| 1935 THE PRAHRAN CONNECTION |
| 1935 Grand Final COLLINGWOOD 11.12.78 SOUTH MELBOURNE 7.16.58 Goals: G. Coventry 4, Kyne 2, Pannam 2, A. Collier 1, H. Collier 1, Stackpole 1 Best Players: H. Collier, Regan, A. Collier, Kyne, Froude, Rumney At MCG Crowd: 51,154 Collingwood Team: B: J. Ross, C. Dibbs, H. Rumney HB: B. Woods, J. Regan, F. Froude C: J. Carmody, M. Whelan, L. Morgan HF: L. Riley, A Kyne, V. Doherty F: K. Fraser, G. Coventry, A. Pannam FOLL.: R. Collier, P. Bowyer, H. Collier CAPTAIN: Harry Collier COACH: Jock McHale |
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| Collingwood finished second to South Melbourne in the 1935 home and away series but in the second semi final dubbed "the game of the year" South ran out convincing 21 point winners led by goalkicking machine Bob Pratt who finished with 6 goals and tough full back Hillis who held Gordon Coventry to just 3 goals. Richmond entered the following week's preliminary final as hot favourites but their arrogance and over confidence proved to be their undoing with the Magpies hitting them hard early and running away with a 28 point win to book their first grand final appearance since the Golden Era of 1927 to 1930. It appeared that South would be too strong with Pratt taking all before him. But on the day before the match Pratt was hit by a truck as he was stepping off a tram in High Street, Prahran at dusk. As fate would have it the spot where Pratt was hit is within a drop punt of where the three Buckley Surfers - Driver, Toris and Felipe - grew up and became passionate Collingwood supporters! Rumours abounded that the truck was in fact a brewery truck as it was well known that Jock McHale and many Collingwood players worked at the brewery in Abbotsford. The offender was never apprehended but as a lad recall the old timers pointing to the spot and always saying "that is where the brewery truck hit Pratt in 1935". With Pratt out South still managed to take the early lead through the form of the equally legendary Laurie Nash. But as The Prince of Full Backs, Jack Regan, took Nash out of the game and with forward pocket Fraser and ruckman Kyne dominating Collingwood managed to hit the lead by half time. South fought back in the third term but an injury to their captain Bissett left them rudderless and a three goal to nil final quarter saw the Magpies seal another premiership triumph by 20 points. |