Pennant Hills AFC Publication to Commemorate the Club's First

"THE MOUSE THAT ROARED" - CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF PENNANT HILLS FIRST FLAGS

Today, we celebrate the 40"' anniversary of the Senior Club's first premierships won in 1975.

Football Dreaming

Founded in 1971, the Pennant Hills Australian Football Club, the Senior Club, was at the time the fulfilment of the ambitions of a number of locals who dreamed large with a vision that would transform the football landscape of north-west Sydney. These locals were men of great passion, energy and commitment and their names are now legend within the annals of the Pennant Hills Australian football community ... Ern Holmes, Ken Telfer, Bill Carey and Kerry James. Whilst the Club is now in the hands of the latest crop of men and women committed to community football in Pennant Hills and there has been a succession of others who have devoted themselves to the ideal, there is little doubt that the Club's traditions and culture, indeed its very existence, owe much to the visionaries who were I there at the start and sacrificed much in pursuit of a sporting vision which had the interests and wellbeing of boys and young men at its heart.

The first football stirrings in this part of Sydney, however, had been felt 5 years before the Senior Club had formed and 1966 was a landmark year for the development of Australian Rules football in Sydney with the birth of a new junior footy club, the Pennant Hills Junior Australian Football Club.

Twenty five year old Bill Carey, a senior player with the Balmain Club at that time, together with locals Ernie Holmes, Ken Telfer, and George Brack, were the committee that went about establishing the Junior Club and its first team in 1966. Ernie was the first President and Bill was Secretary-Treasurer and also the Club's first coach. Ernie Holmes At the inaugural meeting of the new Club, held in the living room of Bill Carey's mother's house at North Turramurra, President Ern Holmes said of the Club's vision:

'With the right coaching we believe we can develop the young lads into a teom which in the years to come could form the nucleus of a senior first grade side.'

1971 was a breakthrough year for Pennant Hills, with two significant events marking the Club's coming of age. Although it had taken six seasons, the Junior Club won its first premierships, in the Under lls and 13s, respectively.

The second significant event was the formation of a senior team. Kerry James, who had joined Pennant Hills Juniors in 1970 as coach of the Under 17 team, was the driving force in the formation of the Pennant Hills Senior dub. In order to give the graduating junior players somewhere to play footy in 1971, Pennant Hills entered a single team in Division 3 of the Sydney Districts Association. Thus, the Senior Club owes its very existence to Kerry James and the people from the Junior Club who went before him, notably Ernie Holmes and Ken Telfer who were still around in 1971 providing encouragement and support to the new enterprise. Kerry James was the Bill Carey Club's first Captain-Coach.

• 1 • • • The Early Years

By all measures, the first season for Pennant Hills Seniors was an unqualified success with the team making the finals. From The Advocate of the day:

"Officials of Pennant Hills Australian Rules Club say the meteoric rise of their 3'd division team only formed this year, could be attributed to James, the captain-coach. With skill and personality, he built up a good combination, which is now heading for the 2nd division in 1972."

-·~ In 1972, growth in player numbers enabled the formation of a Reserve Grade side and necessitated elevation to the Second Division. The Firsts finished fourth after the home and away season but were defeated in the semi final by Combined Services. The Reserves finished fifth in their first season.

In 1974, the Club adopted the red and blue colours of VFL side Melbourne Football Club, dispensing with the green and gold hooped jerseys played in since its inception.

With the commencement of the 1975 season, the Pennant Hills Senior Club Kerry James 1973 was still very much in its infancy, having been formed four years earlier in 1971. Although the trophy cabinet was still empty, the First Grade side had been runners-up in the Second Division the two previous seasons, losing on both occasions to Combined Services. To this point winning a flag was very much a work-in-progress and the Club had spent the previous four years gathering together a playing group that mixed youth with experience. Much of this experience came from senior football ranks, either locally or from interstate, and the recruitment of fresh talent from year to year, although a constant challenge, was critical to the Club's development and eventual elevation to First Division in 1977. The Club shrewdly recruited a Original Penno Jumper series of ex-first grade footballers to coach and captain the Club. These included Rod Ward ( 1972, from North Melbourne), Graeme Eime (1973, from Port Adelaide, SANFL), Eric Joiner (1974/75, from Western Suburbs), Wes Smith (1976/77, from Hawthorn) and Maurie Gale (1978, from Carlton U19s & Coburg, VFA). Kerry James, himself, was a product of a very strong football tradition having played in the Footscray and Essendon District Leagues, before moving to Sydney.

By this, the Club was endowed from the outset with a series of leaders with a proven track record of success in the rough and tumble, sometimes brutal, arena Danny Cater of senior football, gained through the 1960s & '70s in the time before three central umpires and TV replays ... these men were "tough" and they played an uncompromising brand of football. Epitomising these qualities, former Pennant Hills' ruckman Danny Cater describes Graeme Eime's simple football philosophy as "hard and honest". And, for Kerry James, Eime was "a man of steel." This attitude to the game permeated the Club's culture particularly in these early years and enabled the Club to play above its weight division and brought with it considerable success in a few short years.

Ted Pleming, a quality player at UNSW at that time, recalls that Ted Pleming 1975 Penno players like Eric Joiner, Danny Cater and Peter Watson, "were tough and intent on hurting the opposition ... they were intimidating guys and we UNSW guys struggled to match their physicality." Along similar lines, UNSW Club Selector in 1975, Tom Goss, observed that the small grounds, "incompetent umpiring and a relaxed attitude towards on field violence made Sydney Football, particularly in the 1" Division in the sixties and seventies the toughest and most thuggish" he'd experienced in a long association with football. "So teams of that era needed to have enforcers and several hard men in their ranks if they hoped to compete. The 1975 Pennant Hills team had at least three. The coach Eric Joiner ... Ruckman Danny Cater and utility Peter Watson ... played on the edge and often well to the other side."

With the right leadership and smart recruitment, the fledgling senior club continued to go from strength to strength. In the four years, 1973 - 76, the Firsts were runners-up in consecutive Grand Finals in Second Division in 1973 and 1974, before breaking through for the Senior Club's first premiership in 1975 and then following up in 1976 with back-to-back Flags. Remarkably, the Reserve grade side also won its first premiership in 1975, making it a double break-through for the Senior Club that year.

Six years after its formation, the Senior Club had made a meteoric rise to the First Division. In an article in The Australian newspaper in May 1977, the beginnings of the Pennant Hills Senior Club were described thus:

'The story of Pennant Hills is a classic case of the mouse that roared. Melbourne football buff Kerry James settled in the district, on the north-western outskirts of Sydney, in 1970, and rounded up sufficient young players to form an under-17 team." To form the senior side the following year, players "... had ta be pilfered from Rugby League and Rugby Union and literally dragged into the new code."

However, making it to First Division was anything but smooth sailing. After the back-to back flags in consecutive years in Second Division, Pennant Hins seemed assured of getting approval to play First Division in 1977:

"Australian Rules circles are generally agreed they have a strong chance of being accepted into first division ranks. Their superiority in the second division is clear from their big competition points lead of 12 points over their nearest rivals, their victims of Saturday, University of NSW. The first grade side has last only three matches in almost two seasons."

To top things off, an emphatic 95 point win over Warringah in the 1976 Grand Final would seem to have assured promotion; the score 26.16.172 to 11.11.77. However, what seemed obvious to many, was not a fait accompli as far as the New South Wales National Football League was concerned. It is not clear why the League was reluctant to approve the promotion. Perhaps there was not an obvious contender for relegation from First Division or maybe, they simply did not think Pennant Hills, the new kids on the block, had done enough to prove their readiness for Big Timefooty. Lady Luck, however, eventually smiled on Pennant Hills and, with only a matter of weeks before the start 3 of the 1977 season, the Club won promotion to the First Division. The last minute decision was brought about by the demise of the South Sydney club which was forced to amalgamate with Newtown.

This gave the Club scant time to get ready for the Big League and required that they build a Third Grade side (Under 19s) from scratch. However, this was achieved and the Club's promotion to First Division was immediately vindicated with a 29 point win in round 1 against local rivals North Shore. At one point during the first half of the season, Pennant Hills were on top of the competition ladder. However, injuries and inexperience were to take their toll and the Pennant Hills First Grade finished a creditable s'h after the home and away rounds:

"For the Demons, making the semi-finals is a remarkable achievement. This year is the club's very first season in senior Sydney Rules. Even if the Demons first grade side get no further in the competition, their achievement so far gives them a lot to crow about.

Only six months ago they could hardly rake together matching socks. And later in the season they were so badly hit with injuries that they were left with only half their original side fit to take the field. This period sow a slump into a string of defeats after the side had, at the beginning of the season, led the competition after five rounds. But with the return of injured players recently, Hills have come back to the winning ranks. A timely recovery has left them with a two-point edge on the competition ladder over sixth placed Easts, and the right to contest in the finals."

First Flags

The 1975 season in Second Division comprised eight teams. Pennant Hills was playing its fourth season in the Division and the serious contenders amongst its opponents were University of NSW, Warringah, Sydney University and Combined Services. As things turned out, Macquarie University, Bankstown Sports and Sutherland were really just making up the numbers. For Sutherland, 1975 was its first season in 2"d Division, promoted from 3'd Division in 1974. The home and away season was played over 21 rounds, teams playing each of their opposition three times. The top four sides competed in the finals.

In 197S, Eric Joiner, formerly a first grade player for Western Suburbs and NSW state representative, was in his second season Captain/Coach of Pennant Hills A Grade side. Building on Graeme Eime's legacy of 'hardness' and strict discipline, Eric had inherited a team of very good footballers with Graerne Eime 1973 plenty of finals experience. What's more, they were a tall side, with only about five players under 6' in height. Penno's height and physicality were attributes commented on by opposition teams during the 1975 season. Vice Captain was Graham Howatt, an army serviceman from Victoria. The Reserves was also full of experience and was led by Peter "The Star" Mathers, another former Wests player recruited in 1973. Kerry James played in Reserves for the first time that season, as he had contemplated retiring from footy and he ended up wearing jersey No 51 as he belatedly made the decision to continue.

4 • • • • • • Season in Review -A Grade • A Grade's season started perfectly with a 10 goal victory over Macquarie • .-_.,- - University. Captain, Eric Joiner, led the way kicking 9 goals to get his season • off to a flying start. Round 2, however, saw the team lose its only match for • the season, by 17 points against Sydney University. The loss was put down to • " ... the side was depleted as 14 players were unavailable." • Across the whole season, the A Grade side won 22 out of 23 matches, • including two finals, the most significant being the Grand Final. There were • eleven victories with a margin greater than SO points of which seven • EricJoinerl973 exceeded 100 points. The team's highest score and greatest winning margin were in the Round 11 match against Sutherland, 33-10-208 and 182 points, • respectively. There were four matches where its winning margin was less than 10 points, two of these (8 points) against Penno's nearest rival UNSW. The second of these 8 pointers was in the Grand Final. • I Pennant Hills (20 wins) finished Minor Premiers three games clear on the competition table, UNSW second (17 wins), another two games clear of third placed Warringah (15 wins). Pennant Hills was undefeated in five outings against the biggest threat, UNSW, with the greatest margin 47 points recorded in Round 21. Penno's last three games for the season were against UNSW, and each game the margin narrowed, 47 then 18 and finally 8 points in the Grand Final.

As the Grand Final approached there must have been some quiet optimism in the Demon's camp as they had proven time and time again that they could win the close ones and that their record against UNSW was unblemished in 1975 .

.. . . ·.•. ··. .. SECOND DlVISIOl't.A GRADE · . . ·.· . . Peri kills: •. .,,., -··'·. ....•... 20 1 _._ 2405 · )Mi' . 2ss,gp so Vrilvel'Sify NSW ...... 17 4 - .. 1.961 . .. ~05~ . . 186.58 . 68 . W~rringali ...... c. c...... ,. 15 6 -. . 197S 111.2 177:;~1. 60 SYdney University . . .. 11 9 l .. 188.~ 1318 143.02 . 46 · ·t::Qn1bined '.·Si!Vic.es. _ 8 13 '-- 1565 .. 1347- ·. ·· 116.18 ·.sz Macquarie University .. 6 15 - 873 1553 56.2.! · . 24 Eianllstown Sp. ···- ---· 3 18 ...... 90~ 2327 39.02. · 12 9 662 5 : s~~!ie~eiMlN1tigfi""~INA~. ·. i .. l.. . . ~t~ FINAl .4a >6; · W~rrin.4:23:4 2.16.515~12.102 Pen Mills 5.7, 3~1 6.2 2,2 J6.i2:10S · ·:· :-:~ Uni'2;ac2.2·n,61;4 5;15.45 . . Uni. NSW 4.. 2 3.5 3.ll2,31'2;lB:9o .· • , .~RELrMINAR\'> Fifl!Ai. . . , ...... · ..·· .. GRANO. FUMV ... ·.. · .·.. . Uni"NSW4,2'3,25~4·3.4.l!i.12'102'. ': . Pim Hills4;2:2.4 L2•3'6lOJ4i74 · · 'Warrin,~.1 0:1·4:i 3.2.12.5;tf ...... · · uni Nsw ~~ t3.·4.5. z,1 9.lZ.66 . 1. :.. . ·:·.':.. ,,: •• ·.· -- •.. : ,.,_.,,. ___ ,_ - __ :· •.,-',- ,<- - .-:· _: · > : . ·· .·. .· · ·· · · SECOND> DIVISION.o;.-B • GRADE · ·.·· · . ·.· . .•· . .. '•··< 'H.' .. ,_ ' • · . : . . ' · 1·1· . '. :·... • • · . ' ·1·9·0-.. · .· ' · .686·.. - · . ·. . . ··2· ,,·: .: . • . l"i!it . 11ls.:,.:c_... .•...... ~.- ...... · . .., -• . . · •. . 9 ·...... ·. 27&.: ., . 68 O_iii~e~itY lll$W ,., •. :. ,.;:; l~. 5, :...:.. ·· 1729 · 920. • 187.93. : ~" ,.. comb:· services ''·' ""~"'" 14 7 ..-... .. 1a14 816 · . 222,30 · 56 G~iisiiti'.~/ .. s.: ;;: •. ;:. ~•. li., 't'I' . 7 . -. . t<191r · 1si9 . J.74;97 , Q6 \ :,•.:,.,,··---·-.·-·u··... ney.:·:,.nwe.r~i.,.•,,,,;,,·"· .. ··ru"· ····-·in·. .,.: .....l' ·-·· ·· ·· ··1"9"., · ~.. ., .. <. 11"'4." ··· ·120··1•9. . , :...· ··. ·4,.., ,.., .. ,.:- 2 i;Rl~tii~v~~~.i"':t:i~~ftl~···z.. ,···· lL~··.· .· ··.•·ii!! ··...... ·•···•~i'.~ ••. ·•· !;.:· s Season in Review - B Grade

Like A Grade, B Grade's season started with a point scoring bonanza against a hapless Macquarie University, in what would be the Second's biggest score and highest winning margin for the season, 29-20-194 and 178 points, respectively. Doug "Golden Boots" Rigley outdid Eric Joiner's nine goals in A Grade with 12 majors of his own. Unlike A Grade, however, the Seconds weren't to have it all their way but still managed to win 17 out of 21 home and away matches on their way to finals. Of the four matches they lost, two were to Combined Services and the last was to UNSW Reserves in Round 21, the week before finals. None of the losses were by serious amounts, the highest losing margin was only 11 points.

Across the whole season, the B Grade side won 19 out of 23 matches, including two finals, and most importantly the Grand Final. There were nine victories with a margin greater than 50 points of Rod & Warren Miles 1973 which seven exceeded 100 points. Aside from the four losses, the biggest scare came in Round 5 when they pipped lowly Bankstown Sports be a solitary point, avoiding much embarrassment had they lost this one!

At the end of the home and away rounds, Pennant Hills B Grade (17 wins) finished one game ahead on the competition table, UNSW second (16 wins), another two games clear of third placed Combined Services (14 wins). Although Penna lost the last home and away game to UNSW by 4 points, it bounced back a fortnight later to reverse the result by 12 points, thereby qualifying for the Grand Final against Combined Services.

For the B Grade side there would have been mixed feelings about their prospects for the Grand Final. They'd finished Minor Premiers but had a 1 and 2 record against Combined Services albeit both losses had been by narrow margins, 7 and 11 points, respectively. Penna had nonetheless clearly demonstrated that they were a competitive outfit and all their losses had been close run things. In their last meeting with Combined Services in Round 17 Penna had prevailed by 29 points and the solid victory over UNSW in the semi must have left them fit and confident for Grand Final day.

Reflections on the Season

The Football Record Club Notes of the time provide an insight into the progress of the two Pennant Hills teams throughout the 1975 season, and bring colour and light to what would otherwise be a fairly sterile catalogue of statistics. Kerry James was the author of the Pennant Hills aub Notes in 1975, under the nom de plume, "The Demon."

In Round 2 versus Sydney University, 14 players were unavailable for the A Grade side which contributed to that team's only loss for the season. This had flow-on impact for the B Grade side, however, although "[e]xpected by many to get killed with a depleted side they came alive and although they did not score until the second quarter they hit the lead in the third term and won well." Such was the crisis in player numbers that:

6 "Beat this for dedication! Doug Rigley was selected in Reserve Grade. His job took him to Melbourne on Friday so he caught a plane to Sydney at 9.00 am, played a blinder, and was back in Melbourne before the First Grade was finished. Well done Golden Boats."

In the Round 3 match versus Combined Services, Reserve grade captain Peter Mathers was forced to play with the Seniors due to the long injury list. In The Star's absence, "Billy Carey was an inspiring Captain." The Seniors win by 7 points but "Services are as tough as ever, and really made us earn the 4 points."

The Club Notes also acknowledge the contribution of the team helpers, including some well-known Club identities: "Bob Dwyer waving his flags"; Frank Symons "the Whale on the boundary"; "Ken MacRae as the Runner"; "... and the 2 best Trainers in Sydney, Bill Fenney and Reg Myers." Reg Myers had been trainerfor St Kilda's 1966 premiership team.

Allen Abbott in 1975 In Round 4 versus Sutherland "Golden Boots Rigley kicks 13 in Reserve Grade." Roy Hodgson and Don Cooper made their A grade debuts and Bob Reinten

o,-c;--'O"-~' celebrated his 21st birthday. The Football Record of 4 May 1975 notes the commencement of direct telecasts to Sydney of the VFL match of the day.

Over at UNSW, our own Allen Abbott {"Al the Barman") was a member of the UNSW B Grade side in 1975, although he also played several games with the seniors during the season. In the local derby against Sydney University in Round 4, UNSW took the points in both matches, the A Grade by the smallest of margins, 1 point. At the after-match function hosted by the victors, "The Bar B Que was a ripper with Wales again successful in the ball furlong with Glen Cain streaking through in the centre to win by a hairs breath." (I'll leave it to Al to explain the 'ball furlong'? He claims he "was towards the end of the field as full as a fat ladies sock courtesy of KB and Courage cons!!/!") After 4 rounds, UNSW was undefeated and top of the table in both grades. Pen no was placed second at 3 and 1 in both.

In Round 5 versus Bankstown Sports, A Grade wins by 105 points while B Grade sneaks in by the barest margin in a 1 point cliff-hanger: "The star [Peter Mathers] excelled in the aerial duels." Graham Howatt is captain of A Grade in Eric Joiner's absence and Peter Watson " ... won in the ruck all day as his 23 marks illustrated." Bill Miles (father of Rod) was noted as goal umpire and appreciation was extended to those helping as boundary runners ... Jim Marceau, Norm Pilbeam, Glen Saunders and Frank Symons.

The Football Record of 11 May 1975 also had something to say about the perennial issue of crowd behaviour, an important message in spite of the pompous delivery ofthe time:

"Many complaints have come to my ears about the behaviour of some of our Club supporters at various grounds. Rowdyism and vandalism are twin sins which cannot be tolerated at any time .... if some of your followers and supporters are behaving in an unruly manner at any time, or using foul and vicious language, get straight on to them and have them behave."

After six rounds, both UNSW teams remain undefeated and Pennant Hills is 5 and 1. For UNSW, "We are hoping to complete Round 1 undefeated with our matches against Pennant Hills this week."

Penno's first meeting with UNSW was in Round 7. Perhaps fortuitously, these matches were immediately after the lntervarsity held in Adelaide that year and it seems many of the Uni boys were still suffering the after-effects of the week away. For Pennant Hills:

"'Two tremendous games that resulted in two victories for the Demons. The Reserve Grade by five 7 goofs, but a real heart-stopper in First Grade. The lead changed 6 times before we won by only 6 points." (8 points was actual margin)

"First Grade hod us all biting our nails to the finish." "Peter Watson dominated all day and what a great player he is proving to be." "Tony Hawley is having his greatest season ever and revels in these hard close games."

For UNSW:

"The taste of defeat is not at all sweet, especially in both Grades. The B's although short of about 15 players, showed little heart, and it seems as though some of the players are front runners only, and fall in a heap when the pressure is applied."

"The A's in contrast were great in defeat with about 10 of them playing theirs" game in 8 days, It is small wonder we were just short of o gallop in the last quarter.·

Ted Plemming continued his "great I. V. form." At the Adelaide IV carnival, UNSW " ... became one of the few Sydney sides to beat o Melbourne team, Latrobe Uni succumbed ta the Wales might by 6 goofs." •

Al Abbott recalls of IV Adelaide: "My flat mate Slug Schilg went [to NJ, got blind and collapsed at one of the functions, knocking out front teeth and missing last IV game and subsequent Penna game with concussion · although with him it was hard to tell the difference!" In a later match, Slug Schlig was given the moniker "Toothless Terror."

Despite the losses in Round 7, UNSW were still cocky about theiT chances: versus Combined Services - "Two superb victories, and the mighty Wales machine rolls majestically and unstoppably onwards towards the elusive duel premiership."

Penna took on Macquarie University for the second time for two more wins. This elevated both teams to the top of the competition ladder, the first time in the Club's history: •tt is great to see both sides on top for the first time ever." For MacUni, the Reserve Grade side was yet to win a game after 8 rounds: "Seconds again couldn't score and to break through for a win you've got to score more than twice a game.·

Hayden Hill played his last game for Penno, as he was moving to Adelaide. Danny Cater recalls that 'Scruffer' sadly died of cancer in his early 30's and that he was "one of the funniest, most popular fellows you would ever meet."

The Football Record of 8 June 1975 reports on the tragic injury to Footscray player Neil Sachse:

Neil Sachse was a premiership player for SANFL dub North Adelaide. He moved to the Footscray Football Club in the VFL in 1975. In his second match for Footscray (Round 2, 1975), Sachse was left a quadriplegic after an accidental collision with Fitzroy player, Kevin O'Keeffe. He was left with no use of his legs, and little movement in his hands. 111 However he can still move his arms and breathe normally. Tne NSW League held a Neil Sachse Appeal on 25th June 1975 to raise money for the injured player. Dr Tony capes (Club Doctor and future President) and Bobby Rose (Coach) of the Footscray Oub were expected to attend.

In 1975, Sydney University's No 1 Oval Grandstand was destroyed by fire and this seemed an appropriate metaphor for Sydney University when they met Penno in Round 9: "Against Hills we played like we were burnt down, not the Grandstand."

For Penna: "Last Saturday at Sydney University Oval both grades defeated Uni by 8 goals ... Eric Joiner returned as the spearhead and celebrated with 6 goals."

8 ~

I Meanwhile, the boys at UNSW continued to party hard: "Igor and Pam turned on a tremendous evening after the L grme _, eM!!l)llDllJe managed to get themselves nicely, nicely." "Ugly AB" (I wonder who this could be?), gets a

.... mmbatants assessed the results in the Round 10 contests between Pen no and Combined Services.

·For the second time against Services this year our fortunes were mixed ... After a very good first quarter, the Reserves failed to put it together, and were defeated by 2 goals." Best players were Dave Price, Bill Carey, Warren Miles and Ian Shippard. "The First Grade was a better result as we won by 10 goals. A very strong half back line was our spring board all day. If Everybody backed up well in a game that was hard but fair." ~?;:• .· • Wllile, for Combined Services: l "The B's fully deserved their win playing pressure football throughout the game. Hills fought bock though and our lead was whittled back to 4 points. So the stage was set for a thrilling • last quarter ... Both sides battled on with Services running out winners by 11 points ... A mighty win and a richly deserved one." "The AJs were not so fortunate with Pennant Hilfs • dictating the game from the first bounce. Good players were hard to find in the first half. • Services came back with more determination in the second half but Hills already had the game wrapped up." •I I Someone at Sydney University wasn't happy with their team's efforts against Bankstown Sports: "The Seconds may I well have been watching from the boundary in the lost half the way they ployed. 100 minutes of football (not tiddlywinks) is required to win matches." They lost by 20, scoring 1.1-7 points in the second half.

And likewise at UNSW, although both teams were winners, their effort was decried as "Woeful!"

In Round 11, both Demons teams have massive 100 + point wins over Sutherland, 182 and 151 points, respectively. The refrain from Sutherland: "With their fine forward line, no wonder they ore on top."

The match between Bankstown Sports and Macquarie University has to be postponed as they are locked out of Erskineville Oval!

In Round 12, Pennant Hills A Grade had a narrow escape by 4 points against Warringah who lamented their poor kicking: "If only we could kick straight. That was the cry of our lads ofter our display against Pennant Hills o few weeks bock. We felt we were unlucky to lose that match."

From the Football Record of 13 July1:975, NSW lose to Tasmania 22.19-151 to 7.7-49, with a young Peter Hudson (at the time playing for Glenorchy, but destined to be a future star for Hawthorn) kicking 8 goals for Tasmania.

The Round 14 match against UNSW was postponed due to wet weather and scheduled for the following Sunday which meant that the teams had to play two rounds on the one weekend ... the normal Saturday game followed by the Sunday make-up ... this is unheard of today!

"Last weekend was successful for our Club. With games played on both Saturday [Macquarie] and Sunday [UNSW from S/7/75] we suffered no defeat and our winning margins totalled 48 goals ... ft was a tremendous effort over the weekend as a lot of playe,,rs were unavailable through injury and University holidays." The win over UNSW "now puts us a game clear in both grades."

9 This situation arose again later in the season when Penna played both Combined Services and Bankstown Sports on the weekend of 26/27 July:

"Another successful weekend for both sides. With four games over the weekend we managed to win them all but found-every game hard

and there were some sore bodies around on Monday. 1.1

1'Saturday we defeated Services Reserve Grade side for the first time ever ... First Grade played 100 minutes of football for perhaps the first

tirrie this season1 and this enabled them to defeat a Services side that never gave up."

In Round 16 versus Sydney University: "Last week we recorded two wins against Sydney University. Both were hard earned and neither game was won until the final quarter... The only bad news was that Danny broke his wrist and will probably be out for the rest of the season." Danny Cater did in fact suffer a fracture to his wrist scaphoid bone, however, he played on regardless, using a leather brace to support the injured wrist. Remarkably, Danny was also playing with Williamstown in Victoria that year and they wouldn't let him play with the injury. However, he played out the season for Pennant Hills. He paid a price though, as more than two years later, after the 1977 season, he required a bone graft to heal it properly.

David Ratten 1973 For opponents Sydney Uni: "The Seconds Joss to Hills virtually ends their chances for o finals berth." "First battled hard on Saturday but didn't hove the physical strength to match Hills."

In Round 18 against Sutherland, "Doug Rigley kicked another S last week and now looks a good bet to be the leading goo/kicker for the season." Kerry James kicked 16 goals in the same match, the first 13 straight before he kicked a behind.

At the end of the home and away season Doug "Golden Boots" Rigley was the leading goal kicker with 87. Kerry James was third placed with 39 goals, although he credits much of Doug's success to the many goal assists he provided "Golden Boots" on the Second's forward line.

UNSW's David Rowe had reached triple figures {100 goals) by the time the home and away matches were complete. 1 Best for Penna were David Ratten (3'd) and Eric Joiner {4 h) with 52 and 48 goals, respectively.

The Football Record of 17 August 1975 had this interesting snippet: "One of my spies has given me o bit of tongue twisting information. A player for Hawthorn, playing his first game for the Club, was immediately nicknamed by Club supporters "Alphabet". Why? Well his name is Robert Dipierdomenica. Nuff said?''

In Round 19 versus Bankstown Sports, Peter Mathers was noted as "one of the best ruckmen in Second Division" and "Wes Smith [of Hawthorn VFL fame] made on auspicious debut in the Reserves with five goals." In First Grade, Rod Miles "hit top form", Bill Renwick kicked 9 goals and Dave Ratten 7.

The Round 20 match against Warringah was A Grade's " ... first hard game for some time and with today's match we should be in top gear for the Finals." Trevor Daykin and David Ratten were noted as "the best rovers in Second Division.''

Trevor Daykin 1973

10 In the final home and away game against UNSW, A Grade has a solid victory and B Grade lost in a close encounter by 4 points. Both teams finish Minor Premiers and get the first finals week off. Both win their 2"' Semi Finals played on I 6 September 1975 at Erskineville Oval and qualify for the Grand Final: • • A Grade: Pennant Hills 16.12-108 defeated UNSW 12.18-90 • • B Grade: Pennant Hills 12.16-88 defeated UNSW 11.10-76 • This was the first time that the Reserve Grade side made finals . • The results of the Preliminary Finals played Saturday, 13 September 1975 to determine Pennant Hills' opponents • were:

• A Grade: UNSW 15.12-102 defeated Warrigah 12.5-77 • B Grade: Combined Services 10.14-74 defeated UNSW 10.11-71. • • In the last of the Club Notes for season 1975, The Demon had this to say about Grand Final day: • "Today is the culmination of our season and here's hoping we can do it with two premierships. Being Minor Premiers in both grades was a wonderful achievement but it will • mean little if we are unsuccessful today. The Club has continued to grow during the year. • Many very fine new players have bolstered our ranks and harmony in the Club hos been • tremendous." • • Flag Success at Last • Grand Final Day was at Trumper Park on Saturday 20 September 1975. The weather was fair and quite a reasonable • crowd attended. Many of the Pen no boys were married with families who were in attendance that day .

• For Danny Cater, " ... Reserves were underdogs while the Firsts were favourites." The B Grade final was the curtain • raiser to A Grade and the Demon Reserves got the day off to a great start when they beat Combined Services for the • second time that season, by 37 points. A Grade was a much closer affair, however, Pennant Hills prevailed by 8 • points in the end: • Pennant Hills A Grade 10.14-74 def University of NSW 9.12-66 • Pennant Hills B Grade 11.8-74 def Combined Services 5.7-37 • • Both finals were marred by brawls at different stages and, in fact, the final act in the Reserve Grade match was the • brawl, as the umpires did not bother to signal time-on and the final siren sounded while the boys were still slugging it out. aub Patron, Gus McKernan, who played in the match recalls that, for him at least, it started in poor spirit • when his opponent, when offered a hand-shake before proceedings got underway, spat at Gus's feet rather than • shake hands. Gus maintains that this disreputable act inspired him to greater efforts and meant that he had the • measure of his opponent for much of the match . • , more about the A Grade Grand Final from an article that appeared in the Hornsby-Ku-Ring-Gai Advocate We know • Courier dated 24 September 1975 entitled "Title Double to Hills": TITLE DOUBLE TO HILLS • Pennant Hills came of age as a second division club by winning both first and reserve grade ,• grand finals at Trumper Park on Saturday. Jn a match marred by a violent brawl~ Pennant Hills ...,,, the first grade against the University of NSW. • 11 • • There was joy in the Pennant Hills' dressing rooms after the double triumph. It was the first time the club had wan a grand final, although its A grade side had been beaten in the last two.

"We led by three goals at half-time," said the A grade captain-coach Eric Joiner. "But in the third quarter there was a brawl, after one of our players, rover Wes Smith, was punched. For the rest of the quarter we were heavily penalised and the university got back in front.''

Trailing at three-quarter time, Joiner told his players they had not come this far to lose the grand final.

"We wore university down in the last struggling quarter, with our fitness playing a big part," Joiner said. "Our tackling took its toll and two university players were taken off with injuries."

But Pennant Hills winger, Dave Power, is on crutches this week after hurNng his knee in a tackle. {(Dave was towering in his play at the time when he was tackled and crashed against a fence in the first quarter. He tore ligaments away from the bone."

Rover Trevor Daykin was the team's best player. Halfback-flanker Russell Green, was awarded the club's best player prize far the final series. -

During the season, Pennant Hills A grade played 23 games and lost only one. Joiner, 33, will retire as a coach but stiff play next season. "These last three seasons with the Demons have been the best of my career. Pennant Hifls is a well organised club with tremendous spirit."

Captain-coach of Pennant Hiffs reserves, Peter Mathers, said dedication and complete harmony among players had contributed to the grand final success. This was the first time the re.serve side made the finals.

Tom Goss was a selector at UNSW in 1975 and witnessed the A Grade Grand Final. He concedes that Pennant Hills were deserving Premiers but notes how one inexplicable goal umpiring decision and an errant bounce were possibly the difference between winning and losing. You can read the full text of Tom's Grand Final recollections below, however, here's how he described the dramatic last moments:

"In the third quarter we [UNSW] hit the front and had all the momentum. It is no exaggeration to say that Pennant Hills were panicking. Then the foatball Gods deserted us. Ted Pleming badly injured his knee and had to be carried off depriving us of our toughest and best ball getter. Then Ian Geddes burst through the centre with that brilliant long striding gait and let fly with a raking left foot kick which sailed well through before it was touched. Incredibly it was signalled a point. A goal then and the Hills may have broken.

You might ask haw could I be sure? Well, part of that match was filmed by a UNSW film studies student and was screened that night at our grand final wake. The film clearly showed just how far over the line it was. I remember he stopped and rewound it three times and each viewing elicited howls of disbelief

Of course this memoir is from the perspective of a UNSW supporter and I know those Hills players and fans who recall the game will have significantly differing versions of the events.

In the last quarter with the game an the knife edge, Hills received two, what I would term soft free kicks from which goals were kicked. Ted's replacement, Geoff Golder was penalized twice for incorrect tackles, so with little time left PH hit the front by two points. It was then that rover Lindsay (Baxhead) Allen found the ball at CHB and surged towards the centre. Baxhead was a lazy footballer but a wonderful left foot kick. Dave Rowe reacted immediately and led ta space, and was in the clear. All Baxhead had to do was to put the ball in front of Dave who would've had a shot to almost certainly decide the premiership.

For same unfathomable reason Boxhead took a bounce. The ball hit a sandy patch, failed ta

12 I rebound and was overrun. A PH player picked up the loose ball, kicked it forward, a goal ~ resulted and the game was lost, or won, depending on your point of view. l ISlill nzte that loss among the most disappointing in my long association with sport." ~ .. ~,, .. Asdleadagegoes, history is written by the victors, however, in this case we will allow the vanquished the last say, ~:/.·· L+ i:gthatitcan't possibly change the result ... a victory for Pennant Hills by 8 points! ~ .

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I• End of season Awards

• Trevor Daykin came 3'' in Snow Medal (Second Division - A Grade) with 14 votes, 2 behind the winner. G Bugler (Combined Services) & L Lyttleton (Warringah) tie with 16 votes, Bugler wins on count-back, 4 x lsts vs 2 x lsts;

• Peter Mathers won the McFarlane Medal with 22 votes, 4 ahead of the runner-up R Quinn (Sydney University)

• There was some confusion in the leading goal-kicking tallies as time-keepers had not always been keeping accurate records. Based on the figures for the final Home & Away game:

Second Division A - David Rowe (UNSW) 100 (1"); David Ratten (Pennant Hills) 52 (3'') and Eric Joiner (Pennant Hills) 48 (4'h)

Second Division B - Doug Rigley (Pennant Hills) 87 (1"), Kerry James (Pennant Hills) 39 (3'')

• NSW takes out the football double winning both the Teal Cup and Shell Cup.

• Trevor Daykin and Peter Mathers win Club Best & Fairest Awards for A Grade and B Grade, respectively.

• Trevor Daykin also wins tickets to the VFL Grand Final by winning the TAA Award "Name the Player" competition!

Acknowledgements

Pennant Hills Australian Football Club and the author would like to thank the following people for their assistance in providing content for this story: • Kerry James AM - Club founder, Patron, former President, Club Captain, 1975 Premiership Player, spent over two hours with the author recording his recollections of the Club's foundation and the first S years or so; • Danny Cater -1975 Premiership player, generously provided his recollections of the 1975 Grand Final via a series of email exchanges. Supplied the 1975 Penno team photo and player names; • Gus McKernan and Rod Miles-1975 Premiership players, provided their recollections and Gus helped with proof reading; • Glenn Saunders - Former Demon, Boundary rider in 1975; • Allen Abbott -1975 player with UNSW, now a Pen no man 'Al the Barman', provided his own recollections of the 1975 season and facilitated the contributions ofTed Pleming and Tom Goss. Supplied a copy of the UNSW team photo from 1975; • Ted Pleming-1975 Grand Finalist with UNSW, provided his recollections of the Grand Final and co-opted Tom Goss into documenting his recollections of the A Grade Grand Final; • Tom Goss - UNSW Club selector in 1975, witnessed the A Grade Grand Final and provided the author with two pages of his recollections in an action-packed and dramatic narrative, supplied a team photo and photo of Ted Pleming running on to Trumper Park in 1975. • Ian Granland OAM - President, NSW Australian Football History Society, prioritised the accession of the 1975 Football Records to the Society's web collection to assist the author's research.

John Acheson For and on behalf of Pennant Hills AFC

14 Plauer Recolections

il!li!'letbat40years have gone but I remember the day clearly. We were a young new Club. The idea we would be in i!tt - - jidtlmg two Senior Teams would have been unthinkable just the 4 years before in 1971 when the Club started, let t'"' :·._'31116mndFinal in a row.

l;;,;1!11.l.flleC1"1smrted with local Juniors, ex-pats from the Southern States and Rugby converts ... I was one of these. ~·:·~we stmggled as it was our 1st year in second Division. In 1973, we again had to struggle but with some good recruiting ,','lir ;P. the Shoe Shine Boys [Hawley, Morrison & McKenzie were transferred from Victoria to manage Williams The ; ·g 1 stores in Sydney], etc) during the season, as well as some of our younger players starting to believe in themselves, we ..t.itfo the Grand Final. The side was led by ex-Port Adelaide player Graham Eime, who hod o basic simple football philosophy giEc -"'1nl & honest. The side was full of 17 to 20 odd year olds who would follow Graham anywhere, anytime. That year still rates will11ne as ane of the best memories I had at the Club .

• ii 1!174,; wt? made the Grand Final again but were beaten by a very goad Combined Services team. Graham moved back to • ,a.1e••1e and, even though we recruited well again, I feel we needed a year to adjust after Graham Eime .

• St!rond Division back in those days was dominated by Sydney Uni, NSW Uni and Combined Services. These 3 clubs had players • fmm major Football areas attending their institutions regularly, so they were always strong. The games between these sides • 11ere the equal to most first Division Matches . • In 1975, ex-Wests and ex-Hawthorn player Eric Joiner was captain/coach, with ex-Wests second Grade Medal winner Peter Mathers taking over the Reserve Grade. I can still clearly remember Peter saying we have to get the Reserve Grade up to strength • for the Gub to progress. I also believe Peter taking the Reserve grade side to and winning the Flag was a fantastic achievement • and should be recognised in our Club's history. • • Grand Final day 1975 the Reserves were underdogs while the Firsts were favourites . • Of the broken arm he suffered late in the season, Danny recalls: • .., broke a bone in my wrist, the scaphoid.

• I was commuting with my work between Sydney & Melbourne & playing down there the weeks I could not be in Sydney. The • Melbourne Club {Williamstown] would not let me play but I kept playing for Pennant Hills. I had a leather brace put on that • supported the wrist so I played out the season . • The recovery was 2.5 years when I had a bone graft at the end of the 1977 season. It would not heal, but I suppose I didn't give it • much of a chance by keeping on playing . • Can't remember missing many matches so GF preparation was normal as everyone else. I mentioned before we had an expert Medical/ Trainer Team (Reg Myers - trainer for St Kilda's 1966 Premiership Team, Finney (sic), Frank Symonds), so I was • in good hands." • • Danny Cater Q&A • How were you involved with the Club in 1975 (or around that time)? I was playing my 4th Season • Did you attend the Grand Finals at Trumper Park? I played in the Firsts • • What are your recollections of the Grand Finals? Were there any particular incidents of note? There was a huge amount of pressure as it was our 3rd attempt in a row. Also we were aware that we especially had to win after • the Reserves went so well to make it both Grades. The match was even but we weren't trave//ing that well in the first 3 quarters, • we just didn't get into our rhythm. My strongest recollection was Uni started on all-in late in the 3rd quarter or early in the 4th . • This was not Uni's style but as there was always little Jove lost between our sides we went on with it. I have never found out if they planned this or not but they did it well. We were running around getting square while they played football and there was a • red possibility that the game could slip away. • • 15 • • Trevor Daykin, the hardest, toughest, [most] uncompromising of any Pennant Hills player I knew {I would play anywhere, anytime with him) was running around calming us down ... 'We're not getting sucked in and losing this now"... I can clearly remember him screaming out. Trevor was 17 or 18 years old.

Thankfully the experienced players Eric Joiner, Graham Howatt and Wes Smith took over the game and we went on to win.

Who were the stand-out players?

Eric Joiner, Graham Howatt, Trevor Daykin, Rod Miles, Bill Renwick and Wes Smith, the ex-Hawthorn Player who became captain/coach the 1976/7 sides.

What was the pre-match build-up like? What about post-match celebrations?

Lots of nerves before and lots of post-match celebrations-the Club in those days knew how to celebrate well.

Any other recollections about season 1975 or from that era?

My recollections are that this was the yeor that set up the following years' successes e.g the 1976 side that I still believe was the best of all the teams I played with.

The professional approach by our Administrators to our Training/Medical team would have done any Club, anywhere proud.

Also, the 1977 First Division side ... that first game victory against North Shore must be Club Folklore ... contained many of the 1975 teams.

Any other recollections about prominent players for Pennant Hills?

I feel 1f the Swans/GWS were set up in Sydney like they are now, there would have been many pf ayers that at least made the Senior Lists.

Rod Miles, the best Marker of o ball I played with or against; Trevor Daykin, hod the toughness & never say die attitude it takes; David Rattan, a class filled player.

Any interesting anecdotes you'd like to share?

Too many to mention, however, that era on the field represented the exceptional administrators we had - Kerry James; Ken MacRae, Bifl Miles and in the Juniors Ern Holmes to name but a feV'J. I owe these people much. There is no doubt that it was one of the best periods of my life and although I have had many more great years, those times have not been bettered.

Pam & myself will be down for this weekend so am looking very much to catching up with some people.

Kerry James (Club Founder and Reserve Grade Full Forward)

Kerry James played mainly at full-forward and 1975 was his first season playing Reserves. After another disappointment in 1974 (losing consecutive Grand Finals to Combined Services) he seriously considered retiring from footy. Fortunately, he had a late change of mind, dropped back to Reserves and ended up in jumper 51 as a consequence. Here are some of his recollections of Grand Final day 1975.

• In the Reserve Grade Grand Final, ruckman Don Price went down with a knee injury in the first few minutes. Peter Mathers switched into the ruck and Kerry dropped back to centre half forward from his usual position at full forward. "Star'' was "not a big guy, but he could jump". He was a little vain and was always dressed "flash" and was always Kerry James making sure his hair was in place, and left putting on his jumper until the last minute. In his pre-game pep talk he said, tongue in cheek: "I'm wasting my time talking to you blokes ... just do what I do ... I know you can't ... but just try and do it." According to Kerry, he was just the "funniest" fellow. 16 , l

• • Reserve grade ended up in an all-in brawl; the umpires didn't call time-on, so the clock eventually ran out as the brawl • went past the final siren. "It was a good punch-up ... and everyone was in it." Kerry got stuck ·1n and concedes that "he • used to enjoy o fight."

• • KaTy was really confident about winning the Grand Final, although the pundits weren't necessarily so convinced. For • Kerry it was a wonderful achievement and gave him a real sense of accomplishment, it was the culmination of many • years of hard work creating and sustaining the football club . • • Kerry says he kicked 5 goals in the Grand Final and that he used to love Trumper Park as it's fairly easy to get around • because of its size and shape . • • • He notes that in Reserve Grade he was heavily marked, so his tactic was to tap the ball out to Doug Rigley who played in the forward pocket and wasn't a particularly good footballer, but he did well as a crumber. Doug wasn't big and there is • a touch of irony in his "Golden Boots" nickname. Kerry tells of an occasion when he stitched Doug up one day in a • match against Warringah, he thinks. An opposition player had his eye opened in a pack, and no-one really knew how it • happened, but Kerry turned around to Doug Rigley and said "Doug, that's the /a west thing I've seen done an a faoty • field'' ... and the Warringah players promptly turned on Doug and belted him.

• As for the A Grade Grand Final Kerry says"... they had a great day." This team went on to have a winning sequence of ' 33 games straight, after losing in round 2of1975 ... "they were just a huge team." ' Rod Miles (First Grade Centre Half Forward in 1975)

Prior to the Club's elevation to First Division in 1977, Rod played mainly centre half forward for the A Grade side. When in First Division, he switched to centre half back. He recalls that the 1975 Grand Final was a dose run thing and says he kicked one goal that day.

From the Opposition

Ted Pleming (Played in 1975 A Grade Grand Final)

"My memory af the 1975 GF is very patchy at best, so I went to o friend of mine, Tam Goss, to seek his recollections. Tam has o memory like an Elephant as you can see from the passages below. How he can recall things from 40 years ago is beyond me.

I do recall, however, the great rivalry we had with Pennant Hills in the mid-70's and how we knew we were always in for a very physical encounter. It remained the same when I moved up to the SFL (now Premier Div.) in 1977 and PH moved up to that Division as well.

In the GF of 1975, I played in the centre on Trevor Daykin. Trevor was o very crafty & skilful footballer with an unusual tackling style that raised the ire of opposition teams. Oh, how we remember Trevor. Trevor would often tackle by sliding in and taking out the opponent's feet and then slinging them to the ground head first. It was legal back in those days, but unpopular with opposition teams and made him a target for those seeking retribution. This is probably what caused the stoush in the '75 GF and I think, what caused my injury in the 3rd quarter, so I'm still a bit pissed. However, Trevor could handle himself and play the game ot the highest calibre and that should never be underestimated.

From what I recall, I believe Ian Geddes was aur best player. We had a very high regard for Rod Miles and fan gat the better of him on this occasion. Rod was not just a good footballer but a good bloke as well. He played hard but fair and we had a huge amount of respect for him. Also Danny Cater, Peter Watson and Eric Joiner. These guys were tough and intent on hurting the opposition and we had our fair share of "run ins" with them over the years. They were intimidating guys and we UNSW guys

17 struggled to match their physicality. However, Ian and I got our revenge in the SFL in later years when they came up against opponents who were more than capable of matching them.

Our coach in '75 was Prof Brian Lawn. Brian was an innovative thinker and had a tactic of switching Peter Hurst and myself through tl)e centre. We employed this tactic in the GF with fairly goad effect early. Peter was a very skilful footballer and fast. He was one of our best attacking weapons and he used the ball to great effect, often putting it on FF Dave Rowe's chest for him to kick for goal. I recall he and the two Kay brothers having outstanding games in the GF.

The team photo below was taken at the Village Green, UNSW and contains most of the '75 GF team. Alan (sic) Abbott is in the photo and strikes a very handsome pose. Please pass on my best wishes to all those old rivals who got the better of us an the day.

Tom Goss (UNSW Selector 1975)

Grand Final UNSW v Pennant Hills 1975

From a UNSW perspective

I have an enduring recollection of that GF played at Trumper Park in 1975. I was a selector for the Wales that year but my most powerful memory is that it was to prove my brother Michael's last ever game. Within four months he was dead from the effects of the lurking melanoma which had appeared on his chest two years previously.

Pennant Hills were overwhelming favourites that day. They were our bogey team and we hadn't beaten them for three years. They played a style eminently suited to Sydney football of that ero. Football in Sydney was a/mast always played on postage stamp si'zed ovals (with the notable exception of Erskinevil/e oval). Both Trumper Park and Pratten Oval were tiny and Pennant Hills Oval wasn't much bigger. It was long enough but extremely narrow. (As a diversion, on the north side of the ground just past the boundary line there was a steep bank. As the wind generally howled in that direction the flow of the game was often interrupted because the ball had been swept over necessitating a tiresome search for the ball.} These grounds were eminently suited to tough contested football. In addition, incompetent umpiring and a relaxed attitude towards on field violence made Sydney football, particularly the /st Division in the sixties and seventies, the toughest and most thuggish I've experienced in my long association with football. One early seventies 1st Division GF between East Sydney and Nth Shore which had a sixteen year old Michael Byrne playing, featured a wild fifteen minute brow/, the film of which went world wide and was a sensation in Japan. Another between East Sydney and a John Northey coached Western Suburbs saw the half time free kick count from memory 44 to 3 in favour of Easts. If police hadn't been present the Umpire wouldn't have escaped alive that day.

So teams of that era needed to have enforc~rs and several hard men in their ranks if they hoped to compete. The 1975 Pennant Hills team had at least three. The coach Eric Joiner was a veteran of Sydney football and an intimidating figure. Ruckman Danny Kater (sic) and utility Peter Watson also played on the edge and often well to the other side. The Uni team was mainly comprised of fresh faced students just graduated from high school. They didn't lack courage it's just that most hadn't yet developed that hard edge, the requisite mongrel vital to combat physicality. We were highly skilled though, one of the best I've been associated with in over fifty years of football. Had we had an enforcer we would've been unbeatable.

Pennant Hill was favourite that day because they were bigger and tougher.

Sometimes, however, things don't go to script in Grand Finals. In the second quarter a brawl broke out. When the dust cleared the unthinkable had happened. One Hill's player was prostrate and Wales had clearly got the better of the fight. PH was rattled and UNSW was infused with confidence

... Ted P/eming and Ian Geddes were the best two I saw play for UNSW in that era. Ted was a brilliant tough on-baller and Ian a phenomenally disciplined athletic long kicking CHB. Both were as tough as teak and I recall Ted, who actually looked like a pretty boy player, delivering a brutal shirt front to Danny Kater (sic) just after the brawl which had a profound positive effect on the rest of the team. Ted later told me that Danny had turned his head at the last moment and he just missed really flattening him. He related this in a voice dripping with regret. Danny Kater (sic) was not our favourite opponent back then.

18 I think Ted's immediate opponent was Trevor Daykin that day. Daykin was one of the very best players in the comp and had definitely been imbued with the mongrel gene.

I do know that Ian [Geddes] played on Rod Miles. Coincidentally, Rod was a UNSW Uni student, studying Mining Engineering and our President, Professor Don Cooley, Head of the Mining Engineering faculty, had tried unsuccessfully to recruit him to our ranks. • He was a very good footballer and earlier that year had touched up Ian in a game at Pennant Hills, the only time I ever saw Ian • beaten in his time at the Wales. Not so in the GF. Ian thrashed him that day and, in my opinion, was clearly best on ground. Ian • was the central figure in a controversial incident late in the third quarter which may have cost us the game . • I can't remember who played well for the Hills that day but I can vividly recall Geddes dominating. I think our hundred goal full • forward Dave Rowe kicked five and could've been lining up for six and the flag if not for an errant bounce . • It would be nice to say that my brother had a great day in his last ever game of sport but it was not to be. He kicked an early goal • and set up another in the first quarter but found it increasingly difficult to find the ball in the second half In retrospect we should've moved him up the ground in the last quarter, especially since our other forward Don McQueen who had been badly • concussed the week before was basically a passenger. It was a huge mistake to play him but there were no concussion tests back • then .

• In the third quarter we hit the front and had all the momentum. It is no exaggeration to say that Pennant Hills were panicking. • Then the football Gods deserted us. Ted Pleming badly injured his knee and had to be carried off depriving us of our toughest and • best ball getter. Then tan Geddes burst through the centre with that brilliant long striding gait and let fly with a raking left foot • kick which sailed well through before it was touched. Incredibly it was signalled a point. A goal then and the Hills may have • broken . You might ask how could I be sure? Well, part of that match was filmed by a UNSW film studies student and was screened that • night at our grand final wake. The film clearly showed just how far over the line it was. I remember he stopped and rewound it • three times and each viewing elicited howls of disbelief • Of course, this memoir is from the perspective of a UNSW supporter and I know those Hills players and fans who recall the game • will have significantly differing versions of the events. In the last quarter with the game on the knife edge, Hills received two, • what I would term soft free kicks from which goals were kicked. Ted's replacement, Geoff Golder was penalized twice for • incorrect tackles, so with little time left PH hit the front by two points. It was then that rover Lindsay (Boxhead) Allen found the ball at CHB and surged towards the centre. Boxhead was a lazy footballer but a wonderful left foot kick. Dave Rowe reacted • immediately and led to space, and was in the clear. All Boxhead had to do was to put the ball in front of Dave who would've had • a shot to almost certainly decide the premiership. For some unfathomable reason Boxhead took a bounce. The ball hit a sandy • patch, failed to rebound and was overrun. A PH player picked up the loose ball, kicked it forward, a goal resulted and the game • MIS lost, or won, depending on your point of view. • There is one other memory that stands out. After the game, in a miasma of disappointment I chanced to wander in front of the • grandstand race. The Pennant Hill's change room door was open. There propped against a wall with his right arm around a team mate and a beer firmly ensconced in hi~l'eft hand sat Danny Kater (sic). Blinking away tears he kept saying, 'We've just won the • Gmnd Final. I can't believe it.' It was difficult to begrudge him his hour of glory. I still rate that loss among the most disappointing • in my long association with sport. • -.1an and Ted Represented Sydney in state championships and Ian was a NSW rep. Ian also had a distinguished career with • the Griffith Swans in the RFL league. Both were key members of the great East Sydney dual premiership teams of the early • ~ • I was appointed to teach at Coolamon Central school in 1978. I became closely involved with the Coolamon Hoppers and ended • .., Miling the club's history for the centenary in 1994. In 1982 Coolamon met East Wagga in the RFL grand final. Ted Had tJunsfa•eti to Waggo in his employment mid season and I persuaded him to join the Hoppers. He was picked in the grand final • - ID play centre, his direct opponent, Barry Suckling father of Matt Suckling. He was vying for BOG honours just before half • ,_...,,,lightning struck again. He went to sidestep, his knee buckled and had to be carried off. He never played football again. • &a,anet4'oorplayers was denied a goal in the last quarter when a ball he kicked sailed more than a meter over the line before • ,,,,.. IDuched. Coolamon lost by five points. • 19 • • • 4 • Ian played with and coached Griffith (one of his players in the yeor he coached was none other thon Peter Watson) until well into 4 the nineties and became one of that c/ub~s greatest ever players. 4

Many others of that team went on to become distinguished country footballers including~ Dave Rowe - Cootamundra and Darwin~ 4 Andrew Collins - Deniliquin, Bobby Howard, our captain in 1975 Rand, Lyn Davis coach of Rond, Albert Suidgeest - Coolamon ond 4 John Seidel - Griffith. 4 My brother Michael died an the 9th January 1976. 4 Have a great reunion and if you ever locate that film I'd love to have a copy. 4 4 4

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