10 July 1965: SA 12-11 (83), d. Vic 3-1 (19)

[Adelaide Hawk]

This was the first state match I ever saw, and also the last time a South Australian team defeated the Big V for another 18 years.

The teams:

South Australia
Coach: Fos Williams (PA)
Captain: Neil Kerley (SA)
F: Tony Clarkson (St), Geoff Kingston (WT), Jeff Potter (PA)
HF: Alf Skuse (SA), Tom Grljusich (CD), Bob Simunsen (W)
C: Ken Eustice (CD), Robert Day (WA), John Cahill (PA)
HB: Geof Motley (PA), Rick Schoff (St), Bob Schmidt (SA)
B: Brenton Adcock (St), Bruce Jarrett (St), Barry Pascoe (NA)
Ruck: Bill Wedding (N), Neil Kerley (SA), Colin Rice (G)
Res: Eric Freeman (PA), Alan White (SA)

Victoria
Coach: John Coleman (E)
Captain: Bob Skilton (SM)
F: Graham Farmer (G), Ralph Rogerson (Fitz), Billy Goggin (G)
HF: Des Tuddenham (Coll), Graeme John (SM), Bob Skilton (SM)
C: Colin Youren (H), Bill Barrot (R), Billy Brown (R)
HB: John Jillard (Foots), David Darcy (Foots), Don Williams (M)
B: David Parkin (H), Robert "Tassie" Johnson (M), Carl Ditterich (SK)
Ruck: John Nicholls (Carl), John Schultz (Foots), John Birt (E)
Res: Noel Teasdale (NM), Tom Allison (NM)

SA 1-5 8-7 8-7 12-11 (83)
Vic 2-1 2-1 3-1 3-1 (19)
Best Players
SA: Motley Adcock Wedding Cahill Rice Schoff
Vic: Jillard Schultz Darcy Williams Youren Allison
Goals
SA: Kingston 4 Rice 2 Potter 2 Grljusich Simunsen White Kerley
Vic: Rogerson 2 Nicholls

A good win by South Australia, but the question I want to ask the more senior members of this forum is this. For years I have heard whisper that a certain very financial member of the SA community invited the Victorian players to a function the night before the game, everything laid on especially an abundance of alcohol and hot and cold running women. The story is a lot of the Vic boys weren't exactly firing on all cylinders on the day of the match.

Has anyone heard these stories, and can they elaborate in any way? It may be just an old wives tale, but you never know.

[robranisgod]

I have certainly heard broad stories regarding what happened on the Friday night but I have never taken stock of the situation.

Anyway Jack, legend has it that Ralph Rogerson the Fitzroy full forward and former North Adelaide player was visiting his parents on the Friday night and was the only Victorian player not to be involved in the swim through. He kicked Victoria's only 2 goals of the first quarter and looked to be Victoria's only fresh player.

Rogerson, who incidentally is Graeme Molloy's first cousin was the first player to represent the three mainland states in State football. After leaving North to go to East Perth at the end of the 1958 season and then moving to Fitzroy in the mid 1960s he returned to North at the end of his career in about 1969, but had clearly lost pace and spent a year playing in North's seconds, mainly at full back. Interestingly his cousin, Graeme Molloy did the same thing a decade or so later at Norwood.

[mal]

It would appear looking at the scores, that VI had first use of a breeze
VI didnt score in the 2nd and 4th qtrs, would that be a non quarters scoring record of sorts ?

[robranisgod]

It would appear looking at the scores, that VI had first use of a breeze
VI didnt score in the 2nd and 4th qtrs, would that be a non quarters scoring record of sorts ?

And SA didn't score in the third quarter.

About the only thing that I can remember from that game is Bob Simunsen dislocating a shoulder in the third quarter.

[DOC]

Ralph Rogerson tells me that he got into this side on the basis that it was two players from each club. Modest perhaps.

Good effort never the less to play footy for three states. Still going OK. Enjoys his water side dwelling on the lower lakes.

[heater31]

Ralph Rogerson tells me that he got into this side on the basis that it was two players from each club. Modest perhaps.

Good effort never the less to play footy for three states. Still going OK. Enjoys his water side dwelling on the lower lakes.

Well that theory is shot there are 3 Footscray Reps in that side...

[Adelaide Hawk]

Ralph Rogerson tells me that he got into this side on the basis that it was two players from each club. Modest perhaps.

Good effort never the less to play footy for three states. Still going OK. Enjoys his water side dwelling on the lower lakes.

Well that theory is shot there are 3 Footscray Reps in that side...

Yep, well picked up. I noticed that when posting the teams so I did some research. In the VFL they had a split round with half the matches played the week before. Footsrcay was one of those teams and Jillard played.

I believe Don Blew (Essendon) was originally selected but must have been injured and replaced by Jillard. The VFL did only select a maximum of 2 from each club so as not to dramatically weaken any team morte than others.

[Interceptor]

SA's biggest win against the Vics?
One of the lowest scores ever in interstate footy as well.

[redandblack]

Is this the game where Vic had just played WA and were on the way home?

If it was, I was there.

Vic certainly looked 'flat', but I think it was put down to the fact they'd just played WA?

[robranisgod]

Ralph Rogerson tells me that he got into this side on the basis that it was two players from each club. Modest perhaps.

Good effort never the less to play footy for three states. Still going OK. Enjoys his water side dwelling on the lower lakes.

Well that theory is shot there are 3 Footscray Reps in that side...

Yep, well picked up. I noticed that when posting the teams so I did some research. In the VFL they had a split round with half the matches played the week before. Footsrcay was one of those teams and Jillard played.

I believe Don Blew (Essendon) was originally selected but must have been injured and replaced by Jillard. The VFL did only select a maximum of 2 from each club so as not to dramatically weaken any team morte than others.

I think that you mean Russell Blew. Don Blew was a field umpire at that time.

[nickname]

Gotta love an umpire called 'Blew'.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Colin Rice is an example of the quality of player SA was able to snare from the VFL in those days.

As a rover for Geelong he played 97 games from 1957 to 1963, winning the Best & Fairest in 1959 and captaining the club in 1960. His final game was as a member of Geelong's 1963 premiership team.

He sustained broken ribs in a trial game with Glenelg and played the first four matches with them heavily strapped, must have been a tough little bugger. He ended up winning the club's B&F that season, only played in 1965, then I'm not sure what happened to him after that. Headed back to Swan Hill perhaps? Maybe Glenelg fans can tell me.

I read where he served a 2 match suspension for abusive language in the 1964 1st Semi Final. The umpire? None other than Kenneth George Cunningham. How many players were suspended for giving a mouthful of abuse to KG??

[GWW]

I read where he served a 2 match suspension for abusive language in the 1964 1st Semi Final. The umpire? None other than Kenneth George Cunningham. How many players were suspended for giving a mouthful of abuse to KG??

Did a similar thing happen to Eric Freeman, who was then KG's room mate on a cricket tour to NZ a little while after?

[nickname]

I can remember the reverse happening too and Murray Weideman reporting an umpire for using abusive language towards him. I think it was umpire Bob Hall and I think he was found guilty. It was obviously either 1968 or 69.

[robranisgod]

Colin Rice is an example of the quality of player SA was able to snare from the VFL in those days.

As a rover for Geelong he played 97 games from 1957 to 1963, winning the Best & Fairest in 1959 and captaining the club in 1960. His final game was as a member of Geelong's 1963 premiership team.

He sustained broken ribs in a trial game with Glenelg and played the first four matches with them heavily strapped, must have been a tough little bugger. He ended up winning the club's B&F that season, only played in 1965, then I'm not sure what happened to him after that. Headed back to Swan Hill perhaps? Maybe Glenelg fans can tell me.

I read where he served a 2 match suspension for abusive language in the 1964 1st Semi Final. The umpire? None other than Kenneth George Cunningham. How many players were suspended for giving a mouthful of abuse to KG??

I don't know what happened to Colin Rice, but many posters here will remember his nephew Dean Rice who played for St Kilda and then carlton in the 1990s. He played in carlton's 1995 premiership side. he had similar coloring to Colin Rice and was a similar nuggetty build. In fact dean Rice was probably even thicker set than Colin.

[Dirko]

Colin Rice. Mini bio on Snouts wiki.

http://www.snoutslouts.org/wiki/index.php/Colin_Rice

[Adelaide Hawk]

Colin Rice. Mini bio on Snouts wiki.

http://www.snoutslouts.org/wiki/index.php/Colin_Rice

Let them know his guernsey number was 15.

[Dirko]

Let them know his guernsey number was 15.

Thanks AH. I have updated it.