The wonderful Bob Hammond

[SimonH]

He might be acting AFL Commissioner, but don't hold that against him. A prince among men. Apparently a very useful, tough medium-tall defender (retired just before my time). Endured a huge amount of controversy when appointed Norwood's coach for the 1974 season (transferring from a 14-year playing career at near neighbours North Adelaide), and then led them to their first flag in 25 years in 1975. Retired from coaching at the top of his game: he quit at the end of 1979 after leading Norwood to a second premiership in 1978 (one of the most miraculous upsets of all time), and the club made the finals 6 times in 6 years under him. Never coached full-time again. Except once...

I was amazed to stumble across the odd anomaly that Bob Hammond is an official ex-coach of the Sydney Swans. He was the second of 2 coaches during 1984. (Needless to say, I wasn't following the Swans' fortunes too closely at the time.)

I had kind of presumed that he was seconded in for a few games by the VFL Commission to steady the ship while Sydney was busy imploding, but it seems that at the time he had nothing to do with the VFL Commission. At the start of the season, Rick Quade was coach, at the start of the next season, John Northey was coach, and the series of events that led to the segue seem not to be widely explained.

Anyone know the story?

[Sanecow]

He is an organ donor.

[goswannie14]

IIRC Quade had a fallout with the board and quit. Then Hammond was appointed pro-tem, but didn't want the job full time. I am happy to be corrected if my memory isn't accurate (and it often isn't).

[Young Blood]

If they made a movie about it, Wayne Carey would star as Barry Round, and Anthony Stevens would play Quade.

[SimonH]

That's more like it! 22-year-old dirt!

[floppinab]

Originally posted by SimonH
He might be acting AFL Commissioner, but don't hold that against him. A prince among men. Apparently a very useful,

and then led them to their first flag in 25 years in 1975. Retired from coaching at the top of his game: he quit at the end of 1979 after leading Norwood to a second premiership in 1978 (one of the most miraculous upsets of all time), and the club made the finals 6 times in 6 years under him. Never coached full-time again. Except once...

I was amazed to stumble across the odd anomaly that Bob Hammond is an official ex-coach of the Sydney Swans. He was the second of 2 coaches during 1984. (Needless to say, I wasn't following the Swans' fortunes too closely at the time.)

Firstly, and very importantly, that '78 GF was not one of biggest upsets of all time it was the biggest robbery of all time. If Swans fans think they've got it tough they should get a tape of this game. When 15 odd years later the umps of the day come out and openly admit that they cocked up and cost a team a Grand Final then you seriously have some injustice.

ANYWAY, I haven't got my Swans history books in front of me right now but after the Quade bust up and based only on Hammonds performance with the SA state team that year, a couple of board members decided he was the man and they went to Adelaide and wouldn't take no for an answer. Hammond didn't want the job and he ended up taking it on while still based in Adelaide. I'm pretty sure he'll go down in history as the only coach to coach a top level team while not being based in the same city.

[SimonH]

Man, I love getting up Sturt supporters' noses! How many games have had a book written on them? The 1978 Norwood v Sturt grand final was such a game (Triple Blue).

Sturt's closest analogy in terms of how clearly they dominated the competition was Essendon 2000: they had lost only one game all year, and that was a shock loss to a team that didn't even make the finals. They had comfortably dispatched Norwood, who had thrown everything at them, in the 2nd semi final. The 2 teams met again in the GF, and Sturt were 29 points up at the 3 quarter time (and should have been further up but for shocking kicking for goal).

You would not have backed Norwood with bad money to bridge a 5 goal gap on the head-and-shoulders best team in the comp, in the final quarter of the grand final. Would you?

Final scores:
Norwood 16.15(111), Sturt 14.26(110).

Oh, and Sturt supporters like to whinge about some mark or free kick that they reckon shouldn't have been paid. Whatever.

Anyway, it's on these little things that history turns. Norwood would go on to further flags in 1982 and 1984, making the finals every year throughout the 1980s. Sturt would go on to not win another premiership until 2002, finishing last for about 6 years in a row from 1990-95.

But thanks for the info on the Hammond coaching of Sydney, floppinab!

[cruiser]

Originally posted by SimonH
Man, I love getting up Sturt supporters' noses! How many games have had a book written on them? The 1978 Norwood v Sturt grand final was such a game (Triple Blue).

Sturt's closest analogy in terms of how clearly they dominated the competition was Essendon 2000: they had lost only one game all year, and that was a shock loss to a team that didn't even make the finals. They had comfortably dispatched Norwood, who had thrown everything at them, in the 2nd semi final. The 2 teams met again in the GF, and Sturt were 29 points up at the 3 quarter time (and should have been further up but for shocking kicking for goal).

You would not have backed Norwood with bad money to bridge a 5 goal gap on the head-and-shoulders best team in the comp, in the final quarter of the grand final. Would you?

Final scores:
Norwood 16.15(111), Sturt 14.26(110).

Oh, and Sturt supporters like to whinge about some mark or free kick that they reckon shouldn't have been paid. Whatever.

Anyway, it's on these little things that history turns. Norwood would go on to further flags in 1982 and 1984, making the finals every year throughout the 1980s. Sturt would go on to not win another premiership until 2002, finishing last for about 6 years in a row from 1990-95.

But thanks for the info on the Hammond coaching of Sydney, floppinab!

All this SANFL talk is almost making me nostalgic. Sturt only have themselves to blame for stuffing up in the 78 GF.