Number 1
Congratulations to Jason Gram, who joins a long list of Saints greats who have played over 100 games for the Club.
There are many Saints players who have worn the Number 1 jumper during their career who are champions. Below, I have selected a Saints team purely of players who have worn the number 1 at any point of their career. I have also provided my personal assessment of the top 3 players who have carried the number 1 for the Red, White and Black.
“The Jumper Number 1” Saints Team over Decades;
Backs - Rodger Head / Bill Cubbins / Gordon Dangerfield
Half Backs - Stuart King / Harry Lever / Jason Gram
Centres - Leo Garlick / Colin Watson / John Bonney
Half Forward - Neville Linney / Trevor Barker / George Morrissey
Forwards - Les Foote / Dave McNamara / Wells Eicke
Ruck - Jack Knight / Justin Peckett
Rover - Ansell Clarke
Interchange. Alan Stretton / Clarrie Hindson / Jack Kelly / E. John (Jack) Coffey
Other players to wear the Number 1 jumper include; Marcel Hilsz, Stephen Newport, Craig Devonport, Col Deane, Percy Tulloh, Albert Bragg, Joe Henke,, Frank J Kelly, Fred Pemberton, Charlie Ricketts, George Robbins, Percy Cheffers, Stan Cooper, Eric Comerford, Alan Hutton, Alan Scott, William Dicks.
The best three Saints players to have worn the Number 1 jumper…
1) Trevor Barker played 230 games for the Saints from 1975-1989. He wore the Number 1 jumper from 1977 till 1989.
Barker was Captain from 1983-1986, was twice Best and Fairest and represented Victoria on seven occasions. Trevor started in the forward line and was a great half forward but soon found himself at full back against some of the best full forwards of the century. He was playing on the half back line when he won his second Best and Fairest in 1981.
I always called him the “The little Champion” as did many others. When he took over the Number 1 jumper I was given a small knitted Saints figurine, complete with blonde hair and with the Number 1 sewn on its back. It sat proudly on my desk for many seasons. Although I have picked Trevor at Half Forward in my Team over the decades, I could have picked him in any position.
2) Bill Cubbins played 149 Games for the Saints from 1915 to 1930. He wore the Number 1 from 1925-1926.
Cubbins 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 Captain of the Saints in 1922, 1925-1926, 1928-1930 and was Captain-Coach in 1930. In 1931, Bill crossed to Footscray as Captain-Coach. Bill Cubbins was awarded the Taylor Shield as Club Best and Fairest four times - in 1921, 1923, 1928 and 1929.
3) Colin Watson played 93 Games with the Saints from 1920 till 1935. He wore the number 1 jumper in 1934-1935.
Originally from Sth Warnambool he played 8 seasons overall. His Saints career was interrupted after 1922 when he played only 3 games in his debut season. He was unhappy with the internal friction at the club and returned to country footy until 1922 when he returned to the Saints. In 1924 he was the outstanding player in VFL football winning the Saints Best and Fairest and the Brownlow Medal despite only playing in 15 games. In that year he was outstanding for Victoria in the Interstate Carnival. All in all he pulled on the Big V, 8 times. In 1926 Watson left the club to take up the coaching position with Stawell. He later returned to his old club Sth Warnambool, but in 1933 was lured back to the Saints as skipper. He was Captain Coach of the Saints in 1934, but after only 1 game in 1935 he opted out of league footy and returned to his much loved country life.
Summary
The players who wore Number 1 were great players and the Number 1 team of the decades is a very good team but I doubt it would challenge Saints teams comprising other numbers. We will have to see as I produce teams representing other numbers in a series of articles to come. Surprisingly few ruckman have worn number 1 for the Saints over 100 yrs, thus I think the ruck stocks are a little weak. The team has some fine back men in Head, Lever, King, Dangerfield, Gram and Cubbins. For this reason I placed Trevor Barker at Centre Half Forward rather than the back line when he was at his exciting best, not that he couldn’t play anywhere. George Morrissey at half forward and Dave McNamara at full forward are imposing. All the number 1s are players who gave their best for the Red White and Black and, the best three Barker, Cubbins and Watson would be competitive against any player to have played the game. They were indeed, Saints legends.
References
"The Encylopedia of AFL Footballers" - Russell Holmesby and Jim Main Crown
"Every Game ever played" - compiled by Stephen Rodgers and Viking O’Neill
"Western Saints" - West of Moorabbin Website
"saints.com.au"
If you would like to contact Allan please send him an email to takeitforgranted@hotmail.com
