Finally under the Port Adelaide’s maestro’s leadership, South Australia had hand picked the side that believed it was capable of beating the Vics on there own turf.

Going into this match, South Australia had injury concerns to Bob Shearman (pulled right thigh) and John Halbert (left knee soreness), with both needing fitness tests the day before the game. Each got through their respective tests and played an important part in this victory.

The strength of the two sides can easily be seen in retrospect by the number of elite player accolades achieved by combatants on both sides. Of the 40 participants, 14 players went on to receive a total of 20 All Australian jumpers. For the beaten Victorians, Ron Barassi gained three, Kevin Murray, John Nicholls, Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer and Darrel Baldock each two, while Brian Dixon achieved one (see footnote 1).

South Australian had eight players who gained the honour, all on one occasion: Lindsay Head, John Halbert, Neil Kerley, Don Lindner, Bill Wedding, Bob Shearman, Robert Day and John Cahill each collected a national blazer for their wardrobes.

On top of this there were a number of winners of the respective competitions' top awards (Brownlow Medal in the VFL, and Magarey Medal in the SANFL). Both Skilton and Head won three, while Murray, Lord, Halbert, Barbary, Eustice and Motley each gained one. North Adelaide’s Don Lindner, having originally lost on a countback, would receive a retrospective Magarey Medal for his efforts in 1967, while both emergencies, Ron Benton (SA) and Noel Teasdale (VFL, retrospectively) would also earn their league's greatest individual honour.

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The Game

In a direct, hard-hitting encounter, between two star-studded sides, South Australian broke a 37-year drought at the MCG, erasing the Big ‘V’ complex that had haunted the croweaters for too many years.

This first victory in Victoria since 1926 was a fierce, uncompromising and close encounter, with the tri-coloured South Australians getting home in a tense and thrilling last quarter by 7 points.

A player who had played his first Test cricket match earlier in the year against England in Sydney, and who later would open the bowling at this level for his country, Neil Hawke, kicked one of the visiting team’s 4 goals from deep in the pocket in the first quarter. Unfortunately, he had to leave the ground at the first break with a twisted knee, and was replaced at the goal front by North Adelaide’s Don Lindner.

South Australian hard man, Neil Kerley had a collision with Alistair Lord at the first bounce, and while some big ‘V’ players were more focused on Kerley, the croweaters skipped out to a 3 goal lead.

Both SA wingmen Barrie Barbary and John Cahill dominated their positions, with the croweaters' half backline being magnificent. Port Adelaide’s Geoff Motley shut out Tasmanian-born, St. Kilda champion Darrel Baldock, with centre half back Jeff Bray and Ken Eustice also repelling many attacks.

In his first game at this level, North Adelaide’s Bob Hammond competed well against Geelong goal kicking ace Doug Wade, although the Victorian kicked 4 goals. 'Big Bill' Wedding worked untiringly all day and was too hard to handle for the opposing pair of John Nicholls and Graham ‘Polly" Farmer. Meanwhile, the man who was to become known as the ‘King’ of South Australian football, Neil Kerley, again put in a sterling performance for his state.

Best players for the VFL side were Fitzroy champion and 1969 Brownlow Medallist Kevin Murray, who kept West Torrens champion Lindsay Head very quiet. Roy West, called up as a late replacement for St. Kilda’s dashing full back Verdun Howell, performed creditably, as did captain Bob Skilton and 1962 Brownlow Medallist Alistair Lord.

Match Summary

BEST - South Australia: Barbary, Cahill, Sawley, Motley, Eustice, Kerley, Wedding   VFL: Murray, West, Skilton, Lord, Lofts, Farmer

SCORERS - South Australia: Lindner 3.1; Sawley 2.3; Head, Potter 2.1; Hawke Kernahan, Oatey 1.0; Wedding 0.2   VFL: Wade 4.2; Skilton 3.3; Capuano, Farmer, Fraser 1.0; Baldock 0.2; Barassi, Birt, Law, Morrow, Nicholls 0.1, rushed 0.1

ATTENDANCE: 59,260 at the MCG    GATE: £9,991

For more information and pictures about this great game, take a look at the Legends of SANFL website.

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