The Toughest game
It was not only the toughest, it was also maybe the greatest.
Back in 1978, Assumption College’s First XVIII won the AGSV title in a thriller against Marcellin – and also qualified for the Herald-Sun Shield final.
The latter series was in its infancy and this was the Dark and Light Blues’ initial foray into the prestigious competition.
Neale Daniher was captain and his teammates included Russell Dickson, Mick O’Sullivan, and John Tossol, who each later played with Melbourne.
Shield games were then played at the old VFL Park as curtain-raisers to the night series, which culminated in a grand final in front of big crowds around mid-July.
It was a pretty cold place in mid-winter and was dubbed Arctic Park by the media.
But the cold meant nothing to the six or seven busloads of Dark and Light Blue boys, who travelled to the games, departing from the Kilmore college straight after classes.
Shield games in those times were telecast by Channel 7 and were shown on Saturday mornings.
I remember the boarders crowding round the old sets in the dormitories to excitedly view the action. Bob Skilton and Peter Donegan were the main commentators.
Assumption progressed well through the preliminary rounds, with wins over opposition teams including Monivae, De La Salle, Melbourne High, and Coburg Tech.
The semi-final saw a hard-fought victory against Parade. This took the Blues to the title clash with Moorabbin Tech.
The latter, with seemingly no age limit and players such as Cunningham and Elshaugh already in senior league ranks, had thrashed all opponents.
Chillingly, in their quarter and semi-finals, Moorabbin Tech had beaten St Bedes and CBC North Melbourne respectively by more than 120 points.
The vanquished teams had only scored a solitary goal each. There had also been some rough-house play in those games.
School side fears bloodbath
The above headline appeared on the back page of the Sunday tabloid, two days prior to the grand final.
Its writer did not quote sources but wrote that the “famous Kilmore College XVIII could be massacred on the scoreboard and on the field on Tuesday”.
Team officials, the Brothers, and myself, tried to convince the boys they could win against all odds, though privately we feared the worst.
Also, it didn’t promise to be much fun for the seven busloads of supporters.
Dreadful injury toll
To compound matters, in the AGSV clash against Trinity a week or so earlier, the side lost the inspirational skipper Daniher (broken hand), key forwards Wright and Hogan (knee injuries), and centre halfback O’Dwyer (collarbone).
Thus it wasn’t a coach-load of players brimming with confidence that made the tedious journey in peak traffic to Waverley via Springvale Road.
The bus was eerily quiet. And yet there could be sensed a steely resolve to at least show Moorabbin it couldn’t walk all over the country lads.
The well-loved late VFL/AFL boss Jack Hamilton visited the rooms and wished the boys well. I’m sure, that like many, he feared a debacle.
However, a debacle it was not. The lads in the renowned ‘Two Blues’ guernseys played from the first bounce like men possessed.
Tackling and pressure was ferocious and most players performed above themselves.
Ridiculously one-sided wins had left the Tech side unprepared for the fighting force in opposition.
The standard of play was marvellous and the ACK lads led narrowly at quarter time and at the long break.
Upon resumption, there must have been 35,000 in the stands and the crowd got right behind the Blues.
A desperate third term saw the slight lead retained heading into the final stanza.
But those were the times of 19th and 20th and no replacements, and when John Tossol was crunched a minute into the final term, Kilmore was down to 17 on the field.
Still the battle continued, bravely and quite incredibly, but it could not last and the powerful opposition slammed on three late goals to seal victory.
It was almost fitting to use the famous quote: ‘Victory was glory but defeat made us little lower than the angels.’
It was significant that when acting skipper Phil McEvoy mounted the dais to receive the runner-up cup, there was a much greater cheer than for the victorious captain.
If the two teams were to meet again a week later, probably Moorabbin would have bolted in – but on the occasion recounted, the legendary spirit of the Assumption of those times shone through.
Many young students watching from the stands were inspired by what they saw and went on to become ACK champions.
In 1980, ACK claimed the first of its record eleven Shield titles by defeating Parade.
Was it really three years ago?
Hero
Michael Murray was a fine player for the ACK sides of those times. Neale Daniher and all team-mates rated ‘Mick’ highly. He was a courageous, brilliant player who could have easily gone to the elite levels if not for a serious accident shortly after his college days. A longtime resident on his property south of Colac, he is a fair dinkum guy. He and his schoolteacher wife raised three fine boys – all engineers – and today there are six grandkids.
70 years service
Many former ACK students and area farming folk will recall Brother Arthur Maybon who spent two long periods at ACK. A classroom teacher, junior sports coach, dormitory supervisor, and farm manager, he contributed much to the life and times of Assumption. In September at Marcellin College, he will be honoured for 70 years’ service to the Marist Brothers at a celebratory mass and dinner. Brother Arthur has truly been a lifetime faithful servant of God.
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Vale Sam
Brilliant footy and cricket journalist Sam Landsberger’s tragic death has been widely mourned. His colleagues in the industry loved Sam and his close-knit family are devastated. He was hit by a truck at a bad intersection in Richmond. Sam’s dad, Dr Jake Landsberger, was a longtime Bulldogs medico. In 2008 and 2009 as a young cadet, he covered ACK Shield Finals at the MC. Sam is survived by his mum, dad, and two sisters.
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Bush star
Jason Smith (pictured) came to ACK from the farming district of Bamawm, west of Rochester. He led the First XVIII and First XI in 1990 to triumph. The football side won the AGSV and Herald Sun Shield titles, and the All-Australian championship versus the top Perth XVIII at Kardinia Park.
The latter trophy was only played for twice before the AFL carried it. In cricket, the XI won the Crusaders Australia Spirit of Cricket award for its efforts on and off the field of play. Jason Smith was a prolific performer in both sports. He played very briefly with Richmond in the AFL before working life took over. He is one of countless ‘bush boys’ who could have reached high honours if circumstances had been different. He called the other day and was amazed to see the modern era facilities at Assumption.
