Number 13
There are many Saints players who have worn the number 13 jumper during their career who are champions. Below, I have selected a Saints team purely of players who have worn the number 13 at any point of their career. I have also provided my personal assessment of the top three players who have carried the number 13 for the Red, White and Black.
“The Jumper Number 13” Saints Team over the Decades
Backs: Clarrie Curyer / Barry Lawrence / Brian Sierakowski
Half Backs: Sean Ralphsmith / Bill Cubbins / Robert Elliot
Centres: Norm Turnbull / Barney Carr / George W Chapman
Half Forwards: Adam Schneider / Roy Cazaly / Peter R Bell
Forwards: Jeff Fehring / Stewart Anderson / Ray Harper
Rucks: David Sierakowski / Brett Voss
Rover: Andrew Cross
Interchange: Harry Grigg, Phonse Orger, Stephen Pirrie, Alan Sinclair
Other players who have worn the number 13 include: Glen Boland, Wally Southern, Max Helmrich, Kevin Kallady, William Lumsden, Jack Mc Lorinan, William Mills, Brendan O’ Donnell, Jack Rogers, Paul Tilley, Warwick Green, Bob Fitzimmons, Stan Le Lievre, William Clark and Beres (Fats) O’Reilly.
Lest we Forget
Beresford Stanley Reilly - Pilot Officer 454 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force. 2 Games for the Saints 1938. 8 games Nth Melbourne 1935 to 1936 and 3 Games for Melbourne in 1937.
On 1 March 1941 aged 26 he enlisted with the RAAF and attained the rank Pilot Officer. He went with his squadron to the Mediterranean and on 23 July 1943 aged 27 he was presumed shot down over or near Crete.
The Team of the Decades Number 13 - Assessment
This team has two of the best Saint defenders of all time in the key defence positions. Brian Sierakowski in the back pocket was a tower of strength in the Saint’s Premiership win in 1966. The other defenders although not stars would provide good support in a very good defensive side. In the centre the dashing Barney Carr would be a very good player in modern football and Norm Turnbull on the wing was no slouch. Adam Schneider and the legendary Roy Cazaly in the forward line would be something to see although the rest of the attacking division would have to be at their very best to have impact.
The on ballers are not top line although triers. They would do their best to support the rest of the team. On paper this is not the best Saint’s side I have named but I would give anything to see the caliber Cubbins and Lawrence down back in our current side.
The best three Saints players to have worn the Number 13 jumper.
1) Bill Cubbins. 149 Games for the Saints from 1915 to 1930.
He wore the Number 1 from 1925-1926. He was arguably the finest Full Back of the era. He joined the Saints in 1915 but then enlisted in the Army, returning to the club in 1919 after war service. Bill was appointed Club Captain in 1922, 1925-1926, 1928-1930. He was Captain-Coach of the Saints in 1930. In 1931 Bill crossed to Footscray as Captain Coach. Bill Cubbins was awarded the Taylor Shield as Club Best and Fairest in 1921, 1923, 1928 and 1929. I know that Bill Cubbins did not make the Saint’s Team of the Century in front of Barry Lawrence but I controversially perhaps rate him ahead of Barry. Four Best and Fairests count heavily in Bill’s favour.
2) Barry Lawrence. 126 Games 1969-1976
Barry arrived at the Saints from Longford in Tasmania with an almost Baldock like reputation. Unfortunately his reputation meant little as he struggled to impress as a forward. He was dropped to the seconds early in the season and when given more opportunities continued to struggle. Later in the season he was tried in defence and things seemed to click. In the end he could play anywhere on the ground. He had fantastic skills largely because of his uncanny ability to read the play. He played a sensational game against Peter Hudson in the 1971 Grand Final. Barry played for Victoria in 1972 and 1973 and was the Saints skipper for two seasons 1974 and 1975.
3. Roy Cazaly. St Kilda 99 Games 1911-1920. South Melbourne 99 Games 1921-1927.
"Up there Cazaly" became an Australian idiom during World War II and was later immortalised in a chart-topping song. The saying was first used by fellow South Melbourne ruckman Fred "Skeeter" Fleiter when he wanted Cazaly to go for a mark or a hit-out. He stood only five feet 11 inches and weighed 12 and a half stone.
Roy Cazaly was one of 10 children and first attracted attention with his play for Albert Park School and then the Middle Park Wesley team. He did not want to play for South, or St.Kilda for that matter, and only had eyes for Carlton. After a few reserves games he became disenchanted when Carlton did not look after a shoulder injury. Myths over Cazaly's first game were cleared up by historian Stephen Rodgers who discovered that it was Cazaly's brother who played in the first game of 1910 and that Roy did not appear until late in 1911 against Carlton. This was confirmed by an article written by Cazaly in the Sporting Globe in 1937. A players' strike meant that he didn't get much notice that he was needed. "I was a raw colt from the paddock. They came for me on Saturday at lunch time to play." Contrary to folklore he did not kick four goals in his first game. In 1913 he played in the Saints' losing Grand Final side. Cazaly was a fine player for the Saints and was voted the team's best player in 1918. He was captain in 1920, but the club's constant in-fighting became too much and he asked for a clearance to Carlton, but instead was swapped to South.
Although he was 28 by the time he lined up for South he found a new lease of life and played his best football there. He made his state debut in his first year and went on to wear the Big V 13 times. He was captain-coach of South in 1922 and was best and fairest in 1926. Superbly fit, he built a huge reputation. He captain-coached Minyip in 1925, but returned for two more seasons at the Lake Oval. When placed in charge at VFA club Preston he sacked half of the side and replaced them with a bunch of youngsters. He had to win 13 matches straight to take the flag and won 12 of them!
Hec De Lacy, said of him: "He survived among a race of hard players because he had skilled himself to be hard along with the hard. He matched an electric mind - a sense of split second imagination against the more obvious tactics of the roughneck." As a physical fitness devotee Cazaly was years ahead of his time. He neither smoked nor drank, and refused to eat fried food. He took extraordinary care of his body and in particular his feet. Another myth concerned how he learned to turn. In the 1937 articles he said: "Billy Schmidt (90 games for the Saints) would take me out into the park and get me running full belt at a tree. Just as I was about to take the tree on the run I had to do a blind turn." As a youth he also showed great promise as a rower, but gave up rowing because he was receiving payment as a footballer and rowing was strictly amateur. His father James Cazaly, had been a champion British oarsman.
Cazaly's football path criss-crossed Bass Strait for years. He coached South from 1937-38, Camberwell in 1940 (playing senior football at the age of 47) and Hawthorn in 1942 and 1943. He left his mark at Glenferrie by ditching the nickname of The Mayblooms and replacing it with the more ferocious Hawks. In 1951 he was coaching Newtown's first and seconds and in 1951 he stunned onlookers by playing two 30 minute halves in a veterans curtain-raiser then moments later running out with the Newtown team for the main game. He was then aged 58. Cazaly died in 1963. Cazaly just edges out C.O (Barney) Carr who played 130 games with the Saints from 1921-1929. He was recruited from VFA club Prahran, Carr was a dashing centreman and regarded as one of the best players of his era. He had every football skill and passed the ball with tremendous accuracy. Carr tore into the play at all cost and represented Victoria nine times over six years. He was best and fairest in 1922 and captained the Saints for part of the 1925 season.
References
"The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers" - Russell Holmesby and Jim Main, Crown Content. Excerpts about the players are sometimes directly transcribed from this great resource. It is available on saints.com.
"Every Game Ever Played" - compiled by Stephen Rodgers, Viking O’Neill
Saints.com.au
"The Courage Book of VFL Finals" - compiled by Graham Atkinson, Wren
"Fallen the Ultimate Heroes- Footballers who never returned from war" - Jim Main and David Allen, Crown Content.
If you would like to contact Allan please send him an email to takeitforgranted@hotmail.com
