|
Venue: Princes Park | Date: Saturday May 25, 1907 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Result: Lost by 15 points | Umpire: Smith | Crowd: 22,000 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Best: T.Kennedy, R.McGregor, G.Bruce, J.Flynn, F.Jinks, F.Elliott, N.Clark, B.Payne, C.Hammond, A.Lang, V.Gardiner and G.Topping | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: T.Kennedy 2, A.Lang 1, V.Gardiner 1, F.Caine 1. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: | Injuries: Dave Gillespie - fractured collarbone, Doug Gillespie (thigh), N. Clark (leg) | |||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
This game between two committed sides was played with the same physical disregard that had characterised most of the games of the league season so far. Carlton had more scoring chances, but South Melbourne made more of their opportunities. While the Bloods' forward line had been disappointing in recent games, on this Saturday afternoon they out-performed their Carlton counterparts, and deserved to win.The game commenced in an open fashion, and after Ricketts had scored for South Melbourne, the Carlton wingmen shone, and so fine running football resulted in goals to Lang and Gardiner. Two snapped goals in quick succession towards the end of the first term gave South Melbourne the lead with a 4 goals to 2 quarter. The Blues were unfortunate in the first term, Dave Gillespie fractured his collarbone and his team was forced to play one man down for the rest of the match. During the quarter, the battle between the rucks was particularly good, with South's Frank, Jackson and Kerr as a rover playing against Flynn, Jinks and Elliott.
"Carlton lost the game in the second quarter through a combination of bad luck and bad play" - The Argus, Monday 27th May, 1907. Carlton kicked 7 behinds in the second term (including two posters), and no goals. From 12 scoring shots up to half-time the Blues managed only 2 goals, and trailed by 5 points at the half-time break, in spite of holding South Melbourne goalless as well.
The third term was undoubtedly South Melbourne's. Gent and Jackson kicked a goal each, and Mortimer bagged two goals to extend their lead. For Carlton, the only highlight was Kennedy's running goal, but the Blues were still 23 points down going into the last term. The Blues improved their play in the last term, and shaded South Melbourne for the whole quarter. Goals to Kennedy and Caine closed the gap, but the Blues never looked like getting close enough to steal the contest. Frustratingly, Carlton had played better around the ground, but just didn't have a forward line functioning well enough to put scoreboard pressure on the Bloods. Three posters throughout the game didn't help, especially considering that the final margin was only 15 points.
Carlton's centre line was the strongest part of the team on the day, and Kennedy, McGregor and Bruce all played 'beautifully'. The rucks, Flynn, Jinks and Elliott did well, as did Clark and Payne in defence. Hammond off half-back and as a follower, Lang roving and at half-forward, and finally Gardiner and Topping in the forward line were others prominent for the losing side.
Having inflicted the second loss of the season on the reigning premiers in this game, South Melbourne moved up to third on the ladder, behind still undefeated St Kilda, and the wobbly Blues. Essendon was fourth, in front of Melbourne, Collingwood and Geelong on percentage. Carlton’s star forward Frank Caine sat second on the goal-kicking list with 11 majors, one behind Les Roebuck of Geelong. Next best for the Blues was George Topping, with 7.
At the end of this round Carlton were in 2nd spot on the ladder with a percentage of 139.4.
Note: The old Carlton club rooms, which were orginally at C.C.C.'s "The Triangle" ground in Royal Parade and were moved to Princes Park's northern wing around 1897. Because of journalist's complaints, the press box which was located near the scoreboard off to the right of this photo, was relocated to the left hand side of these club rooms for the 1908 season. The press-box and the scoreboard were just past the white canvas roofed area.
Carlton's Frank Caine can be seen in the back ground.
Images: SLV, Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News (Melb) and Punch May 30
Team
| B: | Norman Clark (vc) | Doug Gillespie | Les Beck |
| HB: | Billy Payne | George S Johnson | Charlie Hammond |
| C: | Ted Kennedy | Rod McGregor | George Bruce |
| HF: | Frank Caine | Mick Grace | Alex Lang |
| F: | Dave Gillespie | George Topping | Vin Gardiner |
| Ruck: | Jim Flynn (c) | Fred Jinks | Fred Elliott |
| Coach: | Jack Worrall | ||
Changes
In: B.Payne, F.JinksOut: A. Snell, A. Ingleman
Round 4 | Round 6