1976 GF: Sturt vs Port

[Jimmy]

who was there? anyone? any memories or thoughts of that game?

who watched it on TV?

what were your predictions before the game? were port that much favs for this game?

was it similar to 2002 when sturt stunned the dogs?

[Magpiespower]

Too young to remember the game but have watched a highlights package.

From what I've read, Port were red-hot favourittes going into the game against 'Dad's Army.'

Not only that, but for probably the first and last time in history, Port were sentimental favourites as well - seems everyone was jack of Oatey's men taking the premiership back to Unley.

For older Port supporters, this loss was as tough to take, for some even tougher, than the 1984 grand final loss to Norwood.

[Leaping Lindner]

I was there. I got there early to watch the North reserves take on Norwood as did most of the North cheer squad at the time. Waste of time as we lost by 10 goals.
Port were favourites but not red hot as some people think.There was a lot of talk in the media of Sturt's grand finals experience and of course Oatey's experience as a coach. Also Rick Davies was probably at the very peak of his powers that day and Port couldn't stop him.
Good learning experience for John Cahill though it remains the only grand final the guy ever lost as a coach.

[Blue Boy]

I was 4 - I have it on video and watch it probably once a year.

There was a famous tale once told to me that Russell Ebert sent the runner to John Cahill at some time early during the game and said that if you dont do something about Rick Davies now - we will lose the game. He was referring to some one - any one pick him up !!!!

The rest is history and Russell Ebert has stated since it was one of the single greatest performances by a single player he had ever seen.

[Adelaide Hawk]

Yes, I was there. The night before I had a card game and then a mate and I decided as a big crowd was expected we would go there and sleep in the car park. We listened to music and had a few drinks. God knows when we fell asleep, but when we woke there were people lined up everywhere.

We got out the car and walked with bleary eyes and fuzzy heads to the West Lakes Shopping Mall for some breakfast. When we got back, people were lined up for at least 100 metres in some places, it was incredible. We walked around the ground looking for the shortest line.

On the end of the longest line was a guy named Silvano Cece who had played for Sturt in Preliminary Final and had missed selection in the GF. As I played footy with Silvano at school I went over and asked why he was lined up. He said, "Because Sturt never gave me a ticket". How strange was that? Good wnough to play in a winning Preliminary Final but not good enough to give a ticket to for the final.

Anyway, we finally got in, the crowd was crushed in shoulder to shoulder. Fortunately I was big and ugly enough to handle it and could see the game perfectly. I've often wondered how many of the 66,897 actually saw the game. Then we saw the streams of people entering the arena to sit around the boundary line as there was nowhere else for them to go.

The funny thing about the game was the media had Port Adelaide as red hot favourite, but if you look in the Football Budget they asked 8 SANFL players who they thought would win. Four (Frank Stemper, Adrian Rebbeck, Charlie Payne, Ron Hateley) selected Port, three (Lyle Skinner, Milan Faletic and Rodney Seekamp) all selected Sturt. Bob Loveday went for a draw. Nice fence sitting Bob. He said, "Port shouild win it but I can't see Sturt losing it".

Of course the other thing to remember was Rick Davies, 21 kicks, 21 hand balls, 15 marks, 21 hit outs. The most dominant game I've seen from anyone in a Grand Final at any level. He was magnificent that day. Apparently Jack Oatey sent the runner out to Davies to ask why he was in defence at one stage. The reply came back, "I'm getting kicks, this is where the ball is". Jack Oatey just said, "Of course he is, he's a champion". Also for me, Norwood had a great win in the seconds final which put the icing on the cake.

After the game the crowd began thinning, especially Port supporters, and we could see all the rows of aluminium seats had been destroyed just behind the Port cheer squad, but we thought maybe there were just too many people standing on them that they became mangled.

That night I attended Unley Oval to take part in celebrations. I'm not a Sturt fan but I did support them that day because the mate I was with was an ardent Blues flan. The thing I remember that night was once again Rick Davies. When they introduced the players on stage, Rick was so drunk he nearly fell off the stage. Even several hours after the game he was still playing it hard.

Even though Sturt won easily in the end, it was a great experience to be there.

Jimmy, to answer your question, IMHO 1976 was different to 2002 in that I wasn't the least bit surprised when Sturt won the 1976 flag because they were finals hardened and Port hadn't won a flag in 11 years, whereas in 2002 I was shocked Sturt could have accounted for Central so easily. Central had won the last 2 flags and Sturt hadn't won a flag for 26 years.

[Magpiespower]

66,897

The official crowd.

Some estimates put the actual crowd closer to 80,000.

But perhaps the passing of time has inflated the number of people at Footy Park that day...

[Adelaide Hawk]

66,897

The official crowd.

Some estimates put the actual crowd closer to 80,000.

But perhaps the passing of time has inflated the number of people at Footy Park that day...

I was actually going to make that point in my post. I was at the 1975 GF where there were 53,283 and I remember thinking there seemed like an extra 20,000 at least at the 1976 game, if not more. Having said that, I'm the world's worse when it comes to estimating crowds.

[Mr66]

The last 1/2 of this game was telecast live into Melbourne and instantly made
me a Sturt fan. Mainly because of the uniform but the result didn't hurt either.

[portentous]

I was there, sitting with a heap of Sturt supporters, in the members. It sucked. Kept waiting for the great Magpie comeback, but it didn't happen. Sturt were awesome that day though, you've gotta give them credit.

On the way out I tried to stuff my giant black and white panda in a bin, and vowed to not support the Magpies any more. Next year, and every year since, I was back though. You can forgive a passionate 10 year old a tantrum every now and then. The years since have more than made up for it.

[northernblue]

I was there. I went feeling ewe would find it difficult given our injuries and having played every week in the finals.

By quarter time though I knew we were going to win, you could tell from the players attitude. I told my wife so at qtr time.

The crowd was huge with people sitting inside the fence.Rumours later suggested that 10,000
or more were turned away, and that the released figure was under by as long way.

In 2002 my son and I enjoyed our first winning GF togehter. He noticed part way through the 3rd qtr
that some CD players were cramping. A sure sign we were going to win it. We watch the rest of game
estatically knowing we were going to win it.

[Dissident]

I wasn't there. In fact, I was probably conceived 6 months later.

My Dad was there - back in the day where half the crowd was just fans of footy wanting to see the grand final. He said he loved it - great atmosphere.

I watched the recording of it - and it was definately a great game and one I wish I was alive for. On the DVD I made - there's interviews with Bagshaw, Nelson and Davies, along with an interview with Klomp - about the thougts on that year - the final series, et al. Worth checking out.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I think I remember that interview with Klomp, didn't he look like he was about to pass out or something?

[Dissident]

I think I remember that interview with Klomp, didn't he look like he was about to pass out or something?

I don't know - not really! I twas done probably 10 years after the Grand Final I would say. Maybe even 20 years.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I think I remember that interview with Klomp, didn't he look like he was about to pass out or something?

I don't know - not really! I twas done probably 10 years after the Grand Final I would say. Maybe even 20 years.

The interview I am thinking of was in the rooms after the game and Klomp looked like he was going to die he was so exhausted.

[Jimmy]

cheers guys, great read....i have seen the interview with davies baggy and nelson sitting in the oatey stand at unley....

some great plays from that game...brendan howards side step on the out side...brilliant, bruce lennonesque

and baggys rove and goal from a ruck tap....klomps handball to robbie barton and ian day (?) blowing a load over it lol!!!!!!!!!

also the commentators referred to sturt as sturt adelaide at times....

[Adelaide Hawk]

also the commentators referred to sturt as sturt adelaide at times....

Yes, Ian Day often referred to Sturt as "Sturt Adelaide". A habit he couldn't seem to shake.

A sideline from that match was that most players would spend the day before a Grand Final relaxing or whatever. Paul Bagshaw spent the day cementing his driveway at home. Interesting way to prepare

[Jimmy]

also the commentators referred to sturt as sturt adelaide at times....

Yes, Ian Day often referred to Sturt as "Sturt Adelaide". A habit he couldn't seem to shake.

A sideline from that match was that most players would spend the day before a Grand Final relaxing or whatever. Paul Bagshaw spent the day cementing his driveway at home. Interesting way to prepare

ahh, the old days...now its gatorade, rub down, yoga blah blah blah....

[Mr66]

I know Sturt were rank ousiders in this game, but
can anyone tell me why the Blues were underdogs
going into the 1966 Grand Final?

[GWW]

I know Sturt were rank ousiders in this game, but
can anyone tell me why the Blues were underdogs
going into the 1966 Grand Final?

Well i wasn't alive back then, but i'd say might have been coz Port were reigning premiers, and i also think they won in 63 as well. Sturt obviously won 5 in a row in the second half of the 60's but no one would have known beforehand that they were going to be so dominant for the second half of the decade.

[Magpiespower]

I know Sturt were rank ousiders in this game, but
can anyone tell me why the Blues were underdogs
going into the 1966 Grand Final?

Probably for the same reasons a lot of people are still backing the Dogs to win the premiership this year.

Even though Sturt finished top four games clear, Port managed to turn the tables in the 2SF, albeit by only one point.

After 9 premierships and one runners-up in the previous 12 seasons (there were two disastrous years when Port finished 3rd), the experts probably thought 'here they go again.'

History shows they were wrong. Maybe they'll be wrong this year too?