Match Report - Coleman's 9 goals beat Griffith

By JACK LUHRS

To Australian Rules fans, in general, the name Coleman is a byword belonging to John Coleman the champion Essendon full forward of some years back. To Griffith fans, another Coleman - 17 year old Grong Grong-Matong full forward, Kevin Coleman - will be remembered with regret.

His nine brilliant goals and Griffith's shocking inaccuracy in the third quarter cost them a valuable four points and a place in the top four when the Magpies trounced them on the Ex-Servicemen's Oval last Sunday to win 17-19 (121) to 12-17 (89).

Playing without Bill and Bob Tyndall, John Cramp and John Langlands as well as losing Len Sexton and Bob Spears to the Caltex Country Championship may be some excuse for their defeat.

But undoubtedly the Magpies dishing up of a football lesson was a true and just result for the Griffith effort.

Early in the game looked an easy victory for the home team. They did everything right in the first quarter, opened the game right up and their six-point lead on the first change was uncomplimentary to their game control.

Then Kevin Coleman took over in the second quarter. Griffith allowed the Magpies to win in the crushes, and their flashing handball created the moves that were climaxed by Coleman's five goals.

Griffith had no answer to his giant-sized marking game and deadly accuracy from all angles.

This was the first time the Magpies were to come from behind after looking a beaten team.

Magpie rovers Terry McGee and John Asmus played havoc with Bill Biron's palming, sharking the ball continually and spurred on by the dash of Pat Dunne in the centre.

The Magpies were up and led by 19 points at half-time but were soon to fall again.

Griffith in the third quarter came back in a brilliant pattern of play they employed in the opening term. However, eight straight singles and 4/10 for the quarter tells its own story.

The eclipse of Kevin Luhrs and Mal Brauman in the two key positions throughout the match paled somewhat in the third term.

Both players, with Luhrs the greatest offender kicked Griffith both in and out of the game. Point blank misses denuded Griffith of majors with almost every forward catching the disease as singles followed singles.

But the Magpies began their second fightback in the final term after fading and tiring in the third.

The Magpies blistering finish put paid to a match they deserved to win but they at times looked badly beaten. Clinton Wines and Rod Walsh mercilessly destroyed the Griffith attack in their fight back to win handsomely over a jaded and disappointing Kevin Luhrs and Mal Brauman.

Although clearing well for most of the match Gordon Browne allowed Coleman far too much latitude and Coleman responded by kicking nine breath taking goals.

The Area News - Tuesday June 11, 1963