Mike Moncrieff

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Catsace

Catsace

Norm Smith Medallist
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Apr 15, 2007
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Growing up in the 70's and my first footballing memories are from about '76 onwards, i was thinking about Mike Moncrieff, the Hawthorn forward who kicked 629 goals in his career, and must have played some of his seasons in positions not always in the forward line. Noticed in only his 16th game he kicked 10 goals against the finals side Essendon in 1972, and almost kicked the ton a couple of occasions...indeed in 1976 he entered the finals series with 91 goals, in the three finals wins the Hawks played to take the '76 Flag he only kicked 1,2 and three goals to end up on 97.

The following year with Peter Hudson returning, Moncrieff must have been played in the backline, as he had just 8 goals that season, Hudson kicking 107 in his final season of VFL footy. But with the full forward position vacated in '78 Moncrieff booted a very accurate 90.33 in the Hawk's 1978 Premiership season.

'79 was a down year for the Hawks and Moncrieff, as they won just 10 games and 45 goals was his tally, but a renaissance in 1980 saw Mike kick 86 that season. Playing 16 and 10 games in '81-'82 he only scored 32 and 28 goals those seasons...but 1983 is a puzzle for me, and i'm wondering did he suffer an injury that prematurely ended his career? I noticed that he had scored 41 goals in 1983 by Rd 10....coincidently the same figure that Mark Jackson had scored before he was sacked by St.Kilda. Indeed Mike had kicked 9,6,5 goals in Rd's 8-10 in 1983. He missed the Rd 11 loss to the Cats at Princes Park, played In Rd's 12 and 13 (not having a possession in Rd 12, and one goal from one kick in Rd 13, before appearing in just one more game, Round 20 vs Carlton where he kicked one goal from just two possessions.

Basically for Hawk fans with longer memories, how did his career end so suddenly after dominating earlier in '83? I was actually quite shocked upon perusing his career stats and seeing how it ended, three possessions, two goals in his last three games. And he was just shy of 31 y/o at his last game.
 
I remember him as a kid but he did not stand out to me as especially a star. Just a good full forward in an era where there were plenty of good full forwards. I kind of remember Larry Donahue of Cats, Bob Beecroft of Fitzroy, Phil "Snake" Baker of North and some guy called George Young of Saints around same era I started following footy. Kelvin Templeton of Footscray kind of put them to shame with his 15 goals in a game or whatever it was in same era. I assume Leigh Matthews kind of overtook him as the focal point in the early 80's and then Dermie come along in 1982 finals and 83 so he was probably just too one dimensional for style they wanted to play under Jeans at time. Remembering in 1978 premiership they had a different coach in David Parkin. Also remember around same time period Fred Cook was a star full forward in VFA for Port Melbourne and Rex Hunt too after he retired from the VFL to move to VFA for Sandringham. I recall there was a Tim Evans that was similar star full forward in the SANFL for Port Adelaide Magpies.
 
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Best known for figuring in John Kennedy’s infamous 1975 Grand Final speech, something along these lines:

“Don’t think, Mick, do. Do something, at least you can say I shepherded, or I layed a tackle..”


My main memories of “Gladys” Moncrieff are:

- featuring several times in “Goal of the Day” on World of Sport for goals kicked directly over his own head,

- his perennially pale skin

- just being a good solid and efficient leading full forward in what were generally strong Hawthorn teams. The Hawks had Peck before him, Hudson was almost a contemporary, and Dunstall came along soon after all drew more attention and in the cases of Hudson and Dunstall were all time great level players. But Moncrieff was good enough to represent Victoria 3 times. He had a very nice career.
 
I recall the start of the 1978 Grand Final...where he kicked Hawthorn's first two goals with tumbling marks on the lead from almost rushed kicks into the forward line, one of them he got a 15 m penalty which put him in distance. To be honest that '78 GF when you see it on youtube, i reckon it's quite amazing to me how almost modern that whole game seemed to be. The clear colour TV of the replay, the advertising, and maybe the brilliant fine day makes it look a match you watch and struggle to think it's 45 years ago.

It was notable too how unusually at the start of that '78 GF, the half forward line for Hawthorn saw a bunch of players almost just standing on the edge of the centre square, they didn't stand in the sort of positions that games of that era usually had.

Paradoxically his opponent early on in that GF was Ross Glendinning who was the total opposite of Moncrieff in how his career ended....in 1988 Ross kicked an imposing 73.47 for the Eagles, yet retired after that season, his best goalkicking performance of his career!
 
Didn't Gladys move to Stkilda, but never played a senior match after injuring his knee in the last practice match?
Or am I thinking of someone else.
 
Catsace said:
I recall the start of the 1978 Grand Final...where he kicked Hawthorn's first two goals with tumbling marks on the lead from almost rushed kicks into the forward line, one of them he got a 15 m penalty which put him in distance. To be honest that '78 GF when you see it on youtube, i reckon it's quite amazing to me how almost modern that whole game seemed to be. The clear colour TV of the replay, the advertising, and maybe the brilliant fine day makes it look a match you watch and struggle to think it's 45 years ago.

It was notable too how unusually at the start of that '78 GF, the half forward line for Hawthorn saw a bunch of players almost just standing on the edge of the centre square, they didn't stand in the sort of positions that games of that era usually had.

Paradoxically his opponent early on in that GF was Ross Glendinning who was the total opposite of Moncrieff in how his career ended....in 1988 Ross kicked an imposing 73.47 for the Eagles, yet retired after that season, his best goalkicking performance of his career!
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No way anyone kicks 73 goals and retires now days.

Just way too much money left on the table.

If player kicks 17 they think they deserve another mega contract nowadays.
 
Catsace said:
I recall the start of the 1978 Grand Final...where he kicked Hawthorn's first two goals with tumbling marks on the lead from almost rushed kicks into the forward line, one of them he got a 15 m penalty which put him in distance. To be honest that '78 GF when you see it on youtube, i reckon it's quite amazing to me how almost modern that whole game seemed to be. The clear colour TV of the replay, the advertising, and maybe the brilliant fine day makes it look a match you watch and struggle to think it's 45 years ago.

It was notable too how unusually at the start of that '78 GF, the half forward line for Hawthorn saw a bunch of players almost just standing on the edge of the centre square, they didn't stand in the sort of positions that games of that era usually had.

Paradoxically his opponent early on in that GF was Ross Glendinning who was the total opposite of Moncrieff in how his career ended....in 1988 Ross kicked an imposing 73.47 for the Eagles, yet retired after that season, his best goalkicking performance of his career!
Click to expand...
totally agree,1978 GF a very good game to watch and a kinda forgotten gem,i watched that whole game on the day,thats how good it was as a neutral supporter,pace of the game is fantastic and a much better watch than 98% of todays games thanks largely to the idiotic stand rule which purports 18 on 17
anyway dont forget that game featured absolute all time legends,hall of famers,icons at the top of theyre game
consider last years GF,1 icon /legend featured,Buddy and he was finished 2 years ago,some would claim 3 yrs ago

Matthews,Tuck,Knights,Blight,Greig,Schimmelbusch....6 players that feature in many observers best ever to of played the game since inception,
compare that to last years abomination of a GF ,a finished Frankiln and thats it and im not even putting Don Scott in there,3 flags,premiership captain
for gods sake who were last years ruckmen in the GF :rolleyes: geez most games are a s*tshow nowadays

edit: what i will add, Isaac Smith has put his name up there as far as best ever wingman to of played in finals courtesy of his NS,4 flags and a NS playing on the wing ,not many can claim those accolades,i know he doesnt have the allure of a Matera,Flower or Greig, but you gotta recognise thats elite
 
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Had a quick search on youtube and other places about him.
Some incriminating evidence of crimes against music amongst it.
Also shows him playing in backline for Sandringham in 1986 in the VFA.





MICHAEL MONCRIEFF​

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
HawthornV/AFL1971-19832246292.8163%8.221.483.8328
Total1971-19832246292.8163%8.221.483.8328
AFL: 8,338th player to appear, 431st most games played, 32nd most goals kickedHawthorn: 610th player to appear, 24th most games played, 4th most goals kicked

Michael Moncrieff was a tall, rangy full forward who had the unenviable task of following in Peter Hudson's footsteps at Hawthorn. He did this to commendable effect, topping the Hawks' goal kicking list five times, and amassing 629 goals in 224 VFL games between 1971 and 1983. His best season was 1976 when he booted 94 goals. A Hawthorn premiership player in 1976 and 1978, Moncrieff was a Victorian representative on three occasions. He crossed to St Kilda in 1984 but before he had played a senior game he injured a knee and was forced to retire.
Author - John Devaney

Sources​

Full Points Footy Publications

Australian Football - Michael Moncrieff - Player Bio

australianfootball.com australianfootball.com
 
Occidental said:
1976 - Moncrieff full forward, kicks 97, wins flag.
1977 - Peter Hudson returns from injury. Moncrieff to full back.
1978 - Hudson’s gone, Moncrieff back to full forward, kicks 90, wins flag.

He was some player.
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He had little choice in 1977. Hudson kicked 110, Lethal 91, so there weren’t many goals left to be kicked by anyone else! Remember him as a strong mark and a beautiful kick for goal. Also got thrown into the ruck on occasions as well as FB. He seemed to lose favour with Jeans and left for St Kilda at end of 83. Sandwiched between Hudson and Dunstall his excellent career has been mostly forgotten.
 

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Ahh....thanks Footyfan78, so he did actually do a knee and it forced his retirement from footy before the 1984 season. And certainly his games played under Jeans (16-10-13) indicated he had lost favour to an extent with Jeans. Interestingly Hawthorn were only 6-5 after Rd 11 in 1983, despite the 41 goals from Moncrieff to that point, and yeah, the two games with just one kick, and a solitary game in Rd 20, he must have seen the writing on the wall.

Did he play ressies in the gap between Rd's 14 and 19 in 1983? Does seem an amazing decline if he didn't suffer any injury or some sort. But indeed he was a prolific goalkicker with three tallies of 86+ in the even years of '76, '78 and '80. It may also be that Gary Buckenara coming in as well as the emergence of Dermie in '83 may have hastened his fall from favour too. But there are only three Hawk legends who've kicked more goals than Mike, of course Dunstall, Matthews and Hudson. Even Buddy and Roughy didn't exceed Mike's 629 goals in the brown and gold.

Oh, just in passing Lumpinee, i thought the 2022 GF was a glorious game just personally :)
 
Catsace said:
Ahh....thanks Footyfan78, so he did actually do a knee and it forced his retirement from footy before the 1984 season. And certainly his games played under Jeans (16-10-13) indicated he had lost favour to an extent with Jeans. Interestingly Hawthorn were only 6-5 after Rd 11 in 1983, despite the 41 goals from Moncrieff to that point, and yeah, the two games with just one kick, and a solitary game in Rd 20, he must have seen the writing on the wall.

Did he play ressies in the gap between Rd's 14 and 19 in 1983? Does seem an amazing decline if he didn't suffer any injury or some sort. But indeed he was a prolific goalkicker with three tallies of 86+ in the even years of '76, '78 and '80. It may also be that Gary Buckenara coming in as well as the emergence of Dermie in '83 may have hastened his fall from favour too. But there are only three Hawk legends who've kicked more goals than Mike, of course Dunstall, Matthews and Hudson. Even Buddy and Roughy didn't exceed Mike's 629 goals in the brown and gold.

Oh, just in passing Lumpinee, i thought the 2022 GF was a glorious game just personally :)
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didnt watch it,not a second,had better things to do than watch a game of netball,please under STAND;)
 
raymond35 said:
Didn't Gladys move to Stkilda, but never played a senior match after injuring his knee in the last practice match?
Or am I thinking of someone else.
Click to expand...
You are right, Footyfan78 showed indeed he did transfer to St.Kilda, but sadly did his knee and didn't play VFL again, although he did play VFA in later years. Wonder how he and a young Lockett would have gone together?
 
Catsace said:
Ahh....thanks Footyfan78, so he did actually do a knee and it forced his retirement from footy before the 1984 season. And certainly his games played under Jeans (16-10-13) indicated he had lost favour to an extent with Jeans. Interestingly Hawthorn were only 6-5 after Rd 11 in 1983, despite the 41 goals from Moncrieff to that point, and yeah, the two games with just one kick, and a solitary game in Rd 20, he must have seen the writing on the wall.

Did he play ressies in the gap between Rd's 14 and 19 in 1983? Does seem an amazing decline if he didn't suffer any injury or some sort.
Click to expand...
On some Hawksheadquarters site I noted they mentioned fitness an issue in early 80's for him but do not know if this just one opinion as a fan or some ex-players of the time that would be more in the know.

The site I read it on does not look like it been used in yonks.

Michael Moncrieff :: Default

Hawk Headquarters. The unofficial home of the Mighty Hawks
www.hawkheadquarters.com
"Failing fitness edged him out of the Hawthorn line-up through the early 1980s, and a subsequent spell at St Kilda came to nought after a serious knee injury."
 
footyfan1978 said:
Had a quick search on youtube and other places about him.
Some incriminating evidence of crimes against music amongst it.
Also shows him playing in backline for Sandringham in 1986 in the VFA.





MICHAEL MONCRIEFF​

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
HawthornV/AFL1971-19832246292.8163%8.221.483.8328
Total1971-19832246292.8163%8.221.483.8328
AFL: 8,338th player to appear, 431st most games played, 32nd most goals kickedHawthorn: 610th player to appear, 24th most games played, 4th most goals kicked

Michael Moncrieff was a tall, rangy full forward who had the unenviable task of following in Peter Hudson's footsteps at Hawthorn. He did this to commendable effect, topping the Hawks' goal kicking list five times, and amassing 629 goals in 224 VFL games between 1971 and 1983. His best season was 1976 when he booted 94 goals. A Hawthorn premiership player in 1976 and 1978, Moncrieff was a Victorian representative on three occasions. He crossed to St Kilda in 1984 but before he had played a senior game he injured a knee and was forced to retire.
Author - John Devaney

Sources​

Full Points Footy Publications

Australian Football - Michael Moncrieff - Player Bio

australianfootball.com australianfootball.com
Click to expand...

I prefer the look of the goal umpires in those videos to todays goalies.
They had a bit of character.
 
Illustrates just how stacked those Hawthorn sides were in the 70's & 80's. When you can have a bloke manage 630 career goals and go relatively unknown, you know it must have been some team.
Likewise Geoff Ablett & David O'Halloran. Terry Wallace another who goes unnoticed today but he was a champion in his own right.
 
footyfan1978 said:
On some Hawksheadquarters site I noted they mentioned fitness an issue in early 80's for him but do not know if this just one opinion as a fan or some ex-players of the time that would be more in the know.

The site I read it on does not look like it been used in yonks.

Michael Moncrieff :: Default

Hawk Headquarters. The unofficial home of the Mighty Hawks
www.hawkheadquarters.com
"Failing fitness edged him out of the Hawthorn line-up through the early 1980s, and a subsequent spell at St Kilda came to nought after a serious knee injury."
Click to expand...

Was there a cultural shift in those days to a greater degree of fitness than had been tolerated in the 70s? Game not fully professional then, but I'm of the understanding it was on the way.
 
James Colorado said:
Was there a cultural shift in those days to a greater degree of fitness than had been tolerated in the 70s? Game not fully professional then, but I'm of the understanding it was on the way.
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I think it was and by the end of the 80's you had types like Rhys-Jones complaining about directed to eat banana's after a game than have a smoke and can of beer... ha ha..I think it was a gradual thing each passing year than some overnight change though. Also think back around this time Ablett left the Hawks too so maybe some players just did not fit the culture at Hawthorn when Jeans culture was fully in place by early 80's.
Would be interesting to hear what people like Dipper would say about the likes of Moncrief and Ablett leaving Hawks in early 80's and why. Dipper was there when Parkin was coach and then Jeans and could shed a lot of light on these type of things.
 
footyfan1978 said:
Would be interesting to hear what people like Dipper would say about the likes of Moncrief and Ablett leaving Hawks in early 80's and why. Dipper was there when Parkin was coach and then Jeans and could shed a lot of light on these type of things.
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Ablett did not like suburbia life. He was introverted and grew up in the country.
He went back home to Drouin in 1983 and played for the Myrtleford Saints. By all accounts, loved it. Uncompromising league but there was no spotlight. Not sure if Ablett ever did enough to remain in the Hawks seniors.
He played his best game in the final round of that season. Booted 60 goals in the reserves so was starting to bang down the door. Perhaps he felt he should have played in finals?
Who knows but he was eventually lured away from the country by Bill McMaster.

Dipierdomenico was full of himself. Many league footballers were. Dipper tested Jeans' patience on numerous occasions and those who knew Jeans well could attest to his phenomenal strength (champion wrestler) and aggressive streak as a person. He took Dipper aside one day and threw him against a wall and told him to change his ways.
 
James Colorado said:
Was there a cultural shift in those days to a greater degree of fitness than had been tolerated in the 70s? Game not fully professional then, but I'm of the understanding it was on the way.
Click to expand...
There were some players not putting in enough according to Jeans. Hawks premiers 1978 missed finals 1979-81. Jeans was astonished that a team so talented with players like Lethal, Knights, Scott, Tuck, Ayres, Mew, Dipper, OHalloran, Wallace et al couldn’t even make finals. Dont think Moncrieff was the problem, but once Jeans made up his mind to reinvigorate the team, Gladys was on the outer.
 

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Mike Moncrieff

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