Footy pundits have a habit of putting their minds to dream combinations, whether official (like teams of the century) or fanciful (such as all-time best teams of left-footers, or redheads, or players starting with B).
The Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame – inaugurated in 2004 and due for its fourth group of inductees on 4 July – inspires this sort of speculation about the past.
Contemporary rules where players represented their state of residence rather than origin prevented Tasmania ever assembling its strongest-possible combination in the 1960s. At different times the Apple Islanders had to endure watching players like Royce Hart, Peter Hudson, Darrel Baldock and Ian Stewart representing Victoria.
Ray Groom, later Premier of Tasmania, says that, “we would have been very competitive if there had been state of origin at that time. I am probably biased, but I just feel it was a wonderful era.
“Darrel Baldock was a natural footballer, so tough, a great leader. I rate him as the best, with Hudson second, then Stewart and Hart.
“The grounds in those days were heavy and muddy and you needed certain skills. Tasmanians grew up playing in wet, windy, muddy conditions, and we could handle that pretty well. Baldock could play in those conditions brilliantly.”
Groom notes the ruggedness of local legend Neil Conlan: “tough, almost ruthless; I played on him once and he didn’t let go of my jockstrap all day” – and wonders how many other potential VFL stars of that era stayed playing in Tasmania, often because of work.
Peter ‘Percy’ Jones says that Baldock was his favourite player growing up, although he also rates Hudson and Stewart highly. He regrets missing the chance to represent his state in 1966.
“I could have played for Tasmania at the Carnival that year if I stayed home," he said, "but Carlton wanted me so I missed out on playing with some of those blokes.”
Paul Sproule rates Stewart as “the most fantastic player we’ll ever see”. They first played together as schoolboys before teaming again at Richmond. “We were isolated from the VFL at that time but a lot of ex-VFL players came to Tasmania to coach.
“I played against Stuart Spencer when I was 17 and that sort of experience made you realise you could play in Melbourne too. We were strong enough to compete, and once you got the pace of the (VFL) game you were okay.”
Given the extraordinary wealth of talent in Tasmania during that decade, it is hard not to fantasise about what a state of origin side, drawing on players active during the 1960s, might have looked like.
A possible combination to wear the rose, primrose and green of their home state:
B: Ray Biffin, Bob ‘Tassie’ Johnson, Verdun Howell
HB: John Bonney, Barry Lawrence, Don Gale
C: Neil Conlan, Ian Stewart, Paul Sproule
HF: John Greening, Royce Hart, Darrel Baldock
F: Athol Webb, Peter Hudson, Ray Groom
Foll: Peter Jones, Brent Crosswell, Burnie Payne
Int: Graeme Lee, John Bingley, Berkeley Cox, Brian Lowe
One of the pities of the last 150 years is that this side never got to play. While it might lack a little depth, it includes some of the most extraordinary talents to ever pull on a jumper.
The spine – ‘Tassie’ Johnson, Barry Lawrence, Stewart, Hart, Hudson – is possibly superior to that of any other state in any other decade.
Add the freakish ball skills of Brent Crosswell and John Greening to the hardness of Conlan and Verdun Howell and it is a team to fear. The quality is such that Max Walker – an 85-game Melbourne player before becoming a legend of cricket and publishing – misses out.
Daniel Smedley manages historical research for the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame. “That decade was a highpoint due to what’s known as the Fantastic Four,” he says. “Baldock, Hudson, Stewart and Hart were superstars, but the game in general was strong.”
He points to quality coaching and geographical equal-opportunity as factors.
“In that era, the great majority of Tasmanian clubs were coached by ex-VFL players. They would often come in at an age when they were in their prime, and the development of young footballers was enhanced.
“Tasmania is demographically diverse with an even population spread across the state rather than clustered in one big city. In those years the Tasmanian Football League based around Hobart only had six clubs in it, but there were 14 clubs in the northern half of the state deemed to be of equal quality.
“Baldock played for what was basically a country team. Hudson came out of a country team: New Norfolk. There was a good spread of quality footballers, and youngsters had an opportunity to play against men at an early age which probably accelerated their improvement,” Smedley says.
So, how would the combination listed above fare against representative teams from other states in other decades?
“It’d go pretty well,” he says with some conviction.
