This report was written retrospectively, 22 years after the bounce to be precise, and is the first of a new Guardian Australia series celebrating classic sporting events with retro liveblogs. Thanks for reading and commenting.
The EJ Whitten Medal
…has been rather less controversially won by Saints on-baller Robert Harvey for his tireless efforts, not that you’d know it if from Seven’s South Australian broadcast.
And farewell...
That’s it from me for tonight, but what a cracking game of State of Origin football that was. It’ll never die out while they’re producing thrillers like that, will it?
Cornes and McDermott are presented with the Malcolm Blight Cup
What a moment for Chris McDermott. No South Australian captain has stood where he is now since the inception of decimal currency. And is Cornsey wearing MC Hammer’s pants? Amazing scenes here at the MCG.
But some drama…
Blight steps forward to present the Fos Williams Medal for South Australia’s best players and naturally enough it’s won by Darren Jar… Craig Bradley?
What? This is worse than Scorsese missing out at the Oscars for Goodfellas! Are they high? Bradley was serviceable but was anyone on the judging panel even watching the game tonight? Jarman has been robbed. You wouldn’t exactly describe his handshake of congratulations for Bradley as warm, would you?
South Australia win an epic State of Origin clash at the MCG! - South Australia 16.13 (109) defeat Victoria 14.13 (97)
They’ve done it! After 30 years without a win at the MCG, Cornes’ South Australians have triumphed! It was desperate stuff in that final term but the visitors couldn’t be denied the win. They’re basking in celebrations, arm-in-arm while the Victorian players and coaching panel look on like pallbearers. “They are in a state of shock,” says Sandy Roberts. That game was an absolute classic with five goals from Gary Ablett and a jaw-dropping six from Darren Jarman, a megastar among superstars.
South Australia goal – 4th quarter (1:58 remaining) - Victoria 14.12 (96) vs South Australia 16.13 (109)
The Victorians aren’t done and surge forward again but Lyon, almost faultless until now, gives up a momentum-breaking free kick to Leslie. The Vics come again through Harvey but after he dishes off a handball, Craig Sholl murders the chance to make himself a hero, spraying a running shot across the face for a behind. Paul Roos, by the way, looks to have copped a broken jaw in that clash with Leslie but you’d like to hope that the clubs won’t react too savagely to the news a star player has been injured playing State of Origin.
South Australia launch another attack through Francis and McGuinness, who’ve both been quiet, and a speculative snap inside 50 by the latter lands fortuitously in the hands of the ever-dependable Craig Bradley. Bradley misses! Oh dear, that was a sitter. There’s hope for the Vics when they go coast to coast and the ball ends up in the hands of a marauding Mick McGuane but like Sholl moments earlier, he wastes a chance to make a living legend of himself when he misses a gilt-edged chance on the run.
With three minutes left its still anyone’s game, time enough for either side to triumph. Stynes wins a free kick on the outer wing and passes to Burke. Burke’s 21st touch flies inside fifty but Wanganeen and the South Australian defence will not be breached. The young Don wins a free kick - his 25th touch for the day - and chips a safe pass to Hart before Robert Scott gives away a disastrous 50-metre penalty and allows Bradley to boot it deep into attack. For a moment the ball is in dispute at the edge of the goal square until destiny appears to intervene, because it lands right by the boot of the magic man Jarman and he promptly pokes it through off the ground for another.
Jarman’s got six! South Australia are home! I think…
South Australia goal – 4th quarter (6:14 remaining) - Victoria 14.11 (95) vs South Australia 15.12 (102)
The rain is pelting down now but rather than detracting from the spectacle it makes it appear even more Gladiatorial; a world heavyweight bout in the middle of a monsoon. The South Australians give every indication that they’re loving it. Bickley goads Anthony Rock with some kind of sledge and the Croweaters continue to win it forward one grubber at a time. It’s a case of hearts in mouths for the locals as Mark Harvey’s clearing kick from the back pocket slews off the side of his boot in comical fashion and flies out on the full, giving the ever-alert Darren Jarman the chance to sprint across and claim the resultant free kick on the boundary, well within range given his footballing genius.
Jarman lines up from an almost impossible angle, improves his chances slightly by running in bounds and then screws a majestic snap shot around the corner, the spin on the ball and the arc of its trajectory possibly putting the goal umpire in a trance before he signals six points. How? Just how? Sandy Roberts calls it “an inverted checkside punt”. I call it an absolute bloody miracle. Jarman now has five and you’d think he might also have broken Victoria’s spirit. He’s the best on ground by the length of the straight.
Victoria goal – 4th quarter (7:45 remaining) - Victoria 14.11 (95) vs South Australia 14.12 (96)
“There’s plenty of time left,” says Sandy Roberts, but the players are showing clear signs of tiring now. The Victorians in particular appear to have run themselves ragged. Somehow the Vics clear a mad scramble near South Australia’s goal mouth but can’t entirely quell the danger. Wisely, the umpires have basically put their whistles away in the dying stages of this game, steadfastly ignoring the appeals for soft frees and letting the play proceed uninterrupted. I hope we never lose that free-flowing aspect of the game...
The opposite of soft is Chris McDermott. The skipper drives South Australia forward again but Craig Bradley’s shot at goal falls short and Victoria relieve some of the relentless pressure they’re under when Paul Roos wins a free kick and then Loewe gets on the end of a searching pass from Lyon to goal from 30 metres out. Roos is being taken from the ground after that free; Leslie clipped him high and he looks like he’s really feeling it. More importantly, the Vics are within a point and this game continues on at fever pitch. It’s desperate stuff – a State of Origin classic!
South Australia goal – 4th quarter (11:54 remaining) - Victoria 13.11 (89) vs South Australia 14.12 (96)
Leslie’s even roaming the centre now and wins a clearance to set South Australia up for another scoring thrust. His fresh legs might really have an impact here, as could Andrew Jarman’s. Technically, Jarman’s are probably a bit to chunky to ever be classified as fresh, but go with me here. Meanwhile, Robert Harvey is still playing out of his skin and goes within a desperate South Australian lunge of goaling on the run.
Urgh, the rain is tumbling down now at the MCG but the deluge of goals has temporarily stopped. Or has it? Tony Hall intercepts an errant pass from Burke but his running attempt on sprays wide and out on the full on the southern side. Steve Kernahan hasn’t exactly set the world on fire tonight but with his most direct opponent in Stynes falling to the ground, the Blues skipper floats across the pack and marks strongly only 30 metres from goal. A successful set shot puts South Australia 7 points clear and the mood in the Victorian coaching box is currently icy, to say the least.
South Australia goal – 4th quarter (16:05 remaining) - Victoria 13.10 (88) vs South Australia 13.12 (90)
Martin Leslie’s back on the ground for South Australia and sets to work immediately, taking a relieving mark in defence. The South Australians bullock their way forward and then benefit from a Mil Hanna moment of madness when he legs his Blues teammates Craig Bradley 35 metres out on a slight angle. Bradley’s not going to miss a chance like that with the game in the balance and duly dobs it to snatch back the lead.
I’m putting it out there: I haven’t been on edge like this since that episode of Twin Peaks when we found out who killed Laura Palmer. Surely TV drama will never get better than that?
Victoria goal – 4th quarter (18:14 remaining) - Victoria 13.10 (88) vs South Australia 12.12 (84)
Moments after his fifth goal, Ablett’s on the charge again but spills a difficult marking chance on the lead and leaping to the absolute peak of his vertical reach. No matter, Harvey marks just outside 50 and sends a sumptuous pass into the corridor for Paul Roos to mark and goal. The Vics are really hammering home their advantage in the early stages of this quarter and like Ken Bruce, this game has gone completely mad.
Victoria goal – 4th quarter (19:23 remaining) - Victoria 12.10 (82) vs South Australia 12.12 (84)
Victoria win the first clearance of the final term and finally something goes right for Ablett. Not coincidentally it occurs when he’s kicking on his right boot. The forward entry came from Williams but after it sailed past Hart and Ablett, the latter regrouped quickest to double back and receive a chancy, looping handball from Salmon before dribbling an improvised snap that produced an even better off-break than anything Peter Such managed two nights ago to take six Aussie wickets at Old Trafford. The Vics continue to push and Ablett has his fifth.
THREE-QUARTER TIME - Victoria 11.10 (76) vs South Australia 12.12 (84)
If that Jarman goal was a hammer-blow for the Vics late in the third term, there’s a chance of pegging one back when the industrious Harvey hits Ablett on the chest from the centre break but Ablett misses badly from a gettable set shot. He’s got 4.4 now and must have had 12 shots at goal at this stage.
As the three-quarter time siren sounds, South Australia have the momentum in this game. Can the Vics pull out something magic here or will the Croweaters claim their first MCG victory in 30 years? News out of the South Australian huddle also suggests that Grenvold and Hynes will make belated entries in the final term and it looks like they’ve replaced Modra and Bulluss on Cornes’ magnetic board. That’s pretty tough on Bulluss if he’s still fit and firing. He’s been a real Trojan tonight.
South Australia goal - 3rd quarter (0:52 remaining) Victoria 11.9 (75) vs South Australia 12.12 (84)
Victoria goes forward again but somehow conspire to spurn a series of chances, the first when Salmon struggles to hold his ground in the goal square, the second when Hanna misses a running shot to the near side and the third when McGuane almost brings the house down with a long bomb from outside 50.
It’s desperate stuff from both sides now, and end-to-end, lung-busting, high stakes football. That suits Darren Jarman just fine and after the greasy ball darts every which way across South Australia’s half-forward line the hemmed-in Hawk produces a moment of sublime inspiration, hammering it off the ground from 35 metres out, splitting a pair of Victorian defenders and watching the ball skid through for a goal of genuine audacity. How do defend against that? He’s got four goals now and shapes as the difference-maker in this game.
Victoria goal - 3rd quarter (3:03 remaining) Victoria 11.7 (73) vs South Australia 11.12 (78)
Bradley sharks it out of the middle for South Australia but the Vics put together a string of handballs to clear the danger and move it forward to Ablett. The Geelong star snaps on his left again (will he even bother trying his right foot again tonight? It wouldn’t appear so) but as Sandy Roberts notes, it lacks the Shane Warne leg break it needs. Ben Hart’s been injured in that clash with Ablett, by the way. That could spell danger for South Australia but after breaking free once more Ablett fails with another pair of left foot snaps, one missing altogether and the other travelling across the face of goal for a behind. He’s got 4.3 as I type, most of them launched from his left. Maybe he’s just set himself a strange personal challenge. Wouldn’t put it past him
Anthony Rock trots off the ground for Victoria and with that Salmon is back out there and stalking the goal square, for which I have no logical explanation. Maybe Goggin’s using him as a decoy because Burke soon snakes his way through the middle and sends a bullet pass into the arms of an unguarded Garry Lyon, who neatly goals from 40 metres out. The Vics are gamely hanging in there.
Just back to young Shane Warne, if you haven’t seen the breathtaking delivery that the plucky Victorian leggie unleashed on Mike Gatting last night, wrap your eyes around this pearler. I was fairly unimpressed by young Warne two summers back against India but he really might be something, don’t you think? We’re getting to the point where he simply has to be picked ahead of Tim May, I reckon.
South Australia goal - 3rd quarter (8:05 remaining) Victoria 10.5 (65) vs South Australia 11.11 (77)
Ablett continues to engage in what can only be described as ‘lairising’, throwing his arms around like a wounded falcon in an attempt to throw Hart off in a marking contest. It’s unsuccessful and when South Australia surge back into attack, Modra sets off on a purposeful lead so that Kernahan need only stick the ball out in front of him to ensure the mark and a shot at goal.
As Modra goes through the routine of marking out his run-up, I can’t help but note his shorts are currently ranking quite high on the Capper Index for brevity. Did he steal them off one of the Little Leaguers? If you like bum cheek in 1993, Tony Modra is the full-forward for you. Modra makes no mistake with the shot at goal and that’s actually his first for the night. Frawley has really done a number on him so far.
South Australia goal - 3rd quarter (9:22 remaining) Victoria 10.5 (65) vs South Australia 10.11 (71)
Knights, Loewe, Salmon and poor Ross Smith are warming the bench for Victoria now, the latter currently getting about as much action as Screech from Saved by the Bell. Likewise, David Grenvold has been a purely decorative presence on the pine for South Australia and is currently joined by David Pittman, Martin Leslie and David Hynes. Not much run there, and I also wonder how smart it is for Graham Cornes to have pulled Pittman from the game when he’d acquitted himself so well in the ruck.
But it’s Jarman time! The Andrew variety steams away from half back to launch the ball into attack for South Australia and latching onto his brother’s pass, Darren steamrolls his way towards goal, blows off a would-be tackler and bisects the middle for a running goal. He’s got three now to go with 17 possessions and South Australia has their lead back. Does Jarman have an opponent?
South Australia goal - 3rd quarter (10:53 remaining) Victoria 10.5 (65) vs South Australia 9.11 (65)
The Vics have kicked seven straight now. It’s weird, on one hand they can’t miss, yet they still feel utterly vulnerable. The battle between Ablett and Hart continues to hold this crowd in rapt fascination and remains the individual contest of the game. Hart’s taking the kick-ins too and hits Craig Bradley on the chest beautifully to launch a South Australian rebound. Wanganeen is also doing a power of work across the half back line. He works it to Jarman, who belts a pass forward to McGuinness but the Adelaide rover settles in for a set-shot from well outside his range when he might have instead passed to a leading Modra.
Soon the Vics are in attack but Ablett has another mad moment, audaciously attempting a soccer volley towards goal when he probably should have gathered the ball and slotted it. South Australia sweep back into attack and the ball ends up in the safe and skilful hands of Tony Hall. He doesn’t produce anything as eye catching as his miracle goal last year but neatly buries a running chance from 40 metres out to the audible groans of the MCG crowd. It’s all tied up in Melbourne.
Victoria goal - 3rd quarter (15:35 remaining) Victoria 10.4 (64) vs South Australia 8.9 (58)
Ablett’s a menacing presence in Victoria’s attacking fifty right now and he’s even flying into ruck duels as well. Mil Hanna has a crack at a running goal from the boundary on the southern side but sprays that effort out on the full and into the stands. Rebounding quickly, Russell almost goals on the run but his long-range effort is rushed over the line by a Victorian defender.
Soon Ablett is holding off Hart out on the flank, spinning onto his left boot and floating an artful pass into the arms of a diving Gary Lyon. That’s a great grab! Don Scott says the Dees star is more than a little sore and sorry but he makes no mistake from 25 metres out to put the Vics a goal clear. This game just refuses to settle into a rhythm.
By the way – and I really don’t want to detract from this spectacle in any way by asking this – does anyone know who the musical guest is tonight on Hey Hey it’s Saturday? I swear I overheard someone saying that it might be The Sharp (hopefully a sneak peak of their new single) but I can’t be certain. Better video that one too, I guess.
Victoria goal - 3rd quarter (17:52 remaining) Victoria 9.4 (58) vs South Australia 8.9 (57)
Replacing Pittman in the middle, Robran wins the first tap of the second half and then boots the South Australians into attack. Harvey scoots away through the centre to get Victoria moving but it’s like circle work to start the second half. That pattern is finally broken when Mick McGuane, a little quieter than expected so far, gathers at half forward before surging forward and kicking a gorgeous running goal from the 50 metre arc. That’s a perfect start for the Big V.
A few final adjustments
“I believe this is going to be one of the best second halves we’ve seen in interstate football,” says a hopeful Victorian Gerard Healy moments before the start of the second half, “They’re a little bit better on the ground so that could advantage them a little bit more with the ball a little greasy now.”
The Vics have rejigged their side a little to make themselves more mobil, he says. Mark Harvey comes onto the ground for his first run of the night at the expense of Matthew Knights, which Healy thinks will give them “more run off the wings.” No, I can’t quite make sense of it either. Paul Roos will shift to centre half forward, but Healy seems rather agitated with the negative line of questioning from Seven’s Bernie Quinlan. It’s winningly-awkward TV.
More half-time notes
Victoria currently lead the possession count by a narrow margin, 171-168, and have also outmarked SA 40-32 and thrashed them in the centre breaks, 12-6. But what’s going wrong? How are they misusing the ball so badly when they go forward? Persisting so long with the malfunctioning Salmon was part of the problem but aside from the standout efforts of Paul Roos (17 possessions, 7 marks), Nathan Burke, Robert Harvey, Jim Stynes (19 possessions, 7 marks, 7 hit-outs) and Greg Williams (20 possessions, 2 goals), the Vics have spread the load a little thin.
South Australia’s best have been Russell, Bradley (10 possessions), Bickley (17), Obst and Darren Jarman (12 touches, 2 goals).Things might get a little more difficult for both sides in the second half though because rain is starting to tumble down at the MCG.
HALF-TIME – Victoria 8.4 (52) vs South Australia 8.9 (57)
Hmm, Greg Williams might have lowered his eyes before blazing away at goal after that restart because Lyon was well within his range to accept a pass. Nevertheless, the Vics lock it inside fifty and they’re applying plenty of pressure in what’s become an almighty arm-wrestle. As that’s happening, Robert Scott comes from the ground and he’s replaced by Roo Anthony Rock.
Lyon spills a diving mark he might have taken and then Bulluss is poleaxed by Ablett just as he gets a kick out of defence to relieve pressure late in this first half. Obst continues to do a power of work for South Australia but the half-time siren sounds with the ball in dispute on the outer wing.
That was a frustrating end to the half for the visitors in many ways. Despite dominating in patches, South Australia kicked 4.6 in that quarter and Victoria 5 straight. Might the Croweaters rue that wastefulness later? Only time will tell. Graham Cornes sprints down the race from the coaches box in what looks like a snappy chambray shirt, which has just reminded me that I’ve got a final lay-by payment to make down at Just Jeans.
Anyway, South Australia lead by 5 points at the main break. I’m just off to put some West Coast Coolers in the fridge and then we’ll be back with the second half.
Victoria goal – 2nd quarter (3:16 remaining) – Victoria 8.4 (52) vs South Australia 8.8 (56)
Have I mentioned what a warrior Paul Roos has been tonight? He’s as tough as teak, the Roys champ. Speaking of tough, Craig Bradley streams through the middle for SA, taking a number of bounces before punting it deep inside 50 to Darren Jarman. The latter marks spectacularly over Gavin Brown but the sheepish stare the Hawk gives the umpire following that effort rather obviously segues to a free kick to Brown for a push in the back. Jarman even does the wrong thing well, doesn’t he?
Lyon’s providing a real target up forward for Victoria and juggles a strong mark as he’s being harried by Nigel Smart. Even better, he goes back and converts the set shot from the brink of the 50-metre line. That gets his side back within a goal.
Victoria goal – 2nd quarter (5:15 remaining) – Victoria 7.4 (46) vs South Australia 8.8 (56)
SA skipper Chris McDermott wins the centre clearance for SA but the Vics regroup and head forward through Matty Knights. He stops, props and then curls a wonderful pass into the path of a rampaging Ablett. Amazingly, Ablett will line up for his fourth goal despite the fact that he’s been well covered by Hart. From 30 metres out on the southern side he narrowly squeezes the ball through for a major. That’s harsh on Hart I reckon. He’s been superb so far.
It could be worse – at least Hart doesn’t have to wear one of the strips the Queensland/NT side will be sporting tomorrow, as modelled here by Michael McLean and Marcus Ashcroft with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm. Ouch.
South Australia goal – 2nd quarter (6:20 remaining) – Victoria 6.4 (40) vs South Australia 8.8 (56)
Ablett wins a fairly soft free kick out on the forward flank and sends Victoria forward again but South Australia clear the danger easily. Tony Francis is starting to work his way into the game now, patrolling the centre and scheming away in determined style. Speaking of bench players making an impact, Andrew Obst has been a sensation since he came on in the first term. He kicks another goal here and this time it’s a booming long punt on the run; a real team-lifter. Not bad for a guy playing amateurs five years ago.
Victoria goal – 2nd quarter (7:38 remaining) – Victoria 6.4 (40) vs South Australia 7.7 (49)
The Vics strike back immediately! Their forwards might be a bit discombobulated at the moment but there’s no arguing with Greg Williams’ direct approach here. The Blues on-baller muscles his way forward, gathering the spillage from Lyon’s attempted mark, baulking one would-be tackler and then threading a goal from 35 metres out on the run. That’s his second and keeps the Big V in touch.
South Australia goal – 2nd quarter (7:59 remaining) – Victoria 5.4 (34) vs South Australia 7.7 (49)
Adding immeasurably to Don Scott’s sense of moral superiority, Goggin moves Gary Lyon into the goal square in search of greater scoring impact. He can’t do much of that with South Australia winning the centre clearances though. Kernahan marks at half forward and bombs long to the goal square, where a mad scramble allows Modra and Darren Jarman to raffle the open goal between them. It’s the latter who pokes it through out of mid-air as the Croweaters take a healthy 15-point lead. Jarman’s posing BIG problems.
South Australia goal – 2nd quarter (8:29 remaining) – Victoria 5.4 (34) vs South Australia 6.7 (43)
Ball magnet Robert Harvey sends the Vics into attack a few more times but the South Australians hold firm. As that’s happening, Andrew Jarman comes on for his first run of the night at the expense of Matthew Robran as SA search for the right combination. They’re really chopping and changing their line-up at a rapid rate. Is this rotation of players too hasty? Is 45 minutes of football a long enough period to give a struggling player a chance to get it right? Geez, it’s a brutal game these days. They’ve made at least 3 or 4 changes so far. It’s dizzying.
Jarman already has that gem from earlier under his belt and though his set shot now is child’s play in comparison, it fades right to register a minor score. Easy goals are beneath Darren Jarman, I reckon. Better to let mortals score those ones. After the kick-in McKay pumps it back into a seething mosh-pit of players at the edge of the South Australian goal square and Kernahan rises above them like a tall, plump salmon (as opposed to Salmon, who is tall but currently not too athletic) to reel in the mark. Somehow Sticks misses the simplest of set shots and he’s filthy with himself, staring blankly at the goal umpire as though he’s just shot-gunned the last tinnie in the fridge.
Finally Obst drags this extended passage of play out of its torpor, gathering the ball 15 metres from goal and snapping it high across his body for a South Australian goal. Phew. As that’s happening, Don Scott’s prayers (not the ones about Leigh Matthews’ personal safety) are answered when a dejected Salmon plonks himself down on the bench next to Ross Smith and Mark Harvey. The latter now has a blanket over his lap and might also be wearing a pair of slippers at this point. Someone give him some shortbread biscuits and a cup of Earl Grey.
Victoria goal – 2nd quarter (12:36 remaining) – Victoria 5.4 (34) vs South Australia 5.5 (35)
McDermott wins it out of the centre all too easily for the South Australians and pumps it forward again, whereupon Tony Francis is gifted a shot at goal when he’s scragged to the ground by Gary O’Donnell. Billy Goggin won’t be happy with that because the crime occurred right under the umpire’s nose. I guess that’s often going to be the case when they’ve got two of them out there. Madness. Thankfully for O’Donnell, Francis misses from 40 metres out on a slight angle.
To put it bluntly, the Vics are under siege at the moment and things aren’t helped when they do finally move the ball forward through Lyon, only for Salmon to shell a simple uncontested mark on the lead. He’s having a real stinker, The Big Fish. Don Scott is beside himself with rage that Salmon hasn’t been dragged yet, suggesting that Lyon might be a better bet as a forward target. It’s pretty hard to disagree with him on that one, no matter how belligerent he sounds.
Shown no favouritism, Gavin Brown’s taken high in a tackle from his Pies teammate Tony Francis but again Ablett is outmanoeuvred by young Ben Hart and gives his man a soft free kick. With Salmon lame and Ablett being blanketed, Robert Scott emerges as an unlikely forward target when he marks in front of Wanganeen 35 metres from goal but his set shot is woeful, falling 10 metres short. Nathan Burke’s 11th possession sends the Vics forward again but it’s all a bit aimless right now – they’re just hitting and hoping.
Finally Ablett wriggles free of Hart, leading out into space and strongly marking Matthew Knights’ long, searching pass. Ablett doesn’t seem confident to kick from 45 metres out on the members side flank but eventually settles into his set-shot routine and strokes it beautifully to bring up a major. He’s got a better strike rate than Dean Jones at the moment and that’s really saying something.
South Australia goal – 2nd quarter (17:35 remaining) – Victoria 4.4 (28) vs South Australia 5.4 (34)
Ablett’s crashing through the middle now, inspirationally battering his way past an opponent and handballing off to Brown. Scott Russell’s also in the thick of things again, latching onto a handball from Hall and zipping a beautiful pass into the path of Modra. Modra loses his left boot in the process of hauling in the leading mark but it doesn’t seem to faze him unduly. “He’ll need that left boot for purchase,” Don Scott helpfully informs us.
Modra still hasn’t kicked one yet, well down on his normal productivity. And he misses again! That was a shocker too from well within scoring range. As if to say, “must I do it all myself?” Scotty Russell pounces on the ball a good 70 metres from goal after the kick-in, charges forward and with transparent intent boots a majestic running goal from well outside fifty. He’s playing in a dream at the moment, Russell. Probably South Australia’s best so far.
Victoria goal – 2nd quarter (19:23 remaining) – Victoria 4.4 (28) vs South Australia 4.3 (27)
And we’re under way in the second term. Gavin Brown wins a free kick and the centre break and the Vics get on the board immediately with Ablett gratefully seizing upon that quick forward entry, wheeling around onto his left with oodles of space and booting an in-swinging drop punt straight over the umpire’s hat from 40 metres out. He made that look deceptively easy with that fluid, low-slung gait of his, but it was far from simple. That’s exactly the start he and his side would have been looking for.
Some quarter time tidbits
The news is that Bill Goggin will stick with Salmon up forward, shifting him to the goal square and asking Ablett to move around up the ground a little more. Is that a wise move with Hart well and truly covering the Cat for pace? I’m not so sure on that one Billy… I think you want Ablett and Hart one-out in contests, myself.
Graham Cornes’ message to his team, according to Seven’s Max Stevens, is to get in front and look for Modra. A reminder: this is why AFL coaches get paid the big bucks in this professional era; military-grade tactics and canny powers of observation. Anyway, we’re only a few moments away from the start of the second term. Buckle up.
QUARTER-TIME – Victoria 3.4 (22) vs South Australia 4.3 (27)
If Nathan Burke had the ball on a string early, it’s Scott Russell dominating the middle in the closing stages of the quarter. Does he even have an opponent? In contrast, Paul Salmon is having an absolute ‘mare and with under a minute left, gives away a free kick in a ruck contest when the ball is deep inside Victoria’s forward fifty. With 14 seconds left Frawley sets off through the middle of the ground and bombs long but again Ablett fails to reel in a mark he might have taken. With that, the first term is over and the players head into their huddles for a breather.
He kicked that freakish goal early, Ablett, but he’s been a source of mild frustration since. He might have torn this game open by now but Hart is wearing him like a glove. Perhaps he needs a little more help down there than Salmon’s currently offering. The Vics were out of the gates early but South Australia has pegged this back to take both a statistical and moral advantage to the first break. They lead by 5 points.
South Australia goal - 1st quarter (2:11 remaining) – Victoria 3.4 (22) vs South Australia 4.3 (27)
The intensity of this game has really gone up a notch in the last five minutes, both teams attacking the ball-carrier hard and hammering into contests. Ablett’s throwing himself around in theatrical fashion but for all the flapping and flailing, he’s not actually winning himself many scoring opportunities. Knights misses a set shot from 40 metres out on an angle fairly unfavourable to his left boot and there’s immediate ramifications when SA sweep it down the other end through Bradley and the dangerous Tony Hall goals on the run. Upon viewing the replay, Don Scott is almost beside himself in praise: “If you’re just a connoisseur of football,” he says, “here’s a magical piece of action… Poetry in motion!” Here’s another catchphrase for you: Is Don, is good.
The South Australians have all the momentum now.
South Australia goal - 1st quarter (4:08 remaining) – Victoria 3.3 (21) vs South Australia 3.3 (21)
Gavin Brown storms through the centre like Atilla the Hun, bravely ducking his head and shovelling out a handball but it’s to no avail because the Croweaters win it forward through a chain of handballs and after he’s latched onto one from Obst, Steve Kernahan nails a running goal to level the scores. That was champagne football from the visitors.
Kernahan gives Obst an appreciative slap on the backside, one boasting the kind of extended wind-up you’d only get from a man who can confidently reverse a trailer full of house bricks around a tight corner. What a man. He’s cooler than those Mambo t-shirts with the farting dogs, big Sticks. I really can’t think of higher praise than that.
P.S. How good is the new Aerosmith single? Just when you think they can’t better their last one, they only go and do it again. My other big prediction today: grunge is a passing fad. Long live classic rock.
South Australia goal - 1st quarter (4:40 remaining) – Victoria 3.3 (21) vs South Australia 2.3 (15)
Congestion in the threadbare centre square leads to a second bounce, after which Gavin Wanganeen sends SA forward but the Vics rebound in waves of handballs from Langford, Hanna and Harvey. Far more silky is Hawk Darren Jarman, who dances through the centre and curves a beautiful pass in towards Modra. The high-flying forward doesn’t even need to break stride but ends up winning a free kick as he’s impeded by Victorian full-back Danny Frawley. Modra is bigger than Bradman back home in Adelaide right now but he hits the post! “Most of the fans here would be favouring Victoria,” says Ian Robertson, completely blowing the minds of TV viewers across the nation.
Victoria transition well but Gavin Brown narrowly misses from 45 metres out on the run, as does Mick McGuane under minimal pressure from straight in front. South Australia’s defenders are mainly stationed on the members side of the ground, which Don Scott labels “an interesting concept”. Even more interesting is the homespun defensive tactics of Bulluss to edge out Loewe and fire off a handpass to Scott Russell. Russell runs in a bit of a circle and finds Craig Bradley in space but the Blue spurns a clear-cut chance to goal from 45 metres out. Opportunities are really going begging here.
Meanwhile, Gary Lyon is doing a terrific job across half back, mostly keeping Robran out of the game and rebounding well. Do we underrate Lyon’s versatility? He’s an absolute gun, really. There’s loose men everywhere through the middle of the ground and after the Vics move it forward, Ablett reminds us that in some minor way he’s still human, pushing his left foot snap across the face of goal from 40 metres out.
Interestingly, Andrew Obst is on the ground now (a bit early to be making interchanges, Cornsey?) to replace Martin Leslie and he’s straight into the action across half back. Seconds later the ball is in the hands of Jarman on the edge of the 50-metre line in front of the members stand. Were it any other player streaming forward with Mil Hanna right on his hammer, you wouldn’t think that a speculative shot at goal would be the percentage play but Jarman’s operating on a different level right now and even has time to look back at the Blues defender before he caresses it straight through the middle. I’m glad I programmed the VCR for this game, that’s a cracker!
Here’s a question for you: right now, on the 5th of June, 1993, who do you take for your own side: Ablett or Jarman? When he’s doing stuff like that I’d be leaning towards the latter.
Victoria goal - 1st quarter (10:26 remaining) – Victoria 3.0 (18) vs South Australia 1.1 (7)
The momentum is with the Vics now and again they win the centre break, this time through a free kick to The Diesel, Greg Williams. His forward entry is ineffectual though, as is another from McGuane in the direction of Ablett. Hart continues to run off the latter with a real sense of confidence, which sets up Tony Francis to sprint through the centre in space and nail a pass onto Tony Modra’s chest. The Crows pin-up is right on the edge of his range at 45 metres out and his set shot falls short.
Footy now being a game of layered tactics, the South Australians all ‘man up’ from the Victorian kick in. I wonder if we’ll see a huddle at any stage tonight. Just keep an eye out for those nuances, I guess. What we do see is Paul Roos wrapping Craig Bradley up in a tackle and then sending it forward to a high-flying Ablett. Ablett almost scrapes his head on the roof of the new southern stand but as he’s hitting the deck the ball is whipped across the face of goal towards the hulking Stewart Loewe. He marks strongly and from 40 metres out sends it straight through the middle from that ungainly but effective kicking action.
The Vics have got a run on now, kicking three unanswered goals. Can they keep it up?
Victoria goal - 1st quarter (12:58 remaining) – Victoria 2.0 (12) vs South Australia 1.0 (6)
Pittman wins another tap but again it’s Nathan Burke sharking it out of the middle and punting it long towards Ablett. Ben Hart holds firm for now, getting the front position and outmarking the Cats champ before relieving from deep in defence. Burke looks for Harvey on the wing but SA’s Andrew McKay is all over the young Saint like a spider-monkey, spoiling the mark with his long, loose limbs. He must be rapt to have found himself at a club as steeped in success as Carlton. He’ll probably want to stay there for life.
Soon Ablett drags Hart out towards half forward but the youngster has him covered for pace and notably so. That’ll be a terrific tussle tonight. Stynes pumps Victoria deep into attack but this time Nigel Smart repels the forward thrust as the ball continues to ping from end to end. Nathan Burke appears to have brought a paddock of space and his own Ross Faulkner with him tonight, winning possessions at will. After he moves the ball forward again to a runner in Robert Scott, there’s a moment of whimsy and near-magic from Ablett to ignite this game.
The champ avoids a 2-on-1 contest with Hart and Martin Leslie by defensively punching the ball away as they might have themselves before sprinting away from goal to retrieve it and then with Leslie hanging from his bulky hips, spins around 180 degrees towards goal to dribble it through on his left. Remarkable stuff. Ablett grimaces in some coded display of satisfaction and then dusts himself off as everyone else in the stadium scratches their head in wonder. What a goal! Hart might outrun him, but there’s not much he can do about the fact that his opponent comes from another planet.
Victoria goal - 1st quarter (15:37 remaining) – Victoria 1.0 (6) vs South Australia 1.0 (6)
The bounce is a little better this time but Nathan Burke’s worm-burning pass inside the Victorian forward fifty is chopped off by Bulluss. Better still is the speccie Paul Roos takes from the resultant disposal but soon enough it’s straight back to Bulluss, as though they’re in the backyard at Mum’s place. As Bulluss takes his next clearing kick that luscious ponytail is draped over the front of his shoulder, a symbol of something powerful that I can’t quite put my finger on, perhaps his devotion to the works of Ugly Kid Joe.
Again Burke is in the thick of things for the Vics, shovelling it out to McGuane, who in turn offers up some silver service to Ablett with a truly majestic pass. Ablett could probably shoot at goal but he passes unselfishly into the arms of the better-positioned Greg Williams. Thirty metres out, Williams is within his kicking range and duly dobs it. The reactions on the faces of Anthon Rock, Craig Sholl and Mark Harvey on the Victorian bench say it all; we’d probably rather have the weekend off. Scores are level at the MCG.
South Australia goal - 1st quarter (16:57 remaining) – Victoria 0.0 (0) vs South Australia 1.0 (6)
Darren Goldspink’s first bounce is a shocker, shooting off at right angles towards David Pittman and offering Vics ruckman Jim Stynes zero opportunity to give his side first use of the ball. Chris McDermott is crunched in a tackle and earns himself a free kick, the first of the game.
Sandy Roberts is calling SA “the Crows”. Is that allowed? Either way they go forward but Victoria rebound well through Pie Mick McGuane, who arrows a lace-out pass onto the chest of young Saints Rob Harvey in the middle of the ground. He’ll have some nerves tonight, the youngster. Harvey’s kick finds a familiar target at half-forward in Stewie Loewe but the South Australians rebound effectively.
What would you call Tony Francis’ hair tonight? Not quite a mullet, but it’s spiky, helmet-like and adorned with some very stylish blonde tips. I might take a photo into the barbershop and see if they can replicate it. It’s end -to-end stuff out in the middle, neither side entering fifty with any great purpose until Mark Bickley spears it into the arms of Matthew Robran 25 metres out on a slight angle. Robran goes back and drills it to the hearty boos of the Victorian fans. That’s just what this game needed. It’s been scrappy stuff so far but SA ran in waves then across half back and they’ve taken the early lead.
And the broadcast is under way
Seven get off to a flyer with some highlights of Ablett rag-dolling Mick Gayfer out of the way to take a strong mark in Tuesday night’s game. Can we apply metrics to the confidence knock the New South Wales defender took from having to wear a powder blue guernsey?
Joe Camilleri and The Black Sorrows are in the house for our pre-game entertainment. Is that a white scarf he’s wearing or a pirate shirt? Oh dear, an Australian flag has been unintentionally singed in all of the revelry, but that’s forgotten as greats of State of Origin’s past are whisked around the ground in a fleet of luxurious Ford Capris. Maurice Rioli, Stephen Michael, Verdun Howell and Kevin Bartlett are all there, each trying to avoid motion sickness as the motorcade hurtles around the ground at about 85kmph.
“Victoria – stand and deliver” is the message on the banner as the home side make their way onto the ground. Ted Whitten and Vics coach Billy Goggin stride purposefully towards the coaching box and both look locked in for a tense few hours. Their opposite number, Graham Cornes, gets right among his players with some words of inspiration as they warm up.
With Wendy Stapleton’s rock opera-style national anthem and Bernie Quinlan’s predictions (someone should give that guy a coaching job) out of the way, we’re only moments away from the first bounce. The Vics are greased up with deep heat. Paul Bulluss’ ponytail is safely fastened. Let’s do this thing.
Our teams tonight
This game will feature the two in-form spearheads of the competition in Modra and Ablett. The Crow is currently leading all comers in the league goalkickers tally with 59 after the first 10 rounds and Ablett has 52. Personally I would have liked to see Danny Del-Re in a Victorian jumper after his solid start to the year but you can’t have everything. Adrian McAdam was also stiff to miss out tonight for the South Australians – what thrills the first two months his league career have produced.
Of Victoria’s triumphant side from earlier in the week, Steve Silvagni, Andrew Bews and Craig Lambert will all miss this game. John Platten and Greg Anderson are big outs for the Croweaters, but inspirational SA veteran Steve Kernahan has proved his fitness and will no doubt be offering his side an indecipherable motivational speech as I type this.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: M. Bickley, S. Kernahan, T. Modra, N. Smart, T. Francis, M. Robran, C. McDermott, T. McGuinness, G. Wanganeen, D. Jarman, T. Hall, M. Leslie, C. Bradley, A. Obst, D. Grenvold, S. Russell, B. Hart, A. McKay, A. Jarman, D. Hynes, D. Pittman, P. Bulluss.
VICTORIA: P. Roos, G. Brown, N. Burke, G. Williams, R. Scott, A. Rock, G. O’Donnell, M. McGuane, M. Hanna, G. Ablett, M. Harvey, R. Harvey, R. Smith, D. Frawley, S. Loewe, C. Langford, G. Lyon, P. Salmon, J. Stynes, M. Knights, G. Lovett, C. Sholl.
Our umpires tonight, for those of you who care, are Darren Goldspink and Bryan Sheehan. Personally, my big hope tonight is that Tony Hall produces something as special as his freakish goal from the pocket last year. As Don Scott said, “thank goodness we’ve got pictures to show you.”
The story so far
This is the big one. The Final. South Australia vs Victoria. Four years back this game drew a near capacity crowd of 91,000 as Lockett and Dunstall got the Vics home. It’s early days but tonight the attendance numbers look to have thinned out a little, disappointing given the fact that Ablett, Salmon, Kernahan, Modra and Darren Jarman will be strutting their stuff, not to mention ‘Trial by Video’ drummer Paul Bulluss. Perhaps the fans are just confused by this 4:40pm twilight start time.
South Australia got here by defeating the Sandropers by six goals on a chilly Wednesday night at Football Park, thanks largely to Tony Modra’s five goals and solid contributions from a host of goal-kicking midfielders. Western Australia hate losing games like those. A few years back Ted Whitten offered WA coach Ron Alexander some commiserations after a loss, noting that it had at least been a cracking game. “It was shithouse,” replied Alexander, “we got beaten.” Can’t really argue with his logic there.
The Vics? They crushed Wayne Carey’s NSW/ACT side by 65 points with Salmon and Ablett sharing in 10 goals with Carey probably a little disoriented given he was wearing a South Australian jumper only a year ago. That’s the beauty of State of Origin I suppose; you never know who’ll be re-zoned at the last minute. Jason Dunstall is slated to appear in the Queensland/NT side tomorrow, but I still wouldn’t bet against him running out for the Vics tonight at a last-minute inclusion.
This year there’s actually been very few dramas regarding allegiances, which is bad news for fans of the kind of administrative chaos we saw three years back, when Stevie Wright, John Longmire, Brett Allison and Bernard Toohey all represented Victoria against Tasmania when only a month before they’d been playing for New South Wales against Victoria. Graeme Wright played for the Vics against NSW that year but he’s a Taswegian again now. Go figure.
The Croweaters haven’t won on the MCG since 1963 and I must say, I’m expecting Victoria to continue their dominance tonight. You heard it here first. State of Origin football is alive and well, even if Melburnians haven’t stormed the gates just yet. Just on that, the price of admission is $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Are the AFL taking us for a bit of a ride? I could head down to Timezone and play Street Fighter 40 times for that kind of dosh and still have money left for a Curly Wurly and a packet of Muncheros. Something for Ross Oakley to consider.
Preamble
Good evening all and welcome to this Guardian live blog of the 1993 State of Origin Final between Victoria and South Australia. I would have loved to bring you this game live from the MCG, but this IBM 486 of mine is too bulky for the press box and anyway, who wouldn’t want to sit on the sofa and drink in Seven’s glorious, high-gloss coverage? Right on cue, here’s the theme tune of all theme tunes: Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s ‘Fanfare for the common man’.
