Umpires: G. James & R. Sawers

Goalkickers: Mark Buckley 6, Rod Ashman 4, Wayne Johnston 3, Ken Hunter 2, Ross Ditchburn 1, Rod Austin 1, Rohan Brown 1, Alex Marcou 1, Mark Maclure 1.

Best: Alex Marcou, Rod Austin, Ken Hunter, Phil Maylin, Rod Ashman, Peter McConville.

Reports: Nil

Injuries: Wayne Harmes (bruised hip), Ross Ditchburn (sprained shoulder)

Game Review

The way Carlton slaughtered Richmond on the first Saturday of football of 1983, made it seem like a replay of 1981 and 1982 could be a fait accompli.

On the day when Ken Hunter took Mark of the Year, Peter McConville was a star all round the ground. Rod Austin and Bruce Doull were their usual reliable selves, whilst time and again Alex Marcou found space to bewilder the hapless Tigers. After Ross Ditchburn injured his shoulder in the third quarter, he was replaced by a young Mark Buckley at full-forward. Buckley went on to kick five goals in the term, including one pearler from a near-impossible angle.

This big win was all the more impressive because the Blues were still without the injured Fitzpatrick, Perovic, Bortolotto and Bosustow. As well, big "Wow" Jones was still serving his suspension from the 1982 Grand Final, when he was a highly-effective protector of Carlton's small brigade, and prevented Richmond's Mark Lee from handing out any undue physical pressure.

Carlton rover Alex Marcou, was in brilliant touch against Richmond and picked up 26 kicks in a spirited display. Marcou received three votes, ahead of team-mates Ken Hunter and Peter McConville, who between them dragged down 28 marks. - Inside Football Player of the Year.

Memories

Ken Hunter pretty much marked everything that came his way in this game, including an unforgettable Mark of the Year that was not judged on sitting on someone's shoulders, or reaching skyward to take the ball at some dizzying height. No, Kenny took this one running with the flight of the ball towards the Heatley Stand. It doesn't sound spectacular, but he had a pack of players running head-on at him. Hunter was wide open, and the consequences could have been horrendous (car crash like) if impact had been made. But he kept his eyes rivetted on the ball as it came in high over his right shoulder and, at precisely the right moment, jumped, twisted in mid air, and plucked the ball cleanly in both hands a split-second before the pack arrived. How he came through unscathed is anyone's guess, and I still shudder to this day as I remember watching this true Carlton legend from my seat in front of the Gardiner stand!

Team

Milestones

Debut: Rohan Brown
Debut (Carlton): Bruce Reid

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