Fen’s penny a poignant reminder
By Tony De Bolfo
Private “Fen” McDonald played 10 games for Carlton through 1911 and ’12. (Photo: Supplied)
On the afternoon of April 25, when the Carlton and St Kilda players observe a minute’s silence on the Centenary of the Anzac Day landing, solemnly watching on will be local Brunswick resident Chad Nash.
From the terraces of the stadium in Wellington, just moments before the teams do battle in the historic fourth round, Chad will stand in mute tribute to those who gave their young lives in wartime.
Clasping a precious memorial medallion, Chad’s thoughts will inevitably turn to the all-too-short existence of his great uncle – the former Carlton footballer Fenley John McDonald – who was there at Gallipoli on that fateful day 100 years ago.
At dawn on April 25, 1915, Private “Fen” McDonald, together with members of the 7th Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force, was rowed ashore under relentless fire from well-prepared defences.
Somewhere there – perhaps on the water’s edge, or on the sparse, bullet-swept slope behind the beach, Fen was cut down.
He died a month to the day before turning 24 . . . and his body was never found.
As one of 4200 Australians who fell in this nation’s baptism of fire, Fen has no known grave. But the boy from Nagambie will forever be considered amongst the most revered of Australia’s casualties of war, his name having been etched into the ANZAC memorial at Lone Pine.
Fen McDonald was a 10-game Carlton player through 1911 and ’12. He was also this club’s first keeper of the No.14 dark Navy Blue guernsey as he played at a the time when guernsey numbers were first introduced. In the 103 years since, Fen’s number has been worn by the likes of Rod McLean, Rod Ashman, Michael Sexton and now Liam Jones, who was Fen’s age at the time of his drafting to this club.
Recently, Chad paid a sentimental visit to the old Carlton ground where his great uncle once vied for infinitely smaller stakes.
Chad came back with the medallion – the “Dead Man’s Penny” as it was so nicknamed – which was presented to the next-of-kin of those who paid the ultimate price.
Chad Nash with Private Fen McDonald’s medallion. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)
“The reason I brought the penny to the club so it could be present on the 100th anniversary of his death,” Nash said.
“This is a real physical token and it’s a poignant reminder of Fen and his short life. It’s a reminder that Fen was, as a Carlton player, part of a society whose people were asked to lay their lives on the line.
“The Carlton players have a connection with Fen because he was a player. They also have another connection because they, like him, are young.
“And as it happened he died on the day. He died arriving.”
The bronze medallion, measuring 120 millimetres in diameter, features an image of Lady Britannia surrounded by two dolphins (representing Britain’s sea power) and a lion (representing Britain) standing over a fallen eagle (symbolising Germany).
Inscribed around the outer edge of the medallion are the words ‘He died for freedom and honour’. Encased in a frame next to Lady Britannia is the deceased soldier’s name (in this instance Fenley John McDonald) with no rank provided to reflect equality in sacrifice.
The plaque was accompanied by a letter from King George V, which stated: “I join with my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War”.
More than a million medallions were produced, marking the sacrifice of men and women who died between August 4, 1914 and April 30, 1920. Most medallions were gratefully received, but many were returned by families to the Australian Government in protest for the profound loss of their loved ones.
For Nash, Fen’s penny serves as a reminder of a short life unfulfilled.
“It also serves as a reminder that war, in the end, is personal,” Nash said.
“If you look at the number, Australia lost an awful lot of people, and of a particular age group also – that’s a generation of young people, something in the order of two per cent of the entire population, and it’s so very sad.
Earl Spadling’s 50th
Happy 50th to Earl Spalding.
——-
From the Blueseum
Career : 1992 – 1997
Debut : Round 1, 1992 vs Brisbane, aged 27 years, 10 days
Carlton Player No. 980
Games : 211 (102 at Carlton)
Goals : 106 (43 at Carlton)
Last Game : Round 19, 1997 vs Collingwood, aged 32 years, 151 days
Guernsey No. 11
Height : 198 cm (6 ft. 6 in.)
Weight : 110 kg (17 stone, 4 lbs.)
DOB : 11 March, 1965
Premiership Player 1995
Blues supporters of the 1990’s loved this big West Australian key position player, even as they covered their eyes and crossed their fingers whenever he lined up a shot on goal. Although he was surely one of the most ungainly kicks to have ever played AFL football, Earl “Duke” Spalding was a consummate team player – brave, unselfish and a strong pack mark. During a notable 211-game career at Melbourne and Carlton, he figured in three Grand Finals, and collected a richly-deserved Premiership medal with the Blues in 1995.
Nicknamed “Duke” after the catchy 1960’s pop song; “Duke of Earl”, Spalding first made the back pages of the daily newspapers in his home town of Perth in the summer of 1984-85, when he was selected in the WA cricket team for that season’s Sheffield Shield competition. A tearaway fast bowler, Spalding played four matches for his state, before deciding that Australian football was his preferred sport.
After two particularly impressive seasons as a ruckman-forward with Perth in the WAFL, Earl was recruited by Melbourne in 1987. He went on to play 109 games over five seasons for the Demons – including their loss to Hawthorn in the 1988 Grand Final – and represented his home state on six occasions. Yet he never really became an automatic selection in Melbourne’s senior side. By 1991 he was intent on a change of clubs, and Carlton snapped him up with our number five selection in that year’s national draft.
At Princes Park, The Duke struck an immediate rapport with senior coach David Parkin, who began building a forward structure based around the 198 cm Spalding and team captain Stephen Kernahan in the key attacking posts. It all seemed to be coming together nicely, too, when Carlton cruised into the 1993 Grand Final against Essendon – but the younger, fresher and more committed Bombers simply blew the Blues away.
Having been found wanting, Carlton went searching for pace in 1994, and found it in the likes of Adrian Whitehead and Troy Bond. However, it was the recruitment of ex-Brisbane Bear Brad Pearce – a quick-leading, dangerous goal-sneak – that rounded out Parkin’s plan, and turned the spotlight squarely on Earl Spalding. In the Duke, Parkin had fashioned a centre half-forward who busted a gut for his team week after week. If he didn’t mark the ball cleanly himself, then he generally brought it to ground, where his second and third efforts to tackle, chase and shepherd in support of his team-mates were invaluable.
Perhaps the passage of play that typified Spalding’s approach came early in the second quarter of the ’95 Grand Final between Carlton and Geelong. The Blues led by 13 points at the first change, knowing full well that the Cats were setting themselves to come back hard. A few minutes into the second term, Geelong’s Peter Riccardi gathered the ball deep in defence for his team, burst into space, and steadied before kicking toward his intended target. Just then, Spalding came from nowhere. Showing amazing agility, he smothered the ball off Riccardi’s boot, picked it up, ran on, and slammed through a great goal from close in. Carlton’s confidence soared, and from then on we were never going to be beaten. The roar from the stands that greeted the Duke when he was presented with his Premiership medal seemed to genuinely move the big bloke, and was testament to just how completely the Carlton faithful had embraced the former Demon.
In his later years at Princes Park, Earl worked hard at correcting his kicking style, and it may surprise some readers to learn that by the end of his career at Carlton, he had balanced his over all goal-kicking ledger at 169 goals, 163 behinds. He wore guernsey number 11 throughout his time at Princes Park, and retired after Carlton beat Collingwood in the Match of the Day at the MCG in round 19, 1997.
Among Earl’s many fond memories of his six seasons in navy blue, one would surely be the day that he and his brother Scott played together at Carlton for the first and only time. The occasion was round 1, 1993, when Fitzroy beat the Blues by 6 points in an upset, but Carlton gained most from the game because of the debut of future captain Andrew McKay.
Although he was 32 years old when his AFL career came to an end, Spalding returned to WA in 1998 to be re-united with Scott at East Fremantle, and the brothers shared the joy of a Premiership together at last when the Sharks beat West Perth comfortably in that year’s WAFL Grand Final.
Earl eventually hung up his boots for good in 1999, to take on the role of assistant coach with East Fremantle (coached by ex-Blue Wayne Blackwell). Two years later, he was appointed senior coach of the Sharks, but spent just one season in the job before returning to the AFL as an assistant coach with the Fremantle Dockers.
|
Footnote
In 2012, “The Duke” coached Perth-based amateur club Wesley-Curtin to its first ever senior premiership. That flag, won in B-Grade, saw the Tigers promoted, and 12 months later Spalding added another highlight to his outstanding resume by steering his team to a 32-point victory over University in the 2013 WAAFL A-Grade Grand Final.
Milestones
50 Games (Carlton): Round 14, 1994 vs North Melbourne
100 Games (Carlton): Round 6, 1997 vs Sydney Swans
150 Games (AFL): Qualifying Final, 1993 vs Essendon
200 Games (AFL): Round 5, 1996 vs West Coast Eagles
100 Goals (Carlton): Round 18, 1996 vs Fremantle
100 Goals (AFL): Round 15, 1993 vs Brisbane Bears
Career Highlights
1992 – Equal 7th Best & Fairest
1995 – Premiership Player
1995 – 4th Best & Fairest
Peter Dean’s 50th
Happy 50th birthday to Peter Dean.
———-
From the Blueseum
Career : 1984-1998
Debut : Round 11, 1984 vs Footscray, aged 19 years, 94 days
Carlton Player No. 919
Games : 248
Goals : 41
Last Game : Round 22, 1998 vs Port Adelaide, aged 33 years, 174 days.
Guernsey No. 35
Height : 188 cm
Weight : 85 kg
DOB : 9 March, 1965
Premiership Player 1987, 1995
Victorian Representative 1986, 1995
Carlton Hall of Fame: 1998
He began his career on a Monday, and finished it on a Sunday. He rarely polled highly in the Brownlow Medal, or even in Carlton’s Best and Fairest award – but Blues’ supporters of the eighties and nineties loved Peter Dean. They loved his dash, his courage, his consistency, and the way he wore his heart on his sleeve when he pulled on his Famous Old Dark Blue number 35. Throughout his 248 games with the Navy Blues – including the ’87 and ’95 Premierships – ‘Deanie’ (later also dubbed ‘Helmet’ for his bowl haircut when he first came to Carlton from the bush, or ‘The General’ for his on-field leadership) was one of the most popular Carlton players of his era.
A right-footed defender, Dean played forward at the start of his career, and seemed destined for a role in attack when he kicked three goals from centre half-forward in his debut match against Footscray at Princes Park in June, 1984. A year later he had settled into Carlton’s backline, but never lost his hunger for a six-pointer. He loved to charge forward and shoot for goal on the run, often celebrating madly to the joy of Carlton fans.
Dean stood at 188 cm but was capable of playing in either of the key defensive posts. He had stamina, unshakeable concentration, and rarely lost touch with his man. A dasher by nature, he played his best football on opponents of various sizes across half back. Short or tall, it didn’t bother The General.
Dean began his journey to Princes Park from South Bendigo, where he was an outstanding junior. Dean was of great pedigree being the nephew of Rod Ashman. Selected in the Victorian Teal Cup (under 17) squad in 1982, and the Bendigo League representative team a year later, he played his first senior match for the Blues at Princes Park in a remarkable game against Footscray. Carlton’s score midway through the second quarter on that Queen’s Birthday holiday Monday stood at 11 goals straight, before ‘Curly’ Austin missed a sitter, and the Blues’ accuracy evaporated. We still coasted home to win by 34 points, but for a while all sorts of records were under threat.
Dean played 13 games in his first year, 19 in 1985, and all 24 matches in 1986, when his consistent form won him a place in the Victorian State team that went down to Western Australia by three points in Perth. Later in the year, Carlton battled through to Dean’s first Grand Final from third place on the ladder, only to suffer a crushing defeat by Hawthorn. To a man, the Blues were wounded deeply by their failure to send champion defender Bruce Doull, and incumbent club captain Mark Maclure off with a victory in their last chance at another flag, but redemption wasn’t long in coming.
Twelve months later, Dean was a vital cog in a superb defensive effort by Carlton in the 1987 Premiership decider rematch against the Hawks. The temperature soared into the 30’s before the first bounce on Grand Final day, and the first half was a contest of wills between two totally committed teams. The fitter and fresher Blues eventually got on top in the second half however, and won by 33 points. Dean was assigned the task of picking up Hawthorn’s mercurial match-winner Gary Buckenara – keeping him goalless – while firebrand David Rhys-Jones won the Norm Smith Medal at centre half-back. The General lived up to his nickname that afternoon, and really celebrated the win – including a bit of joyous blue language while receiving his Premiership medallion. Years later, he claimed that his mother still hadn’t forgiven him!
As so often happens in elite sport, the joy of that Premiership win lasted only until early in the next season for Peter Dean. Playing at centre half-back, he had an impressive first three matches in 1988, as Carlton thrashed Hawthorn, the Brisbane Bears and Essendon by an average of 51 points over successive weeks. But against Essendon he was caught under a pack and severely damaged a hip. Complications developed, and he didn’t return to the senior team until Round 9, 1989 against Fitzroy.
Dean was awarded his second Victorian guernsey in 1991, and again travelled across the continent to play WA in Perth. This time, the Westerners triumphed by a record 76 points. Meanwhile, the Blues began building toward another Premiership with Dean settled in a Carlton defence that included stars like Stephen Silvagni, Michael Sexton, Ange Christou and Dean Rice.
In 1993 he was in stellar form before he suffered a collapsed arch in his right foot during Carlton’s round 19 win against Richmond. He was sadly missed throughout Carlton’s tough finals campaign, which culminated in another Grand Final loss – this time, by 44 points to Essendon Although the ‘Baby Bombers’ looked to have Carlton’s measure from early on, one can only wonder what impact the tenacity of Dean just may have had if he had been patrolling across half-back on that fateful day.
Dean’s desperation was legendary, but almost taken for granted by fans of the era. Smothers, tackles and shepherds were his specialty, and when combined with his goal-saving marking and dash from defence, it’s easy to see why he was such a crowd favourite. He played almost every game in 1994, including our straight sets losses to Melbourne and Geelong in the finals, before finally getting his chance to play in another Grand Final in 1995.
Few teams in the long history of the VFL/AFL have been as dominant as the Navy Blues were on Saturday, September 30, 1995, when the Carlton Football Club won our sixteenth Premiership with an emphatic victory over Geelong. The final margin of 61 points actually flattered the Cats, because the Blues had the game won at three-quarter time, and the last term was a celebration.
Carlton had many great players on that unforgettable afternoon – including Peter Dean – who was simply everywhere when the Blues stamped their authority on the match in the first quarter. Chasing hard, and earning a pivotal contested ball against two opponents, he set the standard for a Carlton defence that from then on, was just magnificent.
He even had the chance to go for a run at times, and set up a memorable goal in the second term by smothering the ball off the boot of Geelong’s Peter Riccardi, then gaining possession and handballing on to Matt Clape – who gave it back as Dean kept running into the forward 50. Dean’s kick was marked by Greg Williams in the square, and Diesel’s easy goal put the Blues five goals up. His statistics of 12 kicks and one handball don’t tell the story of Dean’s day, because he was clearly among Carlton’s best from the viewpoint of many fans – especially when he attempted a star jump from the presentation dais, but slipped and fell – almost crushing guest presenter Bob Davis!
Into the veteran stage of his career after that, Dean went on to play another 41 matches for his beloved Blues over three seasons, while increasing injury concerns signalled the twilight of his stellar career. As determined and committed as ever, he made the last of his 248 appearances for the Blues against Port Adelaide at Football Park in Round 22, 1998. The Blueboys gave him an appropriate send-off too, when they hammered Port by nine goals. Dean rotated off the bench in a cameo role, and was chaired off the ground by his emotional team-mates. Barely three years later, he was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame.
A qualified electrician by trade, Dean returned to civilian life for a while, but the void left in his life after football demanded to be filled. Dean played for 5 seasons with DVFL club Northcote Park, coaching the Cougars to the 2002 premiership after figuring in three as a player. In 2003 he continued to coach the Cougars, he also coached the DVFL representative side against the Eastern FL. By 2004 he was back into harness as assistant coach of Carlton’s VFL affiliate; the Northern Bullants. He then took charge of the Murray Bushrangers in the elite Under-17 TAC Cup competition, and in 2008 accepted a role as backline coach for the Western Bulldogs.
|
Milestones
50 Games: Round 19, 1986 Vs Collingwood
100 Games: Round 15, 1990 Vs Collingwood
150 Games: Round 5, 1993 Vs St Kilda
200 Games: Round 15, 1995 Vs Adelaide Crows
Career Highlights
1985 – 8th Best & Fairest
1986 – 8th Best & Fairest
1987 – Premiership Player
1990 – Equal 5th Best & Fairest
1991 – 4th Best & Fairest
1991 – Peter Sullivan Memorial Trophy (Most Carlton Votes in the Brownlow Medal)
1993 – 10th Best & Fairest
1994 – 3rd Best & Fairest
1994 – Best Clubman Award
1995 – Premiership Player
1997 – Pre-Season Premiership Player
1998 – Equal 4th Reserves Best & Fairest
Latest Videos – Warren Jones
Warren Jones
Paul Payne’s 50th
Happy 50th birthday to Paul Payne.
————
From the Blueseum
Career: 1989
Debut: Round 3, 1989 vs Geelong, aged 24 years, 41 days
958th Carlton Player
Games: 5
Goals: 0
Last game: Round 22, 1989 v Brisbane Bears, aged 24 years, 181 days
Guernsey No. 27
Height: 189cm
Weight: 85kg
DOB: 6 March, 1965
Paul Payne wore the #27 in 5 games for the Blues in 1989, after coming across from Melbourne via Pick 40 in the 1989 Pre-Season Draft. The Blues coaxed him out of retirement for 1989 season. Payne mainly played in the back half and could hold down a key defensive position.
Payne played 28 games for Melbourne from 1985 to 1988 and kicked five goals before retiring to join the police force.
Payne was originally from the Goulburn Valley club Tatura, which is located in country Victoria.
Latest Videos – Nicholls/Sheldon
John Nicholls
Ken Sheldon
Notice of AGM
Notice of Annual General Meeting
Notice is given that the 2014 Annual General Meeting of the Spirit Of Carlton Past And Present Inc
Will be held on:
Date: Tuesday, 21st April, 2015
Time: 6.00pm
Address: Don Chipp Lecture Theatre, Ikon Park, Royal Parade, Carlton North
Matthew Allan’s 40th
Happy 40th birthday to Matthew Allan.
———
From the Blueseum
Career: 1994 – 2003
Debut: Round 15, 1994 vs Brisbane, aged 19 years, 126 days
1000th Carlton Player
Games: 140
Goals: 72
Last Game: Round 16, 2003 vs Sydney, aged 28 years, 143 days
Guernsey No. 24
Height 198cm
Weight 104kg
DOB: 26 February, 1975
Best and Fairest: 1999
All Australian: 1999
Victorian State Player: 1999
International Rules Series: 1999
Recruited from North Ringwood where he only started playing as a 14 year old (he also played at Mooroolbark and Olinda), Matthew Allan was drafted as a zone selection and spent a number of years on the list as the understudy to Justin Madden before finally given his go. He started playing for Carlton in the last year of the Under 19s in 1991 and wore number 44. He then played in Carlton reserves and in the Eastern Ranges Under 18s where he was a member of the Vic Metro Championships side and was an Under 17 All-Australian. He kicked a goal on debut against the Bears at Optus Oval in Round 15, 1994, and in his early years would be famous for wearing thick thigh pads.
When finally given the responsibility of being number 1 ruckmen in 1996 – 7 as Madden began to decline, Allan delivered on his promise. Beginning with more & more games (19 games in 1996), Allan would improve his stats seemingly every year and before too long was a competition leading ruckman, earning his first Top 10 B&F performance in 1997 – his first of 3 in a row.
Allan had a massive season in 1999 when he was All Australian, won the club Best and Fairest and played in the Grand Final. He would manage 19 goals, as a ruckman, and break his own impressive average disposals output with 15.6 per game. The Allan – Capuano matchup was a key determinant to the game, and a match-up written about before the game, but Capuano would take the honours on the day whilst North took the flag.
The left footed Allan, who would hardly ever use his right, was famous for taking the ruck but – as distinct from the traditional kick behind play – would move forward to steal a goal or two. In some games, Allan despite his size appeared to be all over the field. He became a key player over 1998 – 2000.
However, a series of serious foot injuries over 2001 to 2003 reduced Allan from league leading ruckman to a guy who struggled to train. He managed just 8 games in 2001, 4 in 2002 and 6 in 2003. It was a sad sight to see one of our young players struck down.
In addition to his injury problems, Allan was deregistered in 2003, given some ‘under the table’ payments soon after our salary cap breaches. Allan was hauled through the coals, and with his injuries behind him, sought greener pastures away from Carlton. Wearing the number 24 in the Carlton seniors, the 198 cm ruckman had played 140 games for the Blues.
Allan was traded to the Bombers for Pick 57 in the 2003 Draft, where he played a further 2 seasons before retiring and playing 21 games and scoring 1 goal with the Bombers where he wore number 27. In 2006 he was the Bendigo Bombers General Manager.
Allan wore No.51 (1992) and 45 (1993) when he played with Carlton reserves.
Latest Videos – Klomp/Maclure/McConville
Robbert Klomp
Mark Maclure
Peter McConville
Latest Videos – Fitzpatrick/Harmes/Johnston
Fitzpatrick
Harmes
Johnston
2015 CPPA Bowls Day
Invitation to CPPA bowls day. If you are interested in putting a team together please contact us at admin@spiritofcarlton.com.au
Latest Videos – Buckley/Davis/English
Jim Buckley
Craig Davis
Des English
Crones commit to Carlton archive
David Crone played 22 games for the Blues. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)
In the 117 seasons since the formation of the VFL, only four men can lay claim to having represented the Carlton Football Club at League level as both senior player and President. They are, in reverse order, Stephen Kernahan, Ian Collins, Horrie Clover and the first of them, David Crone.
And late last week, in response to the club’s request to seek the support of Members and supporters to help build the Carlton archive, Barry Crone came forward with a digitised copy of a precious and long-held family keepsake of his late great uncle.
The glorious studio image, which now finds its way into the football club’s collection, depicts David Crone in all his Carlton finery – from the uncluttered dark navy Blue guernsey with handwoven monogram down to his anklets and high cuts, Crone’s truly Carlton from top to toe.
Dated 11/9/1920, the image also carries Crone’s signature.
The photograph is an important one for the club, because it now brings balance to an image previously forwarded by another descendant John Ray, of Crone in civilian dress and Presidential mode.
A farmer’s son hailing from the Victorian town of Donald on the Richardson River, David Henry Crone was born in May of 1893. In the early days he plied his footballing craft as a budding young ruckman for South Ballarat and later completed a brief three-game stint with the now-defunct Fitzroy, before returning to the farm then joining Carlton on the cusp of the 1917 season.
Crone completed his senior debut against Richmond at Princes Oval in June of the ’17 season, in what was a meritorious 44-point win for the home team on the occasion of Rod McGregor’s historic 200th game for the club. Sporting the No.30 later worn by “Mick” Price, Vin Waite and his son Jarrad, Crone ably supported the team’s No.1 ruckman Harry Haughton.
Turning out in 18 senior matches for the Blues through 1917 and ’18, Crone was finally accepted for military service (having previously been rejected on medical grounds), but his departure for the frontline never happened because the war ended.
Having not left Australian shores, Crone was offered an immediate discharge – and yet he sought to volunteer for a tour of duty with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, whose task it was to secure all former German territories and installations in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
He spent a year in the tropics, and returned home to resume his on-field career at Carlton through 1920. Wearing the No.15 in his second stint, the 25 year-old managed four more senior appearances – the last of them at half-forward alongside Horrie Clover in the seventh round match against Geelong at Corio Oval, on Saturday, June 12, 1920.
Nine years later, Crone assumed the mantle as Carlton President – the club’s 17th since Robert McFarland in the club’s inaugural year of 1864 – and he ably served in that capacity for nine years until he was succeeded by KG (later Sir Kenneth) Luke on the eve of the drought-breaking 1938 Premiership season.
A true measure of Crone’s stature in the game is perhaps best be measured by the tribute paid by the then secretary Newton Chandler in the Carlton Football Club’s 1937 annual report, beneath the headline “THE PRESIDENT”;
“Sincere regret was expressed not only by the committee and Members of the Club but by the football patrons of Victoria when the resignation of Mr. D.H. Crone was announced. Mr. Crone, who had been a member of the Committee of Management for a period of 13 years (the last nine years as President), was a wonderful ambassador to the game. As Chairman of the Propaganda Committee – and other Sub-Committees of the Victorian Football League, Mr. Crone did much to foster the games in the schools, while his efforts to assist the game in the country was of great value to the Australian code. The time given in the interests of the game by some Club officials is little realised by Members. During the 13 years that Mr. Crone was a member of the committee he attended more than 2,000 meetings in connection with the management of your Club, and as a delegate to the Victorian Football League, Mr. Crone leaves behind a record of service which has not been surpassed in the history of the Club.”
David Crone was just 66 years-old when he died in November 1959. But today, some 55 years after the event, he is remembered.
As his descendant Barry proudly declared in the message accompanying his grand image: “Please see the attached copy of a photo of my great uncle, Dave Crone, who was a past player and long standing club president, and the reason that most of the next four generations of Crones have followed the Blues”.
If you have a precious item or items that help tell the tale that is uniquely Carlton’s, or like Barry Crone boast a precious image/s of Carlton’s past, please contact club historian Tony De Bolfo – 9389 6241 or tony.debolfo@carltonfc.com.au.
Latest Videos – Ashman/Austin/Bortolotto
Rod Ashman
Rod Austin
Mario Bortolotto
“ShaneO” honoured for services to football
Football Administration Manager Shane O’Sullivan. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)
Thirty-five years of exemplary service to Footscray, Brisbane and most notably Carlton has earned Shane O’Sullivan universal acknowledgement as the 2014 recipient of the AFL’s Jack Titus Award.
Endearingly known to those in the caper as “ShaneO”, O’Sullivan becomes the award’s 40th recipient since its inception in 1977, and only the fifth winner with Carlton connections after Newton Chandler in 1984, Bruce Comben (1989), Keith McKenzie (1993) and Wes Lofts (2001).
The award – which carries the name of the much-respected former Richmond player, match committee member, vice-president and senior coach – will be bestowed upon O’Sullivan, now officiating as Carlton’s Football Administration Manager, at the League’s 2015 Annual General Meeting in March.
O’Sullivan knew nothing of his nomination, and only learned of his award by way of correspondence in the mail late last month.
“I got a letter from the League, and saw Gil’s (AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan’s) name at the bottom. I thought it must have been one of those Christmas wish cards, but when I opened it up I found out exactly what it was,” he said.
“It’s really humbling. To be included alongside some of the great names in footy to have won this award, well, I’m pretty chuffed about it. Keith McKenzie was actually my very first boss as General Manager when I first came to Carlton, and I’m very pleased to be in the company of others like Graeme Richmond, Ian Drake and Jim Cardwell.”
O’Sullivan’s League football odyssey commenced as Promotions Officer in the Carlton Premiership year of 1979. His responsibilities back then included organising clinics and training schedules for Under 19, reserve and senior players, and liaising with the club’s local and country regions.
The following year, he was promoted to Assistant General Manager, a position he retained through the back-to-back Premiership seasons of 1981 and ’82.
For O’Sullivan it only seems like yesterday that he first reported for work – the week “Jezza” led out the likes of Doull, Jones and Maclure in the opening round of the ’79 season against Geelong.
Shane O’Sullivan rushes in to break up the infamous stoush between Percy Jones and Tony Jewelll in 1980. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)
“Wes Lofts was standing there in his big, long overcoat and I just couldn’t believe I was beginning work and it was football I was working in,” O’Sullivan said.
“You dream about playing League football and I trained at Richmond in 1978 and early ’79 although I wasn’t good enough.
“But the next best thing is to remain involved and earn a living out of it, and 35 years later you wonder where in the heck all those years have gone.”
At the end of the ’82 season, and after much cajoling from the then Footscray President Dr Tony Capes, O’Sullivan accepted the position of Bulldogs General Manager. The role presented numerous challenges, but the club made real progress under the GM’s watch – and he was an integral figure in the push for Michael Malthouse’s appointment as Senior Coach in ’84.
Always one to help grow the game, O’Sullivan accepted the role of General Manager of Football for the Brisbane Bears Football Club when it was admitted into the competition on the eve of the 1987 season. At that pivotal moment he helped establish the foundations and culture of the new club, and was chiefly responsible for assembling the Bears’ playing list, appointing coaches and sourcing a training base.
For six years, O’Sullivan committed his energies to Brisbane, forging healthy relationships with the respective senior coaches Peter Knights, Paul Feltham, Norm Dare and Robert Walls before returning to Melbourne at the conclusion of season ’92.
After a brief stint with VFA outfit Oakleigh as Senior Coach in ’93 (during which time he also assisted North Melbourne in a part-time capacity in recruiting), O’Sullivan’s working life came full circle with his appointment as Carlton Recruiting Manager, a position he retained for 12 years. Since 2004, he’s served as Carlton’s Football Administration Manager, a role which sees him working closely with coaches, players, and staff in all departments.
In his 25 years at Carlton, O’Sullivan has worked closely as trusted adviser to no fewer than seven Senior Coaches – Alex Jesaulenko, Peter Jones, David Parkin, Wayne Brittain, Dennis Pagan, Brett Ratten and Michael Malthouse.
Shane O’Sullivan has worked with Mick Malthouse at the Bulldogs and Carlton. (Photo: AFL Photos)
Similarly, he has also built strong relationships with the players, and played a significant part in their development both on and off the field.
The Carlton Football Club, through its CEO Steven Trigg, formally nominated O’Sullivan for the award last November, with Testimonials from former Carlton Senior Coach David Parkin, current Senior Coach Mick Malthouse and current player Chris Judd.
“Over the past 35 years, Shane has given outstanding service to the game of Australian Rules Football through his extraordinary contribution to a number of AFL Football Clubs,” Trigg said.
“The commitment, innovation and initiative Shane has consistently demonstrated in carrying out his duties in the various positions he has held, makes him a highly credentialed nomination for the Jack Titus Award.”
The following Testimonials, submitted to the AFL by Carlton at the time of O’Sullivan’s nomination for the Jack Titus Award, best reflect the depth and breadth of the man’s contribution to Australian Rules, commencing in 1979 and spanning some five decades.
No doubt he’s a survivor, particularly so in the wake of the salary cap fall-out when he had to summon all his survival instincts.
“Without being over the top about it, Carlton means everything to me. Carlton was where I started, the club was good enough to again put me on when I came back and I suppose that when the Elliott era ended I was lucky to survive because people were put off and I’m indebted to those who kept me here,” he said.
And he continues to adapt, for it’s adapt or die – and here’s his trade secret.
“It’s just the love of the game and always being prepared to pitch in and do anything that you can,” O’Sullivan said.
“I’d like to think I keep moving with the times. Each year I try to reinvent myself a little bit to keep moving so that you’re not considered an old timer – and when you’re in a footy club all the young people keep you young.”
David Parkin
“My association with Shane O’Sullivan extends over a period of more than thirty years. For five decades I’ve had the privilege of working in Australian Football with a number of exceptional administrators, but none more competent and committed than Shane.
Without ever getting frustrated (in what is a consistently pressured environment) he has always carried out his management tasks, with a set of very professional and personal attributes, second to none. This man, across three AFL Clubs, in a variety of administrative roles, has serviced the needs of players, coaches, support staff and Boards, in a very special, caring and effective way.
Shane’s outstanding service to the game makes him a worthy recipient of the Jack Titus Award.”
Mick Malthouse
“There’s no one in my mind more worthy of winning an award for services to football than Shane O’Sullivan.
My history with Shane goes back a long way, so this is a very brief account of a long association.
I first met Shane in the late 1970s. He was a young man coming down from Bunyip in the bush, trying to make his way into VFL football. In reality, who can make it when you’re a left footer, slow, short and a little bit tubby? But he was desperate and no one would try harder than Shane would. As it turned out, Shane didn’t make it on the field, but it was no surprise to see him later become involved in the game in an administration capacity at Carlton.
My next association with Shane was when he appointed me as coach of the Footscray Football Club in 1984. He made myself, my wife and my kids feel very welcome at the club and he set standards for me there, in regard to family relationships, that I would take on to West Coast and Collingwood. Shane is the kind of person who builds relationships with people based on mutual trust, loyalty, and pride in getting things done.
From Footscray Shane went to Brisbane where he did the hard yards, before arriving back at Carlton. Of course, we reintroduced ourselves at Carlton two years ago, but in between although he was part of the opposition, he never treated it as such. No matter where we both worked, Shane always treated me as a great friend and a football person.
Shane O’Sullivan has given so much of his life to football and he’s still passionately in love with it. He loves nothing better than to see young men succeed – and he helps them do that by letting them worry about football and he will worry about everything else for them. He is the most giving person I have ever struck in football, because for Shane it’s all about making sure that things happen for people and he will take care of the rest.
If you delved further into Shane’s work in the AFL, you would find that it spans in so many directions in regards to knowledge of the game, helping people, promoting the game and a hunger to succeed. To sum it up: for a person to have a heart attack on the bench and apologise for that because he missed the last half of the game … well, it says so much about Shane O’Sullivan.”
Chris Judd
“Shane O’Sullivan has been a wonderful servant to the Carlton Football Club and in many ways is the type of employee that has almost become extinct in modern day football. As AFL footy has become a bigger and bigger business, many employees in administrative positions hold climbing up the corporate ladder and furthering their own careers as a more important pursuit than seeing the football club they work for achieve success and in turn bring happiness to the hundreds of thousands of supporters that follow it.
In the current era, Shane’s passion for the success of the Carlton Football Club stands out. There’s no job too small, no ego and no nonsense. If he was involved at a local footy club, he’d be the guy chopping up the oranges and making sure the drinks were filled, while also chasing down sponsors as well to keep the club a float. Whilst at Carlton he isn’t called on for as wide an array of tasks as this, he’s the sort of guy who you could never imagine saying ‘I’m not doing that, because that’s not my job’. I’ve known Shane since I was sixteen and travelled to Ireland and he’s someone who treated me just as well when I was a sixteen year-old hoping to break into the AFL as he did when I was Captain of the club, and I’ve always enjoyed having him at Carlton.”
Barry Gill’s 70th
Happy 70th birthday to Barry Gill.
————
From the Blueseum
Career : 1964 – 1972
Debut : Round 2, 1964 vs Hawthorn, aged 19 years, 94 days
Carlton Player No. 759
Games : 132
Goals : 5
Last Game : Round 10, 1972 vs Hawthorn, aged 27 years, 133 days
Guernsey No. 21
Height : 184 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 82.5 kg (13 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : January 21, 1945
Premiership Player 1968, 1970
His possession rate was never particularly high, and there was nothing flashy or flamboyant about Barry Gill. He was however, dependable, brave, and a valued member of the 1968 and 1970 Carlton Premiership teams.
Barry’s older sibling John had already established himself at Princes Park by the time the brothers from Casterton in western Victoria teamed up for the Navy Blues in 1964. Like John, Barry was a strong mark, and deceptively quick for his size. John preferred to play up the ground, while Barry’s steady concentration made him the ideal defender.
When Melbourne legend Ron Barassi shocked the football world by accepting a lucrative offer to captain-coach Carlton in 1965, he and Gill struck up a rapport that lasted throughout Barassi’s tenure at Carlton. Gill’s dedication and self-motivation made him a fixture in the Blues defence, and he was solid as ever on a half-back flank when Carlton beat Essendon by just 3 points to claim the 1968 Premiership.
In 1969, Gill played in a back pocket alongside Wes Lofts when the Blues defended our title against Richmond in that year’s decider. Although he was just 24 years old by then, premature baldness was making him unmistakeable on the field. While it was unfortunate, his hair loss helped to highlight Barry’s work rate, and this in turn made him a particular favourite of many Blues supporters. There were almost 120,000 people at the MCG that day to see the Tigers prove too good for us by four goals.
Redemption from that defeat however, was not long in coming. Twelve months later – in September 1970 – Barry was part of perhaps the most memorable occasion in Carlton’s long and proud history, when the Blues surged back from 44 points down at halftime in the Grand Final to snatch the Premiership flag from Collingwood’s grasp. Again in a back pocket (but this time next to Kevin Hall, who had sensationally replaced Lofts at full-back) Gill blanketed the resting Magpie rovers all day and conceded just one goal for the game.
Like many of his team-mates, that brilliant victory was the pinnacle of Barry’s career. He played on for another two seasons, but was overlooked for a place in the 1972 flag side and retired from VFL football at the end of that year. He had worn guernsey 21 in all of his 132 games, and kicked just 5 goals in his rare forays upfield.
In 1973, Barry was appointed captain-coach of VFA club Williamstown, and led the Seagulls to mid-table finishes in his two years in charge. Later – in the late 70’s or early 80’s – he coached the Coragulac Under-18s in Victoria’s Western Districts. One member of his squad was a young Peter Foster, who would later represent Fitzroy and Footscray, as well as play for Victoria and Australia. Foster later credited a lot of his football development to Barry Gill, who mentored him and gave him the confidence to become a League footballer.
Gill also wore Guernsey No. 13 during the 1962 season when he played with Carlton reserves team.
Radio SEN Barry Gill Interview
Barry features in this 1 hour interview by Mark Fine & Geoff Poulter
Part 1 www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Barry-Gill-Feature-Part1/5359
Milestones
50 Games: Round 17, 1967 vs Colllingwood
100 Games: Round 17, 1970 Vs Fitzroy
Career Highlights
1968 – Premiership Player
1970 – Premiership Player
1971 – 6th Best & Fairest
Former Carlton footballer’s memoirs released
Tom Simmons during his playing days with the Blues. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)
Tom Simmons, whose football prowess at Princes Park in the post-World War II years of Henfry and Deacon was more than matched by his prodigious talents as a professional athlete, was also it seems a man of letters.
A little over 12 months since his passing at the age of 84, Tom’s written recollections penned in his final days have been forwarded to the club by his son Tony.
The letters offer a unique insight into Tom’s formative years in East Brunswick and his all-too-brief Carlton playing career.
Recruited to Carlton from Northcote District juniors in Melbourne’s inner-city north, Thomas Edwin Francis Simmons’ reputation on the track preceded him. Standing six foot in the old measurement, he had taken the 100 and 200-yard championships of Melbourne Technical Schools, together with the high and long-jump titles, and had also triumphed in the 220-yard dash at the Inter-Technical schools championship at Olympic Park.
With the permission of son Tony, Tom’s personal memoirs of another time at Carlton and in the neighborhood can now be reproduced, in the first of two parts.
Part 1 – My early life
This record of my life begins before I came into the world! My mother was hit by a cable tram in Sydney Road Brunswick just after she became pregnant. She was caught under the front bogie of the tram. A crane had to be used to lift the tram in order to release my mother. She was not badly injured. This incident typified the toughness and endurability of my mother’s life until she passed away at the age of 99 years 11 months.
I was born at home in a rather small 2-bed room tenement house in East Brunswick. We had a “wash house” in which was installed a tin bath, two concrete sinks (one of which had a wringer attached), a wood fried copper for boiling up the washing. In order to have a bath, hot water from the copper had to be bucketed into the tin bath and cold water from the tap was used to adjust the temperature. I lived in that house for 18 years with my parents and younger brother Harry.
My father served in the Great War from 1914-18 and participated in the Gallipoli Campaign. He was exposed to nerve gas that had an effect on his health until his death in 1956.
I had a happy, uneventful childhood in a rather poor working class suburb. For 10 years I attended the South Brunswick State School and I suppose I was an ordinary student. At the age of eight I broke my leg and for seven weeks I was pulled to school by my brother in a two- wheel box cart.
During summer evenings and weekends I joined a group of carefree neighbourhood kids playing street cricket, using a telephone pole as the wicket. We would often play a game, which was popular amongst street-kids called “Tip-Cat” and it involved striking a wedged shaped piece of wood about six inches long to make it leap far enough above the ground to enable it to be hit as far as possible down the road. Avoiding windows was a problem.
Tom Simmons during his days with the Blues. (Photo: Carlton Football Club)
During the football season, us street kids could not afford the luxury of a proper leather football but we had heaps of fun in the street kicking around a paper ball made by rolling up newspaper into an elongated ball three inches wide and six inches long wrapped with string.
When my brother and I were about seven years old we had a paper delivery round. We did that for 10 years. We signed in at the newsagent shop at 5am, got our stack of newspapers and did our deliveries on foot to houses in about ten streets. After completing the paper rounds at 6am, I would eat a few sausage rolls and go back to the newsagent to get some more papers (The Sun, The Age, The Argus and The Sporting Globe) to sell on the trams. I would jump on a tram and sell papers. After two stops I would get off and wait for the next tram. I would do this for 5-6 stops then cross the road and work the trams on the other line until I got back to the shop. We were home by 7am so we had to chase breakfast and do cleaning chores because our mother had an early morning cleaning job (which she did for 40 years!)
Another of my jobs as a kid was with a rather large bread factory (this was before the present hot-bread shops). My job was to help a bread-carter with home deliveries, which were done from a horse- drawn cart. When we got back to the factory, I had the responsibility to unsaddle the horse, hose him down then lead him to his stall and make sure he had enough chaff.
My mother, who was not all religious, made me attend from the age of nine Sunday School at the Anglican Church in Brunswick. My friends and I would muck around and I do not recall learning anything about God! The church formed a basketball team in 1944. Although I was only 15 years I played for two years and the team were champions. Some players in the competition went onto to play VFL football.
I attended the YMCA in City Rd, across the bridge in Swanston Street from the age of eight to 15. There was a heated pool but no bags were allowed. I played basketball and did athletics. I attended summer camps at Shorten on Westernport Bay. At the age of 16, I won the State Championship for 200 yards.
Part 2 – My football career
I was not involved in competitive football until the age of 18 when I joined Northcote Juniors Football Club.
In the VFL in those days, clubs were allocated zones. If you lived in a certain zone you could not join a football club in another zone. I lived in East Brunswick, which was a Carlton zone. That restrictive system was abandoned in 1960.
During my first and only season with Northcote Juniors, a Carlton scout Jim Francis attended one or two matches looking for potential Carlton recruits. The next year I couldn’t believe I was invited to attend training at Carlton and was given the opportunity to become a member of the senior list of players. In those days each VFL club had a team playing in each of the three grades – the Thirds for kids from 14 to 18 years, the Seconds for players aged 16 to 30 and the Firsts where the players ranged from 18 to 33. In my case I was asked to train with the senior team in mid-1949 and went straight into the Firsts team without playing any matches in the Seconds or Thirds competition.
Carlton was a famous football club and I was greatly honoured and found that when I first ran out onto Princes Park with my teammates most of them were seasoned stars.
I enjoyed the training sessions each Tuesday and Thursday from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. as the youngest member of the team I was determined to improve my skills and earn the respect of my teammates. Fortunately I had a high level of physical fitness and in fact I was the fastest player in the team. My friends thought I had an obsession with fitness. They were probably right! In 1949 very few of the team possessed a car. In the streets I would be doing running and I enjoyed doing broad jumps over driveways on the footpaths.
The football season comprised 20 home and away games. I was fortunate to play 17 games in my first season and was awarded the best first year player.
In my second season I was seriously injured in a match against Collingwood during the 11th game. My right knee was badly damaged in a collision with an opposing player. I had two torn cartilages. Surgery was performed by a top orthopaedic surgeon to remove the cartilage, but I missed the remainder of the season.
During the summer months I regained my physical fitness but my knee did not regain its strength. I was not confident that my knee would allow me to play out a match with my former vigour and strength so reluctantly I retired from football.
I was devastated.
My short career of 28 games ended abruptly during that match against Collingwood. In those days playing for a VFL club was all about loyalty and team spirit. The only financial reward was a payment of £4 [about $8] per game.
Adam White’s 40th
Happy 40th birthday to Adam White.
———-
From the Blueseum
Career : 1997 – 2000
Debut : Round 2, 1997 vs the Kangaroos, aged 21 years, 88 days
Carlton Player No. 1014
Games : 44
Goals : 21
Final Game : Round 21, 2000 vs Port Adelaide, aged 24 years, 203 days
Guernsey No. 30
Height : 188 cm (6 ft. 2 in.)
Weight : 89 kg (14 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : January 9, 1976
Adam White showed glimpses of real potential during his first three seasons at Princes Park, and played in two of Carlton’s 1999 epic finals matches. However, he is probably best remembered for a bizarre incident during the Blues’ loss to Adelaide in 1997, when he crashed into a field umpire and knocked himself out cold. After 44 senior appearances, White retired from AFL football in 2000, and launched a new career as an independent film-maker.
Well-built, with good pace and aerial skills, White was recruited by the Blues with pick 41 in the 1994 National Draft. Originally from East Burwood, he had impressed as a creative midfielder with the Eastern Ranges at Under-18 level. Carlton assigned him guernsey number 42 to start with, but after one season he switched to number 30. Two seasons of Reserves football followed, before Adam was selected for his first senior game against North Melbourne in a Monday night match at the MCG in round 2, 1997. Starting on the interchange bench, he was eased into the match, and kicked a goal on debut as the Blues went down by 26 points.
Over the next four seasons, White became a regular bench player who seemed most comfortable in the spaces on a wing. Like many others, consistency proved elusive, although he could be quite dynamic in bursts – as he showed against Collingwood in round 21, 1998 when he dashed from the centre and kicked a spectacular goal with one of his 22 possessions.
In 1999 he played finals football for the first time, but was sparingly used off the interchange bench in both the Semi Final victory over West Coast, and the following week’s one-point triumph over Essendon. He didn’t make the cut for the Grand Final against North Melbourne, and a persistent thigh strain disrupted his progress in 2000. He did eventually work his way back into the senior side, although his only appearance for the year – against Port Adelaide at Football Park in round 21 – was to be his last at top level.
Adam remained with Carlton Reserves throughout 2001, and retired at the end of the season. He headed back to East Burwood the following year, where he completed his tertiary studies in video production and photography before launching his new career behind the camera.
Over the next decade, White earned plaudits for his work as a director and producer of short films, including ‘A Black and White World’, ‘Toucan’ and ‘Attack’, along with the 10-episode TV series ‘Kane & Disabled’.
Brian Kekovich’s 70th
Happy 70th birthday to Brian Kekovich.
—————-
From the Blueseum
Playing Career : 1967-1968
Debut : Round 1, 1967 vs Fitzroy, aged 21 years, 97 days
Carlton Player No. 794
Games : 34
Goals : 97
Guernsey No. 16
Last Game: Grand Final, 1968 vs Essendon, aged 22 years, 264 days
Height : 187 cm
Weight : 86 kg
Date of Birth: 7 January, 1946
Premiership Player: 1968
Leading Goalkicker: 1967, 1968
The older brother of North Melbourne champion Sam Kekovich, Brian was a star full-forward from Myrtleford who arrived at Princes Park in 1967 with huge expectations on his shoulders. In his 34 games for Carlton in two seasons, Kekovich showed the same mercurial ability as his brother later would, before his promising career was cruelly cut short by a chronic back injury in the midst of Premiership celebrations.
At 187 cm and 86 kg, with strong hands and a powerful left foot kick, Kekovich settled into a Carlton team on the rise and booted 36 goals in his first season. Carlton finished second after the home and away rounds of 1967, then disappointingly lost both their finals matches to end the year in third place. Those losses spurred the Blues into season 1968. We were beaten by Essendon twice during the year, yet still finished runners-up. Then we marched into the Grand Final with a 36 point upset win over the Bombers in the second semi-final. In mid-season of that year, Brian had hurt his back when he was crunched in a marking duel, but ignored the pain and played on. He had made a big impression in only his second year of VFL football, booting 59 goals by the time the Blues met Essendon – who had beaten Geelong in the Preliminary Final – yet again on Grand Final day.
A strong, swirling cross-field wind turned the ’68 Grand Final into a close, mistake-ridden encounter. The match was highlighted by Kekovich’s four goals in Carlton’s winning tally of seven; and wingman Gary Crane’s superb game on the wing to be voted Best on Ground. Carlton won by three points to claim our first flag since 1947. Brian’s contribution to the flag win was significant, as highlighted by the fact that our five losses for the year were the only five matches he missed – a remarkable statistic!
Only a short while after the Grand Final – when Kekovich sought treatment for his back – the diagnosis came as a total shock. He was advised to retire from football immediately – or risk spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair. Unfortunately for him and for Carlton, Brian’s short but successful career in the number 16 Navy Blue guernsey was over.