It is unquestionably the classic catch. But is “Jezza’s” jump over “Jerker” the greatest grab completed by a Carlton player?
“Gags” Gallagher probably put it best when the 1970 premiership rover and club best and fairest recalled sounding out his teammate about it. Said Gallagher: “Alex later declared in typically modest fashion, that he’d take four of those every night at training in kick-to-kick”.
For fear of offending the great man, and with the greatest of respect to other renowned exponents of the “specky” - the likes of Brent Crosswell, Craig Davis, Ken Hunter, Wayne Harmes, David “Swan” McKay etc. etc. - I hereby offer my selection of the six greatest marks taken by Carlton footballers.
1. Alex Jesaulenko, versus Richmond, Princes Park, Round 14, 1970
I humbly suggest that Jesaulenko went one better than Grand Final day 1970. It happened against Richmond at Princes Park, on American Independence Day of that year. To view the mark, click here.
On what was a wet deck that Saturday afternoon, Jesaulenko launched himself skyward having embedded his knee in the neck of Richmond’s Mike Bowden, who was otherwise committed to covering Brent Crosswell. Jezza hovered for ages as he hauled in the chest mark, prompting a typically over-the-top reaction from arguably the game’s greatest caller, HSV7’s Mike Williamson.
2. Peter Bosustow, versus Geelong, Princes Park, Round 18, 1981
The Peter Bosustow fly over noted aerialist David McKay and Geelong’s John Mossop is quite literally up there with the all-time best, and of added value is that “The Buzz” returned to terra firma on his feet. This was The Buzz’s first leg of the Mark of the Year- Goal of the Year double and the Cats were on the wrong end of both.
3. Alex Jesaulenko, versus Collingwood, MCG, Grand Final, 1970
4. Stephen Silvagni, versus Collingwood, MCG, Round 14, 1988
The Silvagni leap with long hang-time over Craig Starcevich was prodigious, and while some have questioned whether “Sos” held the Sherrin long enough it’s hard to go past the grab for its sheer acrobatic nature.
5. Matthew Lappin, versus Essendon, MCG, Round 1, 1999
Few will forget “Skinny” Lappin’s eyeball contact with the top of the behind post, in what was the first of 196 outstanding performances for the mighty Blues.
That “Skinny’s” feat was adjudged Mark of the Year speaks volumes when one considers it happened in the season opener. Nice too that he put a dent in Dean Wallis’ head when he took it.
If only the boy from Chiltern finished off the good work with a six-pointer.
6. Jim Park, versus Melbourne, Princes Park, round 6, 1938
Jim Park’s fly over Melbourne’s “Tarzan” Glass is up there because of the sheer unusual nature of the climb. In the days before TV, this mark carried real clout, as for many years it featured on the walls of the Carlton dressing rooms deep within the Robert Heatley Stand.
The photograph of the mark appeared in the May 28 edition by the headline “Up there, Parky!” and carried the following caption;
J. PARK, Carlton’s back pocket man, with only four yards of running space, rose in this prodigious leap to take one of the most spectacular marks in the goal-mouth ever seen on the Carlton ground. The angle of the picture makes him appear to be “climbing” over Melbourne’s rugged follower, Eric Glass.