AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL in 1963 by JOHN DEVANEY

50 YEARS AGO AND COUNTING: AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL IN 1963 by JOHN DEVANEY © John Devaney and Full Points Publications 2013 This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission. Every effort has been made to ensure that this book is free from error or omissions. However, the Publisher and Author, or their respective employees and agents, shall not accept responsibility for injury, loss or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of material in this book whether or not such injury, loss or damage is in any way due to any act or omission, breach of duty or default on the part of the Publisher and Author, or their respective employees and agents. Cataloguing-in-Publication data: 50 Years Ago And Counting: Australian Football in 1963 1. Australian football. 2. Australian football – History. I. Devaney, John Table Of Contents Title Page Number Introduction 4 Western Australia 7 Victoria 17 South Australia 44 Tasmania 55 New South Wales 64 Queensland 69 Northern Territory 74 Australian Capital Territory 77 Introduction opular thought would have it that fifty years ago Australian football was very different, in almost every respect, to the modern Pbrand-centred industry created and maintained by today’s AFL. My research into the subject, however, has convinced me otherwise. Genuine love of football, as a sport, was as rare in 1963 as it is in 2013. Most so-called football barrackers fifty years ago tended to bestow their devotion not on the game itself, but on an individual club. Only when seen through the blurred lenses of such parochial obsession did football have any meaning, and even then it tended to focus entirely on a particular league or competition. Thus one of the contributors to the 2003 publication Footy In The Sixties felt able, with perfect seriousness, to describe his family’s moving back to Melbourne after spending several years in Perth and Adelaide as a “return to football”. The inhabitants of Western Australia and South Australia might be admitted to have played a game that was superficially similar to football, but it went without saying that only the VFL produced the genuine article. Such myopia has long disturbed and frustrated me. It persists to this day in the shape of thousands of supposed aficionados of the code of Australian football who prefer to use the wholly inaccurate designation “AFL” when referring to it. Football is, and always has been, much bigger than any single league or competition, something I think I knew almost as clearly and instinctively as a six year old growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide in 1963 as I do today. This book is a testament to that fact, depicting the Australian football landscape of fifty years ago in a way in which it was seldom if ever depicted at the time – as something rich, diverse and varied, which transcended state boundaries and individual club loyalties. It was my awareness of that richness and diversity which first drew me to the game, and which half a century later continues to inform, mould and sustain my passion. John Devaney October 2013 game almost as popular on a per WESTERN capita basis as it was in Melbourne. Since 1961, Swan Districts AUSTRALIA under the astute coaching of Haydn Bunton junior had provided the n 1963, Western Australia were Western Australian National Australian state champions, Football League with its undisputed having triumphed two years I benchmark. The Swans’ game was earlier at the Brisbane carnival. based heavily on maintaining Since then, however, their possession at all costs, and their interstate record had been pronounced reliance on handball uninspiring, with their performances set them aside from most of in 1963 reaching an all-time nadir. Western Australia's other clubs, All three of the state's matches for and recalled the great South the season were played in Perth Fremantle teams of the late 1940s and resulted in a highly and early 1950s. However, the ignominious 9.10 (64) to 6.13 (49) team was also tough, well-drilled reversal against Tasmania followed and boasted an exceptional work by back to back narrow defeats ethic. against the VFL. The Tasmanian match was played in highly inclement weather conditions, which almost certainly suited the visitors, but the margin and style of their victory were nevertheless surprising. When the two teams had previously confronted one another at the Brisbane carnival the sandgropers had romped home by 111 points. Tasmania's triumph in Perth was only that state's third such success in nine matches between the states. During the three seasons Despite the interstate set- prior to Bunton's appointment as backs, domestic football in Western the club's senior coach the Swans Australia was flourishing, with the had finished second from last once elusive million spectator barrier for and slumped to the wooden spoon the season growing ever closer. In twice. By contrast, their record in 1963 a total of 908,153 patrons their first three seasons under attended matches,1 making the Bunton brought a 68% success rate and the club's first three senior 1 grade premierships. The fact that This was more than twice as many spectators as had attended WANFL Bunton was key to this renaissance matches in 1953. was further attested to by his 7 winning a hat-trick of club fairest level of congestion proving such and best awards in 1961-2-3, and that many of these would-be he was also a major contributor to spectators were unable to witness each of the Swans' grand final any of the action. A similar situation triumphs. Bunton was also an existed in South Australia at the expert tactician, and had the knack Adelaide Oval. In Perth, tentative which all good coaches seem to plans to develop and extend have of being able to prime his Subiaco Oval were taking place in charges to be at their peak when it 1963, whilst at the same time there mattered most - in September. were also many who favoured the The 1963 season afforded idea of following the SANFL's lead arguably the most noteworthy and expanding the league example of the club's three competition by the addition of two successes, as Swans' form during new clubs. In the end, however, it the minor round was mixed, and was agreed to maintain the status they only managed to qualify for quo. the finals in fourth place with a 13-8 Football throughout the state record. Once there, however, they was in the midst of a boom period reigned supreme, with a 15.11 and some of the country leagues, (101) to 7.11 (53) first semi-final particularly in the wheatbelt and demolition of East Perth being south-west, boasted clubs which followed by a hard fought 10 point were sufficiently wealthy to be able triumph over Perth in the final. This to compete with their league meant that, for the second season counterparts in the city for the running, Swan Districts and East services of leading players.2 Fremantle ended up playing off for Haydn Bunton junior's the premiership. In 1962 Swans achievement in elevating Swan had held off a determined Old Districts virtually overnight from Easts combination by 18 points their widely acknowledged status after kicking straighter and keeping as West Australian football's their nerve when the pressure was Cinderella club into one of the most on. A year later, victory was slightly powerful teams in the land was one more comfortably achieved, 17.10 of the most noteworthy coaching (112) to 13.12 (90), but it was to be feats of the twentieth century. Prior Swans' last premiership victory for to 1961, Swans had only qualified almost two decades. for the finals in open competition The league, conscious that three times since they made their the game was fast expanding, was WANFL debut in 1934. The 1960 discussing plans for the future. season marked the fifteenth time in Subiaco Oval was, strictly succession that the club had failed speaking, too small to to contest the finals, with third from accommodate the crowds of 40,000-plus which were now 2 Australian Rules Football, Associated turning up for grand finals, with the Publishers, Adelaide, 1963, pp. 76-7. 8 bottom in 1953 and 1955 their best obtain possession of the ball under finishes during that period. duress was arguably unequalled: in one match against South Fremantle during the 1962 season statisticians credited him with no fewer than 88 kicks, 55 of them in the first half. His handball statistics were not recorded, but given that Bunton was renowned at the time as one of the most prolific exponents of that particular art it is hard to imagine his not exceeding 100 total possessions for the match, an incredible and possibly Fred Castledine 3 unsurpassed, achievement. Bunton was a motivational Swan Districts' grand final leader par excellence, at a time opponents East Fremantle were - when the playing coach was and remain - far and away Western gradually becoming less popular. Australian football's most However, the likes of Bunton and successful club. By 1963, Old Bob Johnson in Western Australia, Easts already had a total of 21 Neil Kerley in South Australia and senior grade premierships to their Ted Whitten in Victoria were credit, and only once - in 1898 - proving that if clubs selected had they succumbed to the wooden players with the right qualities as spoon.

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