|
Welcome,
Member
|
17 Apr 2019
Memories From Yesteryear
TOPIC:
1980 - The flag returns home 7 years 8 months ago #128213
|
Noel Carter had not seen the 1980 premiership flag since the afternoon he captained South Fremantle to victory over Swan Districts in that season’s WAFL grand final. “The last time I saw it was the day we won the bastard,” he said. “A lot of sweat and a lot of people were involved in winning that flag.” But the flag never reached the club after the grand final celebrations and its whereabouts have remained a mystery for nearly 40 years. The absence has always rankled the Bulldogs, who played in three consecutive grand finals at the turn of the decade for that sole premiership. It was an exhilarating era of WA football with South Fremantle at the forefront of a golden period of remarkable high scoring and the blossoming of the greatest array of Aboriginal talent in the game’s history. It was long suspected that a club official kept the flag after the match and later sold it to a well-heeled South Fremantle fan, but that rumour was never confirmed and the club had given up ever seeing the fruits of its victory. Until now. As the modern-day Bulldogs seek their own premiership this season, and prepare to take on Swan Districts at Fremantle Oval tomorrow, the 1980 flag is on its way back to them. Carter was contacted recently and the flag was given to him. He was unsure of the motivation but said it did not appear to have been locked away out of sight. “It looks as though it has been flying somewhere because it is a bit worn at the end,” he said. Carter did not recall receiving the flag after South won the match by 58 points but was presented with the premiership cup by WAFL chairman Jim Davies. “We went straight from the ground up into the old wooden WAFL members stand where the cup was presented,” he said. Carter won the club best and fairest that season, came second to teammate Stephen Michael in the Sandover Medal and was considered by many to be best on ground in the grand final. But the Simpson Medal went to Maurice Rioli, who earned the first of three consecutive best-on-ground medals in premiership deciders. Rioli shared the medal with Claremont’s Garry Shaw in South’s defeat the following season, then secured the Norm Smith Medal in his debut VFL season for Richmond in a loss to Carlton. Carter played 155 matches for the Bulldogs in an eight-year career after starting in Tasmania. He had a successful stint at Richmond that included the 1973 premiership in his fifth senior match. He joined the Bulldogs, who were coached by his former Richmond teammate Mal Brown, and remained in Perth after retiring in 1985. |
|
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation. |
1980 - The flag returns home 7 years 8 months ago #128471
|
|
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation. |
1980 - The flag returns home 7 years 8 months ago #128484
|
|
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation. |
1980 - The flag returns home 7 years 8 months ago #128491
|
|
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation. |
Moderators: Southerner
Search
Who's Online?
We have 525 guests and 5 members online
- Time For a Flag
- Country member
- Frothy
- Grumpy_Cardie
- Ricky
Newest Footy Recruits
- pato
- Rockwell
- Ben_AL
- KIWIFRUIT12
- Taj007