The 1970's Bulldogs - what should have been

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Everyone here who followed the dogs in the '70's is no doubt aware of just how many players, and quality players in most cases, left the club. To illustrate the point, here's a team of players who for whatever reason, left the club over a 7 year period 1973-80:

Backs: Murrie Sandilands Baker

Half backs: Low Bruce Reid McGhie

Centres: Stoneham Thorpe Collins

Half forwards: Morrison Quinlan Wilson

Forwards: Round Templeton Huppatz

Rucks: Dempsey Dunstan Bisset

I'change: Foreman

What i've always wondered is what were the various players reasons for leaving eg administration, money, coach etc.
There was the situation when the Social club locked out the football club which seemed ridiculous.

Even if we had managed to hold on to half of the players above, together with the players who remained, would have seen us be perennial finals contenders during the period.

[The Doctor]

Featherby

depressing isn't it!

[Twodogs]

Everyone here who followed the dogs in the '70's is no doubt aware of just how many players, and quality players in most cases, left the club. To illustrate the point, here's a team of players who for whatever reason, left the club over a 7 year period 1973-80:

Backs: Murrie Sandilands Baker

Half backs: Low Bruce Reid McGhie

Centres: Stoneham Thorpe Collins

Half forwards: Morrison Quinlan Wilson

Forwards: Round Templeton Huppatz

Rucks: Dempsey Dunstan Bisset

I'change: Foreman

What i've always wondered is what were the various players reasons for leaving eg administration, money, coach etc.
There was the situation when the Social club locked out the football club which seemed ridiculous.

Even if we had managed to hold on to half of the players above, together with the players who remained, would have seen us be perennial finals contenders during the period.


That particular incident was too stupid for words. Google the name Dick Collinson. What a *!*!*!*!ing idiot he was.

[Eastdog]

I think we only made the finals once in the 70s in 1974. I've heard that the late 70s early 80s were tough times for our club.

[Twodogs]

I think we only made the finals once in the 70s in 1974. I've heard that the late 70s early 80s were tough times for our club.

'76 as well Easty but we need not have bothered because we went out in the Elimination Final.

[Webby]

Add Ken Newland to that list. He saw the football club- social club thing go down in '76 and he, along with Billy Goggin said "stuff this, this place is a joke!" And went back to Geelong.... which was, itself, no beacon of success and stability in the 1970's!

Shows how bad we'd gotten! I'd love to know more about Dick Collinson and the shenanigans surrounding that particular guy!

[bornadog]

*We lost alot of players because the club was in a mess and in particular finances. Those days transfers to other clubs were allowed as long as a fee was paid. We therefore sold off many players to help finance the club. Templeton's knee was shot and we had an opportunity to cash in by sending him to Melbourne for a large fee.

*In the case of Bruce Reid he wanted to stay but the coach told him he should seek other opportunities. Goodbye father/son

*Wilson came back over the summer to preseason training with extra kilos and was basically sacked by Royce Hart (that was the 80s, are we talking the same Wilson?). Went on to win two brownlow medals.

* Barry Round was looking for more opportunities as number one ruck, with Dempsey there he thought he wouldn't get a chance, so he left for South Melbourne. Little did he know Dempsey was also leaving a few years later.

* Quinlan - transfer fee to help finances

Can't remember much more. I do remember my father getting very upset with Collinson and the way he was running the club

[Webby]

Bruce Reid was traded to Carlton by O'Sullivan (ex Carlton) in return for Jim Sewell's form 4 from WA. Carlton had held it. I think that was just prior to Malthouse joining and Hampshire was already on the way out.

[Twodogs]

*We lost alot of players because the club was in a mess and in particular finances. Those days transfers to other clubs were allowed as long as a fee was paid. We therefore sold off many players to help finance the club. Templeton's knee was shot and we had an opportunity to cash in by sending him to Melbourne for a large fee.

*In the case of Bruce Reid he wanted to stay but the coach told him he should seek other opportunities. Goodbye father/son

*Wilson came back over the summer to preseason training with extra kilos and was basically sacked by Royce Hart (that was the 80s, are we talking the same Wilson?). Went on to win two brownlow medals.

* Barry Round was looking for more opportunities as number one ruck, with Dempsey there he thought he wouldn't get a chance, so he left for South Melbourne. Little did he know Dempsey was also leaving a few years later.

* Quinlan - transfer fee to help finances

Can't remember much more. I do remember my father getting very upset with Collinson and the way he was running the club


It's the same Brian Wilson. To be fair he only won Brownlow though. It was a very disappointing time.

[Twodogs]

Bruce Reid was traded to Carlton by O'Sullivan (ex Carlton) in return for Jim Sewell's form 4 from WA. Carlton had held it. I think that was just prior to Malthouse joining and Hampshire was already on the way out.

Bluey had '83 with the new glam recruits and I think we had our 11/11 season for 7 years. But Malthouse was appointed over his head just before the '84 season.

[merantau]

Did Robert McGhie sit Dick Collinson on his arse? I remember that '76 loss to Geelong. We were a couple of goals up in time on ffs!

[Twodogs]

Did Robert McGhie sit Dick Collinson on his arse? I remember that '76 loss to Geelong. We were a couple of goals up in time on ffs!

I haven't heard that but it wouldn't surprise me.

[Webby]

Bluey had '83 with the new glam recruits and I think we had our 11/11 season for 7 years. But Malthouse was appointed over his head just before the '84 season.

Yeah I recall in round 2, 1983 that when we played and beat the reigning premier, Carlton, at WO, that our crown booed poor old Bruce Reid every time he got the footy!

Never really worked out why Bluey was sacked. Have a funny feeling he might've asked for more money after our decent 1983 season and Malthouse was simply cheaper..!

[Twodogs]

Yeah I recall in round 2, 1983 that when we played and beat the reigning premier, Carlton, at WO, that our crown booed poor old Bruce Reid every time he got the footy!

Never really worked out why Bluey was sacked. Have a funny feeling he might've asked for more money after our decent 1983 season and Malthouse was simply cheaper..!

You want to know the reason Bluey was sacked? The club found out that he was doing some ruck coaching at Geelong while he was our senior coach. We asked him to stop but Bluey being a good bloke couldn't see what the fuss was about. And Malthouse was available and we had very nearly appointed him the year before But the supporters demanded that Hampshire be appointed.

1983 was the season that the modern Footscray that eventually became the Western Bulldogs was kick started. If we'd had another couple of awful seasons in '83 and '84 like we had although the late '70s and early '80s that would have been a fatal blow to the club. It wouldn't have been fatal there and then but we wouldn't have withstood '89 the way we did.


There's one that scruffy Barrat can use in his Sliding Doirs thing.

[W W Biscuit]

Is that Ian Morrison or Peter Morrison in your team, Hose B? We lost both, to Essendon and South respectively. Although we got far more value out of Ian.

Also, we could have had Port legend Fred Cook in our forward line. He played briefly for the Dogs in the late 60s. Not sure why he didn't make it.

[Twodogs]

Is that Ian Morrison or Peter Morrison in your team, Hose B? We lost both, to Essendon and South respectively. Although we got far more value out of Ian.

Also, we could have had Port legend Fred Cook in our forward line. He played briefly for the Dogs in the late 60s. Not sure why he didn't make it.


I thouroughly reccomend Fearless Fred, the third best football book I have read and the best biography. Fred's story is unique.

He went to Port from Footscray via Yarraville where he won a Liston trophy as the best player in the competion.

Fred left Footscray because he'd been dropped to the reserves and he thought that Jack Collins (hon secretary at the time) didn't like him and got him dropped for reasons other than football (knowing Fred that would have been correct) and Yarraville just happened to offer to buy him a house at the same time. So Fred did the sensible thing and accepted Yarravilles offer. Probably the only sensible thing he ever did in his life.

There is a quote from Doug Hawkins (a man with plenty of demons of his own) in Fearless Fred that hits it straight on the head. "When I was a kid I used to carry Fred's boots into the ground so I could get in for free. Unfortunately 20 years later Fred wasn't fit to carry my boots into the ground."

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Yeah Ian Morrison biscuit. Don't know if Fred wouldv'e had the dedication to make it at the top level ;) Loved watching Fred kick a bag for Port on Sunday afternoons on the black and white tv.

[merantau]

I also recommend that biography of Fred Cook. Very sad ending for him. Drugs really played havoc with his life. He was a very talented footballer and we should never have let him go.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I thouroughly reccomend Fearless Fred, the third best football book I have read and the best biography. Fred's story is unique.

He went to Port from Footscray via Yarraville where he won a Liston trophy as the best player in the competion.

Fred left Footscray because he'd been dropped to the reserves and he thought that Jack Collins (hon secretary at the time) didn't like him and got him dropped for reasons other than football (knowing Fred that would have been correct) and Yarraville just happened to offer to buy him a house at the same time. So Fred did the sensible thing and accepted Yarravilles offer. Probably the only sensible thing he ever did in his life.

There is a quote from Doug Hawkins (a man with plenty of demons of his own) in Fearless Fred that hits it straight on the head. "When I was a kid I used to carry Fred's boots into the ground so I could get in for free. Unfortunately 20 years later Fred wasn't fit to carry my boots into the ground."

Is that book Fabulous Fred: The strife and times of Fred Cook?

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

It is definitely worth a read I bought my copy from his car boot at the 2014 VFL prelim at Port

[Twodogs]

Is that book Fabulous Fred: The strife and times of Fred Cook?


Yeah, that's the one. Thanks.