| 1927 STARTING THE BIG RUN |
| 1927 Grand Final COLLINGWOOD 2.13.25 RICHMOND 1.7.13 Goals: G Coventry 2 Best Players: S. Coventry, Makeham, Murphy, Beveridge, Rowe, H. Collier At MCG Crowd: 34,551 Collingwood Team: B: H. Westcott, C. Dibbs, J. Poulter HB: E. Wilson, G. Clayden, A. Collier C: H. Chesswass, J. Beveridge, C. Milburn HF: F. Murphy, R. Makeham, J. Harris F: H. Rumney, G. Coventry, H. Collier FOLL.: S. Coventry, P. Rowe, W. Libbis CAPTAIN: Syd Coventry COACH: Jock McHale |
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| Collingwood had lost the 1925 and 1926 grand finals with a humiliating 57 point loss in 1926 to Melbourne making coach Jock McHale undertake some radical changes. Captain Tyson was sent packing and replaced with tough ruckman and utility player Syd Coventry signalling a new harder attitude at Victoria Park. With Syd�s brother Gordon dominating at full forward Collingwood ended up minor premiers with 15 wins and only three losses. They thrashed Geelonmg by 11 goals in the second semi with G Coventry snaring 7 and Harry Collier 4 goals and they seemed to have the flag in their keeping. But on the day before the final against Richmond heavy rain began falling in Melbourne and continued through Saturday morning. By the time the two teams ran out onto the MCG it was completely waterlogged with grandstand wing of the ground under water. In these sorts of conditions every game is a lottery and when Richmond won the toss and kicked to the Punt Road end with a strong breeze at their back anything was possible. However captain courageous Syd Coventry stood like a man mountain in defence repelling every Tiger thrust. Collingwood played smart football in the blinding rain by driving the ball to the waterlogged grandstand side of the ground at every opportunity ensuring that Richmond did not score a goal in the first term. In the second quarter playing with the wind at their back the Collingwood players used scrambling tactics and soccer kicks off the ground to force the ball into the forward line. Richmond were making simple mistakes including clearing the ball to the drier southern side of the ground. From one such clearance a Collingwood soccer kick landed on Gordon Coventry�s chest and he slotted home the first goal of the game. A little while later G Coventry capitalised on another Tiger error to snap his second goal with a left foot kick around his shoulder. Those two were the only goals Collingwood kicked for the entire match but it enabled them to run out two goal winners and claim the Magpies 6th premiership flag. There is no doubt that the wet conditions stopped Gordon Coventry from kicking the first ever century of goals in a VFL season. He started the game on 95 goals and his two goals took his season�s tally to 97. It is strange that 63 years later that same set of figures (95,2,97) came back to haunt another great Magpie legend. But in each case, although denied a personal milestone, both players were able to savour the greatest achievement of all in league football. But as the 18 Collingwood champions celebrated their victory none - bar maybe visionary coach Jock McHale - could foresee the culmination of the path they were starting on when they triumphed on that cold wet, October day at the MCG. |