The greatest Grand Final in AFL history
Roar Guru By Jason Cave, 5 Feb 2009 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
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- 1970 AFL grand final, AFL, Carlton, Carlton Blues, Carlton vs Collingwood, Collingwood, Collingwood Magpies, Graeme 'Jerker' Jenkin, interchange rule, Ron Barassi
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The 1970 Grand Final between old foes Carlton and Collingwood has been described as the greatest grand final in VFL/AFL history.
In this game, Collingwood were 44 points up and Carlton were woeful.
The Magpies were doing everything right, thanks to players such as Barry Price, Peter McKenna and Des Tuddenham, and were on track for ther first premiership since 1958.
The only highlight for Carlton was Alex Jesaulenko’s timeless mark over Graeme ‘Jerker’ Jenkin.
But Carlton coach Ron Barassi had other ideas. He instructed his players to handball as if their lives depended on it.
As an afterthought, Barassi replaced Bert Thornley with 19th man Ted Hopkins (there was no interchange rules in 1970).
Then everything changed.
Hopkins kicked three goals in the third quarter and Carlton players who were unsighted in the first half started coming into the game. Carlton kicked 8.0 to Collingwood’s 3.3 to be only 17 points down coming into the last quarter.
Barassi told his players at three-quarter time that, “win lose or draw, I’ll be proud of you.”
The momentum was now with the Blues.
Barassi moved skipper John Nicholls to full-forward, and Jesaulenko to centre half-forward. Nicholls scored two goals and Hopkins his fourth to reduce the margin to one point, Collingwood’s way.
Umpire Don Jolley awarded Carlton’s Brent Crosswell a free kick which put the Blues in front for the first time in the game.
Then Jesaulenko sealed the win with a long bouncing goal to complete possibly the greatest comeback in VFL-AFL history.
Ron Barassi had done it again-winning yet another premiership, but possibly his greatest performance in his coaching career.
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February 5th 2009 @ 3:17pm
Redb said | February 5th 2009 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
It is an equal tie with all flags won by Essendon…counting back 2000, 1993, 1985, 1984, 1965, 1962….. you get the drift
Redb
February 5th 2009 @ 5:09pm
Jason Cave said | February 5th 2009 @ 5:09pm | Report comment
I still find it hard to believe how Collingwood could slip a 44 point halftime lead, especially when they were playing like a premiership side. Watching the video, it seems that the Magpies were VERY slow to react to Carlton’s tactics and no-one in the Collingwood side were quite sure how to handle Ted Hopkins.
February 6th 2009 @ 10:53am
sheek said | February 6th 2009 @ 10:53am | Report comment
Jason,
You mentioned Collingwood’s superiority in the first half. Yet they missed many opportunities to build an even bigger lead. Because they built up a big lead quickly, they became ‘loose’ in their play. One lesson here is to make the most of your opportunities, because circumstances can & will change.
The other great lesson is from Carlton, or Barassi. Firstly, hang in there for the same reasons above, because circumstances can & will change. However, the phycology is compelling. Barassi basically told his guys, “We’re starting a new game. Forget what has just happened”.
He also gave them a new tactic to emphasize the new game theory – ‘handball’. Carlton came out firing, Collingwood were relaxed. By the time the Magpies realised the momentum had shifted, the Blues had well & truly bolted!
October 19th 2009 @ 1:03pm
Tom Stewart said | October 19th 2009 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
No doubt it was one of the greatest. I still think Richmond v Geelong of 1967 was the best overall i have seen. The skill levels were exceptional from start to finish. Richmond were marginally better in the first half holding a 16 point lead at 1/2 time. A lucky free to Ronaldson made the tigers scoreline look a bit better at that stage. The third quarter saw Geelong really hit their straps and jump to an 8 point lead early in the third quarter with Richmond looking rattled. The young tigers had no grand final experience, but the talent and skill of Barrett, Bartlett, Frank Bourke and Royce Hart saw them regain poise and the lead by three quarter time. The last quarter saw Geelong tiring but peppering the goals for points (8 in all) and the scores level four times till the 23 minute mark. Controversy surrounded two marks by veteran captain Fred Swift on the goal line.
Geelong outscored Richmond 8 goals 9 points to 7 goals 8 points in the second half but failed by 9 points at the final siren.
I was twelve years old when I saw that game. I have supported Essendon all my life and can view the game with some neutrality. Richmond were the better side (not by much) but Geelongs grievances after the game were fair enough.
sadly as it was this year someone had to lose but Geelong was glorious in defeat, as were Collingwood in 1979 and its sad nothing can honour their day. Geelong’s effort was more memorable than 1963 or even the 2007 win
October 27th 2009 @ 11:44am
Tom Stewart said | October 27th 2009 @ 11:44am | Report comment
just following on from this comment, the 1967 grand final was to my mind the pick of the Golden Era of AFL – VFL Grand Finals. In 1964 Collingwood led by 2 points in time on to be freakishly pipped by at the post by a goal from the Melbourne Back pocket player. Two weeks earlier in their second semi final clash with the Demons at the same stage of the game they trailed by 88 points. In 1966, St Kilda edges forward by one point with seconds to go, 1967 Geelong and Richmond level four times in the last quarter, 1968 an undermanned but gallant Essendon in a low scoring rugged encounter just fail to catch the Blues – (the next emerging super power at the time with Richmond) losing by 3 points. This still stands as the only AFL Grand Final where the winning team kicked less goals than their opponent. In 1969 Richmond leading well at half time with Carlton held to two goals meet a full True Blue onslaught in the third quarter and then trail by 4 points. However in the last quarter the Blues go defensive and Richmond kick 4goals 7points to 2 points and win flag by hard earned 25 points. (Interestingly Carlton kick same last score tally to Collingwood in 1981 to take pennant by 20 points e.g 4 gls 7 to 2 points)
1970 has been well covered in your story and what about 1971. Hawks 20 points down at 3/4 time and charge home to win by 7. We all remember the jinx on Peter Hudson that day, especially in the last quarter when he would ordinarily put the issue beyond doubt.
Some interesting snippets of trivia that show the uncanny nature of the great game. In the 1950′s and ’60′s only four centuries were reached in each decade by grand final teams. Footscray 1954, Melbourne 1956 /57/59. Geelong 1963 /67 Essendon 1965 and Richmond 1967 Geelong were the first side ever to kick a century as a losing Grand Final side.(correct me if I’m wrong) Whereas the 1970′s saw 12 centuries scored, four of them by runner up sides. Collingwood’s losing score of 14 goals 17 points in 1970 was their highest ever Grand Final score to that date. Essendon’s comprehensive premiership winning side of 1962 saw them kick only two centuries during the season and one century in the second semi final. Essendon’s average score was 82 points a game to 60 points against and at the time Essendon was coached by John Coleman, claimed by many to be the greatest goal kicker to that date.