Story of 78
Final Break
With the match at an unpredictable stage Norwood's coach Bob Hammond told his players to believe in themselves, reminding them that they were the fittest side in the competition. He stressed that they were still within reach of their weary opponent. While many Norwood players were oblivious of the coach's instructions Redlegs half-forward flanker Woodcock described Hammond's address as inspirational.
Despite its 29 point lead Sturt's players were exhausted and had begun to panic. However, Jack Oatey remained calm and made his points to individuals in a composed manner. Sturt's players were all too aware of their lost chances. They had converted only 12 of 33 scoring shots up to the final break, while other attempts had missed completely. Jim Derrington sensed that something was wrong, having watched the game unravel from the intimacy of the coach's bench. As the players departed to take their places he whispered to a colleague, ‘We're going to lose this.'
The injured Sturt rover was not the only member of the club ill at ease in the atmosphere of foreboding. Among the supporters seated in the official Blues area in the members' stand was Ross Tuohy who was deeply concerned. ‘There's something not right here,' he confided to his wife. According to Tuohy, Sturt's players didn't seem to be in the state of mind that a side ahead by almost five goals at the final break should have been. He was especially concerned at the agitated state of Sturt captain Paul Bagshaw. The Sturt captain recalled that at three-quarter time, ‘We knew we were in strife, things were not going well in the back line and players were beginning to worry too much.'
Norwood's Neil Craig remembered thinking his side was in with a real chance because of its persistence on the day. He believed that it was this ability to keep pressuring as much as it was Sturt's poor kicking that had kept them in the game. Unlike many people he was convinced that this was a game Norwood won and not one that Sturt lost.
Last Quarter
Football is nothing if it isn't a game of opportunities.
C.Smith, Football Times.
Umpire Foster bounced the ball and so began one of the most dramatic quarters in the history of South Australian football. Stasinowsky soon appeared out of position on the eastern wing and launched Norwood's first attack via a driving kick to centre half-forward. Adamson found Adler who tapped the ball to Gallagher who goaled. Oddly the goal umpire had moved well into the behinds area before doubling back and signalling a major. As Sturt's defenders reacted angrily to the decision Gallagher nimbly ran back to his position on the wing.
Norwood again forced the ball out of the centre. Turbill crumbed the loose ball only to score a point. The assault had taken just seven seconds. The signs for Sturt were menacing. Turbill gathered Casey's kick-out and fed the ball to Craig who goaled and returned to the pivot, punching the air in a display of triumph and inspiration. ‘Norwood have got a real chance,' said Day.
But Sturt quickly replied. Heinrich turned 180 degrees just outside of the goal square and kicked straight. Some breathing space for the Blues. But perhaps not. Adamson scored his fifth goal, courtesy of a 60-metre screw punt, which narrowly avoided the fingers of Sturt's defenders. As the ball returned to the centre Adamson's opponent, Reed, walked slowly back to his position with his head bowed.
Sturt responded as Bagshaw's handball missed Barton in the goal square while Wayne Phillis' intimidatory charge added pressure. The ball was switched to Norwood's forward line where Sanders hesitated and was caught holding the ball. Woodcock's resulting kick hit the post. The crowd sensed an event of high drama with Norwood now in control of the game. The margin was 14 points and closing.
Burgan propelled the ball out of defence to the wing where Bagshaw suddenly appeared from nowhere, leaping desperately over Downes. The Sturt captain was horizontal to the ground when he marked and crashed heavily to the surface headfirst. ‘There's the Pentagon mark of the day and Bagshaw is hurt,' revealed Day. The ball was thrown at Sturt's captain as he slowly stood up.
Bagshaw passed to Klomp before returning to the attention of the trainers. Sturt attacked again ten minutes into the final term. Sims to Downes on the run, who missed, scoring his third and final point for the afternoon.
After a Kerley error Sturt squandered another chance to convert. Norwood rebounded effectively and Adler's perseverance became Turbill's good fortune. The ball fortuitously bounced into the Norwood rover's hands and he goaled from close range. Norwood interchange player Greg Turbill's seemingly ubiquitous presence around the ground had further ignited the Redlegs' cause.
‘Sturt are running on courage alone,' called Day.
The ball was scrambled to Bagshaw who raised his elbow in response to an approaching Turbill. The Norwood rover took his free kick with blood streaming down his mouth. Adamson again kicked for goal but this time missed from a tight angle. Norwood advanced through Adler who converted from close range. The Redlegs were within three points of Sturt.
Sturt urgently cleared the ball out of the centre. Bagshaw stumbled forward and in a moment of rare disharmony of mind and body kicked uncontrollably toward Sturt's forward line. Taylor was waiting and initiated a Redlegs' attack that ended with Wynne snapping for goal truly in the goal square. At the 15 minute mark of the last quarter Norwood had hit the front for the first time.
Oatey at last made a move: Barton off, Gary Mutton on. Sturt surged forward. Another point to Winter. An ineffectual Norwood kick-out followed and Downes' firm hands transferred the ball in one movement to Burgan who goaled from less than ten metres. Sturt were ahead again. ‘What a grand final,' shouted Day.
Bagshaw gathered the ball on the half-forward line and intuitively fell to the ground as Phillis charged through with intent to bruise. He missed Bagshaw but instead collided with Stasinowsky, who was concussed and lying prostrate on the ground.
Mutton's first kick found Heinrich who marked. He then slowed the game down before steadying and kicking another point. Two minutes into time-on and Taylor launched Norwood's final assault at goal. Gallagher desperately threw the ball onto his boot. It dribbled to Casey who was retarded as he frantically kicked the ball from Norwood's goal. In the pressure of the moment Redlegs team mates Wynne and Gallagher competed against each other and the ball spilled to the ground. Umpire Foster signalled a halt in play. The players stopped, looking confused. ‘Free kick to Gallagher, what a time to get a free kick,' cried out Day.
It was later discovered that the Norwood wingman had actually been awarded a mark and not a free kick. Gallagher's opponent Howard reacted by throwing his hands down in anger while Davies reeled his head back in shock. The video replay revealed that Foster had made the decision with his view partially obscured.
This was the first moment that Bagshaw believed Sturt could lose the grand final. He considered Gallagher the best finisher he'd ever seen. Bagshaw later revealed: ‘If Gallagher had the ball within range of goals it was a matter of turning around and going back to the centre.'
Only 30 metres out but from a tight angle Gallagher coolly goaled. He then vomited as he ran back to his position. Without any sense of irony, Bob Oatey sitting next to his father on the Sturt bench felt vindicated. He had been one of the prime movers in recruiting a teenaged Gallagher to Norwood after it seemed he would play at Glenelg. Oatey's admission seems remarkable given that he was one of Sturt's most senior players that year and the son of the league coach.
When asked about the pressure he felt when lining up for goal, Gallagher admitted that set shots had never bothered him. He had in fact felt more pressure when kicking Norwood's first goal late in the first quarter.
The lead had already changed three times in the last term. The camera panned to a stunned Sturt bench who appeared to be in a state of shock. ‘Seconds are running out,' announced Day.
Another Norwood attack and Reed in defiance crashed through the Norwood defence and delivered to Howard who passed to Downes. The ball scrambled out to Bagshaw who was again off balance when he kicked. A piercing high pitched sound echoed throughout the stadium as the ball floated toward Sturt's goal. But the ball found the solitary figure of the Norwood captain waiting on the goal line. Taylor delivered to the eastern side where Davies marked and quickly kicked to a pack of players.
Hammond anxiously turned towards the timekeepers as if to plead for them to push the button. A ball-up was signalled at the six-minute mark of time-on. Mutton with the advantage of fresh legs picked up the loose ball and snapped for goal. Jenkins having anticipated the flow of the play executed the most important smother of his career. Davies gathered and snapped with his left foot. A behind to the Blues. Sturt were still down by one point. Kerley took the kick-off and directed play to the eastern flank where Davies was again waiting and kicked in the direction of Downes. The ball carried too far. Burgan's belated lunge with his right hand was too late; the siren sounded. The Redlegs had won by a point.
As the Norwood players rushed to congratulate each other, Stasinowsky, who was still dazed after his collision with Phillis, had finally realised that his side were premiers. Moments earlier he thought Norwood had lost by three points. Hammond rushed to meet his players as Wynne near the boundary edge hugged Wally Miller and then retreated down the players' race.
When the pundits sat down to examine the match there was no doubt that in the last quarter the Redlegs had gained control of the game. In the final analysis one of the key differences was Norwood's ability to make the most of its opportunities, kicking 7 goals 5 to Sturt's 2 goals 8. Ironically the club that had pioneered the increased use of attacking handball had been beaten at its own game. Hammond's secret plan announced at the start of September had worked. Despite Sturt's apparent dominance throughout the game, the statistics surprisingly revealed Norwood's superiority in the number of handballs (111 to 84), hit outs (48-13) and kicks (200-180).
Sturt's final score of 14 goals 26 was an aberration forever etched into the club's history while Norwood's 16 goals 15 is indicative of a side that made better use of its chances. By winning the grand final by one point - the closest finish since 1925 - Norwood became the first club in SANFL history to lose eight games in a season and still win the flag.
