Carlton would be
Runners-Up in the 1977 Night Series Competition.
1977 'Night' Series First Round
| Carlton |
3.2 | 20 |
7.6 | 48 |
11.9 | 75 |
12.17 | 89 |
|
St.Kilda |
1.5 | 11 |
1.10 | 16 |
4.15 | 39 |
10.19 | 79 |
| Venue: Lake Oval, Albert Park (Night) |
Date: Tuesday May 10, 1977 |
| Result: Won by 10 points |
Umpires: J.Chapman & M.Quinn |
Crowd: 4,118 Receipts: $4,886 |
| Goalkickers: Ohlsen 3, Buckley 2, Keogh 2, McKenna 2, Walls 2 & McConnon 1. |
| Best: Doull, Maclure, Bedford, Walls, Ohlsen & Buckley. |
Game Review
This game to scheduled to be played at VFL Park, Waverley, but the lights were not yet completed so it was played at the Lake Oval, Albert Park.
The VFL ‘Night’ Series reappear again in 1977 under a different format and played during the season, with all the 12 league teams involved and telecasted by Channel 7.
Although Carlton gained an early break in the second match of the Amco-Herald night series which was played at South Melbourne, St Kilda fought back strongly and particularly towards the end of the game. The Saints finished stronger than the Blues and turned a 36 point deficit at three quarter time into only a 10 point loss at the final siren. Carlton's forward line operated much better for most of the game and they were able to score goals with more ease than their opponents. Former South Melbourne captain and Brownlow Medalist, Peter Bedford, playing his first full senior game for Carlton showed out well on a half forward flank and will certainly be an asset to the Blues when he's perfectly fit. - Football Record.
Team 1977 'Night' Series First Round
| B: | 18 Kevin Heath | 15 Phil Pinnell | 7 Graeme Whitnall |
| HB: | 22 John Tresize | 36 Mark Maclure | 11 Bruce Doull |
| C: | 32 Leigh McConnon | 5 Syd Jackson | 30 Tony Pickett |
| HF: | 6 Peter Bedford | 42 Robert Walls | 8 Trevor Keogh |
| F: | 16 Jim Buckley | 27 Peter McKenna | 1 Jim Canfield |
| Ruck: | 43 David McKay | 24 Russell Ohlsen | 10 Alan Mangels |
| Res: | 31 Danny Halloran | 19 Michael Young |
| Coach: | Ian Thorogood |
1977 ‘Night’ Series Quarter Final
| Carlton |
4.4 | 28 |
8.9 | 57 |
9.12 | 66 |
15.13 | 103 |
|
Melbourne |
3.5 | 23 |
5.8 | 38 |
10.11 | 71 |
11.15 | 81 |
| Venue: VFL Park, Waverley (Night) |
Date: Tuesday July 5, 1977 |
| Result: Won by 22 points |
Umpires: M.Quinn & I.Robinson |
Crowd: 6,841 Receipts: $6,962 |
| Goalkickers: R.Ashman 4, A.Jesaulenko 3, R.Walls 3, B.Armstrong 2, J.Canfield 2 & L.McConnon 1. |
| Best: B.Doull, A.Mangels, R.Byrne, J.Canfield, R.Walls & A.Jesaulenko. |
Game Review
This match was Carlton’s first ‘Night’ game played at VFL Park, Waverley.
''Blues finish too strong for Demons
Given much improved weather and ground conditions, Carlton and Melbourne turned on a magnificent display in the third Quarter Final of the Amco-Herald Cup night series last Tuesday night. Carlton finally ran out winners by 22 points, but had to withstand many strong team efforts by Melbourne who snatched the lead in the third quarter. However they made more errors than Carlton and the better marking of Carlton gave them victory late in the last quarter. The lead changed six times during the game and the crowd of almost 7,000 certainly got their money's worth.
- Football Record.''
Team 1977 'Night' Series Quarter Final
| B: | 7 Graeme Whitnall | 21 Rod Austin | 18 Kevin Heath |
| HB: | 22 John Tresize | 20 Geoff Southby | 11 Bruce Doull |
| C: | 26 Ray Byrne | 12 Barry Armstrong | 32 Leigh McConnon |
| HF: | 9 Greg Towns | 42 Robert Walls | 10 Alan Mangels |
| F: | 25 Alex Jesaulenko | 43 David McKay | 6 Peter Bedford |
| Ruck: | 1 Jim Canfield | 24 Russell Ohlsen | 14 Rod Ashman |
| Res: | 36 Mark Maclure | 8 Trevor Keogh |
| Coach: | Ian Thorogood |
1977 ‘Night’ Series Semi Final
| Carlton |
3.2 | 20 |
3.7 | 25 |
5.10 | 40 |
6.13 | 49 |
|
Richmond |
2.2 | 14 |
2.2 | 14 |
4.3 | 27 |
4.6 | 30 |
| Venue: VFL Park, Waverley (Night) |
Date: Tuesday July 26, 1977 |
| Result: Won by 19 points |
Umpires: M.Dye & K.Smith |
Crowd: 6,056 Receipts: $6,149 |
| Goalkickers: Walls 2, Canfield 1, McKay 1, McKenna 1 & Sheldon 1. |
| Best: Harmes, Keogh, Pinnell, Southby, Young, Walls, Jesaulenko & Ohlsen. |
| R.Ohlsen replaced G.Whitnall in the selected side.
|
Game Review
Wayne Harmes would make his first appearance for Carlton, running out in Guernsey #54. Harmes was a passionate Tigers supporter growing up, and he made his debut against players his grew up idolizing. It would be an auspicious debut, being given the BOG in this game. Harmes would make his debut in the 'day' series on the Saturday following this match,
in Round 18.
This would be Harmes' only night match in #54, moving to #37 for the Grand Final the following Tuesday.
The 1977 night series appears to have been doomed by bad weather and last Tuesday night was no exception. The heavy rain which fell during the day, making a last minute cancellation impossible, continued during the Shield game and into the hours of the senior match. This made the League's ground into a water-logged skating rink as players fought to hold their grip. But they did well and the standard was not all that bad. Carlton jumped away to a good start and were never headed by Richmond, who possibly lost the game in the second term, when they failed to score at all. Goals to the experienced Walls late in the third quarter and early in the last paved the way for the Blues to move into the Grand Final against Hawthorn. - Football Record.
''Fans braved elements
Although it was easy to applaud the efforts of the players, we must say the keenness of the 6,000 fans who braved the 6ºC, rainy night to watch the game should all have been given medals as they went out the gate. What sized crowd would it have been, had the weather been kind? Possibly closer to the 15,000 as we expect at the Grand Final next Tuesday - provided of course, the weather is better???
- Football Record.''
Team 1977 'Night' Series Semi Final
| B: | 18 Kevin Heath | 21 Rod Austin | 19 Michael Young |
| HB: | 11 Bruce Doull | 20 Geoff Southby | 15 Phil Pinnell |
| C: | 8 Trevor Keogh | 54 Wayne Harmes | 26 Ray Byrne |
| HF: | 10 Alan Mangels | 42 Robert Walls | 27 Peter McKenna |
| F: | 14 Rod Ashman | 25 Alex Jesaulenko | 1 Jim Canfield |
| Ruck: | 43 David McKay | 24 Russell Ohlsen | 16 Jim Buckley |
| Res: | 5 Ken Sheldon | 23 Renato Serafini |
| Coach: | Ian Thorogood |
1977 ‘Night’ Series Grand Final
| Carlton |
5.1 | 31 |
7.3 | 45 |
9.3 | 57 |
11.5 | 71 |
|
Hawthorn |
3.7 | 25 |
6.8 | 44 |
10.11 | 71 |
14.11 | 95 |
| Venue: VFL Park, Waverley (Night) |
Date: Tuesday August 2, 1977 |
| Result: Lose by 24 points |
Umpires: W.Deller & I.Robertson |
Crowd: 27,407 Receipts: $28,654 |
| Goalkickers: R.Ashman 3, K.Sheldon 2, R.Walls 2, B.Armstrong 1, J.Buckley 1, T.Keogh 1 & P.McKenna 1. |
| Best: R.Ashman, B.Armstrong, G.Southby, B.Doull, J.Canfield, R.Walls & J.Buckley. |
| Replacements: P.Pinnell (flu) and Jesaulenko (back) replaced by M.Maclure and R.Ashman in selected side.
|
Game Review
Carlton lost this Night Series Grand Final by 24 points.
Wayne Harmes would play his first game in his customary #37, after playing in his debut last week in Guernsey 54. He played all of his three 'senior' games (2 'night' & 1 'day') during 1977 in 8 days and all were at Waverley. This was the game when Doull went "berserk" and chased his Hawk opponent to even up after copping a high tackle.
''Hawks too strong in front of big crowd
The biggest crowd yet seen at a night VFL match of 27,407, thronged to VFL Park last Tuesday for the Grand Final of the Amco-Herald Cup night series. For many it was their first experience of night football under the $1 million lights of VFL Park and with the better weather League officials were caught off guard by the huge crowd. It wasn't so much the numbers as the fact that almost all arrived between 7.15 and 7.45 pm, putting pressure on the small number of attendants in the car park and manning the turnstiles. However we still didn't expect the numbers who turned up. But once inside the stadium, patrons were treated to a magnificent game, played at full, day match pressure.
Hawthorn maintained their record of being unbeaten in night matches when they finished with too much strength for Carlton, although the Blues made a fine game of it up until the last quarter opening. A melee involving some 24 players erupted early in the last quarter after Carlton's Bruce Doull was hit after taking a mark, which helped to keep the crowds interest in the game. Hawthorn took out the first prizemoney of $50,000 from the series, while Carlton, with $42,000 were far from disgraced as runners-up in the first ever Grand Final of football at VFL Parl.
- Football Record.''
Team 1977 'Night' Series Grand Final
| B: | 7 Graeme Whitnall | 21 Rod Austin | 18 Kevin Heath |
| HB: | 36 Mark Maclure | 20 Geoff Southby | 11 Bruce Doull |
| C: | 26 Ray Byrne | 12 Barry Armstrong | 19 Michael Young |
| HF: | 37 Wayne Harmes | 42 Robert Walls | 8 Trevor Keogh |
| F: | 1 Jim Canfield | 27 Peter McKenna | 5 Ken Sheldon |
| Ruck: | 43 David McKay | 10 Alan Mangels | 16 Jim Buckley |
| Res: | 44 Ian Zeunert | 14 Rod Ashman |
| Coach: | Ian Thorogood |
1977 |
1971 Night Series |
1978 Night Series
