1983 West Team

Had the pleasure of watching some highlights of the 83 GF tonight with a few of the old players. Mark Mickan, Bruce Lindner, Bernie Conlen, John Kantilaftas and Greg Summerton.


The interesting thing was that the game lost nothing after 30 years and the current players were surprised at the pace and skill on show.

Peter Meuret - magician. Ian Borchard, Jack Oatey Medallist, brilliant, the whole side just a great combination.

In all my years of watching SANFL - since being at the 1975 Grand Final - I have not seen a better team at this level than the 1983 Premiership side. That team had it all and despatched some very handy teams along the way that year. Despite some very, very good groups since then at other clubs (eg the Central dynasty, Port in the 1990's), the 1983 team remains the benchmark for me.

D.N. Kerley said his 1983 side was better than his 1973 team, i can't argue with their coaches thoughts but i was a lot lot happier in 1973   

C.K wrote:In all my years of watching SANFL - since being at the 1975 Grand Final - I have not seen a better team at this level than the 1983 Premiership side. That team had it all and despatched some very handy teams along the way that year. Despite some very, very good groups since then at other clubs (eg the Central dynasty, Port in the 1990's), the 1983 team remains the benchmark for me.

I personally would never put the Port sides of the 90s, and the Central premiership sides, in the same category of the great sides pre '91.

The benchmark sides for me, which would be compared to West's great '83 side, would be Port's 1980 side, their 3 premiership teams from '88, as well as Glenelg's '85 side.

Admission charges for the 1983 Grand Final
Adults $10
Children and Pensioners $5

West Adelaide hierarchy 1983

Coach : Neil Kerley
Captain: Ian Borchard
Manager : Douggie Thomas
President : Bob Lee
Club Legends : Redandblack, Feres Trabilse

Too kind, Scrappy. In 1983, I was a barracker in the outer.

Bob lee played State cricket and won a Reserves Magarey Medal, I think about 1956?

Was Trablise the official Westies hairdresser?
 

I was indeed a West Adelaide supporter up until 1968 then I was brainwashed by my older siblings to support Norwood

I was taken to the club on a couple of occasions in the 60s
Back in those days the players were awarded the Feres Trabilse Medal
That was an award given to the best player in the League team

Correct.

Before the 1982 season this was the West Adelaide head to head records in the SANFL
These are figures assimilated from 1907 to 1982
I have listed the WA wins first
The opposition wins second
Draws third


CD 23-22-0
GL 74-65-1
NA 80-93-1
NW 67-111-2   
PA 68-116-2
SA 89-70-1
ST 78-85-1
WT 77-87-6
WV 36-11-1

1267 Matches played by West Adelaide
592 won
660 lost
15 drawn

The astonishing stat is the 6 WA V WT drawn games , and only 9 in total against the others

The decision of CD getting a West Adelaide favorite son Kenny Eustice to coach them in their inaugural season of 1964 paid dividends
You could say it fast tracked the Bulldogs to a 23-22 lead at the end of 1982 !

4 players kicked 100+ goals in season 1983
Rick Jumbo Davies
Grenville  Diet rich  [ well surnamed]
Neville Rocky Roberts
Roger Luders

Unless I'm mistaken Roger Luders would be the first WA player to have kicked 100+ goals in the SANFL ?

Peter Phipps kicked 90 goals in 1957 , and that would be the most kicked until Luders in 83

Roger Luders was a real high flyer and a brilliant full forward
A player opposition supporters could easily like

Scrappy wrote:West Adelaide hierarchy 1983

Coach : Neil Kerley
Captain: Ian Borchard
Manager : Douggie Thomas
President : Bob Lee
Club Legends : Redandblack, Feres Trabilse

missed one

Scrappy wrote:I was indeed a West Adelaide supporter up until 1968 then I was brainwashed by my older siblings to support Norwood

I was taken to the club on a couple of occasions in the 60s
Back in those days the players were awarded the Feres Trabilse Medal
That was an award given to the best player in the League team

It was the Trabilsie Medal, I don't think it was ever the Feres Trabilsie Medal.
Perhaps it should have been the Best & Feres?

blacky wrote:

Scrappy wrote:West Adelaide hierarchy 1983

Coach : Neil Kerley
Captain: Ian Borchard
Manager : Douggie Thomas
President : Bob Lee
Club Legends : Redandblack, Feres Trabilse

missed one

Spunky Jeff ?
Horrie Nelson ?

" He is the best all round footballer , with the exception of Len Fitzgerald, to come into South Australia.
He's a worker
He goes in and gets the ball and sets up opportunities for his teammates
Once again ...had a tremendous season."

By
Douggie Thomas
Speaking of West Adelaide Captain Ian Borchard

Scrappy wrote:" He is the best all round footballer , with the exception of Len Fitzgerald, to come into South Australia.
He's a worker
He goes in and gets the ball and sets up opportunities for his teammates
Once again ...had a tremendous season."

By
Douggie Thomas
Speaking of West Adelaide Captain Ian Borchard

Big call there - when we consider others such as Ian McKay and Bob Shearman.

FOOTYfollower wrote:

Scrappy wrote:" He is the best all round footballer , with the exception of Len Fitzgerald, to come into South Australia.
He's a worker
He goes in and gets the ball and sets up opportunities for his teammates
Once again ...had a tremendous season."

By
Douggie Thomas
Speaking of West Adelaide Captain Ian Borchard

Big call there - when we consider others such as Ian McKay and Bob Shearman.

Ian McKay was South Australian. He was educated at Prince Alfred College. Like virtually every serviceman during World War II he spent time interstate but clearly not from interstate.

I agree that Doug must have completely forgotten Bob Shearman.

A few others who come to mind are Marcus Boyall, who played for Collingwood at 16 (one year older than Fitzy was) and won the 1941 Magarey Medal, Bob Snell who came from WA to win the 1929 Magarey Medal and John Duckworth who came from WA via Fitzroy.

Personally I would have Tim Evans, Bomber Clifford and perhaps David Granger and Max Parker in front of Borchard but that is purely subjective.

Johnny 28 elbows Wynne must also must be mentioned

Whilst Douggie seems parochial with the Borchard claim, he has said best 'allround' footballer.
Perhaps he is meaning that Borchard was a  versatile player

PS
Most unlike Douggie to shoot his mouth off !

Douggie Thomas is a terrific bloke
I've had the pleasure to chat with him at the Globe Derby Trots over the years
Up until at least a few years ago, Doug was a real trotting enthusiast

robranisgod wrote:

FOOTYfollower wrote:

Scrappy wrote:" He is the best all round footballer , with the exception of Len Fitzgerald, to come into South Australia.
He's a worker
He goes in and gets the ball and sets up opportunities for his teammates
Once again ...had a tremendous season."

By
Douggie Thomas
Speaking of West Adelaide Captain Ian Borchard

Big call there - when we consider others such as Ian McKay and Bob Shearman.

Ian McKay was South Australian. He was educated at Prince Alfred College. Like virtually every serviceman during World War II he spent time interstate but clearly not from interstate.

I agree that Doug must have completely forgotten Bob Shearman.

A few others who come to mind are Marcus Boyall, who played for Collingwood at 16 (one year older than Fitzy was) and won the 1941 Magarey Medal, Bob Snell who came from WA to win the 1929 Magarey Medal and John Duckworth who came from WA via Fitzroy.

Personally I would have Tim Evans, Bomber Clifford and perhaps David Granger and Max Parker in front of Borchard but that is purely subjective.

Thanks for clarifying that RIG.

I was probably just going by the "recruited from NSW" line in some sources such as wiki.

Given that Abernethy was from Tasmania, although schooled in SA, might even bw able to put a case forward for hin too.

(I am uncertain how old he was when he moved to Adelaide..although admittedly when Thomas made rhe comment Aber hadnt returned from Collongwood at that stage).

FOOTYfollower wrote:Given that Abernethy was from Tasmania, although schooled in SA, might even bw able to put a case forward for hin too.

(I am uncertain how old he was when he moved to Adelaide..although admittedly when Thomas made rhe comment Aber hadnt returned from Collongwood at that stage).

That is probably drawing too long a bow. Graham Cornes was born in Victoria and Bob Hammond in WA. There are probably a whole host of footballers born interstate but I am sure Doug was referring to players recruited from other interstate senior competitions.

FF
Did you mean David Mckay instead of Ian Mckay    ?

David played at Carlton from memory b4 joining West Torrens
Last time I saw David , he was working at a car auction premise

Gary Hardeman was a Vic star when he came over to Sturt from Melbourne in the late 70s and had a good year or two before injury forced him out and I think he went back to Victoria.

I doubt you could rate him in contention as the best interstate recruit given his limited service, but for that year or two he was a bloody good and hard at it player.

I would have to go back and check, but I am not sure who or how they got hold of him to bring him across.

RE:1983 GF
West were clearly the best team that year.
But I rate the Sturt team they beat pretty highly of those teams we had a few years either side of 83.

Remembering this was Jumbo's 150 goal year, Peter Motley won the B&F for us and Michael Flash Graham was still burning down the left wing. Reckon Flash was our best that GF day, in a fairly disappointing showing where we just couldn't fire up on all cylinders.

Westies had a very evenly balanced side that year, which made it very hard to shut down. If one bloke like a Borchard had a quiet one, 2 or 3 others would step up.

I used to hate Mueret because he made footy look so easy. I suppose he had a bit of flair and lair like Jumbo. Probably West supporters would have felt likewise about him, particularly after his lazy 15 at Footy Park earlier that year.

He who has the last laugh, however.........  

Ian Borchard was a very good player and was outstanding in his time at West, but I would rate several of the players mentioned above more highly, mainly because of their longer influence in the SANFL.

Borchard wasn't as flashy as some others, but his work ethic and willingness to do the hard things rates him very highly. His 1983 GF performance was of the highest class.

I also rate the Sturt 1983 team highly, which just shows how good West were that year. I can't remember the margin in the other final we played that year, but we smashed Norwood.