North Melbourne's admission to the VFL in 1925 was an underdog story in itself, so it was fitting that the club's first game in the competition was also a triumph over the odds.
Fish and chip diplomacy
When the VFL's 11 clubs met in January 1925 to vote on admitting new teams, the three front-runners had been Hawthorn, Footscray and Prahran. It had taken a shrewd negotiation by North Melbourne committee member and one-time president Johnny Meere to sway the other clubs.
As the voters broke for a dinner of fish and chips at Cobb's Cafe in Bourke St, Meere had observed that Prahran, with its backers from the wealthy suburb of Toorak, would boast significant economic power and influence. Might some of the existing clubs possibly consider that a threat?
When discussions resumed, North Melbourne’s name was substituted for Prahran, and only 10 days later, the club received a letter acknowledging its request to join.
North Melbourne’s colours of a royal blue jersey with a white V at the neck were approved and just four months later, the team lined up for its first game in the competition.
Roving on a broken rib
North Melbourne played its first VFL match on May 2, 1925. The players and coaches caught the train to Geelong and 10,000 people gathered at Corio Oval for the historic game.
Wels Eicke was appointed coach, and a final list of 18 men was chosen as the first team to represent North Melbourne in the VFL.
They were:
Backs: Arch Giles, Dave Walsh, Alf Lamb
Half-backs: Cecil Gomez, Wels Eicke (c), Bill Smith (VC)
Centres: William Russ, Albert Linton, Jackie Lock
Half-forwards: Harold Clapson, Fred Metcalf, Doug Lindsay
Forwards: Jim Goonan, Jocka Doherty, A. (Tim) Trevaskis
Followers: Johnny Lewis, Bill McIntosh
Rover: Harold Johnson
Johnny Lewis combined with Jim Goonan for the Northerners’ first score in the VFL; a behind.
It seemed the more experienced Geelong team had the edge during the first match between the teams in 29 years. A 16-point margin at quarter time was a scoreline most had expected against the league’s new boys.
There was a sight to behold in the second quarter as Fred Metcalf registered North’s first goal in league ranks, and injuries to both of Geelong’s rovers evened things up further.
With a great second quarter (5.7 to 1.1), North surprised many to lead at half-time.
It was a tough and willing game and when the sides broke from the main break, North’s Harold Johnson set the tone for the fighting spirit that would become a hallmark of the club for years to come, roving with a broken rib.
Geelong was considered to have a slight edge in the third quarter, but with Metcalf and the injured Johnson the strongest performers for North, the visitors led by five points when the siren sounded.
Hundreds of North supporters had made the trip to support their team and the atmosphere was tense as the players gathered together.
The home team kicked the first goal of the last quarter to take the lead, with the attack on the ball ‘dogged and relentless’. A goal to Harold Clapson gave North the advantage, and a mistake from Geelong saw Johnny Lewis kick the match-winner.
A boilover to start, a bright future ahead
Later in the year, the tribunal was called in as the teams were involved a stoush, as Geelong avenged its earlier defeat.
As a measure of the significance of North’s win in the season opener, Geelong went on to win the premiership, its first in the VFL.
The future looked bright for the Northerners. Despite winning just five matches in that first 1925 season, they finished above their two companions from association ranks, Hawthorn and Footscray.
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