Collingwood Forever

SECOND SEMI-FINAL.
COLLINGWOOD WINS EASILY.
BY PIVOT.

Collingwood’s good form is keeping with them. On Saturday, in the second semi-final match, they beat South Melbournavery easily, running away with the game in the third quarter, and finishing in go-as-you-please fashion with 10 goals to the good.

South Melbourne looked like making a match of it in the first half, not that the football was of the best, but the scores kept close. It was in fact a debacle in the third quarter, Collingwood kicking no fewer than eight goals and missing several chances. This sudden eclipse of South was as much of a shock to their supporters as it was a surprise to non-partisan spectators.

Certainly, South had two good men. —Brennan and Caldwell — injured, but the reason for the signal defeat was, I think, due to the absence of that confidence among the new men that only experience can bring. It is a heavy trial for fresh men to play in a final. A fine sequence of individual feats soon after the opening brought applause.

The kicking in of Saunders, the sturdy and effective backplay by Belcher, Brown and Brennan’s great high marking, and a clipping turn by Pannam on the wing were performances much out of the common. Unfortunately, a bone in Brennan’s ankle was broken, and he was useless for the remainder of the afternoon. That accident was a decided set back.

The first goal was scored late in the quarter by Curtis, who just tipped the ball through after two clubmen further afield had missed. Reynolds was excelling himself ineverything, and mainly through his efforts Wraith was able to pass the ball on to Hughes for the big man to send it through. Quarter time the scores were 2.4 to 0.2 in favor of Collingwood, the team that had the wind.

The fine individual play in the first term stimulated interest in the play, and the fast turns, although not always worked to the best advantage, were pleasing to spectators. Dobrigh had scored another goal before South gained their first maximum point. Deas had come from fullback to forward, and, securing the ball, he turned it through. Two fine marks by Boyce and a clean catch by Mullaly were features, and Payne scored South’s second goal with a punt.

Dobrigh was doing a lot of scouting work well, and Drummond, on the wing was frequently under the eye. The closing stage of the quarter provided a chapter in missed opportunities, several by Collingwood and one or two by South. A splendid kick by Robertson brought the cheers it deserved, but not the goal. .Collingwood had 3-9 to 2.5 at half time.

The nature of the third quarter’s play has already been indicated, Curtis was the big man in the rout, although he did not get all the goals. His marking was splendid, and his kicking long and fairly accurate. With ‘Dick’ Lee out of the team he rose to the position of specialty toward in great fashion. Laxton and Lumsden, too, were great help, and between them they secured seven of the goals. Hughes getting the eighth obtained in the quarter.

The flight of the ball certainly favoured Collingwood in some of the telling movements from outfield, and undoubtedly South were handicapped through the absence of Brennan and Caldwell, both of whom had started the afternoon well. The three-quarter time scores were. 11.13 to 2.6 in Collingwood’s favour, and in the last term the play degenerated into a half-hour’s ‘practice’.

The handicap was far too great for South to overcome, and the game finished very quietly, not a cheer accompanying the ringing of the bell, the final scores were: COLLINGWOOD… 13 goals 17 behinds, SOUTH MELBOURNE… 3 goals 17 -behinds.

Curtis and Laxton each kicked 4 goals for Collingwood, whose best men were Reynolds, Brown, Laxton, Curtis, Lumsden, Saunders, Drummond, Dobrigh, mostly old campaigners, and Belcher, Rademacher, Howell, Boyce, Deas, Payne and Hair were South’s leading players.

The attendance again showed an improvement, an attendance of 16,463 spectators yielding  against £378, as against 15,000, for £325, the previous Saturday. Last season the second semi-final between Carlton and Richmond drew 11,728 people, the return being £226.

1917 ‘FOOTBALL.’, The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954), 10 September, p. 6, viewed 26 August, 2015, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article155144464