The Ulverstone Robins of 1976 were coached by former Geelong rover Ricky Graham. Graham had been part of the dominant Geelong teams of the 1960s and played in the 1967 VFL grand final loss to Richmond. He commenced his coaching career at New Norfolk in 1970 and took them to the TFL grand final and won a William Leitch Medal in 1972. However, when New Norfolk reconsidered their coaching options for 1973 the wily Robins swooped and achieved a significant coup.
The Robins slowly built a team around Ricky Graham that would deliver the ultimate football prize. By 1975 they were competing in the NWFU grand final, but went down to Harold Dowling’s Wynyard. With some highly selective recruiting which secured future state representatives in rover Peter King (from Wynyard) and ruckman Gary Marshall (from the VFA), and the emergence of local key forwards in Kerry Good and Andrew Vanderfeen, the Robins went into season 1976 as the north west coasts team to beat.
At the pointy end of the 1976 season the Robins were never really challenged such was their
dominance over Penguin (x2), Sandy Bay and Launceston. In the 4 finals games they played they were only headed once at quarter time of the 2nd semi final and won the 4 games by an average of 8 goals.
The Robins defeated their local arch rival to win the NWFU crown and then systematically dismantled the much vaunted Sandy Bay, led by dual VFL premiership player, Paul Sproule. The Seagulls team of champions had no answers on how to play the tricky conditions at Devonport Oval and were so soundly beaten that it precipitated a long winded decline of the State series.
The winning of the State Premiership over Launceston at York Park was not an anti-climax as the Robins were out to cement their place in Tasmanian football history and were comfortable winners over a valiant Blues line-up who had won the northern title by a point in an upset.
The official induction of the ‘Team’ will take place on 8 July 2011 at the Hall of Fame gala function at Wrest Point Casino.
ULVERSTONE’S FINALS CAMPAIGN – 1976
Tasmanian State Premiership Final
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Date: 27 September
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Teams
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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Final
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Ulverstone
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5.3
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8.10
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11.15
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17.19 (121)
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Launceston
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4.6
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6.10
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7.12
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10.14 (74)
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Venue: York Park
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Attendance: 6827
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Gate: $9196
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Best: Ulverstone
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R.Graham, G.Marshall, A.Vanderfeen, P.King, R.White, K.Good.
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Launceston
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P.Haughan, M.Brown, G.Hiscox, G.Tuthill, P.Tuthill, G.Howe
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Goals: Ulverstone
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A.Vanderfeen 8, K.Good 4, R.Graham 3, P.King 2, P.Maynard 1.
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Launceston
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B.Smith 4, G.Howell 2, P.Haughan 1, P.Tuthill 1, M.Brown 1, P.Patterson 1.
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Tasmanian State Prelimimary Final
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Date: 20 September
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Teams
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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Final
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Ulverstone
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4.2
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12.5
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15.8
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21.12 (138)
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Sandy Bay
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1.3
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4.6
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7.14
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9.15 (69)
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Venue: Devonport
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Attendance: 3211
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Gate: $5759
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Best: Ulverstone
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K.Good, B.Good, G.Marshall, A.Vanderfeen, P.King, A.Richardson.
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Sandy Bay
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P.Sproule, D.James, Ribbon, DiVenuoto, M.Elliott, M.Sedden.
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Goals: Ulverstone
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K.Good 8, A.Vanderfeen 4, G.Marshall 2, P.King 2, C.Thomas 2, P.Davey 1, B.Johnson 1, K.Coy 1
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Sandy Bay
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P.Sproule 3, M.Elliott 3, M.Sedden 2, Bennett 1.
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NWFU Grand Final
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Date: 13 September
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Teams
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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Final
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Ulverstone
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5.4
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7.5
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12.8
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14.9 (93)
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Penguin
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0.1
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3.10
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4.13
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7.19 (61)
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Venue: West Park
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Umpire: K.Williams
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Attendance: 9312
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Gate: $13809
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Best: Ulverstone
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R.Graham, B.Good, M.Brocksopp, A.Vanderfeen, P.King, G.Marshall, R.White.
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Penguin
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W.Manson, T.Owens, K.King, P.French, P.Lade, C.Fielding, W.Fielding, G.McCarthy.
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Goals: Ulverstone
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P.Maynard 3, A.Vanderfeen 3, R.Graham 2, P.King 2, C Williams 2, K Good 1, K Coy 1
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Penguin
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K.King 3, W.McCarthy 1, T.Howard 1, P.Looney 1, C.Dunham 1, M.Williams 1.
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ULVERSTONE ROBINS – 1976
NWFU and State Final Teams:
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Ulverstone
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B
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T.Stephens
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D.Osbourne
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R.White
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HB
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C.Crowden
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A.Richardson
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M.Brocksopp
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C
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P.Davey
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B.Good
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L.Pearson
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HF
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A.Vanderfeen
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K.Good
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C.Williams
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F
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K.Coy
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P.Maynard
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R.Graham
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Ruck
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G.Marshall
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C.Thomas
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P.King
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Inter
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G.Haywood
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W.Wing
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B.Johnson
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M.Jones
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Coach
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B: Lee Pearson, Trevor Stephens, Andrew Richardson, Michael Brocksopp, Chris Thomas, David Osborne, Maurice Jones, Colin Crowden.
C: Kerry good, Kevin Coy, Bevan Johnson, Gary Marshall, Andrew Vanderfeen, Peter Maynard, Peter Davey.
F: Peter King, Clayton Williams, Rod White (VC), Ricky Graham (CC), Bruce Good, Wayne Wing, Garry Haywood.
Last Modified on 30/05/2011 08:50