1st
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Brisbane's inaugural coach, Peter Knights. |
Widely regarded as a motley assortment of wannabes, has-beens and n'er do wells, no one expected much of the Brisbane Bears in their debut VFL season in 1987. Indeed, there were quite a few pundits who were prepared to stick their necks out and predict that the fledgling club would go through the entire season without winning a single match. The brutal truth of the matter was that it was not really intended that the Bears should be particularly competitive. Their primary function was to help bolster the finances of several of their Melbourne-based VFL opponents, including the team against which they were drawn to play in the opening round, North Melbourne. Unfortunately for John Kennedy's 'Roos, no one told that to the Peter Knights-coached Bears, who lined up as follows for their history-making 1st round clash: |
| **** |
| Backs | Peter Banfield | Mark Roberts | Dale Dickson |
| Half Backs | Matthew Campbell | Steve Reynoldson (dvc) | Cameron O'Brien |
| Centres | Phillip Walsh | Geoff Raines | David O'Keefe |
| Half Forwards | Brenton Phillips | Mick McCarthy | John Fidge |
| Forwards | Mike Richardson | Jim Edmond | Neil Hein |
| 1st Ruck | Mark Mickan (c) | Mark Williams (vc) | Bernie Harris |
| Interchange | Brad Hardie | Chris Waterson |
| 3
mins Law collects in
the right back pocket for North but, under intense pressure, is forced to throw
the ball desperately onto his boot, and it sails out of bounds on the full.
From the ensuing free kick, Bernie Harris coolly goals. Brisbane
1.0; North Melbourne 0.1
7 mins McCann, kicking in after a Bears behind, looks for Holt who is standing just inside the centre square, only to see Mickan rush in from behind and mark strongly before playing on immediately by handballing to Raines. The Brisbane centreman's towering kick reaches the front of the goal square where a pack has formed, but no one is able to hold onto the ball, which tumbles goalwards to the rear of the pack where Jim Edmond is standing unattended. Scarcely believing his good fortune, the former Footscray man trots into the open goal and fires home. Brisbane 2.2; North Melbourne 0.1 |
Bernie Harris |
17 mins From a boundary throw-in deep in North's left forward pocket, Mickan jumps high and palms to the ball towards Roberts, who fails to get hold of it cleanly, allowing Jim Krakouer to swoop in, snatch the ball up, and run unchallenged into the goal square before registering the 'Roos' 1st goal of the game with his 6th kick of the term. Brisbane 2.5; North Melbourne 1.3
19 mins Brisbane spend about 30 seconds cleverly playing 'keepings off' from right to left along their 50 metre arc until a player becomes free to accept a pass. That player is Mark Williams, who marks comfortably on the chest 35 metres from goal, directly in front, before goaling easily. Brisbane 3.5; North Melbourne 1.3
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Jim Krakouer - click to enlarge. |
24
mins Holt takes a
diving mark near the centre of the ground before kicking to an aerial contest at
centre half forward. The ball spins off hands, and seems to be heading
directly for Bernie Harris, only to take a last minute detour right into the
grateful hands of Jimmy Krakouer, whose 'round the corner snapshot splits the
centre. Brisbane
3.6; North Melbourne 2.5
25 mins Steele, having marked on right centre wing, is pole axed moments later by Williams, resulting in a 15 metre penalty. Running on quickly, Steele finds Peter German at half forward right, just inside 50, and the North centreman promptly feeds Wayne Schimmelbusch who is hurtling past just inside the boundary. Making light of the angle, the Kangas' skipper steadies, sets his sights, and drills home with a low, raking drop punt. Brisbane 3.6; North Melbourne 3.5 |
28 mins McCarthy finds Edmond 15 metres from goal, virtually straight in front, and the strongly built spearhead comfortably restores Brisbane's 7 point advantage. Moments later, the siren sounds, to end a fast, free flowing quarter in which only 3 free kicks for physical infringements were awarded. QUARTER TIME: Brisbane 4.6 (30); North Melbourne 3.5 (23)
1 min Bernie Harris repeats his 1st quarter effort by firing home the opening goal of the term from close range. Brisbane 5.6; North Melbourne 3.5
| 2
mins A boundary
throw-in takes place in North's left forward pocket. The ball eludes both
ruckman and is caught by Mark Williams, who is promptly claimed, and is forced
to handball desperately away. Unfortunately for the Bears the ball goes
straight to Arceri, the smallest man on the ground, who has no difficulty in
claiming full points with a quick snap. Brisbane
5.6; North Melbourne 4.5
6 mins Hein leaps high over McCann to mark strongly 25 metres from goal directly in front. He makes no mistake. Brisbane 6.6; North Melbourne 4.6 |
Mark Arceri |
12 mins As Williams cleverly provides the shepherd, O'Keefe is able to run onto the ball at half forward left for the Bears before sending a high, left foot centering kick towards the goal square. Hein, having maneuvered himself into front position against McCann, manages to get both hands to the ball briefly, but is unable to hold on. The ball tumbles away from goal right into the waiting arms of Bernie Harris who, seeing Jim Edmond standing unmarked almost on the goal line, finds him with a high, floating handball which narrowly eludes the flailing grasp of Jimmy Krakouer. All Edmond has to do is turn around and prod the ball over the line for his 3rd major of the game. Brisbane 7.8; North Melbourne 4.7
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Steve Reynoldson |
13 mins Raines, having sharked Mossop's hit-out, gets the ensuing centre clearance and kicks towards centre half forward where McCarthy juggles the ball twice before dropping it, but is nevertheless awarded the mark. From 45 metres out on no appreciable angle his kick for goal is accurate. Brisbane 8.8; North Melbourne 4.7 16 mins Schimmelbusch, just inside the half forward right boundary line for North, almost precisely on the 50 metre arc, thumps a high kick deep into the goal square where Mossop out-bodies Roberts to mark strongly overhead. From near point blank range, 10 metres out, he is never likely to miss. Brisbane 8.9; North Melbourne 5.7 |
17 mins The Bears run the ball in numbers straight down the middle of the ground before Walsh, propels a cleverly weighted, high, floating pass which perfectly coincides with the run of Williams, just inside 50. The former West Adelaide, Port Adelaide and Collingwood champion is approximately 45 metres out, at the very limit of his range, but he makes light of the challenge to steer the ball effortlessly between the uprights. Brisbane 9.9; North Melbourne 5.7
18 mins Schimmelbusch carries the ball through the centre of the ground and, with a low pass, pinpoints Harris just outside 50 who plays on quickly before kicking purposefully to the lead of Jamie Stephenson in the left forward pocket. Having marked strongly out in front of his body, Stephenson takes plenty of time before splitting the centre with a low, left foot drop punt. Brisbane 9.10; North Melbourne 6.7
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27 mins Raines, running from the centre of the ground towards right centre wing, endeavours to get the ball under control by seemingly juggling it over his head. Finally getting a handle on it, the ex Richmond and Collingwood star kicks high towards the right forward pocket where Brad Hardie, who has just come onto the ground from the interchange bench, gets in front of Ackerly to take a strong overhead mark. From a distance of 35 metres from goal, on a 60 degree angle, he has little trouble converting. Brisbane 10.11; North Melbourne 6.8 The 'Roos add a behind to their tally a couple of minutes later, and the siren sounds shortly after. HALF TIME: Brisbane 10.11 (71); North Melbourne 6.9 (45) |
John Holt |
|
Shaun Smith |
In an attempt to bolster his flagging forward line, 'Roos coach John Kennedy moves Steve McCann from full back to centre half forward at the start of the 3rd term. 3 mins Campbell is tackled on right centre wing for Brisbane. He taps the ball away but it is gathered up by Krakouer, who promptly handballs to German, whose low left foot pass finds Larkin at half forward left. Spotting Shaun Smith leading into space near centre half forward, Larkin quickly spears a pass in his direction, which Smith marks uncontested. From just inside 50, straight in front, Smith's kick for goal sails right through the middle with plenty to spare. Brisbane 10.12; North Melbourne 7.10 |
4 mins Mickan wins the hit-out at the ensuing centre bounce, but only succeeds in tapping the ball to his opposite number, Harris, who just has time to throw the ball onto his boot before being flattened. The kick travels to the front edge of the centre square where Steele, running in from the side, soars over the top of the pack to take a veritable 'screamer'. As he is plummeting back to earth he shows great presence of mind to fire off a handball to the running Larkin who eludes his chaser long enough to get inside 50, steady himself, and effortlessly drill the ball home. Brisbane 10.12; North Melbourne 8.10
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15 mins Bernie Harris, in possession of the ball but unable to spot an option, scurries back and forth near the centre of the ground like a caged rat, before finally electing to kick backwards some 15 metres into the waiting arms of Dale Dickson. Running on, the former Melbourne player sinks his boot into a prodigious drop punt that travels to within 25 metres of goal where Hein, in the centre of the pack, gets hands to the ball, tapping it in front of himself before diving forward and marking on his chest. He kicks truly to give the Bears some breathing space. Brisbane 11.14; North Melbourne 8.11 15 mins North's response takes all of 10 seconds as McCann, who is now rucking, thumps the ball forward from the centre bounce. Dwyer, despite torrid opposition, manages to collect the ball and, in virtually the same movement, squeeze out a handball to Hickey, who runs his full measure before thumping the ball home from just inside 50. Brisbane 11.14; North Melbourne 9.11 |
Phillip Walsh |
20 mins Displaying a cohesion and a purposefulness that belie their recent genesis, the Bears run the ball out of defence as far as the centre of the ground, where Williams, spotting Campbell surging into space ahead of him, handballs out in front of that player who collects, takes a bounce, and kicks truly from a distance of 50 metres. Brisbane 12.15; North Melbourne 9.12
22 mins At a boundary throw-in in Brisbane's right forward pocket, Hein soars high and adroitly palms the ball to Phillips, who throws the ball hurriedly onto his right boot and watches in delight as it sails right through the centre for a goal. Brisbane 13.16; North Melbourne 9.12
|
Steve McCann |
24 mins McCann and Fidge contest the ball in the air some 50 metres directly in front of North's goal. Fidge, from behind, gets a fist to the ball, but it only travels as far as Krakouer, who handballs towards Holt. The North half forward has to reach back to get at the ball, but manages to scoop it up nevertheless, before running inside the 50 metre area and kicking towards Edmond in the goal square. Mossop, who is being closely attended by Waterson, fails to reach the ball, which bounces high in the air and, as Mossop cleverly interposes himself between Waterson and the goals, it carries on over the goal line for a major score. Brisbane 13.16; North Melbourne 10.12 |
25 mins This time it is the Bears turn to concoct an immediate response. Raines, having fielded Mossop's tap, handballs 20 metres forward into the path of Phillips, who beaks through a tackle and gallops on to within 35 metres of goal before effortlessly converting. Brisbane 14.16; North Melbourne 10.12
31 mins Phillips marks Campbell's pass 40 metres from goal on a 30 degree angle to the left, and as he prepares to take his kick the siren sounds. To a cacophony of boos from the North Melbourne supporters, he calmly registers his 3rd goal of the term. THREE QUARTER TIME: Brisbane 15.17 (107); North Melbourne 10.13 (73)
8 mins German finds Schimmelbusch at half forward right and the North skipper pumps a high torpedo punt towards the goal square where players rapidly converge before soaring in a knotted pack for the ball, which eludes them all. Staying rooted to the ground to the rear of the pack is Crocker, who to his surprise finds himself able to mark easily on the chest. From barely 10 metres out, straight in front, a goal is inevitable. Brisbane 15.19; North Melbourne 11.13
| 10 mins As a fight breaks out near the boundary line on the southern stand wing, play continues as McDonald finds Crocker at half forward left with a veritable grass burner. Playing on at once, Crocker feeds the running Schimmelbusch by hand. 'Schimma' gallops on before sending a high kick towards the empty goal square. Trotting back to intercept is Hardie, but his nonchalance suddenly appears misplaced as the ball, on bouncing, seems to gather pace, careering away out of his reach and over the goal line for full points. The North supporters, sensing that their team is making its charge, bellow their approval. Brisbane 15.19; North Melbourne 12.13 |
David Dwyer |
11 mins As the Kangaroos surge forward again, Arceri spurns a golden opportunity to increase the pressure when he misses to the left from point blank range. Brisbane 15.19; North Melbourne 12.14
13 mins With North seemingly still in complete control, a blind kick out of defence by Waterson for the Bears only reaches Mossop, who quickly handballs to Holmes, whose centering kick appears to have Larkin's name all over it. At the final moment, however, Reynoldson arrives on the scene and sends the 'Roos on baller clattering to earth. The umpire has no hesitation in awarding Larkin a free kick, and he gleefully converts. Brisbane 15.19; North Melbourne 13.14
14 mins A rapid fire sequence of handballs involving Larkin, Holmes and finally Dwyer sees the 'Roos take the ball from the centre of the ground to within 30 metres of goal. Drawing an opponent towards him, Dwyer then handballs over his head to the unmarked Harris, who runs into an open goal to bring the North supporters close to fever pitch. Brisbane 15.19; North Melbourne 14.14
|
Triumphant Bears skipper, Mark Mickan. |
17 mins Brisbane's response is an identikit of North's previous goal, as a chain of handballs involving McCarthy, Richardson and Phillips ends up freeing O'Keefe in plenty of space and with time to steady before firing home from less than 30 metres. Brisbane 16.19; North Melbourne 14.14 19 mins Raines hurtles through the centre of the ground with the ball and picks out Phillips at half forward left. The lightly built former North Adelaide and Essendon wingman marks well before running on and kicking truly from just over 40 metres from goal, whereupon he pumps the air, soccer style, with elation. Brisbane 17.19; North Melbourne 14.14 23 mins Phillips registers his 5th major of the game after marking comfortably on his chest in the left forward pocket, 30 metres from goal. Brisbane 18.21; North Melbourne 14.14 |
25 mins O'Brien kicks forward from near the centre circle. The ball reaches centre half forward, where Mickan briefly gets hands to it but is unable to bring it under control. Spinning away towards the Brisbane goal, the ball is swooped on by Hardie, who this time can afford to be casual as he collects, straightens up, trots on a couple of paces, and stabs home with obvious glee. Brisbane 19.22; North Melbourne 14.14
30 mins Arceri, at half forward left for the 'Roos, endeavours to find Holt with a short pass. After initially fumbling, Holt recovers quickly to snatch up the ball and fire off a handball to Crocker who just has time to get boot to ball before being flattened by Hardie. As luck would have it, the ball sails straight through the centre for a goal. Brisbane 19.23; North Melbourne 15.14
The siren sounds shortly afterwards, with no addition to the score. FINAL SCORE: Brisbane 19.23 (137); North Melbourne 15.14 (104)
The Bears' refusal to adhere to the script was a tribute to their resilience and determination, qualities on which they would need to rely repeatedly over the coming seasons as they endeavoured to construct a viable club tradition from scratch. By the mid '90s, the club would at last have a pool of players of sufficient talent to challenge seriously for the premiership, while by the dawn of the 21st century Brisbane would be the home city of arguably the finest collection of footballers ever assembled.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Pts | |
| Brisbane | 4.6 | 10.11 | 15.17 | 19.23 | 137 |
| North Melbourne | 3.5 | 6.9 | 10.13 | 15.14 | 104 |
BEST - Brisbane: Williams, Mickan, Phillips, Walsh, Harris, Campbell, Raines North Melbourne: Schimmelbusch, Larkin, Dwyer, Harris
GOALS - Brisbane: Phillips 5; Edmond 3; Hardie, Harris, Hein, Williams 2; Campbell, McCarthy, O'Keefe North Melbourne: Crocker, J.Krakouer, Larkin, Schimmelbusch 2; Arceri, Harris, Holt, McDonald, Mossop, Smith, Stevenson
ATTENDANCE: 14,096 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
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