| Venue: VFL Park Waverley | Date: Saturday 15 September, 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: Loss by 25 points | Umpires: R.Sawers & I.Smith | Crowd: 70,634 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: W.Ralph 3, P.Dean 3, J.Madden 2, W.Harmes 1, M.Maclure 1, P.Meldrum 1, F.Murphy 1, R.Ashman 1, K.Sheldon 1. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Best: M.Maclure, R.Ashman, F.Murphy, P.McConville, B.Doull, W.Blackwell. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: B.Reid by field umpire R.Sawers on the charge of striking R.Andrews with a fist in the stomach in the final quarter. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Injuries: Nil | ||||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
Having gambled successfully by recalling Warren Ralph the previous week, Carlton's selectors rolled the dice again for this do or die clash with Collingwood by including captain Wayne Johnston for his first game in six weeks. But the gamble failed, and a gallant Carlton - already badly undermanned by the loss of Rod Austin, Ken Hunter and Des English - fell to Collingwood by 25 points in front of more than 70,000 spectators at Waverley.Goalsneak Peter Daicos kicked 7 freakish goals for Collingwood in a Best on Ground performance. Bruce Doull, Tom Alvin and Fraser Murphy battled hard for the Blues, while Peter Dean showed glimpses of what was to come.
Carlton looks like it has unearthed a future star in Peter Dean. He was particularly impressive in the Blues losing first semi final effort against Collingwood. The Blues rely heavily up forward on Mark Maclure, but on Saturday Peter Dean provided another avenue to goal. Peter took a lot of pressure Mark and really gave Carlton a lift. He's an impressive type of player and the Blues will be hoping he goes on to bigger and better things next season. - Kevin Sheedy Inside Football.
Collingwood's future might appear to be bright, but the same cannot be said of Carlton. In fact, the Blues face their biggest crisis since Alex Jesaulenko took over from Ian Stewart as coach during the 1978 season. Carlton's performance against Collingwood in the first semi-final on Saturday was inept, to say the least. Several of the Blues have reached the end of the road, while some members of the side were never there in the first palce. And too many Blues appear to have achieved too much too soon and the ferocious desire of a couple of seasons ago no longer is there. Players like David Glascott had better start thinking about their football future and whether they want to play in further premiership sides. Or have they achieved enough already? Carlton lacks height and strength and will not be able to overcome these problems in just one season. Coach David Parkin suggested on Saturday night that the Blues already were team-building and it might be several seasons before the boys from Princes Park are top of the heap again. - Jim Main Inside Football.''
Johnston move failed
If Wayne Johnston had played well and the Blues had won the match it would have been hailed as the match winning move. It was a calculated gamble by David Parkin and Wayne himself and fortunately for us it didn't pay off. Some injuries are much more difficult to carry than others and any injury is extremely difficult to carry in a final. Collingwood was aware of the possibility that Wayne could play but was not terribly concerned. After all, he hadn't played for over a month so he would have absolutely no stamina. If he didn't fire, it wouldn't be for long and a finals game isn't the place to quickly recover your touch. When Wayne did finally hit the turf I was surprised how much weight he had put on in his legs. Add up those ingredients and it becomes a mammoth task to perform anywhere near your best. If Wayne did fire, it would have been a tremendous psychological lift for the Blues; if he didn't the reverse would apply. Obviously the Blues brains trust felt the gamble was necessary. - Graham Teasdale Inside Football.
There's no doubt about the "old doormat". The media have retired him more times than I can remember but he keeps on coming up. During this season he has put in a few ordinary ones but after all he is human. On Saturday he was Bruce Doull the champion that everyone respects. He was head and shoulders above the rest and by far Carlton's best player. If he decides to retire, he has finished the way all champions should and that is, a champion. - Graham Teasdale Inside Football.
''Dominator decision a real blue
The Carlton Football Club selectors should stand up and be counted for deciding to take the risk with captain Wayne Johnston last Saturday in the first semi-final. Even coach David Parkin should have known better. It's no good now making excuses about the whole charade. With all the experience around the Blues table selecting the side, you would have thought they would have known that if they got beaten they were finished. Forget about Wayne Johnston being involved..... yes, I know he wanted to play...... who wouldn't. BUT the selectors have the final say. In all years gone by, it has failed ..... injured players just don't fire. Experiments are made with injured players during the year (not finals). And what about Alex Marcou? He must have been shattered at the news when told. The Blues needed pace around the packs and it was not there. If ever a lesson was to be learnt, it was in the first semi surrender by the Blues to their arch rival Collingwood at the selection table. - Ted Whitten Inside Football.''
The Carlton-Collingwood clash last week was full of emotion and tension. Not only, but many Collingwood spectators said they couldn't care less about the rest of the season as long as we beat Carlton. As it turned out, Magpie supporters got more than they had hoped for. Carlton's forwards with Mark Maclure being the exception were over-shadowed by their Collingwood opponents. In the centre of the ground Geoff Raines was in complete control. Fierce physical pressure and the speed of the game saw a lot of fundamental errors occur. Derek Shaw came off the interchange bench and marked everything in sight. When the ball did get past Derek, Micky Taylor turned it away. The turning point in the game was the third quarter. Whether you put down as a lapse in concentration and that they succumbed to the pressure it doesn't matter. Collingwood established a good break and more importantly the psychological edge going into the last quarter. It's just that little bit harder, pushing yourself when you are chasing an opponent when you know you have blown it. But to Carlton's credit, it kept at it to the final siren. - Graham Teasdale Inside Football.
Peter Daicos personally destroyed the Carlton defence in a brilliant display in the first semi-final at VFL Park. Daicos, (seven goals) led the young and enthusiastic Magpies to a thrilling win over a lack-lustre Carlton before 70,000 fans. Carlton's age and experience had no answer to Collingwood's spirit and endeavor. - Football Record.
Team
| B: | 37 Wayne Harmes | 35 Peter Dean | 15 Val Perovic |
| HB: | 11 Bruce Doull | 17 Bruce Reid | 33 Peter McConville |
| C: | 32 David Glascott | 16 Jim Buckley | 8 Wayne Blackwell |
| HF: | 5 Ken Sheldon | 36 Mark Maclure | 30 Fraser Murphy |
| F: | 44 Justin Madden | 22 Warren Ralph | 7 Wayne Johnston (c) |
| Ruck: | 2 Warren 'Wow' Jones | 23 Paul Meldrum | 14 Rod Ashman |
| Interchange: | 31 Tom Alvin | 18 Allan Montgomery | |
| Coach: | David Parkin | ||
Video
Qualifying Final | 1985