Reg Hickey

'Copper' Evans

'Peter' Hardiman

Joe Sellwood

Harry Collier

Ron Todd

Gordon Coventry

Bervin Woods

Harold Rumney

Hickey made four key changes at the start of the 2nd term, shifting Les Hardiman from full forward to centre half back, Jack Hardiman from the ruck to full forward, Sellwood to centre half forward from centre half back, and centre half forward Gordon Abbott into the ruck.  During the first ten minutes or so of the quarter, however, the Magpies resumed almost precisely where they had left off, with the only difference being their inability to finish things off.  Nevertheless, it was Collingwood ruckman Phonse Kyne who snagged the first major of the term to put his team 27 points to the good, and many of the Magpie fans were already beginning to celebrate a third consecutive flag.

The Cats, however, had other ideas, and with Quinn and Muller particularly prominent they began to attack in a sustained manner for the first time in the game.  Goals to Coles, Evans and Metherell quickly followed, bringing the margin back to less than 2 kicks.  Collingwood rallied briefly, courtesy of a goal to Todd, but it was Geelong which finished the term the stronger, and further goals to Coles and Evans produced a half time scoreboard which emphasised that the 1937 premiership was once again very much up for grabs.   HALF TIME: Collingwood 8.10 (58); Geelong 8.5 (53)

Les Hardiman (no. 25) looks set to spoil Ron Todd (no.27), who is perched on the sturdy back of the man he would soon replace as Collingwood full forward, Gordon Coventry.

Brilliant Collingwood centreman, Marcus Whelan.

It was obvious from soon after the opening bounce of the 3rd quarter that the confidence of the Geelong players had increased significantly.  Soon after the resumption, Jack Evans goaled to snatch the lead for his side, and although Fothergill replied moments later for the Woods, it was the Cats who dominated the next quarter of an hour or so as major scores to Metherell and Coles put them firmly in the box seat for the first time in the match.

Geelong continued to attack incessantly, but a sequence of near misses was their only reward.  Finally, however, makeshift full forward Evans managed to steer the ball home and the margin was 13 points.

You write off Collingwood at your peril, though.  Straight from the re-start, the Magpies forced the ball forward in a move which culminated in Coventry nabbing his second goal of the game; then, deep in time-on, the same player added another to reduce the margin to a single point.  Seconds before the lemon time bell, Albert Collier marked within range, and as the crowd noise drained to a hush his slightly wayward place kick levelled the scores.  THREE QUARTER TIME: Geelong 12.8 (80); Collingwood 11.14 (80)

As Geelong surged into attack straight from the opening bounce of the final term, inappropriately named wingman Laurie Slack managed to find Jack Metherell, who weaved and dodged his way around a forest of bodies before snapping truly to restore his side's lead.  Shortly afterwards big Gordon Abbott got on the end of some fine interplay between Metherell and Bernie Hore to nab another six pointer, and after both teams had squandered a succession of scoring opportunities, it was the Cats who broke the deadlock, courtesy of Jim Wills.

Sensing that the game was now slipping away from them, the Magpies threw everything at Geelong, but another swift Cats breakaway culminated in Abbott goaling to stretch the margin to 26 points.  Another major to Evans followed shortly afterwards, and although Pannam quickly replied for Collingwood, the roar of encouragement emanating from the throats of the black and white segment of the crowd was stymied almost at source as Reg Hickey initiated a drive that led to Geelong's 18th goal of the game, off the boot of Metherell.  After three closely fought quarters, the Cats had tapped into their richest vein of form just when it mattered most.  FINAL SCORE: Geelong 18.14 (122); Collingwood 12.18 (90)

Geelong vice-captain Tommy Quinn, who produced a near faultless display to be best afield.

To the accompaniment of cheers from thousands of people, the hooting of motor car horns, the whistles of three railways engines, the explosions of detonators on the lines and the strains of music played by the St Augustine's Boys' Band, the Geelong Football Club which won the 1937 league premiership by defeating Collingwood at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, returned to Geelong by train on Saturday night. (See footnote 1)

However, it would be a long time between drinks for these ecstatic Geelong fans.  Indeed, the Cats would only manage to qualify for the September action on three occasions over the next dozen seasons before finally breaking through for another flag in 1951, with 1937 captain-coach Reg Hickey back at the helm once more, this time in a non-playing capacity.

Collingwood meanwhile would, in some respects, endure an even more frustrating time, for despite reaching the finals much more often than not, it would be 1953 before a premiership pennant again adorned the Victoria Park clubrooms.  The club would also endure the anguish of losing several of its better players to ostensibly 'weaker' competitions: Ron Todd would head for the VFA, and Williamstown, where he would enjoy considerable success; Des Fothergill likewise would venture to the Seagulls, winning the 1941 Recorder Cup; and Marcus Boyall would transfer to South Australia, where he would land the 1941 Magarey Medal.  Throughout these tumultuous times, however, the perennial presence at the tiller of arguably the greatest figure in the club's history, the legendary Jock McHale, would afford a sense of continuity and reassurance.