A mere 43 years ago, the last round was just hours away from the first bounce (all six games were on a Saturday afternoon in 1966 and began at the same time). Before Round 18 (the last in those days), the ladder saw Collingwood on top with 14 wins and then three other teams (St K, Geelong, Essendon) grouped with 13 wins and Richmond with 12 and a half wins. So, only Collingwood was assured of a place in the finals. In second position, we had a gap of 13% to Geelong.
On paper, four of the teams had "easy" games, playing the bottom four teams, with only Geelong having a tester against Carlton (6th). We were to play Hawthorn, who had won just 5 games for the year. We had beaten Hawthorn earlier in the year at their home ground, a muddy Glenferrie Oval, by four goals, but it had not been an easy win.
In Round 16 against South Melbourne, St Kilda Captain, Darrel Baldock, had "strained" ligaments in his right knee and limped off. He did not play the following week and was not selected to play against Hawthorn. In those days, the only requirement for naming teams was to lodge the team sheet with the umpire (just one then) 30 minutes before the start of the game.
Allan Jeans had decided to include Darrel as 19th man as insurance but he was not named on the Thursday night. A keen racing man, Darrel had a horse running at Sandown. Not being all that concerned with the game, and wanting to keep the subterfuge alive, he went to the races, saw his horse run (fortunately in one of the early races) and then made his way back to the Moorabbin ground via public transport, arriving just before the game started. When the team entered the field in those days, the 19th and 20th men, who were reserves not interchange players, simply came out wearing their dressing gowns and did not run around with the other players. Teams were not permitted to kick a footy on the field before the game. So, some in the crowd did not even notice that Darrel was there. But enough did and the murmur went through the crowd. Was this good news or bad news?
By mid way through the third quarter, the Saints were in trouble. Hawthorn was playing its "game of the season" (sound familiar?) and led by ten points. All of the other three teams vying for the finals were comfortably in front of their rivals. If we lost, we would not have made the finals, let alone gained the double chance. Baldock came on. The Grandstand (now demolished) crowd had never roared so much. Within a minute he had kicked a goal and soon had two on the board. Just as the Saints players lifted by Baldock's appearance, Hawthorn players slumped slightly.
The game was fought out to the finish with a ten point win to the Saints. Our percentage gap to Geelong had been reduced to just five, but it was enough. We had the double chance (which we would need) and a weeks break. We would play Collingwood in the second semi. The rest, as they say, is history.
Saints Captain's last minute inclusion...from the racetrack!
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perfectionist
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Saints Captain's last minute inclusion...from the racetrack!
Last edited by perfectionist on Sat 29 Aug 2009 3:21pm, edited 3 times in total.
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iwantmeseats
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Did you also know that the 19th and 20th men had to stay seated on the bench while the game was on? No running up and down the boundary to keep muscles warm....they couldnt as much as stand up until the end of the quarter or they were called on to come onto the ground
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Ditto: will carry the moment forever!Verdun66 wrote:Remember it very well. One of my most vivid Saints memories. He nearly got votes that night on one of the TV shows, and had only played just over a quarter. His appearance had an incredible effect on the crowd, and then the players. The game turned on it's head.
When he came on to that roar you could sense the Sainters lift and Hawks feeling that's it we're gone now......as the Doc always played a blinder against them for some reason ....never missed!
Bit like Carey against us in later years, but even even more so
Lets hope we can see history repeat and that ..
we all get our kicks.......following route '66!