CARLTON - Part One: 1864 to 1919
Affiliated: VFA 1877-96; VFL 1897-1989; AFL 1990-present
Club Address: P.O. Box 83, North Carlton 3054, Victoria
Home Ground: Docklands (some home matches also played at the MCG)
Formed: 1864
Colours: Navy blue and white
Emblem: Blues
Premierships: SENIORS - 1877, 1887, 1906-07-08, 1914-15, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981-82, 1987, 1995 (18 total) RESERVES - 1926-27-28, 1951, 1953, 1986-87, 1990 (8 total) UNDER 19S - 1948-49, 1951, 1963, 1978-79 (6 total) OTHER PREMIERSHIPS - Championship of Australia 1968, 1970 (2 total); VFL/AFL Night Series 1983, 1997, 2005, 2007 (4 total); Dr. Wm. C. McClelland Trophy 1969, 1979, 1985 [joint winners], 1987, 1995 (5 total)
Brownlow Medallists: Bert Deacon 1947; John James 1961; Gordon Collis 1964; Greg Williams 1994; Chris Judd 2010 (5 total)
Norm Smith Medallists: Wayne Harmes 1979; Bruce Doull 1981; David Rhy-Jones 1987; Greg Williams 1995 (4 total)
Tassie Medallists: Mark Naley 1987 (1 total)
All Australians: J.Howell 1953; J.Chick 1956; J.Goold 1966; A.Jesaulenko 1969 & 1972; J.Nicholls 1969; B.Doull 1979; R.Klomp 1980; G.Southby 1980; C.Bradley 1986; S.Kernahan 1986 & 1988; M.Naley 1987 (15 total)
AFL All Australians: Mil Hanna 1992; Stephen Kernahan 1992 & 1994; Craig Bradley 1993, 1994, 1995 & 1997; Andrew McKay 1994, 1999, 2000 & 2001; Greg Williams 1993 & 1994; Stephen Silvagni 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 & 1999; Ang Christou 1995; Anthony Koutoufides 1995 & 2000; Justin Madden 1995; David Parkin (coach) 1995; Michael Sexton 1996 & 1997; Matthew Allan 1999; Scott Camporeale 2000; Brett Ratten 2000 & 2001; Lance Whitnall 2000; Matthew Lappin 2004; Brendan Fevola 2006, 2008 & 2009; Chris Judd 2008, 2009 & 2010 (37 Total)
V/AFL Top Goalkickers: M.Grace (50) 1906; E.Cowley (35) 1918; H.Clover (56) 1922; H.Vallence (86) 1931; T.Carroll (54) 1961; B.Fevola (84) 2006 & (89) 2009 (7 total)
Carlton's Official 'Team of the Century': Click here
Highest Score: 30.30 (210) vs. Hawthorn in 1969
Most Games: 375 by Craig Bradley 1986-2002
Record Home Attendances: 1. MCG - 91,571 in round 20 2000: Essendon 16.13 (109); Carlton 12.11 (83) 2. Docklands - 53,459 in round 12 2007: Hawthorn 27.18 (180); Carlton 12.8 (80) 3. Princes Park - 47,514* in round 6 1963: Geelong 7.22 (64); Carlton 7.16 (58)
Record Finals Attendance: 121, 696 for 1970 grand final: Carlton 17.9 (111); Collingwood 14.17 (101)
Overall Success Rate 1897-2010: 59.5%
* A crowd estimated at 51,000 watched a match between Carlton and Collingwood at Princes Park in 1920
In common with a considerable number of other Australian football clubs of long standing Carlton owes its origins to the local cricket club. Its first president, Robert McFarland, and its first secretary, Ben James, for example, both had strong cricket connections. The early players tended to be predominantly middle class and Protestant in spite of which, almost from the start, Carlton teams acquired a reputation for being wild and tempestuous, traits which clearly distinguished them from other clubs of ostensibly similar orientation such as Melbourne and Geelong. By the early 1870s matches between Carlton (the Blues) and Melbourne (the Reds) were the undisputed highlights of each football season, regularly attracting five figure crowds, and providing arguably the clearest available yardstick of the game's progress.
The 1870 season saw Victoria's first 'official' premiership competition in which Carlton performed creditably to finish 3rd. The following year brought the club's first premiership and in the remaining five seasons before the formation of the Victorian Football Association the club continued to shine, winning three consecutive premierships from 1873-75.
| Carlton was a thriving club off the field
as well. When the VFA was established in 1877 the club had no fewer than 215
fully paid up members and was one of the most prominent early voices in the
Association. On the field, it swept all before it in the VFA's inaugural year,
scoring 56 goals and conceding just 11 to clinch the premiership with ease.
However, this early halcyon phase in the club's history was coming to an
end. In 1878, the first chinks in the armour appeared when Carlton
suddenly found
itself without a home after being evicted from its ground at the University of
Melbourne. Without the advantage of a home base the side slumped to 3rd behind
premiers Geelong, and Melbourne.
The 1879 season saw Carlton playing its home matches at the southern end of Princes Park but it was not permitted either to charge admission or to enclose the land. The side improved slightly to finish as runner up to Geelong, which along with South Melbourne would dominate Victorian football for most of the next decade. |
Regarded by some as the greatest player of his day, triple Champion of the Colony George Coulthard was a major reason behind Carlton's success in the early years of the VFA. |
The only break in Geelong's and South's dominance came in 1887, courtesy of a Carlton side boasting some of the finest players of the time, notably Billy Strickland, Jack Baker, 'Dolly' Batters, Sam Bloomfield, Tommy Leydin and Mick Whelan. Of the 18 matches counted as being towards the Association premiership the Blues won 15 and drew 2, tasting defeat only in the away fixture against Geelong. It was thus as 'Champions of the Colony' that Carlton took part, a year later, in an historic match. The opposition was provided by a touring British rugby team which engaged in a total of 18 games of Australian football during the Victorian and South Australian legs of its tour, winning 5 and losing 13.
One of the losses came in the encounter with Carlton, which was watched by a crowd of 25,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Carlton won by 14 goals to 3, but:
....the visitors....played spiritedly, and their forwards had....numerous opportunities which, through their inability to mark, had been useless to them. They appeared to think of nothing but dribbling the ball through, and the smartness of their opponents invariably upset their calculations in this direction. [see footnote 1]
The 1890s was a period of decline in the Australian economy and this was mirrored at Carlton which by the middle of the decade had become little better than a chopping block for the likes of Essendon and Collingwood. Uncertainty regarding security of tenure of its facilities at Princes Park was also a source of concern.
Despite all this, at the end of the 1896 season Carlton was invited by the VFA's strongest and richest half a dozen clubs to join a breakaway competition to be known as the Victorian Football League. The only condition was that it secure a permanent home base where an admission charge could be levied, and after protracted negotiations with Carlton Cricket Club permission was obtained to use the enclosed cricket oval on Princes Park.
When the VFL got underway in 1897 it consisted of eight clubs, St Kilda having also been asked to join - a fortuitous circumstance as far as the Blues were concerned as their only two wins for the year came at the expense of the team from the Junction Oval.
|
George Bruce, a wingman for Carlton in its 1906 and 1908 premiership teams. Recruited from West Adelaide, Bruce played 181 VFL games between 1903 and 1913. |
This pattern of failure was repeated in each of Carlton's first five seasons in the VFL. Clearly a fresh approach was needed, and this came in 1902 with the appointment as secretary and manager of former Fitzroy champion Jack Worrall, who had also represented both Victoria and Australia at cricket. Worrall was an extremely determined, energetic and imaginative character who in retrospect can be seen to have revolutionised Australian football. Referring to himself as 'coach' [see footnote 2] Jack Worrall had an immediate impact at Carlton as the side won 7 out of 17 matches in 1902 to finish 6th, its highest placing in the VFL up to that point. Included in this tally of victories were notable triumphs over eventual runners up Essendon and 3rd placed Fitzroy. In 1903 Carlton reached the VFL finals series for the first ever time only to bow out at the first hurdle to eventual premiers Collingwood by 4 points. [see footnote 3] Worrall had his charges improving in stages, however, a process which continued in 1904 as the side won a final for the first time (6.7 (43) to 6.4 (40) against Essendon) only to succumb, perhaps predictably, to Fitzroy's superior experience in the final. |
A temporary hiccup followed as Carlton ran 3rd in 1905 but the Worrall regime, which survived a pre-season rebellion from certain players who considered it 'too Spartan', achieved full fruition in 1906 as the side finally broke through for a flag. A tally of 14 wins from 17 minor round matches brought pole position going into the finals where Carlton overcame Collingwood 9.10 (64) to 8.6 (54) after trailing by 3 points at three quarter time before annihilating frequent nemesis Fitzroy 15.4 (94) to 6.9 (45) in the final in front of a then record crowd of 44,437 at the MCG. The Blues' resolute defence was the key to their triumph, with half back flanker William Payne the widespread choice as best afield, ably abetted by full back Doug Gillespie and back pockets Les Beck and Norman 'Hackenschmidt' Clark. Wingman George Bruce and centreman Rod McGregor were among the others to shine, while forward Mick Grace kicked 3 goals to become the first VFL player to amass 50 League goals in a season.
| The 1907 season saw Worrall continue to
train his charges hard giving rise to continued resentment but also,
paradoxically, ensuring that the team's edge was maintained. The Blues again
topped the ladder going into the finals and again did not need to execute their
right of challenge after a comfortable 56 point demolition of St Kilda and a
hard fought 5 point win over South Melbourne in the final. A new record crowd of
45,477 saw Carlton lead at every change by 1, 7 and 15 points before
withstanding a desperate last quarter challenge from the southerners who on four
separate occasions narrowed the margin to just a couple of points. Final scores
were Carlton 6.14 (50) to South Melbourne 6.9 (45) with the victors best served
by ruckman George 'Mallee' Johnson, centre half back and captain Jim Flynn, half
back flanker Martin Gotz, centre half forward Harvey Kelly, wingman George
Bruce, and 3 goal full forward George Topping.
Carlton were now very much the pre-eminent force in VFL football and with 1908 being regarded as Australian football's official jubilee year Worrall had an additional incentive - if one were needed - to maintain the momentum. |
Fred 'Pompey' Elliott, a resolute and extremely combative follower, who joined Carlton from Melbourne in 1900, and went on to play 197 VFL games for the club for a career total of 211. |
As it happened, 1908 saw Carlton put in one of the most dominant all round seasons in VFL history, losing just once, to Essendon in round 12. In the semi final encounter with St Kilda, played in atrociously wet conditions, the Blues did virtually as they liked all day and indeed it was not until the final term that St Kilda managed to kick a goal. The final against Essendon attracted a record crowd for the third successive year as 50,261 spectators packed the MCG hoping to see a classic. However, Jack Worrall effectively spoiled the game as a spectacle when he instructed his team to go on the defensive after they had established a 5.4 (34) to 2.4 (16) half time lead:
On the whole it was a decidedly disappointing game, Essendon all through the 1st half failing to play up to their best form, and from the interval to the finish Carlton directed their efforts solely to kicking across the ground in order to prevent Essendon making up their leeway, in consequence of which Carlton only added 1 behind to their record of 5.4 put up before half time. In the early stages of the game Essendon seemed to be over impressed by the importance of the occasion, lacked system, fumbled the ball, failed to watch their men and left their places, while Carlton played a fine, cool, systematic game with judgement and skill. In the last two quarters Essendon showed to much greater advantage, adding 1.4 to 0.1, and might have pulled the game out of the fire but for the lamentable failure of their forwards, who missed several easy chances; but....Carlton were....satisfied not to attempt the aggressive as long as they were able to keep Essendon from scoring. The better team on the day won the match. [see footnote 4]
The Blues' best included ruckman Charlie Hammond, half forward flanker Alex Long, centre half back William Payne, back pocket Norm Clark, rover Fred Elliott, and ruckman George Johnson.
Success does not always breed contentment, however. In addition to the dissatisfaction over Worrall's coaching methods, an increasingly large number of players were annoyed at what they perceived as the club hierarchy's reluctance to share with them the financial spoils of success. Rightly or wrongly most of their ire was directed at Jack Worrall, whose front line position as club coach perhaps made him a more accessible target. Late in the 1909 season, with Carlton still very much an on field force to be reckoned with, Worrall resigned as coach, although for the time being retaining his position as club secretary.
|
Arthur Ford, a talented centreman and defender who played a total of 64 games for the Blues. In 1910, while still a player, he took over from Jack Worrall as club secretary, only to be forced to step down later in the season when he was reported during a match and incurred a suspension. Such on field indiscretions, it seems, were not considered seemly for someone in his position. |
With skipper Fred Elliott taking over the
coaching reins the side went within an ace of capturing a fourth successive
pennant. A 14.8 (92) to 9.2 (56) semi final trouncing of Essendon booked the
Blues a place in the final against minor premier South
Melbourne, and once again
Carlton surged their way to a comfortable win, 10.7 (67) to 7.5 (47). South
Melbourne had the right of challenge, but few thought them capable of improving
sufficiently to reverse the result of the final. The South brains trust had
learned their lesson from the previous week, however, when their attempt to
confront the stern physical challenge afforded by the Blues head on had failed
lamentably. This time "they decided to head for the open spaces. With their
pace they avoided becoming bogged down in the crushes." [see
footnote 5] The new tactics worked superbly, and South won a thriller
by 2 points.
The off season saw a 'reform group', consisting largely of players and their supporters, sweeping to power after a series of controversial ballots, and Jack Worrall immediately severed his last link with the club by resigning as secretary, with Arthur Ford taking over. Worrall went on to coach Essendon with some success but meanwhile the press branded Carlton's treatment of him as smacking "of both folly and ingratitude". [see footnote 6] No fewer than eight senior players obviously concurred with this view as they left the club but despite this the Blues continued to prosper, finishing the 1910 home and away season at the top of the ladder. |
The finals were a different story, however. The semi final saw the Blues kick themselves out of contention against South Melbourne, going down by 12 points, 6.17 (53) to 10.5 (65). However, intrigue centred not on the match itself but on Carlton's decision to drop three selected players from its line up shortly before the start; this, it later emerged, was because club officials had apparently got wind of the players having accepted bribes to 'play dead', claims which, in the case of two of the three individuals involved, were later ratified by a VFL inquiry, which suspended the culprits for five seasons each.
The finals saw Carlton's conquerors South Melbourne go down to Collingwood and the Blues, as minor premiers, immediately exercised their right of challenge. However, the bribes controversy still hung heavily over the club [see footnote 7] and Collingwood never looked in trouble, eventually winning by 14 points, 9.7 (61) to 6.11 (47).
| Carlton dropped to 4th in 1911, improving slightly to 3rd a year later, but then plummeted down the list to 6th in 1913 in Jack Wells' only season as coach. Under Norman 'Hackenschmidt' Clark, re-appointed coach in 1914 after a single season in charge two years earlier, there was a sudden quite dramatic turn around. Despite blooding numerous first year players during the course of the season Carlton headed the ladder after the home and away rounds and went on to win the premiership via the challenge final with a side containing no fewer than nine 'rookies', easily a record. The Blues ended up in the challenge final after South Melbourne had surprisingly bested them by 19 points in the final but their form a week later was greatly improved. In the first half indeed it looked to be merely a question of 'how much' as Carlton raced to a 5.8 (38) to 2.5 (17) lead, but thereafter the match followed a similar pattern to 1908 as the Blues concentrated almost exclusively on defence while South Melbourne attacked relentlessly, but ultimately without success. Carlton won 6.9 (45) to 4.15 (39) with backmen William Dick, Paddy O'Brien, Harry Houghton and Steve Leehane particularly conspicuous. Wingman Ted Brown and half forward flanker Alex 'Bongo' Lang also did well. The recent onset of war in Europe restricted the crowd to just 30.427, many of whom must have wondered if they were watching the last VFL match to be played for some time. |
Vin Gardiner who, despite standing only 168cm in height and weighing just over 60kg, was a superb key position forward for Carlton in 157 games from 1907 to 1917. He booted a total of 338 goals, topping the VFL list with 46 in 1911. (Click to enlarge.) |
As it was, however, the league controversially elected to continue in 1915, a decision for which Carlton ultimately had much cause to be thankful. After finishing the home and away rounds in 2nd place on the ladder the Blues enjoyed wins over Melbourne by 11 points in a semi final and Fitzroy by 16 points in the final before comfortably downing minor premiers Collingwood 11.12 (78) to 6.9 (45) in the challenge final in front of a surprisingly large crowd of close to 40,000 spectators. Back pocket Andy McDonald, wingman George Challis, who less than a year later was to die in the war, half back flanker Ted Brown, half forward flanker Herb Burleigh, centre half forward Perce Daykin, and centreman Rod McGregor were Carlton's best. Perhaps the unluckiest player afield was Collingwood wingman Tom Clancy who had occupied the same position for Carlton five years previously when the Blues and Collingwood had last met in a challenge final - with the opposite result.
The 1916 and 1917 seasons saw the VFL limping along on a reduced scale but Carlton maintained involvement both years, finishing 2nd and 3rd.
Where now?
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Footnotes
1. From 'The Australasian', 23 June 1888, and cited in Great Australian Football Stories by Garrie Hutchinson (ed.), pages 53-4. Return to Main Text
2. This was a novel description. Hitherto the duties which would later tend to be associated with the coach had fallen on the club captain. Return to Main Text
3. Behinds, which had been recorded since 1870, were actually included in each team's score from the inception of the VFL in 1897. Return to Main Text
4. From 'The Age', October 1908, and cited in Hutchinson, op cit., page 101. Return to Main Text
5. From The Complete Book of VFL Finals by Graeme Atkinson, page 36. Return to Main Text
6. From 'The Australian', and cited in The Blues: a History of Carlton Football Club by Tim Hewat, page 40.Return to Main Text
7. "It was nothing more than a stand up fight." (Hewat, op cit., pages 40-41.) Return to Main Text