North Adelaide’s Barrie Robran, centre, flies over a pack during the 1971 SANFL grand final against Port Adelaide; Robran and Russell Ebert, top left, with their Magarey Medals in 1987 and; top right, at SA state training in 1974.
Champion Rooster who rose to occasion
IN this grand final weekend of frenzy and celebration, there is one special moment of SANFL history that is worth recalling. Yesterday was exactly 50 years to the day that Barrie Robran achieved his ultimate football goal.
On September 25, 1971, on a windswept, rain-soaked Adelaide Oval, North Adelaide, the club that Robran devoted his football life to, won the SANFL premiership in front of 52,228 spectators. It was also the football legend’s 24th birthday.
Understandably, it is a day that holds a special place in Robran’s memory. You never forget your first premiership – especially if it’s on your birthday and the opponent is Port Adelaide.
Robran had joined North Adelaide from North Whyalla at the end of 1966 and played a few SANFL reserve games.
Young, modest and undoubtedly brilliant, he was already a favourite son of the steel city. The reserve finals were televised in those days and such was his popularity that even his hometown opponents watched and wished him nothing but success.
He had idolised Don Lindner, the spectacular star of the Roosters and wanted nothing more in his football life than to play alongside him.
How ironic then that in 1967, his first full season with North Adelaide, he tied with Lindner for the club champion award. Initially it was awarded to Lindner on a countback, but several years later, sanity prevailed and those who were denied club champion status on countback were also accorded the honour. It was the first of seven consecutive club champion awards that Robran would win. Magarey Medals would follow in 1968, 1970 and 1973.
North Adelaide through the 1950s and 1960s had always been a contender, but endured the dominance of the mighty Sturt and Port Adelaide teams of that era.
In 1963, under Lindner as playing coach, it won through to the grand final, having dispatched minor premiers West Torrens in the preliminary final, but was no match for the battle-hardened Magpies in the grand final.
Four years later, Lindner would be replaced by Port Adelaide champion Geof Motley, but not all champion players make champion coaches.
They did finish on top of the ladder after the minor round in 1967, but lost to Sturt, the eventual premier, in the second semi-final.
A heartbreaking eight-point loss to Port in the preliminary final saw them eliminated in straight sets.
After only three years, Motley was replaced by rugged Richmond premiership ruckman Mike Patterson. He worked wonders for the team, introducing a new level of fitness and hardness to complement its skill and flair.
In 1970, Patterson’s first year as coach, the Roosters finished the minor round in third position, but were unexpectedly eliminated by Glenelg in the first semi-final.
Robran was the Roosters club champion and had won the Magarey Medal in 1968 and 1970, but the ultimate achievement of a premiership seemed as though it would elude him. That is why 1971 was so special.
North finished the minor round on top of the ladder, but there was very little to separate the three top teams, North, Port and Sturt.
In fact, Port had beaten North by 85 and 50 points in their two previous minor round meetings. But in the second semi-final, North came from six points down at three-quarter time to beat a wayward Port, 14.9 to 10.18, to win through to the grand final.
As expected, Port comfortably accounted for Central District, which had made it to its first finals campaign under Dennis Jones, who had enjoyed limited success playing for Melbourne and as a captaincoach for VFA team Prahran.
The 1971 grand final was then the pinnacle of Robran’s achievements and the one most fondly remembered. There was never any real doubt about the outcome. Port was goal-less at halftime and although it kicked seven goals in the last quarter, it was too little too late.
The Jack Oatey Medal awarded to the best on ground in a SANFL grand final had not then been instituted, but good judges are assured that Robran was the best player on the ground.
Robran was the epitome of a champion. His modesty and humility are often mistaken for shyness, but he had an unrelenting ambition to achieve at the highest level and be the best he could.
He was at the height of his powers in 1974 when he was struck down by a then crippling knee injury. He was our state captain playing against Victoria on an unlikely venue, the SCG, when he was collected by Leigh Matthews after taking a mark.
The bump was late and overly vigorous. Robran’s boot stuck in the unforgiving surface of the ground and despite showing no pain and handballing the ball off, his anterior cruciate ligament had been ruptured.
These days, specialists could fix it and he would be back playing within a year, but not in 1974.
He tried playing in a cumbersome knee brace and made it to 200 games for North Adelaide.
So, after 50 years, those old Roosters of that 1971 team met on Saturday to celebrate and remember.
Sadly, eight of them are no longer with us.
Admired, loved and respected like that other South Australian champion Russell Ebert, who is mentioned in the same breath when we talk about the greats, Robran inspires us to remember and respect – even if it was 50 years ago.
On September 25, 1971, on a windswept, rain-soaked Adelaide Oval, North Adelaide, the club that Robran devoted his football life to, won the SANFL premiership in front of 52,228 spectators. It was also the football legend’s 24th birthday.
Understandably, it is a day that holds a special place in Robran’s memory. You never forget your first premiership – especially if it’s on your birthday and the opponent is Port Adelaide.
Robran had joined North Adelaide from North Whyalla at the end of 1966 and played a few SANFL reserve games.
Young, modest and undoubtedly brilliant, he was already a favourite son of the steel city. The reserve finals were televised in those days and such was his popularity that even his hometown opponents watched and wished him nothing but success.
He had idolised Don Lindner, the spectacular star of the Roosters and wanted nothing more in his football life than to play alongside him.
How ironic then that in 1967, his first full season with North Adelaide, he tied with Lindner for the club champion award. Initially it was awarded to Lindner on a countback, but several years later, sanity prevailed and those who were denied club champion status on countback were also accorded the honour. It was the first of seven consecutive club champion awards that Robran would win. Magarey Medals would follow in 1968, 1970 and 1973.
North Adelaide through the 1950s and 1960s had always been a contender, but endured the dominance of the mighty Sturt and Port Adelaide teams of that era.
In 1963, under Lindner as playing coach, it won through to the grand final, having dispatched minor premiers West Torrens in the preliminary final, but was no match for the battle-hardened Magpies in the grand final.
Four years later, Lindner would be replaced by Port Adelaide champion Geof Motley, but not all champion players make champion coaches.
They did finish on top of the ladder after the minor round in 1967, but lost to Sturt, the eventual premier, in the second semi-final.
A heartbreaking eight-point loss to Port in the preliminary final saw them eliminated in straight sets.
After only three years, Motley was replaced by rugged Richmond premiership ruckman Mike Patterson. He worked wonders for the team, introducing a new level of fitness and hardness to complement its skill and flair.
In 1970, Patterson’s first year as coach, the Roosters finished the minor round in third position, but were unexpectedly eliminated by Glenelg in the first semi-final.
Robran was the Roosters club champion and had won the Magarey Medal in 1968 and 1970, but the ultimate achievement of a premiership seemed as though it would elude him. That is why 1971 was so special.
North finished the minor round on top of the ladder, but there was very little to separate the three top teams, North, Port and Sturt.
In fact, Port had beaten North by 85 and 50 points in their two previous minor round meetings. But in the second semi-final, North came from six points down at three-quarter time to beat a wayward Port, 14.9 to 10.18, to win through to the grand final.
As expected, Port comfortably accounted for Central District, which had made it to its first finals campaign under Dennis Jones, who had enjoyed limited success playing for Melbourne and as a captaincoach for VFA team Prahran.
The 1971 grand final was then the pinnacle of Robran’s achievements and the one most fondly remembered. There was never any real doubt about the outcome. Port was goal-less at halftime and although it kicked seven goals in the last quarter, it was too little too late.
The Jack Oatey Medal awarded to the best on ground in a SANFL grand final had not then been instituted, but good judges are assured that Robran was the best player on the ground.
Robran was the epitome of a champion. His modesty and humility are often mistaken for shyness, but he had an unrelenting ambition to achieve at the highest level and be the best he could.
He was at the height of his powers in 1974 when he was struck down by a then crippling knee injury. He was our state captain playing against Victoria on an unlikely venue, the SCG, when he was collected by Leigh Matthews after taking a mark.
The bump was late and overly vigorous. Robran’s boot stuck in the unforgiving surface of the ground and despite showing no pain and handballing the ball off, his anterior cruciate ligament had been ruptured.
These days, specialists could fix it and he would be back playing within a year, but not in 1974.
He tried playing in a cumbersome knee brace and made it to 200 games for North Adelaide.
So, after 50 years, those old Roosters of that 1971 team met on Saturday to celebrate and remember.
Sadly, eight of them are no longer with us.
Admired, loved and respected like that other South Australian champion Russell Ebert, who is mentioned in the same breath when we talk about the greats, Robran inspires us to remember and respect – even if it was 50 years ago.