Grand Football Park in 1974

By ROBERT LAIDLAW

Would fans give Football Park the cold shoulder? Was it too far away? Wasn’t West Lakes a glorified area of swamplands? Why was it always windy? Freezing? Wet?

The vast concrete bowl with next to no cover in its debut season in 1974 soon was dubbed ‘Pleurisy Park’. But no, they built it and the people came. In their droves. It was developed, redeveloped and fans came to love it – and realise it wasn’t really that far away.

A bumper crowd of 58,042 packed into Footy Park for its first grand final 50 years ago, even though the day featured everything supporters standing on the open terraces dreaded – howling winds, bitter cold and driving rain.

But they were enthralled by a hard-fought contest between minor premier Sturt and Glenelg – that had stormed through from the elimination final to get within one win of back-to-back flags – that pretty much went down to the wire. And the Blues, undoubtedly the best team of the year, were rewarded with the flag – admittedly with a fair slice of good fortune.

That’s because, in these conditions, the toss of the coin loomed as being critical. So much so, Glenelg coach Neil Kerley was willing to take some liberties at the coin toss, when it would be decided who would kick with the gale-force northerly wind before the forecast rains came.

Tigers superstar Peter Carey recalled the plan for his inspirational skipper Peter Marker. “Peter went out for the toss with Kerls’ instructions that no matter what side the coin landed, point to the southern goals straight away,” he said. “But Peter told me while he was prepared to follow his coach’s plan, he just couldn’t help himself, and did it honestly. And we lost the toss!”

“No doubt it was crucial to win the toss, as it always seemed to be windy at Football Park,” said champion Sturt ruckman Rick Davies, who was rated best-afield in the big game. “Paul (Bagshaw) making the right call was so important.”

Davies won the first tap, down to courageous, skilful rover Mike Nunan, who booted the ball forward, where Robbert Klomp gained possession and kicked truly, within 30 seconds of the first bounce. Nunan also set up All-Australian wingman Tony Burgan for a goal and Sturt was 14 points up after 10 minutes. The Blues cashed in on the wind when Davies snapped what could have been viewed as the goal of the season.

“I was forced onto my left side and I never kick with my left foot,” Davies said. “I reckon I’d only ever kicked on that side once in my whole life. So, I just slammed it onto the boot and the swirling wind must have done the rest of the work, as it sailed high and seemed to have a mind of its own as it went through for a goal.”

Spectacular full forward Ken Whelan earned a free on the boundary and steered it through for six points. Klomp then kicked his second major and, after Paul Weston managed a behind for the Bays, electrifying wingman Michael Graham ran into an open goal for a 6.5-to-0.1 lead at quarter-time. But it was probably close to a six-goal wind.

It looked like game on as Glenelg scored its first goal in the opening 10 seconds of the second quarter, after Graham Cornes followed the tap forward and kicked truly from 50m. Majors to Neville Caldwell and Fred Phillis cut the deficit to 20 points at the 10-minute-mark. Then it happened. The clouds burst open and the rain crashed down.

Craig Marriott goaled for the Bays but Weston’s shot was touched off the boot and Caldwell hit the post, the Tigers trailing 4.6 to 6.6 at half-time.

“It was a terrible day,” Carey said. “After Baggy (Bagshaw) won the toss, we were up against it, chasing tail. The rain made conditions even tougher and scoring difficult, as the wind also dropped. I’m not sure if people remember those early days at Football Park – there was just one grandstand and the wind would whip around it, which made it hard to kick goals. When the rain came it reduced our advantage in the second quarter. Luck was not going our way.”

At the start of the third term goalkicking great Phillis had what appeared an easy shot but missed, setting the tone for the quarter. ‘Flash’ Graham’s shot sailed over the goalpost, then Klomp hit the post. Halfway through the term Phillis nailed the first goal of the game against the wind, from 45m, and when Caldwell kicked truly a few minutes later, the Tigers had given themselves a chance, trailing by just five points at the last break, 6.7 to 6.12.

But Glenelg had used both reserves, with Greg Bennett forced off in the opening quarter and Peter Obst in the third, while Sturt replaced Geoff Lauder with Robert Barton for the last term – and the speedy rover had a huge impact.

The Double Blues started the last term with two behinds but Whelan converted a free at the five-minute-mark, then Graham kicked truly before a Barton goal put Sturt 25 points up and on track for a historic win. Late goals to John MacFarlane and Ted Osborn reduced the final margin to 15 points.

Sturt, coached by legendary 10-time premiership coach Jack Oatey, boasted an iconic first ruck combination of Davies, Bagshaw and Nunan and it was reflected in the best player list, with the fabulous trio at the top of their game. “It was so good to work so long with Baggy (Bagshaw) and Mick (Nunan),” Davies said.

“Baggy was a laid-back fella who only spoke when needed. He’d show you rather than tell you. And he could spin on a wheel, he was so good. His drop kick was one of the best going around and he would fly from the side and take the ball. He never looked like he was going at full pace but no-one could lay a hand on him – he was a magical player.

“As for Mick, he was a reincarnation of Jack Oatey and learned his craft from him. He always had a strategy we worked to – he was a coach from when I first met him. In the end he became frustrated and went to Norwood, which was disappointing.

“Jack was like a father to me. He always looked after me. I stayed at his house sometimes and we would talk footy for hours. Jack always had 100 per cent loyalty in the players he picked – and confidence they could do the job.”

Carey, a six-goal sensation in Glenelg’s grand final win the previous year at Adelaide Oval before the shift to Football Park, was still just 20 in the ’74 grand final.

“Playing a grand final at Football Park was like chalk and cheese compared to Adelaide Oval,” said Carey, who was Tigers captain for their 1985-86 flags. “I’m not sure what Adelaide Oval would have been like on that day but Footy Park was notorious for that wind. But there were still goalposts and grass – we just needed to be the better side on the day.

“Although we had to come from the elimination final in ’74, we still had a very good team and at three-quarter-time we were confident we could win. But we didn’t realise the impact defending so strongly in the third quarter had on us – guys were very tired. Sturt was a very good team and deserved to win. In most games you need a bit of luck, which on this occasion did not go our way.”

STURT  6.5  6.6  6.12  9.16 (70)

GLENELG  0.1  4.6  6.7  8.7 (55)

BEST – Sturt: Davies, Nunan, Bagshaw, Wild, Adcock, Klomp, Murphy. Glenelg: Marker, Tardif, MacFarlane, W. Phillis, Tregenza, Cornes, Osborne.

SCORERS – Sturt: Graham, Klomp 2.2, Whelan 2.0, Barton 1.2, Davies, Burgan 1.0, Oatey 0.2, Nunan, Miels, Lauder 0.1, rushed 0.5. Glenelg: F. Phillis 3.2, Caldwell 2.1, Marriott, Osborn 1.1, Cornes 1.0, Weston, Hodgeman 0.1.

REPLACEMENTS – Sturt: Lauder (cramp), by Barton at three-quarter-time. Glenelg: Bennett (leg), by Hodgeman first quarter, P. Obst (leg), by Wickens third quarter.

UMPIRE – Murray Ducker.

CROWD – 58,042 at Football Park.