There are a number of factors for the 1973 loss, which really devastated the club. We didn't recover for 6 years, after which we'd missed out on at least two premierships.

1. Keogh and Armstrong - our main midfielders - were both unavailable (Keogh was injured, I believe, and Armstrong had appendicitis). This is akin to Brisbane losing Voss and Brown before their GFs, or WC losing Judd and Cousins. I'm not comparing their quality, just their importance to the team structure. This forced us to bring in a young, slight, overwhelmed first-gamer - Vinnie Catoggio.

2. Hafey/Sheedy tactics used against us for the first time. Nicholls, Walls, Jessa, Waite, McKay, Pinell, and Southby all illegally felled. After Nick went down in the first few minutes, everyone was stunned. When Pinnell was downed, and someone (Waite, I think) went in to hit Sheedy, they paid a free kick against us, and that was the end of the resistance. I remember saying that Carlton suffered from Southby-itis throughout the rest of the 70s, until Jezza toughened us up again.

3. Because Nick was probably concussed, we came up with no Plan B. He wasn't just a tough guy, he was a tactical genius. Many people don't realize this. With him out of the picture, not only did we not have a real enforcer, we had no-one working out who to move where.

When you consider those three factors, it's remarkable we got as close as we did. Unfortunately, it cost us probably 2 flags, heaps of self respect, and probably what could have been a great career (Vinnie). He was ok, but was so screwed up by that game, that he never really recovered.

I've always maintained that 1979 is our most important premierhip, because it broke the hold that the 73 GF had on us, and demonstrated that we had what it takes as a club (not just skill and flair, but mongrel, etc). As if to confirm that, we then went on to win another two in the next 3 years.

There are a number of factors for the 1973 loss, which really devastated the club. We didn't recover for 6 years, after which we'd missed out on at least two premierships.

1. Keogh and Armstrong - our main midfielders - were both unavailable (Keogh was injured, I believe, and Armstrong had appendicitis). This is akin to Brisbane losing Voss and Brown before their GFs, or WC losing Judd and Cousins. I'm not comparing their quality, just their importance to the team structure. This forced us to bring in a young, slight, overwhelmed first-gamer - Vinnie Catoggio.

2. Hafey/Sheedy tactics used against us for the first time. Nicholls, Walls, Jessa, Waite, McKay, Pinell, and Southby all illegally felled. After Nick went down in the first few minutes, everyone was stunned. When Pinnell was downed, and someone (Waite, I think) went in to hit Sheedy, they paid a free kick against us, and that was the end of the resistance. I remember saying that Carlton suffered from Southby-itis throughout the rest of the 70s, until Jezza toughened us up again.

3. Because Nick was probably concussed, we came up with no Plan B. He wasn't just a tough guy, he was a tactical genius. Many people don't realize this. With him out of the picture, not only did we not have a real enforcer, we had no-one working out who to move where.

When you consider those three factors, it's remarkable we got as close as we did. Unfortunately, it cost us probably 2 flags, heaps of self respect, and probably what could have been a great career (Vinnie). He was ok, but was so screwed up by that game, that he never really recovered.

I've always maintained that 1979 is our most important premierhip, because it broke the hold that the 73 GF had on us, and demonstrated that we had what it takes as a club (not just skill and flair, but mongrel, etc). As if to confirm that, we then went on to win another two in the next 3 years.

72 is still my all time favourite; especially as Sheedy had told Big Nick he ''should give it away....you're past it''........and Nick stood like a colussus in the goalsquare kicking 6 goals whilst Percy rucked all match, and Wallsy kicked 6 and Jezza 7......what a day!

Des Tuddenham was sitting in front of us, and said it was the best display of footy he'd ever seen.

72 is still my all time favourite; especially as Sheedy had told Big Nick he ''should give it away....you're past it''........and Nick stood like a colussus in the goalsquare kicking 6 goals whilst Percy rucked all match, and Wallsy kicked 6 and Jezza 7......what a day!
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Agree also with Agro Doully owned Royce Hart who was a brilliant player
I always put it down to the fact that Bruce could match him in the air get the spoil in but was cat like in his recovery and would mop up the spilled ball whilst Hart was wondering how he didnt take the mark

Bruce was really the first attacking hbf who was the harbinger for the modern hbf who sets up the play and is the springboard into attack

Going on a little further it was sublime to see both Jezza and doull on the hbf -

And McKay (and later big Val) as attacking CHB. Those 70s teams were unbelievable.