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Venue: Victoria Park | Date: Saturday May 13, 1916 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: Won by 26 points | Umpire: Norden | Crowd: 10,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: V.Gardiner 2, G.Topping 2, C.Fisher 1, H.Haughton 1, S.Leehane 1, P.O'Brien 1, J.Shortill 1, V.Valentine 1. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Best: C.Fisher, S.Leehane, B.Dick, B.Robinson, T.Brown, V.Gardiner, G.White, P.O'Brien, P.Daykin, R.McGregor | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | Injuries: P.O'Brien (bruised kidneys) | |||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
In a match that had a very tight first half, the Blues outscored the 1st-placed magpies by 24 points in the 2nd half to come home with a 26-point victory and jump into 2nd place.Gate Receipts: £137
Round two of the four team 1916 VFL competition.
The weather was not great as a shower fell just before the commencement and then a severe squall with driving rain hit the ground at three quarter time. The game started at 2.45pm and of course ended in darkness, players were indistinguishable in the gloom.
Both sides attacked early in the first quarter, but Nordern was too technical and many free kicks were given. Collingwood scored the first goal. The Blues replied almost immediately with a snap from Paddy O'Brien. Strong defence by the home side turned another Carlton forward move which resulted in goal number two for the 'Woods. Play was forced around the boundary and from a thrown in Harry Houghton hit the ball to Vin Gardiner whose accurate kick put the Blues back in the lead. At quarter time Carlton led by a solitary point.
Ted Brown took a spectacular mark early in the second term. However, it was turning into a battle of the back lines. The Blues were better in the air and stronger at ground level, but their hurried kicking let them down. Collingwood were over doing the handball, and they missed targets when their players were in a position to capitalise. Viv Valentine and Joe Shortill missed an easy scoring chance, but Shortill soon atoned with kicking the third goal from a glorious mark. Carlton's back line repeatedly held Collingwood out, but eventually their third goal was on the board. The home team then hit the lead with their fourth goal which resulted from a free kick. Rod McGregor was being beaten in the centre, but on the back line, Billy Dick, Billy Robinson, and Steve Leehane were prominent. Charlie Fisher and Ted Brown both had shots which just missed. Paddy O'Brien was slung, but he quickly spotted Vin Gardiner and Vin's kick bought up Carlton's fourth goal. At half time the Blues had doubled their lead to 2 points.
Collingwood attacked but was stopped by Billy Dick and Steve Leehane. Again, the home side went forward and this time snapped a lucky goal out of the ruck. Play was fairly even, when Harry Haughton, too, was on the receiving end of a bit of luck, his long kick bouncing over the head of a defender and through for a goal. Rod McGregor was regaining form and providing drive through the middle of the ground. Charlie Fisher marked on a difficult angle and his long kick went through for the sixth goal. Viv Valentine rushed a behind, but a poor kick in by the Magpie full back was gathered by Athol Sharp who passed to Valentine, and he ran into an unguarded goal for number seven. Collingwood responded with a goal, and Billy Dick repulsed another forward move. Just before the bell sounded, good work by Harry Haughton and Athol Sharp got the ball to George Topping who made no mistake -registering Carlton's eighth goal. This quarter had produced the best football of the game and the Blues held a 18 point lead at the last break.
Rain was now falling and Viv Valentine instead of having a shot for goal decided to short pass to Vin Gardiner which came unstuck. Percy Daykin kicked to George Topping in a good position but he spilled greasy ball. Collingwood's defenders were under pressure with Rod McGregor driving the ball to George White and onto George Topping, who guided his kick through for the ninth goal. The Magpies kicked their last of seven goals. In the murky gloom Carlton attacked with Charlie Fisher, Paddy O'Brien, Billy Robinson and George White being prominent. O'Brien passed to Topping and onto Steve Leehane for the tenth goal. The bell sounded with Carlton running out victors by 26 points.
"Carlton deserved their victory. They played the more even side, had fewer weak spots, were faster and kicked better than their opponents. Their best player on the day was Fischer. He seemed to be always in the right place, rarely made a mistake, was clever and quick in all his actions, and his kicking was tremendous. It was perhaps his finest game since joining Carlton.
Leehane was a good second to him for general usefulness. When back he was amongst the best of the defenders, showing both dash and determination, and in the ruck his play was equally fine.
White was prominent, especially after half time, and he is a decided acquisition.
Dick and Robinson (back), Brown (wing), Gardiner (forward) and O'Brien and Daykin (following) are also deserving of special mention for good work.
McGregor, after being badly beaten by Anderson in the first half, turned the tables on him in the second, and his recovery went a long way towards Carlton's victory."
"Last season's Carlton players with the colours include the following:-
A. Baud, H. Burleigh, G. Challis, F. Triplett, G. Muir (returned), S. McKenzie (missing), J. McDonald (killed), E. Brown, and E. Calwell."
"One ardent Collingwood supporter, whose spirits neither the rain nor the Magpies poor showing against Carlton could damp, was heard to remark on leaving the ground, "Well, at any rate, that does not put them out of the four."
(Trove: Winner May 17 p7)
At the end of this round Carlton were in 2nd spot on the ladder with a percentage of 120.2.
Team
| B: | 3 Andy McDonald | 15 Ernie Jamieson | 8 Mort Keily |
| HB: | 24 Billy Robinson | 1 Billy Dick (c) | 6 Steve Leehane |
| C: | 22 George White | 11 Rod McGregor (vc) | 9 Ted Brown |
| HF: | 7 Charlie Fisher | 5 Harry Haughton | 23 Joe Shortill |
| F: | 27 George Topping | 13 Vin Gardiner | 14 Athol Sharp |
| Ruck: | 10 Paddy O'Brien | 2 Percy Daykin | 4 Viv Valentine |
| Coach: | Norman Clark | ||
Interesting Fact: This was the third time that Carlton has used numbers 1 to 10 in the same senior side, the last time was Round 1, 1914 and in this game numbers 1 to 11 were used.
Round 1, 1916 | Round 3, 1916