As we prepare to face Collingwood at the MCG in Round 1 of the 2024 competition, we take a look back one of the late Jim Main's classic matches and one of the Swans’ most memorable victories over Collingwood. Main recalled how the Swans shocked the Pies and spoiled Collingwood's flag unfurling in Round 1, 1959.
Collingwood v South Melbourne,
Round 1, April 18, 1959
Victoria Park
The Collingwood faithful packed every vantage point in the members’ sector at Victoria Park for the unfurling of the Magpies 1958 premiership flag.
The match against lowly South Melbourne attracted a massive 40,125 attendance, with even the most optimistic Swan supporter expecting a Collingwood victory.
The Swans had finished ninth the previous system and went into the match against Collingwood with no less than five first-game players – Cliff Deacon (Kyneton), Paul Briglia (Xavier College), Ray Landorff (Port Melbourne), Bill McGrath (Minyip) and Norm McKenzie (Daylesford).
The wife of Collingwood president Syd Coventry unfurled the premiership flag and, just minutes later, the Swans silenced every Collingwood supporter at the ground.
The South players did not take a backward step in the face of Collingwood’s aggression and when Swan full-back John Heriot was flattened, the red and white reacted by increasing their on-ball pressure.
The Swans kicked the first three goals of the match (two by Bob Skilton and one by Brian McGowan) to race to a 21-point to nil lead after just 18 minutes.
South continued to lead Collingwood to the ball and led by 24 points at the first break, thanks to two goals by Fred Goldsmith.
Collingwood fans expected South to crumble after the break but, if anything, the Swans increased their intensity and went into the main break with a 31-point lead.
It was make or break for Collingwood in the third quarter and the Magpies reshuffled their side to try and end the Swans’ dominance. Murray Weideman was shifted from centre half-forward to full-forward and Brian Dorman from full-forward to centre half-back.
South, on the other hand, had to replace half-back flanker Fred Harris (shoulder) with newcomer Briglia, who made an immediate impression in the ruck.
South’s dominance continued and, despite Goldsmith also being flattened, McGowan scored his third goal to stretch the Swans’ lead.
Although Collingwood lifted its game late in the quarter, South led by 34 points at the final break.
The opening 20 minutes of the second quarter saw tough, relentless football from both sides, with the Magpies eventually breaking through for a goal by Mick Twomey.
However, the Swans settled the issue with McGowan’s fourth goal and another by Briglia. The Swans won by 41 points in one of the biggest shock results for several seasons.
Captain-coach Ron Clegg was so excited with the upset victory that he ordered 20-year-old Skilton to pull down the recently unfurled premiership flag.
The Sporting Globe front page headline that night read: “MIGHTY MAGPIES CANED.” The match report on page seven read: “SOUTH STUN PREMIERS.”
The front page report noted: “Clegg dominated the centre for South, and rovers Skilton and McGowan capitalised on the good work of recruit ruckman Deacon.”
The Age the following Saturday suggested: “South can be expected to go on and prove this first-up win was no fluke.”
South defeated Fitzroy by 16 points at the Lake Oval the following week and then Essendon by 13 points, again at the Lake Oval, in round three.
However, the Swans could not hold their outstanding form and lost their next four matches. They eventually finished ninth, with eight wins over the 18 rounds.
It had been yet another disappointing season, except that Skilton won the first of his three Brownlow Medals, triumphing again in 1963 and 1968.
SOUTH MELBOURNE 5.4 8.9 12.11 14.17 (101)
COLLINGWOOD 1.4 3.8 6.13 7.18 (60)
BEST: McGowan, Clegg, Skilton, Gunn, Goldsmith, Heriot.
• South gave debuts to seven other players - Dick Burke, Bill Fallon, Bob Marshall, Bob Munn, Peter Rice, Greg Taube and Hedley Willis - in 1959. Ray Broadway made his South debut after joining the Swans from Footscray and Laurie Sharp made his Swans’ debut after crossing from Richmond. South in 1959 therefore introduced 14 new players.
