Answer Man

ANSWER MAN with COL HUTCHINSON

St Kilda’s Max King kicked just one goal from eight scoring shots against the Giants in Canberra in round six. Is it unusual for a player to score so many behinds in a match? R. ELLIOTT, VIA EMAIL

CH: Comprehensive records of this information have been compiled consistently since the start of the 1955 season. Before that, newspaper reports sometimes highlighted exceptional cases, and for most seasons during the 1930s, tables of players’ match-by-match goals and behinds were usually published. The records indicate that South Melbourne champion Bob Pratt booted between seven and nine behinds in at least 18 separate games, while Harry ‘Soapy’ Vallence and Gary Ablett snr each did it on a dozen occasions. In the Cats’ last three home games at Corio Oval in 1932, key forward George Moloney finished with tallies of 10.10, 11.9 and 8.8. Early in the 1938 season, mercurial Magpies star Ron Todd took 17 marks against the Tigers, but kicked just seven goals from 19 scoring shots. Another five shots went out of bounds. Tom Allen, on debut for Richmond in 1949, kicked a behind with each of his 11 scoring shots. Max King (once), Toby Green (once) and Lance Franklin (six times) are the only current players with at least seven minor scores in a match.

OFF TARGET: Max King and Lance Franklin (right) react to missed shots at goal this season.

SEVEN OR MORE BEHINDS IN A MATCH (NOTABLE CASES)

G/B PLATER CLUB OPPONENT VENUE RESULT

0.11 Tom Allen Richmond NM, R14, 1949 Punt Rd Oval Loss 0.10 Stuart Spencer Melbourne Geel, R5, 1956 MCG Loss 1.10 Jack Shelton St Kilda Rich, R13, 1927 Junction Oval Loss 1.10 Peter McKenna Collingwood Haw, R12, 1969 Victoria Park Win 2.13 Harry Moyes St Kilda Rich, R18, 1922 Junction Oval Win 2.12 Jack Titus Richmond SM, R4, 1939 Punt Rd Oval Win 2.11 Lance Franklin Hawthorn WB, R21, 2007 Docklands Win 2.10 Fred Hiskins Essendon SM, R6, 1901 Lake Oval Win 2.10 Cliff Rankin Geelong Rich, SF, 1921 MCG Loss 2.10 George Margitich Melbourne Coll, R7, 1933 MCG Loss 3.14 Norm Ware Footscray SM, SF, 1942 Princes Park Loss 4.11 Norm Smith Melbourne NM, R7, 1940 Arden St Oval Win 4.11 Ron Hartridge South Melb Geel, R4, 1945 Kardinia Park Win 4.10 Jack Wrout Carlton Melb, R14, 1937 Princes Park Win 4.10 Claude Curtin Fitzroy Geel, R14, 1940 Brunswick St Oval Win 4.10 Allen Jakovich Melbourne Haw, R2, 1994 Waverley Park Win 6.12 Alex Jesaulenko Carlton Haw, R2, 1969 Princes Park Win 6.10 George Moloney Geelong Haw, R9, 1933 Corio Oval Win 7.12 Ron Todd Collingwood Rich, R3, 1938 Punt Rd Oval Loss 10.11 Vin Gardiner Carlton St K, R15, 1911 Princes Park Win 10.10 George Moloney Geelong Melb, R15, 1932 Corio Oval Win 11.11 Fred Fanning Melbourne Haw, R11, 1944 Glenferrie Oval Win 12.10 Norm Smith Melbourne Foots, R17, 1941 MCG Win

ROUND 12, 2021

u With the COVID lockdown continuing in Victoria and some border restrictions still in place, the AFL had to move four matches in the first of the bye rounds. The clash between Melbourne and Brisbane, originally scheduled in Alice Springs, was shifted to Giants Stadium, while the St Kilda-Sydney game was moved from Marvel Stadium to the SCG and the Carlton-West Coast clash from the MCG to the SCG. The biggest fixture change saw the annual Dreamtime at the ’G game between Essendon and Richmond transferred to Optus Stadium where 55,656 fans watched the Tigers win by 39 points. Essendon’s Darcy Parish won the Yiooken Trophy after a club-record 44 disposals. The Demons kicked off the round in style, coming from 20 points down at half-time to defeat the Lions by 22 points. Jamie Elliott returned from injury to boot six goals as Collingwood downed Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in a fly-in, fly-out mission. The Blues ordered a mid-season review of their football department after a disappointing loss to an injury-hit Eagles.

CAN YOU ASSIST?

u The AFL is seeking the dates of death for the following players. Originating from Yarraville, Patrick John McDonald played for Essendon in 1918-19. He was born on March 27, 1897. In 1920, Raymond Paul Ross, born on May 2, 1900, came from St Paul’s, Ascot Vale, to join the Dons. Born on May 10, 1900, James Scott Sutherland represented South Melbourne in 1924 after being cleared by local club Leopold. Maxwell Herbert Glass, born on October 2, 1925, played for the Swans in 1945 after joining the club from South Melbourne Boys. If you can assist, contact Col Hutchinson at col.hutchinson@afl.com.au.