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Question of the Week: What happened in 1983?
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Author:  The Blueseum [ Sat Dec 08, 2007 1:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Question of the Week: What happened in 1983?
What happened in 1983? We went from a top team and Premiers (3 of the previous 4 Flags) to 5th with 13 wins....was this your typical 'end of an era' type year as the older players began to decline, were their any noticeable player 'slides' or did the competition just catch up, noting the Hawks, Bombers and Roos all finished above us after thumping us?

http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=1983

Quote:
Carlton entered the 1983 season as the team to beat having won the premiership in 3 of the past 4 years. After our 1981 and 1982 victories the club was aiming for a hat trick of flags. The Blues opened the season in mediocre form, winning only three of its first six games. The club sat in eighth on the ladder, only one win outside the top 5.

Three successive victories between Rounds 7 and 9 improved the clubs standing and chances of defending its premiership victory of the previous year, Carlton rising to fourth place on the ladder.

The wheels seemed to come off in Round 10 against North Melbourne, the club being thumped by 111 points. The resulting lack of confidence lead to the Blues losing the next two games, to have lost 3 games in a row. In fact, a Round 13 victory by 89 points against Footscray was the only win in 6 rounds starting from Round 10. These defeats left the club with a 7 win and 8 loss record after Round 15 and struggling to make the finals. Luckily the season was pretty even for the mid-ladder teams, and while Carlton was in eighth on the ladder, it was only one game and percentage out of the top 5.

Carlton finally managed to find the form that had led it to be a powerhouse of the competition over the 1970's and early 1980's in Round 16. The Blues went on to win six games in a row, the highlight being a Round 19 thumping of St Kilda by 107 points. This winning streak would lift the club to fifth place on the ladder and hence a place in the finals.

The team entered an Elimination Final against Essendon*, who ominously had comfortably beaten Carlton twice during the home and away season, including a 51 point victory in the last round of the home and away season. The Blues entered the game with injury and suspension problems preventing them from fielding their best side. A valiant Carlton would lead at half-time by 5 points, but the Bombers would again triumph, running out 33 point victors, knocking the Blues out of the finals and killing their dreams of 3 premierships in a row.

Inconsistency had hurt the club all year, which is highlighted by the fact that the club had 4 wins and 4 losses by over 50 points. This season the Blues could be either very good or very bad and anywhere in between. This season also marked the beginning of a dominant period for both Hawthorn and Essendon*, who would play off in 3 Grand Finals in a row from 1983.


Any memories that you care to share?

NB These 'Questions of the Week' are questions to which the Blueseum (as a website) does not have an answer to.
Author:  1979 Norm Smith medal [ Sat Dec 08, 2007 3:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
What about Curly Austin?

Did he play much in 83?

He seemed to have Matthew's measure and without Curly my guess is that it would have been difficult to beat the Hawks's best player In Matthews in 83. I think we lost one of the two matches against the Hawks in 83.

I would presume there were a few injuries. I think from memory Johnston had a few injuries in 83.


re- North statistic above. I would love to see us thrashing them by 100 points in 2008. They have really flogged us a few times over the years.
Author:  CK95 [ Sat Dec 08, 2007 11:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
From memory in a number of those 6 wins in a row at the end of the season we were down by lots at half time, only to come out firing in the 3rd. The commentators on 3kz IS football termed it the Carlton Third Quarter Blitz after a few weeks.
Author:  16 flags [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:21 am ]
Post subject: 
83 and the next couple of years were a strange time - on our day we could beat anyone but the team was inconsistent. My personal view is that some of the guys had too much success in 79-82 and lost a little drive. I don't want to point the finger at anybody in particular.

The clubs that finished above us all kicked much higher scores. We didn't have that scoring power. Kenny Hunter was our top goalkicker with 43.

The 6 wins from round 16 to 21 included beating the top 3 sides (North, Hawthorn & Fitzroy). The "Premiership Quarter" was a fantastic thing over that period. Our third quarters yielded 6, 8, 8, 9, 10 & 7 goals. Hope was building for another flag but it wasn't to be. The scum beat us two weeks running at Waverley. They beat us in the third quarter both times, 5 goals to 1 and 7 to 3.
Author:  TruBlueBrad [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:38 am ]
Post subject: 
From memory I think Mike Fitzpatrick was struggling with an ankle injury most of the season (did he hurt it in the 82 GF?) and he subsequently retired at seasons end.
Author:  Car17on [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 5:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
Having seen this discussion, I did some calculations

1979 P:25 W: 22 [88%]
1980 P:26 W: 17 [65%]
1981 P:25 W: 20 [80%]
1982 P:27 W: 19 [70%]
1983 P:23 W: 13 [57%]
1979-1983 P: 126 W: 91 [72%]

Two-year moving averages
1979-80 P:51 W:39 [76.5%]
1980-1 P:51 W:37 [72.6%]
1981-2 P:52 W:39 [75.0%]
1982-3 P:50 W:32 [64.0%]

Three-year moving averages
1979-81 P:76 W:59 [78%]
1980-2 P:78 W:56 [72%]
1982-3 P:75 W:52 [69%]

The last one shows a distinct downward trend but my question is "what happened in 1980?"
Author:  sideshow bob [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
Haley's comet?
Author:  Car17on [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 6:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
sideshow bob wrote:
Haley's comet?
happened in '86 ..
Author:  thylacine60 [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 7:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
The more diabolical Q & A is what happened in 1980? 4 in a row shot to pieces!
Author:  TruBlueBrad [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:12 pm ]
Post subject: 
Percy Jones happened in 1980.

I don't know what effect Harris/Jezza leaving had on our performance in 1980.
Author:  Car17on [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 8:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
TruBlueBrad wrote:
Percy Jones happened in 1980.

I don't know what effect Harris/Jezza leaving had on our performance in 1980.
The loss of Jezza would have affected the playing group to an huge extent - but certainly other factors were involved?
Author:  buggermeblue [ Sun Dec 09, 2007 9:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
thylacine60 wrote:
The more diabolical Q & A is what happened in 1980? 4 in a row shot to pieces!



Might've had a little to do with the night of the long knives post '79 premiership which saw Harris and Jezza depart the club. :wink:

On topic, i can recall Fitzpatrick struggling a bit and, having lost Bosustow, our forward line lacked spark. We ran into the team we just couldn't bloody well beat at all through the mid 80's two weeks in a row! Recall going into that Elimination Final preferring to have played ANY of the other finalists. :evil:
Author:  The Blueseum [ Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
TruBlueBrad wrote:
From memory I think Mike Fitzpatrick was struggling with an ankle injury most of the season (did he hurt it in the 82 GF?) and he subsequently retired at seasons end.


http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php? ... itzpatrick

Yes, '83 was his last year. After consecutive top 3 B&F finishes in 1979, 1980 and 1981, he didn't make the Top 10 in 1982 nor 1983.

Behind Fitzpatrick, first year ruckman Madden only played the 10 games and Jones the 9.

http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php? ... aying+List

For goal-scoring, Ditchburn seemed to decline dramatically - from 61 goals in 1982 to 30 goals in 1983. Although Ralph would break through in 1984 with 55 goals, the key forwards were Hunter and Bosustow with 43 and 40 respectively. Of course, Bosustow finished up later that year.
Author:  camel [ Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
I went to the 1983 GF and Gary Buckenara fell on his arse and I laughed pretty hard. :lol:
Author:  Bort [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 5:55 am ]
Post subject: 
The club didn't recruit much in the 82/83 summer, hoping the list would carry them through. (The club learnt the lesson and did a lot of recruiting over the following 4/5 years, as shown that only 3 of the 1987 premiership side had played in the 82 GF. I doubt that no more than 1 or 2 (of the 87 other 17) were on the list in 83.)

The 5 (in 6 games) mid-season losses took a lot out of the team. They played some fantastic footy in the following 6 weeks. The highlight wasn't the thrashing of St Kilda but some great come-from-behind wins against Fitzroy, Hawthorn and North Melbourne (who finished top three after the H&A). The problem was that we had to win those to make the finals and I'm guessing that having achieved that we relaxed. Peter Bosutow getting reported (twice?) and getting 4 weeks, in the round 21 game against North, didn't help the cause.

The ruck was a problem. Fitzpatrick wasn't the player he once was and I'm guessing the other posts are correct about him carrying an injury. I forget if Jones was injured but either way he was inconsistent. And Madden: let's just say that back in 83 (through to mid 85) it was always a matter of 'We should have got the other one.'
Author:  gerry atric [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 12:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
Been up for 4 years and didn't have the hunger. As others mentioned Fitzy, who was a great leader was getting near the end. Small players like Sheldon and Marcou were getting sick of being hammered by opponents each week. Buzz got himself suspended before the finals for something stupid. Guys like Harmes and Bucks were showing the effects of 5 or 6 hard years even if they were still young.

In the end we struck a young team on the way up, we were an ageing team on the way down
Author:  AGRO [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
gerry atric wrote:
Small players like Sheldon and Marcou were getting sick of being hammered by opponents each week.



In particular when we played Essendon* during this period - either of Sheldon, Marcou or Glasscott would be carried off on a stretcher during a game - compliments of orders from Kevin Sheedy :roll: and usually carried out by a sniping and gutless Stephen Carey. :twisted:
Author:  verbs [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
I have an article at home which is pretty much in line with Bort's recruiting thoughts. It would appear the club overestimated its depth.
Author:  dannyboy [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
Lots of drugs

Lots of booze

some mighty fine women

wrote a few crappy poems

may have made it to the ground to see a few games

but its all a bit hazy really.
Author:  Sydney Blue [ Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
I put 83 down to the fact one of their best supporters left and moved to Sydney straight after the 82 grand final :lol:
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