BY RICHARD JONES
Let's look back at one of Echuca FNC's greatest footy victories.
They've been gone from our league for half a century but their thrilling one-goal grand final win over Sandhurst in 1970 will never be forgotten.
Just on 12,000 people were crammed into the QEO and they watched a torrid, very physical season decider but one packed with highlights. Echuca won: 15.13 (103) to the Hurst's 14.13 (97).
The Hurst Dragons almost snatched victory. They held Graham 'Mort' Arthur's green jerseyed players scoreless in the final quarter but couldn't get across the line.
Arthur had brought in a new era of pressure footy to the BFL and after defeat in the 1969 preliminary final --- a loss brought about by poor kicking for goal --- the Murray Bombers were determined not to go down that path again.
I've recently read about some of Arthur's training routines for the Echuca players. Here's one to get you thinking about 2026 sessions.
Arthur had his senior players carry on their shoulders a hessian bag, full to the brim with sand, up and down the banks of the Murray River in one of Tuesday night's energy-sapping routines.
Back to the grannie and Hurst almost snatchede the win. Half-forward Le4n Rodda marcked on the half-forward line with one minute left on the clock.
He elected to play on and his pass to Trevor Keogh was swept away by the Echuca defence and the Murray Bombers, ahead by one, straight kick hung on to win.
The Addy writer at the game (a few years before my time) noted the game was won and lost in the third term.
"Echuca/s six goals against the breeze was superb footy but Hurst's three majors with it was akin to suicide.
"The Murray Bombers with their strong, direct play went for the doctor while the Maroons too often resorted to foolish, fancy football."
And the Ady's special comments writers in the Monday paper attributed the Murray Bombers' win to "a strong team effort."
Yep, those were the days when footy scribes used a lot of generalisations and not much explanatory views.
The defence with Mel Crawford in dashing form and Peter M. Ryan as solid as a rock kept the Maroon forwards on the run through tremendous pressure.
"Arthur Wickham, Bernie Phyland and Bryan O'Neill were in charge across centrefield, while vice-captain Bob Vagg, David Fox and Julien Vise contributed well, also.
"But the hero of the Murray Bombers' eventual victory was little Roger Teasdale. He eluded the Hurst defenders time and time again to nail morale-boosting goals.
"Tiny Teasdale finished with six," the Advertiser reporter wrote.
Playing coach Arthur and his team manager had done a great job in recruiting for that 1970 season.
Crawford was from Tongala, P.M. Ryan and Teasdale had been playing for Moama while Vise was picked up from Bamawm.
All that aside, there were some great names in the beaten Hurst side. Trevor Keogh, the late Brian Walsh, and Geoff Southby (although out injured for the grannie), all went on to play in the then VFL for Carlton.
Paul Hurst and Kevin 'Shifter' Sheahan also played for the Maroons in that 1970 BFL decider. Hurst made his debut for the Blues later in the 1971 season while 'Shifter' was rejected by the Blues but later debuted for Geelong.
As a Cats fan of long standing, I saw 'Shifter' play a number of games.
The Hurst defence was clearly weaker on grand final day in 1970 without club and BFL inter-league full-back Geoff Southby.
He'd been a stalwart of the Maroons' backline and as I noted above was in Carlton's Rd. 1 side the following season: 1971.
## More to come about Echuca's fabulous history.
