Friday Flashback – 1965 Grand Final

By ZAC MILBANK

It was a game fitting of the largest crowd to watch a football match at Adelaide Oval.

Fierce rivals Port Adelaide and Sturt, each coached by two of SANFL’s greatest mentors in Fos Williams and Jack Oatey, going toe-to-toe for more than two hours before the Magpies earned a dramatic three-point victory.

Taking what appeared to be a match-defining 29-point lead into the last change, the Magpies were forced to cling on by less than a goal in the clip below of the final five minutes of the fourth term.

The ball barely passed centre for Port as Sturt continued its amazing comeback only to fall short in agonising circumstances.

Double Blues stars John Halbert, Brenton Adcock and Daryl Hicks all missed shots on goal deep into time-on of the final quarter.

And with less than 80 seconds left on the clock, Port giant Reg Beaufoy appears to be incorrectly called for kicking the ball while outside the field of play on the members wing.

Looking at the vision, Beaufoy appears to be inside the boundary line as he kicks but is outside of a white streamer, perhaps causing confusion for the boundary umpire.

The controversial decision didn’t matter for the Magpies, who went on to celebrate their ninth flag in 12 years with Port captain Geof Motley claiming a record ninth premiership.

The match proved to be a turning point for the Double Blues, who went on to win the next three premierships against Port in a memorable run of five in succession under Oatey’s tutelage from 1966 to 1970.

Saturday October 2 at Adelaide Oval
Port  3.3  6.3  11.7  12.8 (80)
Sturt  2.1  6.2  7.2  12.5 (77)

Crowd – 62,543