| Venue: Princes Park | Date: Saturday June 17, 1933 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: Win by 23 points | Umpire: Blackburn | Crowd: 26,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: H.Vallence 9, A.Clarke 3, R.Leffanue 3, M.Johnson 2, H.Bullen 1, J.Green 1, L.Hughson 1, K.Shea 1. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Best: H. Vallence, C. Davey, R. Leffanue, A. Clarke, M. Johnson, R. Cooper | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | Injuries: J.Hale replaced J.Kelly (ankle) in the third quarter | |||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
“One of the finest games of football seen in years” was how one commentator described this contest. In a close fought game, highlighted by accurate kicking and fine marking from both sides, Carlton, calm and confident when the game was tight, took control in the third quarter to win by 23 points.
Mackie and Kelly came into the side announced on Thursday night. Leffanue and Oprey were the two omissions. However, Little was a late withdrawal and Leffanue retained his place in the team.
Footscray opened with a great dash out of the centre and a nice pass resulted in the first goal. Long kicking to position from Carlton saw the ball get to Clarke who replied with the Blues’ opener. Vallence was pushed in a contest and his resulting free gave Carlton the second goal. Carlton on top, was unusually playing a short passing game. Footscray’s defence was working hard, but couldn’t prevent two long drop kick goals in succession to Johnson and Clarke. Great defensive play from Park intercepted two Footscray passes near goal, before two spectacular marks gave the Tricolours two goals in quick time. Kelly and Bob Green brought the ball around the southern wing and Vallence took a fine contested mark, which resulted in Carlton’s fifth goal. Two goals to Footscray followed, providing the rare example of ten goals having been scored and no behinds. However, Carlton spoilt the party, with behinds to Vallence, Davey and Clarke (and one rushed) to give a four point lead to Carlton at quarter time.
The second quarter was a desperate struggle from both sides, each wanting to assert their strengths and get on top. Footscray was into attack early, but three direct shots at goal resulted only in behinds. They persisted, and backing up well and displaying good teamwork, they scored their sixth after Cooper was dispossessed of the ball in a contest. Johnson and Bob Green attacked and brought the ball around the southern wing. Footscray repelled the attack, but Davey and Jack Green, on the rebound, got the ball to Vallence who goaled after a high mark in a pack. Footscray’s attacks continued and, with Carlton defenders under pressure, two quick goals were scored. Kelly and Shea rallied Carlton and a nice pass went to Clarke who snapped his third goal. Footscray with relentless pressure attacked constantly, but the opportunities were being wasted, with several kicks out on the full. Cooper, playing well, passed to Shea, who forwarded to Vallence, and the champion kicked a wonderful overhead goal. The Tricolours replied from the bounce with a sharp goal, but Vallence answered back quickly with a goal after a Kelly kick forward. A late goal to Footscray gave them a five point lead at the long break. It had been a remarkable half of football.
Carlton came around the northern wing to start the quarter, but Footscray repelled the attack. Carlton followed up and Clarke passed to Leffanue who goaled on the run. Footscray, showing great pace and teamwork, made several attacks but Crowe and Mackie prevented any scores. Carlton was now playing a long kicking game attack and starting to get on top. Kelly and Clarke combined well for Leffanue, dangerous in the forward pocket, to assist Vallence to kick his sixth goal. Leffanue was able to add his second goal shortly after. A great passage of play from Huxtable, Gilby and Shea around the wing resulted in Clarke scoring only a minor score. A Footscray attack was rewarded with a goal from a free kick for their first of the quarter, but Carlton was now dominating play, with the rucks well on top. The long direct kicking to position tactic enabled four more goals to Carlton, with the last being a great drop kick from Johnson. Kelly’s ankle problem saw him replaced by Hale late in the term. A goal to Footscray near the bell meant a 26 point lead to the Blues going into the final quarter.
A fine goal, resulting from ruck work out of the centre, enabled Footscray to reduce the score at the opening of the last quarter. The Tricolours had not thrown in the towel and kept attacking, for only two behinds. When they scored another goal from a nice drop kick, the margin was only twelve points. Both sides now threw themselves into the contest and some vigorous play resulted. Two goals to Jack Green and Leffanue gave the Blues some breathing space, but a Footscray mark, from a long kick out of the centre, gave the Tricolours some heart. A defensive error from Footscray enabled Hughson to goal, the ball bouncing through the unguarded posts. When Bullen drop kicked a long goal, the game was effectively over. Still trying desperately, Footscray scored two goals and kicked a poster to keep the heat in the game. A late Carlton goal provided a 23 point victory, which might have looked like a comfortable win to anyone who had not witnessed this desperate and enthralling encounter.
With this win, Carlton pushed Footscray out of the top four, and strengthened their hold on third place behind Richmond and Geelong. Meanwhile, Fitzroy beat Hawthorn to claim fourth spot, ahead of Collingwood and Footscray.
At the end of this round Carlton were in 3rd spot on the ladder with a percentage of 111.9.
Team
| B: | 23 Jim Crowe | 26 Jim Park | 20 Charlie Street |
| HB: | 9 Eric Huxtable | 24 Gordon Mackie | 6 Fred Gilby |
| C: | 7 Joe Kelly | 19 Ron Cooper | 32 Bob Green |
| HF: | 8 Keith Shea | 14 Jack Green | 29 Horrie Bullen |
| F: | 1 Les Hughson | 22 Harry Vallence | 34 Rod Leffanue |
| Ruck: | 17 Charlie Davey (acting capt.) | 15 Maurie Johnson | 31 Ansell Clarke |
| 19th Man: | 11 Jack Hale | ||
| Coach: | Dan Minogue | ||
Round 7 | Round 9