Larry Donohue speaks with Damian Barrett at GMHBA Stadium in Centurions. Picture: AFL Media

DURING the mid-1970s, in an era blessed with goalkicking superstars, a burly young forward named Larry Donohue more than held his own among the likes of Peter Hudson, Kelvin Templeton and Malcolm Blight. 

Standing 196cm and weighing in at 97kg, Donohue was a formidable opponent, a brilliant mark on the lead and a reliably straight kick. 

That skill set propelled him to a total of 105 goals in 1976, enough to claim the Coleman Medal ahead of Michael Moncrieff, Templeton and Leigh Matthews. 

>> WATCH EPISODE TWO OF SERIES TWO OF CENTURIONS  IN THE PLAYER BELOW

But that unerringly straight boot deserted him in front of his home crowd at the Cattery in the final round of 1976, leading to near-comical scenes. 

As he lined up for his fifth goal of the game - and magical 100th of the season, Donohue recalled the pressure getting to him.

CENTURIONS The day Lloyd feared for his safety

"I was a fair way out but I could kick a fairly long ball... it's gone over post-high, over the right-hand post. Could have been given a goal or a point. I, probably to this day, aren't sure but as it's gone over everyone behind the goals has obviously thought it's a goal 'cause all the kids ran out and there was hundreds of them, and the goal umpire has given it a behind.

"So I'm standing here surrounded by trainers and players for protection and then all the kids look around and they've got to run off again, and that was it. They had to go back into their spots and it was a bit of an anti-climax." 

19:37

Centurions: How the 'yips' almost cost Larry his ton

Geelong spearhead Larry Donohue speaks to Damian Barrett about the ups and down of his career, in the second series of Centurions

Later that day, Donohue had another attempt at goal, snapping over his shoulder with his rarely-used left foot, only for teammate Kevin Higgins to fumble the attempted mark and rush a behind. 

"How would it be kicking your 100th goal with the only goal you've ever kicked in history with your left foot?" Donohue recalled with a laugh. 

The next week in the elimination final against the Footscray, Donohue had no such issues. 

With his first goal of the game, he achieved the feat that ranks him among the 28 VFL/AFL players to have reached the three figures of goals in a single season. Those 28 did it a combined 57 times, with Donohue getting there in 1976, and narrowly falling short again in 1978. Tony Lockett and Jason Dunstall each did it six times.