SA vs Victorian RAAF team in 1944

[spell_check]

On the 26th of August 1944, a South Australian side played members of the RAAF who were also VFL footballers at the time. While it was not the strongest Victorian team, all bar one was a regular for their club. Ron Todd was at Williamstown in the VFA, and is the only exception, but he was a champion goalkicker at Collingwood as well as in the VFA. Some of the players included: Jim Cleary (S.M) Jack Cockburn (Ess) - came from South Adelaide, Don Grossman (S.M), Bob Green (Carl) Keith McKenzie (N.M), Doug Heywood (Melb), Ron Todd (Will), Noel Price (Fitz), Albert Pannam (Coll), Wally Culpitt (Haw), Don Henderson (Foots).

I didn't take down the positions of the SA players, but they were: Bob Quinn (P/T), Neville Way (N/N), Gil Langley (S/S), Merv Shaw (P/T), Tim Reilly (N/N), Bob Hank (P/T), Jack Oatey (N/N), Laurie Cahill (S/S), William McFarlane (P/T), Thomas Prowse (W/G), Jeff Pash (N/N), Ron Keane (W/G), Dick Corbett (W/G), Colin Ingham (S/S), John Taylor (W/G), Eric Nicholls (P/T), Arthur Bottroff (W/G), Colin Haines (S/S), Don Fletcher (P/T), John Taylor (W/G).

Anyway, this was the result:

SA 4.6 14.12 21.13 38.18 (246)
Vic RAAF 3.2 7.2 9.4 10.4 (64)

Plenty of best players were named for both sides:
SA: Quinn, Hank, Cahill, Taylor, Haines, Reilly, Oatey, Way, Langley, Bottroff, McFarlane
Vic: Price, Pannam, Evendon, Cockburn, Hoskins, Humphries, Culpitt, Green, Murray

Scorers:
SA: Quinn 8.3, Way 7.0, Langley 6.1, Shaw 5.4, Reilly 4.1, Hank 3.2, Oatey 2.3, Cahill 1.2, McFarlane 1.1, Prowse 1.0, Rushed 0.1.
Vic: Pannam 3.1, Humphries 2.1, Culpitt 2.0, Todd 1.2, Hughes, Price 1.0.

[Ian]

While it was not the strongest Victorian team, all bar one was a regular for their club.

Although their is some very good players named in the SA side that would have walked into any SA side, would it be safe to assume that our best was also not available during this time ?

[smithy]

Did Keith Miller play in that game ?

[spell_check]

While it was not the strongest Victorian team, all bar one was a regular for their club.

Although their is some very good players named in the SA side that would have walked into any SA side, would it be safe to assume that our best was also not available during this time ?

Possibly, I'd think that there was players who would have made it into there would be on service themselves.

And smithy, Keith Miller did not play in that match.

[JamesH]

Its a shame these services games arent considered as being league/state games. The team is clearly of a first class quality

[Leaping Lindner]

.........

I didn't take down the positions of the SA players, but they were: Bob Quinn (P/T), Neville Way (N/N), Gil Langley (S/S), Merv Shaw (P/T), Tim Reilly (N/N), Bob Hank (P/T), Jack Oatey (N/N), Laurie Cahill (S/S), William McFarlane (P/T), Thomas Prowse (W/G), Jeff Pash (N/N), Ron Keane (W/G), Dick Corbett (W/G), Colin Ingham (S/S), John Taylor (W/G), Eric Nicholls (P/T), Arthur Bottroff (W/G), Colin Haines (S/S), Don Fletcher (P/T), John Taylor (W/G).

This is the line up by the way........

FF: Neville Way (N/NA); Merv Shaw (PA/WT); Jack Oatey (N/NA)
HF: Gil Langley (S/SA); Reynolds (S/SA); Bob Hank (PA/WT)
C : Laurie Cahill (S/SA); Jeff Pash (N/NA); Eric Nicholls (PA/WT)
HB: R.Roberts (PA/WT); Haines (S/SA); Tuohy (S/SA)
B: William Mc Farlane (PA/WT); Owen Martin (VC) (N/NA); Corbett (WA-G)
1st Ruck - Thomas Prowse (WA-G) ; John Taylor (WA/G); Bob Quinn (C)(PA/WT)
Res - Bagshaw (S/SA); Ron Keane (WA/G); Potter ; Wood;

[spell_check]

.........

I didn't take down the positions of the SA players, but they were: Bob Quinn (P/T), Neville Way (N/N), Gil Langley (S/S), Merv Shaw (P/T), Tim Reilly (N/N), Bob Hank (P/T), Jack Oatey (N/N), Laurie Cahill (S/S), William McFarlane (P/T), Thomas Prowse (W/G), Jeff Pash (N/N), Ron Keane (W/G), Dick Corbett (W/G), Colin Ingham (S/S), John Taylor (W/G), Eric Nicholls (P/T), Arthur Bottroff (W/G), Colin Haines (S/S), Don Fletcher (P/T), John Taylor (W/G).

This is the line up by the way........

FF: Neville Way (N/NA); Merv Shaw (PA/WT); Jack Oatey (N/NA)
HF: Gil Langley (S/SA); Reynolds (S/SA); Bob Hank (PA/WT)
C : Laurie Cahill (S/SA); Jeff Pash (N/NA); Eric Nicholls (PA/WT)
HB: R.Roberts (PA/WT); Haines (S/SA); Tuohy (S/SA)
B: William Mc Farlane (PA/WT); Owen Martin (VC) (N/NA); Corbett (WA-G)
1st Ruck - Thomas Prowse (WA-G) ; John Taylor (WA/G); Bob Quinn (C)(PA/WT)
Res - Bagshaw (S/SA); Ron Keane (WA/G); Potter ; Wood;

That's much better. I hastily jotted down the names from somewhere, and it didn't make sense who played where and who didn't play!

[robranosgod]

.........

I didn't take down the positions of the SA players, but they were: Bob Quinn (P/T), Neville Way (N/N), Gil Langley (S/S), Merv Shaw (P/T), Tim Reilly (N/N), Bob Hank (P/T), Jack Oatey (N/N), Laurie Cahill (S/S), William McFarlane (P/T), Thomas Prowse (W/G), Jeff Pash (N/N), Ron Keane (W/G), Dick Corbett (W/G), Colin Ingham (S/S), John Taylor (W/G), Eric Nicholls (P/T), Arthur Bottroff (W/G), Colin Haines (S/S), Don Fletcher (P/T), John Taylor (W/G).

This is the line up by the way........

FF: Neville Way (N/NA); Merv Shaw (PA/WT); Jack Oatey (N/NA)
HF: Gil Langley (S/SA); Reynolds (S/SA); Bob Hank (PA/WT)
C : Laurie Cahill (S/SA); Jeff Pash (N/NA); Eric Nicholls (PA/WT)
HB: R.Roberts (PA/WT); Haines (S/SA); Tuohy (S/SA)
B: William Mc Farlane (PA/WT); Owen Martin (VC) (N/NA); Corbett (WA-G)
1st Ruck - Thomas Prowse (WA-G) ; John Taylor (WA/G); Bob Quinn (C)(PA/WT)
Res - Bagshaw (S/SA); Ron Keane (WA/G); Potter ; Wood;

Sadly Owen Martin, the vice captain passed away on the weekend.