| Venue: Princes Park | Date: Saturday June 19, 1937 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: Win by 55 points | Umpire: Nicholson | Crowd: 15,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: H. Vallence 4.1, J. Wrout 2.4, M. Price 2.2, M. Crisp 2.1, R. Cooper 1.2, H. Bullen 1.2, J.Hale 1.1, A. Shields 1.0, J. Park 1.0, G. Collard 0.7, B. Green 0.3, N. Cashin 0.1. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Best: J. Francis, M. Crisp, D. McIntyre, M. Price, F. Gill, E. Huxtable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | Injuries: R.McLean (effects of heavy cold and injured leg) replaced by C.Denning at three quarter time | |||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Extending its unbeaten record against Hawthorn to 23 wins in a row, the Carlton soundly defeated the Mayblooms in an uninspiring game at Princes Park. Atrocious kicking, fumbling and congestion spoilt the game as a spectacle and gave Carlton’s critics plenty of ammunition. Carlton played well in patches but were not at their best, while Hawthorn were lethargic and well outmatched, going down by 55 points.At training during the week, Carlton fans happily noted that several players had resumed from their injuries. Jack Carney and Ansell Clarke were out on the park but still several weeks away, Bob Green was expected to be available but Kevin Fox (knee) and Fred Ayers (hip) were unlikely starters. The side selected for the Hawthorn clash could not include Frank Anderson (ankle sprain), Keith Shea (ankle) and Bert Butler (jarred shoulder) and Will Kuhlken was omitted. Into the side came Ron Cooper, George Collard, Bob Green and Clen Denning as 19th man.
In player movement matters, Carlton had sought but were denied permission by Fitzroy to interview rover Frank Curcio. Charlie Davey had requested a clearance to South Melbourne and the committee was set to discuss the request during the week. Carlton was very pleased that the highly sought recruit Pat Farrelly had been granted a clearance to the Blues by Tasmanian club Launceston. He was expected to be available to play in one or two weeks.
Rain during the week had made the centre of the ground quite waterlogged and from the opening bounce both sides were playing to the wings and flanks. McIntyre stopped a Hawthorn attack and the Blues went forward. Price, roving well, sent Carlton into attack twice. Crisp, roaming well forward of the centre, kicked the first Carlton goal after marking a nice pass from Shields. Moments later, Crisp and Wrout assisted Vallence to kick the second. It was an even game early with Carlton on top across the middle and in the aerial duels. Hawthorn worked hard for the first 15 minutes but Carlton’s dominating defence and Hawthorn’s use of towering kicks going into attack prevented them scoring. By contrast, Carlton was using short passing well when moving the ball. The Maybloom defence held out three Carlton attacks and then rebounded strongly from one to register their first goal. Carlton answered well through Cooper, who marked in front and kicked truly. Then Vallence, winning an aerial duel in the forward pocket, goaled from a tight angle to put Carlton further ahead. Responding well, Hawthorn goaled twice, the second from a lovely 50 yard punt, to trail by ten points at quarter time.
A dour struggle for the first ten minutes of the term became a congested scramble, with neither side being able to break clear. Hawthorn was crowding Carlton at every opportunity, forcing many errors. Finally, Hawthorn went forward but strong defence from McIntyre repelled the thrust easily. Cashin, good on the wing, drove the ball to Shields who kicked long, straight down the ground to an unguarded goal to score Carlton’s fifth major. Another rally, and Francis and Crisp, both good so far, worked the ball into attack to Vallence who snapped his third goal for a handy lead. Hawthorn’s forwards, well beaten, were letting them down and after twenty minutes they had scored only three behinds. Carlton had rallied well and, with good system and team play, were now dominating all over. Vallence, benefitting from fine play on the wing, brought up the seventh goal. Three more followed rapidly through Crisp, Wrout and Price. Hawthorn gained a late goal but the game had got well away from them when the half time bell rang, with the Blues 39 points up. Francis, Price, Crisp, McIntyre and Gill were having great games.
The third quarter was one of those displays of poor football better forgotten. Only one goal was scored and both sides were guilty of inaccurate kicking and congested play. As expected, Hawthorn made several changes at the break. Carlton attacked early but could manage only two behinds. Hawthorn did no better from two thrusts of their own. Still attacking, a shot at goal hit the post and then a hurried snap brought up their fourth behind for the quarter. Their patient endeavours were finally rewarded when they netted their fourth goal. Carlton had slowed and at times looked disinterested, allowing Hawthorn to get back in the game. They were playing close to their opponents, making Carlton work hard for the ball. Their pressure, and Carlton’s abysmal kicking, were the main reasons that the Blues did not score a goal for the term, kicking eleven behinds in a poor display, but ironically increasing their lead by one point at the last change.
McLean, suffering from the effects of a heavy cold and a sore leg, was replaced by Denning for the last term. Perhaps some strong words were spoken by Percy Rowe at the change because within the first five minutes of the bounce, Carlton had scored three goals; the first from Price after clever roving and the others from Wrout and Hale with splendid drop kicks to increase the Blues’ lead to 60 points. Cashin and Crisp were the instigators of these goals, with long driving kicks forward from the centre. By the ten minute mark, Wrout and Park had kicked two more goals to take a huge lead. Hawthorn players had slowed to almost a walk by now and the game became lifeless and dull. A late flurry brought the Mayblooms three junk time goals to make the scoreboard look a little better but the Blues had dominated the game, albeit in patches, to win by 55 points.
After the game, President Dave Crone donated a traveller’s rug to the player considered Carlton’s best for the day, Jim Francis.
It would be remiss of the writer to not comment on Carlton’s poor kicking at goal and, without wishing to disparage any players, some mention of the main offenders should be made. Jack Wrout kicked two goals but missed for singles four times. Bob Green kicked three behinds and George Collard had seven shots at goal for seven behinds! Perhaps some goal kicking practice would be on at training next week.
At the end of this round Carlton were in 6th spot on the ladder with a percentage of 114.6.
Team
| B: | 2 Don McIntyre | 21 Frank Gill | 26 Jim Park |
| HB: | 9 Eric Huxtable | 10 Jim Francis (acting capt.) | 34 Clem Neeson |
| C: | 4 Norm Cashin | 12 Creswell 'Mickey' Crisp | 32 Bob Green |
| HF: | 19 Ron Cooper | 28 Jack Wrout | 25 Arch Shields |
| F: | 13 George Collard | 22 Harry Vallence | 11 Jack Hale |
| Ruck: | 15 Horrie Bullen | 14 Rod McLean | 30 Mick Price |
| 19th Man: | 35 Clen Denning | ||
| Coach: | Percy Rowe | ||
Milestones
Last Game (Carlton): Clem NeesonAggregate Scores: Carlton would score it's 50,000th point in this fixture, coming in game #737 in the VFL / AFL competition.
Round 8 | Round 10