1ST XV111 PREMIERS - 1966

BACK  (L to R) : L. McGuigan, K. Phillips, D. Jacobsen, R. Main, A. Gray, G. Murphy, R. Murray, C. Collins, C. Counsell.
SECOND ROW : J. Duncan, A. Moulden, E. Webster, R. Collins, K. Healy, R. Hough, G. Boyd, M. Woolard.
FRONT ROW : G. Wiggins, R. Sill, W. McLeod, ‘Doc’ White (Captain/Coach), T. Gray, R. Wescott. Mascot—Tony White
ABSENT : O. Lipscombe, R. Mckay, T. Wearne, E. Webster.

CHELSEA IN MPFL  WIN
With Chelsea six points in front with two minutes to the siren in the MPFL grand final last Saturday, Sorrento had two chances to retrieve the game, first to level and second to win by one point.
 
With two minutes to go the Sorrento full-forward had an acute angle shot which would have levelled the scores, but missed the big score by an inch.
His single left Sorrento five points in arrears but just after the kick-in Parker gained a free from the other side of the ground, but on an equally acute angle.
Just before running in to take his kick the siren sounded. With a look of agonised concentration on his face, the young winger over-tried for distance and the ball fell short.
Chelsea had survived this belated attack but would have been unlucky to have lost.
McComb won the toss for Sorrento and elected to kick to the hospital end to which end the tall Johnston hammered the first bounce that put Sorrento in attack. The alert Dennis drove forward and McComb held the mark for first score - a goal to Sorrento.
When McLeod marked at centre-half-forward, White flashed out with a perfect lead and up went Chelsea’s answering goal.
At this stage Chelsea made the mistake of not going on with the advantage and kept peppering the ball along the flanks rather than through direct attack.
This allowed Sorrento time to steady as three Chelsea attacks floundered. Again it was Johnston that lifted Sorrento but, after a series of foolish handballs that got nowhere, Dennis came to the rescue to mark in front and goal to give Sorrento the first quarter lead of five points.

STILL RUGGED
The second quarter opened with neither side getting any definite advantage, but the pace was definitely quickening, despite the rugged but fair clashes all over the ground.
A feature at this stage was the beautiful aerial work of Johnston and Healy, the opposite ruckmen.
Sorrento was first to break through when McComb gave to Gillibrand who, in turn, hand-balled to Hudd for full points but Chelsea was not to be suppressed.
Moulden took a screamer to reward the mark with an equally good and valuable goal. McGuigan and Counsell were winners on the wing, although Parker was getting his share of kicks for Sorrento.
Against expectations Chelsea was winning in the air and, when McGuigan sent forward Sill towered above the pack to mark and goal.
Sorrento’s game was falling off. Too many were vying with each other for the ball while the nippier Chelsea small men were there to capitalise on the spills.
As quickly as they faded out they came back through Stokes to Rounsevell who was left unattended for an easy goal.
Sorrento had another chance but Rounsevell missed from 25 yards and Chelsea led by four points.
Although Sorrento opened the third quarter with a point Chelsea was quick to reply and looked as though they were going to take control.
Westcott and Lipscombe goaled but after a little skirmish between players Sorrento took up the challenge and with a blistering burst of terrific football saw McComb (2), Gillibrand and Rounsevell goal within four minutes.

CHANCES ARE LOST
This was a terrific fight-back and when Johnston gave the perfect tap-out to Parker on the wing, who sent to Rounsevell for another, Sorrento were the masters.
Back they came again with Johnston giving them drive, and Brown popped one through from the pack.
But the master of Peninsula football, Chelsea skipper Doc White, as he did whenever the going was toughest gave his side the lift and set a steadying example.  He sent to Sill and on to Moulden who marked in front of the pack and goaled.
A long, driving kick down-field upset the judgement of all players as the ball from the boot of Lipscombe, went overhead and bounced twice before going through for full points.
Chelsea were back in the game, the hallmark of a good  team, while Sorrento suffered a blow when Gillibrand was carried off the ground.
The fightback first by Sorrento and then by Chelsea, proved these two teams worthy contenders for the grand final and the crowd was on their toes  in expectancy of a close and  testing finish. And they were not disappointed.
The opening stages of the last quarter saw both defences on top and scoring prohibitive. Then Chelsea was rewarded for their ability to get in front when Sill marked and found McLeod in front. His kick was true.
Sorrento came back through Spence who from a throw in gained possession and snapped a major in reply.
After Rounsevell scored a single, White and McGuigan flashed the ball downfield and the brilliant Healy screwed for goal but only a single resulted.
Hough marked the kick in and again Healy brilliantly marked in the pack and this time, even to his own surprise, kicked straight.
Hudd, who had been fairly quiet for long intervals, gave to Rounsevell but again the full-forward was off target however McComb gathered to goal.
Two free kicks to McGuigan could have proved costly to Sorrento but only singles resulted to give Chelsea a six point lead.
Sorrento came again, but it was here that Rounsevell missed the chance of making the game a draw.
Ref :  “Mordialloc-Chelsea News” - October, 1966.
 

SNAPSHOTS
 
The Mornington Peninsula grand final had everything. Banners, bunting and bugles!
 
Another bumper crowd witnessed a thriller. Either side could have won in a  tension packed last quarter.
That was an impressive segment when the captains of the other clubs in the competition lined up at the start.
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Chelsea had a veteran tearing through the packs with gay abandon in the critical last minutes of the game.
His name and age shall remain a secret, he may be embarassed but he was easily oldest afield.
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Twice in two weeks we’ve seen a premiership team skippered by a ‘Doc.’
Last week, of course, was at the MCG and this week at Mornington where ‘Doc’ White led the underdogs Chelsea. On both occasions the ‘Docs’ were “tops.”
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Chelsea can thank burly ruckman Kevin Healy enormously for their flag.
He softened up the opponents early and then went on playing football. Kevin got two goals in the bargain surpassing his usual kicking form.
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It was indeed a pleasure to sit down and watch another hectic grand final being handled by a real “pro”- congratulations Don Jolley.
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Players really had grand final jitters. There wasn’t one with enough confidence to kick a drop kick for the entire first quarter.
Conditions were perfect and the first “drop” came up 4 minutes into the second quarter.
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As it was last year,  the high marking was magnificent! One from half-forward Ray Sill which brought up Chelsea’s third, was a screamer - as good as anything at the MCG in the finals this year.
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MY VOTES
 
3. COL COUNSELL (Chelsea) dashing on a wing, particularly brilliant in the second and third terms.
2. KEVIN HEALY (Chelsea) Used his weight well early then settled down to some of the most skilful play of his career.
1. NEIL McCOMB (Sorrento) did everything possible for his side. Repeatedly tried to get them going and kicked four valuable goals.
 
THE UMPIRE
8. DON JOLLEY Magnificent job and no surprise that he was applauded as he left the field.
Don was decisive and firm throughout.
 
NEIL ROBERTS
“The Sporting Globe”

FINALS
PERFORMANCES

2ND SEMI-FINAL
 
QUARTER BY QUARTER
CHELSEA :      2.2 8.5 10.8 11.11 77 PTS
EDI/ASP :          4.3 5.4 7.10  9.12 66 PTS
 
BEST PLAYERS
CHELSEA :      Wearne, McLeod, White, McGuigan, Sill,
  Jacobsen.
EDI/ASP :       Eklund, Lambert, Lang, K. Kupsch, Roberts,
         Goodingham.
GOAL KICKERS
CHELSEA :      Moulden 4, McLeod 2, Hough 2, Minotti, White,
  Sill.
EDI/ASP :      Roberts 2, Brothwell 2, Harrison, Key, Turner,
  Eklund, Lambert.
 
GRAND FINAL
CHELSEA V SORRENTO
 
BACKS :              D. Jacobsen     T. Gray             K. Healy
HALF-BACKS    G. Wiggins      R. Collins          T. Wearne
CENTRES :         C. Counsell     K. White            L. McGuigan
HALF-FORWARDS : R. Sill         W. McLeod           R. Hough
FORWARDS :     A. Moulden      R. Wescott          O. Lipscombe
RUCKS               T. Webster R. McKay            L. Minotti
19TH : R. Murray 20TH : G. Murphy 
 
UMPIRE :  Don Jolley.
 
QUARTER BY QUARTER
CHELSEA     :   1.2      4.8      10.9      12.15   87 PTS
SORRENTO :      2.1      4.4      10.5      12.10   82 PTS
 
BEST PLAYERS
CHELSEA    :   Healy (equal B.O.G), Counsell, Jacobsen,
  McLeod, Minotti, Gray, Wearne, McGuigan.
SORRENTO :   Johnston (equal B.O.G), Jamieson, Smith,
  McComb, Dullard, Dennis, Barr.
GOAL KICKERS
CHELSEA :      McLeod 3, Healy 2, Moulden 2, Lipscombe 2, 
  White, Sill, Wescott.
SORRENTO :   McComb 4, Rounsevell 3, Hudd, Dennis,
  Browne, Spence, Gellibrand.

KEY PERSONNEL
1966
 
PRESIDENT
Tom Johnstone
VICE PRESIDENTS
‘Tiger’ Collins, Frank Hepworth, Bernie Hambridge
SECRETARY
Frank Parsons
TREASURER
Bernie Hambridge
COMMITTEE
John ‘Tich’ Brown, Bill Coghlan
Stan Davies, Jack Duncan
Clarrie Fletcher, Alan Higgs
Ray Hindes, Bill Hunter
Harry Judd, Jack Lipscombe
Winston McLeod, Kevin Phillips
Dick Pratt, Bill Sinclair
Bert Thompson, Tony Wearne
Mick Woolard
 
CAPTAIN / COACH
Kevin ‘Doc’ White
BEST & FAIREST
Kevin ‘Doc’ White
GOAL KICKING
Bob Hough - 55 goals.
TRAINERS
Alf Gray, Charlie Ball, ‘Wagga’ McDonald
 
FINAL LADDER
1ST XV111
 
Team               W            L D           P                
Edi / Asp         14          2                 56
Chelsea            13          3                 52
Carrum            13          3                 52
Sorrento           11          5                 44
Mornington       6          9       1        26
Seaford              5        10       1        22
Hastings             5        11                 20
F’ton Peninsula  2        14                  8
F’ton Rovers      2        14                  8
 
 
M. P. F. L.
BEST & FAIREST
 
R. Corby  Sorrento 22
K. WHITE  CHELSEA  21
W. I’Anson         Seaford         18
S. Trott  F’ton Peninsula 16
R. Spau          F’ton Rovers 13
A. Wickes         Seaford  13
R. Kee          Edi / Asp 13
R. Everist  Hastings 12