The day we won our 15th Premiership
GRAND FINAL 1922
Venue: Adelaide Oval
Umpire: C.Waters Crowd: 31,000
1st 2nd 3rd Final Pts
Norwood 2-0 4-5 6-6 9-7 61
West 0-4 0-8 2-12 2-16 28
Date 30 September 1922 Win by 33 points
Best: S White, R Townley, M Dobson, R Bent, G Stephens,W Potts,C Hepburn, W.Scott, S Sibley
Goalkickers : R Bent 3 C Hepburn 2 T Hart C Close S Sibley S White
Game Review
Fifteen long years without the sound of premiership celebrations, the longest period in the history of the Norwood Football Club without ultimate success and then at last reigning premiers in 1922. How could it be?
In the 30 years since 1878 the Club had won fourteen premierships and were runners -up on seven occasions but then spent 15 years in the doldrums. The record also shows that four of the Club’s wooden spoons were “won” during that period in 1913,1914,1915 and 1919. World War 1 denied us any football for three years and it is sobering to reflect that many of our best young men were involved in that conflict and a number paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Bring on the twenties! After finishing runners-up in 1920 and 1921 a new coach, Tom Leahy, the former North Adelaide and West Adelaide champion, was appointed with instant results.
In the grand final against West Adelaide, Norwood kicked into a fairly stiff breeze in the first quarter but their accuracy found them ahead at the first change, 2-0 to 0-4. A further 2-5 to 0-4 in the second term led to a half time lead of 21 points, 4-5 to 0-8. West hit back in the third term to score their only two goals for the game and with a three goal to none last quarter, Norwood ran out comfortable winners by 33 points, 9-7 to 2-16.
Tom Leahy suggested it was a game of kicks and marks and while Norwood were certainly superior in these areas, it was generally considered that accuracy was the most telling factor in a comfortable and deserving win. Club captain Syd White was outstanding at half back with other defenders Townley, Dobson, Stephens and Scott, while forwards Bent, Sibley, Hepburn and Potts combined well to ensure that our opportunities were converted.
Our “overall team effort and backup support for each other were better” added Leahy “well deserved”
Our team in the 1922 grand final was
Coach: T Leahy
F E.Wadham R.Bent H.Grantley
HF S.Sibley C.Close T.Hart
C C.Toovey B.Scott C.Hepburn
HB S.White (c) W.Scott G.Stephens
B R.Townley H.Johns M.Dobson
Followers L.Bryant (vc) W.Potts B.Schumacher
Reserves
Page prepared by T Page Aug 2013
<< Back