Grand Final #10 - 1970

[Harrysz]

[Pies4shaw]

^ A good summary. This was the only Collingwood team I have seen that was better than the 2011 team.

I think they actually lost the game in the first half. They owned the ball but missed way too many shots for goal. I don't really recall Carlton getting the ball on their side of the centre in the first 20 minutes of the game. It should have been a rout - but Collingwood depended way too much on McKenna's incredible accuracy. On the simple stats, it sometimes looks like he wasn't that much better a shot for goal than many other good forwards over the years but he so often kicked from the boundary line or near it that I can't think of another player I have seen who could have finished that career on that game-style with a 50/50 goal-kicking record.

The sad thing about the 1970 result is that the game at Victoria Park in round 19 was beyond complete domination - but, even that day, there were signs that they might have taken on board - 13.23 to 2.12 but only 4 Collingwood goalkickers (and 5 other players who only scored behinds). Macca kicked 9 of the 13. Carlton's inaccuracy was the usual inaccuracy you see when a team is totally thrashed and tries to take half-chances from limited opportunities. In the Second Semi-Final it was "close" - a 10-point margin - but only on the scoreboard. Carlton's accuracy (17.6 to 17.16) kept them in the game. In fact, only 2 Carlton players scored behinds that day (Hopkins and Jackson). Macca kicked more than half of Collingwood's goals and Tuddy butchered the ball on his way to 1.6. At the other end, Jesaulenko kicked 8.0 - indeed, apart from Hopkins and Jackson (who managed 3.7 between them), the other Carlton forwards produced 14.0. The Grand Final comeback was only possible because Carlton kicked so well for goal, comparitively: 8.0 in the third quartern was the problem. If they'd kicked, say, 4.4 to our 3.3, it would still likely have been a bridge too far for Carlton.

I rank this the third-worst Collingwood GF I have witnessed. Really, Collingwood should have won this game comfortably. The 1977 last quarter in the draw was worse and 2018 is the one that continues to annoy me most - that West Coast team was average, with a thin midfield - yet, somehow Collingwood contrived to allow itself to be beaten in the midfield, despite a great advantage in class and a dominant ruckman. Mostly, though, 2018 was like a car crash in slow motion - after quarter time, it never felt like Collingwood would win but they remained in front - despite that feeling - for so long that it was awful when they finally lost the lead. It's all very well to talk about bad umpiring and so on but 2018 was a coaching disaster. The decision to try to hold the lead from quarter time, rather than open it up and try to kill the game, was a tragedy.

Still, 1970 ruined my early years - and those of many other Collingwood tragics. Some things are formative experiences, from which you don't really ever recover. 1970 was that for me.

[Harrysz]

Thanks for your comments Pies4shaw. I agree with your comments. I will write about 1977 and 2018 down the track.

[piedys]

[Boot]

Still, 1970 ruined my early years - and those of many other Collingwood tragics. Some things are formative experiences, from which you don't really ever recover. 1970 was that for me.[/quote]

So true. I spent the half time kicking the footy around my front lawn confident that the mighty Pies would be winners only to watch Bobby Rose in tears at the end of the game. What a disaster! It has entrenched a life long hatred of Carlton. Knocking Carlton out of the finals in 2022 was good revenge and I'm looking forward to revenge in a Grand Final maybe in 2024?

[Kingsofclutch]

A stain on creation and proof there is no god.

[warburton lad]

Ive written more on this subject elsewhere, but a player who was not even on our list (or Carlton's) cost us the 1970 Grand Final.

A lad from Edenhope chose to go to Norwood instead of Collingwood (to whom he was zoned) began a SANFL career in 1970.

Had this 188cm and 87kg key forward come to Collingwood in 1970, I am certain he would have made a great side even better.

His name?? Phil Carman...

[skaman]

Brilliant Harrysz! Summed it up beautifully. Enjoy your posts!

[Harrysz]

Thank you skaman.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

This one irks me too, as I was born in 1970, and feel the filth have tainted this for me for life. Yet it was only a precursor for the pain we'd witness in both 1979 and 1981. A change of coaches in that period failed to solve the problem; it only made it worse....

Born into a decade of hell, we were..

[lazzadesilva]

This one irks me too, as I was born in 1970, and feel the filth have tainted this for me for life. Yet it was only a precursor for the pain we'd witness in both 1979 and 1981. A change of coaches in that period failed to solve the problem; it only made it worse....

Born into a decade of hell, we were..

All Ancient history now

[What'sinaname]

The entire 1970s should be erased from history.

[Piesnchess]

The entire 1970s should be erased from history.

Fully concur, an utter friggin disaster, 72 and 73 finished top I recall, still went out in straight sets, let alone 77, 79. As for the utter fiasco and disaster of 1970, GF, I have NO wish to regurgitate the horror of that match, it was a shocker, an I have no desire to pore over the ashes of anyalsis of it, took me years to get over that armageddon day, a day of infamy.

[Piesnchess]

Ive written more on this subject elsewhere, but a player who was not even on our list (or Carlton's) cost us the 1970 Grand Final.

A lad from Edenhope chose to go to Norwood instead of Collingwood (to whom he was zoned) began a SANFL career in 1970.

Had this 188cm and 87kg key forward come to Collingwood in 1970, I am certain he would have made a great side even better.

His name?? Phil Carman...

Fab Phil did cost us the flag in 77 though, bloody idiot, hit Tuck, out 2 games, Tommy Hafey never forgave him, he would have booted least 2 goals in drawn GF, we win. A truly wasted talent.

[Harrysz]

I understand the comments of Piesnchess, I really do. It was painful to write, but perhaps I needed the cathartic experience. Collingwood's history is littered with heartache, but there were some good moments which I will come to in due course.