In 2025, there was quite a lot of chatter about the decision of the North Melbourne Football Club to forego a premiership reunion for the heroes of 1975. Instead, the club decided to opt for a whole-of-club celebration for their centenary.
Whether you agreed with this, or not, is inconsequential now. The club made their decision, and we now move on. Probably.
However, what the focus on that 1975 team made me do was jump back into the tapes and footage of not just that historic first premiership, but the years before and after. And then I watched the next year, and the next, and the next – it was an era which could have provided the Roos with a dynasty to match even the best of the modern game.
But it didn’t. They exited their window of contention with two premierships, three failed attempts, and a period thereafter of being good enough to win it all, but never getting close.
The remainder of this article is for our members. They support me, and I provide for them. It’s a good deal.
From 1974 through to 1978, the Roos played six Grand Finals (they did have two in one year, thanks to the draw in 1977) and ended up with just two premiership cups from it.
This was a team that was built (or bought, depending on whom you talk to), to win a flag, and the fact they got two tells you they absolutely served their purpose.
But what could this team have been?
What could North have done to their fan base and the league had they snatched a couple more pieces of silverware on the way through?
1974
The argument here is that North just weren’t ready. They lost to Richmond in the decider by 41 points. This was a Tiger team that had experienced glory days of their own, coming off flags in 1967, 69, and 73. With stars all over the park, their battle-hardened attack on the footy was simply too much for the Roos.
Royce Hart and Kevin Sheedy were right up there in the best for the Tigers, whilst Barry Cable was North’s most prominent performer.
1975
The breakthrough year, with the Kangas knocking over the Hawks for their first flag. After dispatching Richmond the week before, the Roos rode huge performances from Barry Davis, Arnold Briedis, and Brent Crosswell to take home the cup.
1976
The Hawks avenged their 1975 loss with a 30-point win over the reigning premiers, with Peter Knights and John Hendrie powering a Hawthorn team that was in the midst of their own potential dynasty.
Barry Cable and David Dench were best for North, but this one hurt. This flag would have given them the chance at something really special.
1977 – PART ONE
Oh, Arnie…
No, I am not imitating Maria Shriver on her wedding night. How many North fans lamented Arnold Briedis’ atrocious kicking at goal in the 1977 drawn Grand Final?
Arnie finished with 0.7 for the day, as Snake Baker slammed trough 6.2 to balance the ledger somewhat. Stan Alves was excellent, whilst for the Pies, Peter Moore and Billy Picken flew the flag.
1977 – PART TWO
Oh Arnie… in a good way, this time.
Briedis proved what an excellent player he was, and just how resilient he was, as well, booting 5.3 in an arguable best-on-ground performance, as North overran a fatigued Magpie unit. Blight was everywhere, John Byrne did as he pleased, and Schimma slipped in to notch a couple of snags, as well.
The Pies got five from Peter Moore and one of Phil Manassa’s three goals brought the house down, but too much was left to too few.
1978
Ping!
That was Malcolm Blight’s groin muscle in the first quarter of the 1978 decider, and with it went North’s chances. Of course, they were also without David Dench (injured earlier in the year) and Crackers Keenan (suspended… what a goose).
They battled on well, but the Hawks were back in a big way, with Lethal Leigh snagging four to go with his 28 touches, Don Scott excellent in the ruck, and Dipper winning plenty of fans.
For North, Baker snagged six for the second time in a Grand Final, whilst Ray Huppatz played his last great game for North, with 27 touches and two goals.
1979-83
And here is where we find out what was lost. Those missed opportunities in 74, 76, and 78 come home to roost when you look at what this team had in these five years, but were unable to pinch one more flag.
I want you to have a quick read of these names.
Wayne Schimmelbusch
Ross Glendinning
Keith Greig
Gary Dempsey
Jim and Phil Krakouer
Malcolm Blight
Brian Wilson
David Dench
Kerry Good
John Law
Kym Hodgeman
Stephen McCann
Throw in cameos from Phil Carmen, Stephen Icke, Andrew Demetriou, Xavier Tanner… the Roos were stacked!
In the years following the 1978 loss, these players graced the Arden Street Oval as representatives of the North Melbourne Football Club. That the team did not make one Grand Final in this period absolutely astounds me. In terms of sheer talent, this team had it all.
On any given Saturday in 1981, for instance, you could have gone and watched North play and seen six Brownlows running around on the park (Dempsey, Glendinning, Wilson – soon to be, Greig x 2, and Blight). I am not sure a team has had that type of talent and failed to win a flag with it.
They finished second in 1979, before being bundled out in the Prelim by Collingwood.
1980 saw them finish fourth, and they were ousted in the first week of finals by Collingwood again.
In 1981, they dropped out of the finals race, entirely, finishing eighth.
And in 1982, they made it back to finals, only to fall in the Semi-Final against the Hawks.
1983 may have hurt the most, though. After finishing on top, they were sent home in straight sets, with an average margin of 63-points against Hawthorn and Essendon. It closed the door on North’s chances, as they settled into an up-and-down period that lasted until a young bloke named Wayne Carey started to wield influence at the club.
Could North have been more through this period?
You’re damn right they could have.
Was two flags enough?
In hindsight, no. However, after so long without any success, those two flags must have felt like going from the desert to the ocean. They were a powerhouse with an incredibly talented playing list that could have been spoken about in the same breath as the Hawks of the 80s.
Was it Blight’s groin going “ping” in the 78 decider that cost a dynasty?
Dench’s knee earlier in the year? Or Keenan’s brain fade that saw Don Scott get close to a free run at it in the ruck?
Did players tire of Ron Barassi’s “fire and brimstone” approach to coaching? Or was it the ‘hot potato’ of the coaching role and the departure of Blight that brought things undone?
Or perhaps, there were other teams just getting that little bit better all the time?
Six Grand Finals in five years and two premiership cups to show for it – this was the dynasty that almost happened.
And just between you and I, you’re damn right the club should have had a standalone function or their inaugural premiership team. No collective of players has meant more to North than that – they deserved to be honoured property.
It’s no use waiting for the 60th anniversary, when most won’t be there to celebrate it..
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. You can see the amount of care that goes into it. I love footy, I love writing about it, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Without you, this whole thing falls over. Sincerely… thank you – HB
Like this content? You could buy me a coffee – I do like coffee, but there is no guarantee I won’t use it to buy a doughnut… I like them more. And I am not brought to you by Sportsbet or Ladbrokes… or Bet365, or any of them.
