| Venue: Lakeside Oval | Date: Saturday July 10, 1937 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: Lose by 31 points | Umpire: G.L.Murphy | Crowd: 22,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: P. Farrelly 2.2, M. Price 1.3, A. Shields 1.1, K. Dunn 1.1, K. Shea 1.1, J. Hale 1.0, J. Wrout 0.3, H. Bullen 0.1, R. McLean 0.1, Rushed 0.1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Best: K.Shea, J. Francis, M. Crisp, D. McIntyre, M. Price, J. Hale | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: Bob Chitty (Charging & Elbowing) - Not Guilty | Injuries: B.Chitty (leg) replaced by E.Huxtable in last quarter. K.Shea (severely bruised back) | |||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Despite a cold and blustery cross wind at the Lake Oval, Carlton and South Melbourne staged an epic battle which until three-quarter time was very even. South were the better side in the second half and superior forward play and their pace and strength in the final term got the Bloods home comfortably by 31 points. Again, Carlton’s kicking for goal cost them dearly; from quarter time until three quarter time scoring two goals twelve from twenty shots.
All at Carlton knew the importance of a win against South Melbourne. A loss would make it very difficult to make the finals and so training during the week was quite intense. Rod McLean (flu and back pain) and Mick Price (bruised thigh) joined the growing list of players who did not train on Tuesday. Both were expected to be right for Saturday, along with Jack Hale (shoulder). Ansell Clarke and Jack Carney resumed with light work and were possible starters for the reserves game, but Ron Cooper, Frank Anderson, Kevin Fox, Fred Ayers and Gordon Mackie were some weeks away. Over 40 senior and reserves players were present at training on Thursday night and the selectors made four changes. Charlie Davey, Bert Butler, Harry Vallence and George Collard were omitted and into the team came Pat Farrelly, the tall forward from Launceston, Rod McLean, Keith Dunn and Eric Huxtable as 19th man.
A strong cross breeze was blowing to the lakeside wing. South attacked but a fine mark by Don McIntyre halted the move. Cresswell 'Micky' Crisp in the centre was providing some drive forward but the moves were breaking down on the half forward line. Good play by Jack Hale and Bob Green enabled Mick Price to pass the ball to Pat Farrelly . The debutant made no mistake and put the ball through for the Blues' first goal. (Perhaps a goal with Pat's first kick?) However, the Southerners soon replied with a goal. Carlton went straight into attack and good, strong play by Pat Farrelly once again secured the Blues' second. Carlton kept attacking but each time the South defenders repelled. The pace was a cracker with both sides striving for the advantage. After good work by defender Fred Gilby the Blues once more attacked and this time half forward Keith Shea with a beautiful running long-low drop kick, goaled. Three straight seems like accurate kicking, but many shots that normally on a calm day would have scored, were taken out of bounds by the wind. At quarter time the Blues led by 11 points. 3.0 - 1.1
The wind now was favouring the Lake end goal to which South were kicking and within seconds the home team goaled. Jim Francis outpointed South's star Laurie Nash to turn another forward move. The pace was hot, South attacked and this time added another goal. South were back on the forward line, Don McIntyre turned defence into attack but a fumble by Arch Shields robbed the Blues of a chance to goal. It was a fine struggle with flashes of brillance from both sides. Jim Francis dashed forward with the ball, but both Farrelly and Shields struggled against the wind. A great contest with scores level at 3.2 apiece and remained so for some ten minutes. Keith Shea broke the deadlock with a behind, then Keith Dunn's shot was touched on the line. The Blues were now playing great football into the wind, Keith Shea, Cresswell 'Micky' Crisp and Jack Wrout provided the drive. The Blues kept the pressure on the South defenders but could only managed two behinds before Jack Hale's kick bought up the Blues fourth major. Carlton were winning in the centre and and Shields and Wrout added another two behinds. Just before the half time bell Jack Wrout added another minor score. The Blues led by 12 points. 4.8 - 3.2
Carlton went into attack but wasted their chance. South took the ball away into their forward line but the tricky wind was playing havoc and they managed a behind. Good play by Green and Shea forwarded to Wrout but his kick was taken by the wind and swung away for a behind. Four times the South Melbourne defenders turn the attack before they scrambled a goal with one of their few forward thrusts. This gave the Southerners new impetus and they goaled again to level the scores. The Blues swung into attack through good play by Norm Cashin and Keith Shea and Arch Shields kicked the Blues fifth. South then evened things up for the third time, when the added their sixth goal. Blues once again broke the deadlock when Mick Price added a point. Jack Wrout then booted the ball straight at the goals, but it was marked by a South backman. Wrout again drove the ball goalwards but Pat Farrelly rushed a behind. At three quarter time the Blues held a slender lead of 2 points. 5.12 - 6.4
At the start of the final term the Blues added a behind. South then attacked and Frank Gill saved a certain goal from which a behind resulted. Jim Francis and Rod McLean turned a South attack. However, they added another behind and whittled the Blues lead to one point. Through the agency of Horrie Bullen and McLean, the Blues went forward, but the South defenders held firm. Frank Gill collided with an opposition player and was temporarily in the hands of the trainers. This unsettled the Blues' back line and a change came over the game. The home side added another rushed behind before they goaled from a mark straight in front. They then added another goal for what looked like a match winning lead. Mick Price gave the Blues' supporters some hope when he added a goal. But South added a quick reply and then added another and before running away with the game. Not mentioned in the match reports, but Keith Dunn scored a goal probably late in the match, which would be his final goal as a Blue. South had the better of the Blues in the second half, but Carlton wasted their chances with the wind particularly in the third term. Carlton lost by 31 points. 7.14 - 13.9
After this round, Carlton sat sixth on the ladder with a percentage of 111.1. Six games remained in the season and the Blues had to win most, if not all of them. Four of the sides Carlton was to play were higher than Carlton on the ladder, but at least those games would be at Princes Park. And they needed to be won.
Team
| B: | 2 Don McIntyre | 21 Frank Gill | 26 Jim Park |
| HB: | 33 Bob Chitty | 10 Jim Francis (acting capt.) | 6 Fred Gilby |
| C: | 4 Norm Cashin | 12 Creswell 'Mickey' Crisp | 32 Bob Green |
| HF: | 8 Keith Shea | 28 Jack Wrout | 25 Arch Shields |
| F: | 5 Keith Dunn | 20 Pat Farrelly | 11 Jack Hale |
| Ruck: | 15 Horrie Bullen | 14 Rod McLean | 30 Mick Price |
| 19th Man: | 9 Eric Huxtable | ||
| Coach: | Percy Rowe | ||
Milestones
Debut: Pat FarrellyLast Game : Keith Dunn
Round 11 | Round 13