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In front of a huge crowd, Carlton defeated South Melbourne by 4 points at Princes Park.

Round 5, 1906

Carlton 4.2 26 6.4 40 8.8 56 10.9 69
South Melbourne 3.1 19 4.4 28 7.4 46 10.5 65
Venue: Princes Park Date: Monday June 4, 1906
Result: Won by 4 points Umpire: Nordern Crowd: 36,000*
Goalkickers: M.Grace 4, A.Lang 2, G.Bruce 1, F.Caine 1, F.Elliott 1, G.Topping 1.
Reports: Injuries:











Game Review

"Fully thirty-six thousand pairs of eyes watched the giant struggle at Carlton between the Dark Blues and South Melbourne on Prince of Wales Birthday. This probably constitutes a record for Victorian football, the highest previously being the crowd at the semi final in 1902 between Collingwood and Essendon, when there were 35,800 present. Nearly £600 was taken at the gates at Carlton, and close to 8,000 boys, under fifteen, a fair gathering in themselves, paid 3d. each for admission." - (Referee June 13 p10)

Former 1880's Carlton skipper the great Jack Baker was watching the game. At quarter time he turned to George F. Bowen and said; "You hear them talk about the game as it was in our day. Why, we wouldn't have lasted ten minutes at the pace they go nowadays." (Table Talk June 07 p27)

This game was played in front of another huge crowd at Princes Park on the Monday of a long weekend, and a very impressive South Melbourne provided stern opposition for the ladder-leading Blues. Having matched Carlton in all facets of the game, they out-scored the home side in the last quarter, only to fall four points short. Mick Grace (4 goals) shone at centre half-forward for the Blues, and moved up to second place on the goal-kicking list with 15 majors. Frank Caine added just one to his total, but stayed at the top on 17. All the other matches in the round finished as predicted, although the contest for second spot on the ladder was tightening up. After five rounds, Carlton (20 points) led Collingwood, Fitzroy, Essendon and South Melbourne – all on 12.

Big Crowd enjoys 'Wale' of a Game.
The Prince of Wales Birthday split round drew immense crowds, especially to the match between Carlton and South Melbourne. The tram service was overwhelmed by the numbers, and thousands of South Melbourne supporters were forced to walk across the city to Princes Park. An estimated 35,000 people packed into the ground before the gates were locked, a football assembly larger than anyone could remember at the Carlton Oval. The Blues made it five in a row in an impressive start to the season, holding out South to win by 4 points. Mick Grace kicked four goals for Carlton. - 100 Years of Australian Rules Football.

The Best I Ever Saw - Mick Grace

In 1911 Mick recalls this game in an interview with the Sun (Sydney) June 05.
To read click here> http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article221592052

The Greatest Game He Ever Played In

30 years after the event, Carlton champion Rod McGregor writing in the Sporting Globe, describes this exciting match.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article189606809

"Traffic" - Cable Trams

"At an early hour in the afternoon, almost every available vehicle, crowded with supporters and enthusiasts, started off from South Melbourne to witness the big game, and cheer their team to victory.
As already known, there was an enormous crowd estimated as from 30,000 to 35,000, at the match. The Brunswick trams pass within a stone's throw of the ground, and anticipating a great rush, the Tramway Company had made elaborate preparations to accommodate the traffic.
Over forty dummies, with their long bogie cars attached, were put on the road, and at the busiest periods of the afternoons these were despatched at minute intervals, with no timetables for the conductors, but instructions to get through as quickly as possible compatible with safety.
The traffic to the match was handled quite satisfactorily, as it extended over a considerable time, many going very early to take up good positions on the ground. At the conclusion of the game, however, the conditions were very different. Everybody wanted to get home at once. The precaution had been taken to "hold up" the cars travelling city-wards at the entrance to Prince's Park. By 5 o'clock there was a string of them extending northwards nearly to the Sarah Sands Hotel.
Then the rush commenced. Every car near the entrance was almost instantly overloaded, and the people commenced to rush up the line to get on those behind. The cars and dummies were despatched with tremendous loads of humanity. Every inch of standingroom was occupied, and dozens clambered onto the roofs or gained a precarious foothold on the sides of the cars even. The rolling stock and cables must have undergone a severe test, but they stood it well. The wonder it that there were not some severe accidents to those who, to use the fanciful phrase of Mr. Melville, M.L.C., were "holding on by their eyebrows."
Meanwhile, impatient thousands, unable to get on the cars for the city, took those bound for Moreland, and travelling up the line until they met empty cars coming from the sheds. These were quickly filled, and had to run past the crowd lower down. It is safe to say that some thousands paid double fares in order to obtain standing room. Thousands of others walked northwards for as much as a mile, and for a time Sydney-road - the main street of Brunswick - was crowded with pedestrians walking away from the direction of their homes to obtain conveyances. Many others others walked easterly through North Carlton, and took tram from the north end of Rathdown-street.
It was quite a unique experience for the company, and the takings must have been very heavy, though the conductors must surely have missed collecting some fares."
(Record Emerald Hill, June 09 1906 p3)

At the end of this round Carlton were in 1st spot on the ladder with a percentage of 175.8.

.* A report in the Referee June 10 1908 (p9) recalling this match mentions that the crowd was at least 45,000!

Team

B: Norman Clark Doug Gillespie Alex Johnston
HB: Martin Gotz Billy Payne Charlie Hammond
C: Ted Kennedy Rod McGregor George Bruce (vc)
HF: George Topping George S Johnson Mick Grace
F: Alby Ingleman Frank Caine Alex Lang
Ruck: Jim Flynn (c) Fred Elliott Archie Snell
Coach: Jack Worrall


Changes

In: A.Ingleman
Out: D.Harris


Round 4 | Round 6
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