

    September 9, 2019

    1973 The pride of the Bay forever was there and the GC mark and goal will go down in history as a moment never to be forgotten Studley you are a champion been a Bay boy since 1946

  8. Reply

    Peter Clutterham

    June 2, 2020

    Greatest game of sport in world history. I was 14 spent the friday night, at northern gate. Got spot on the terrace behind the goals, mum dad sister and brother walk in game day sat next to me. Dad has waited since 1934 for this. 1985 was his next, got a vinyl record of the game. GREATEST GAME IN HISTORY.

  9. Reply

    Budge58

    June 13, 2021

    A bit late to the party here but I was there as a 14yo and it remains in my mind as on of the best games of all time. Certainly for bay supporters. Was overseas in 85 and in Sydney in 86 but been living in Melbourne since 88. Came over in 2019 with my 20yo son to witness that flag which was beautiful to share with him. He saw my passion for the club and is hooked now as well.
    Thanks for these memories!


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