Yallourn Football Club YFC - 1945-65 - Jim Dorgan & Norm Hall

YALLOURN FOOTBALL CLUB 1945-65

SEASON 1960

JIM DORGAN & NORM HALL

Jim Dorgan (born 1930) was appointed as the coach of Yallourn Football Club in 1960. He took over the role from Vic Lawrence (ex-North Melbourne) who had coached the Blues in 1958-59.

Jim Dorgan’s senior career commenced with Williamstown FC in the VFA. In 1949 Jim was recruited to the Melbourne Football Club and he made his debut,
as a teenager, for the Demons in Round: 6 against St Kilda.

It is interesting to note that Yallourn’s champion rover Jimmy Shaw also played his first VFL game for Melbourne that day. Both played in the next two games. Jim Shaw then returned to Yallourn FC and Jim Dorgan would wait until 1951 to play another VFL match.

Correction to the 2013 Virtual Yallourn article regarding Jim Dorgan.
In recent years, the AFL and Melbourne Football Club have updated their records; and in 1949 the J. Dorgan that played for Melbourne FC was not Jim but John Dorgan (i.e., Jim’s older brother).
John was often known as Jack ( aka ‘Black Jack’ ) . John also played for Melbourne Seconds; and later became a star in country football (e.g. Echuca East FC where he steered the club to a premiership In 1953).
Jim Dorgan had another brother, Frank. who was also an adept player.
So, the perplexing puzzle of the Dorgan boys seems to be resolved; and consequently it was John Dorgan who met and played with Yallourn’s champion rover, Jim Shaw, in 1949.
It was always a mystery as to what became of Jim Dorgan in 1950; and that question had stumped a lot of football historians and writers over the years.
Jim Dorgan played for Williamstown Rovers in 1949 and up until he was cleared to South Melbourne in 1951. Jim’s AFL playing history has also been amended in the official AFL tables. Jim Dorgan played 102 Senior Grade VFL games and his brother Jack played three games in 1949. ( from Roger and Julie in June 2021).

Jim Dorgan was cleared to play for South Melbourne and in 1951 he was selected in Round: 13 against Richmond. Other players at South at that time
included Jim Taylor, Eddie Lane (later Bairnsdale), Ron Clegg, Keith Schaefer (later Traralgon), Gordon Lane (ex-Essendon), and Keith Browning
(later Trafalgar).

Jim’s early years in VFL football were ‘unspectacular’ as he strove to cement his place in the team. The eventual move of Jim to the back pocket
brought striking results. Jim fitted into the Swans’ defence with apparent ease and his ‘classy’ style of play brought him under notice. In seasons
1954-55-56, Jim did not miss a match and became regarded as one of the stars of the Lakeside Oval….
“A superb back pocket specialist who combined brilliantly with Fred Goldsmith.” (South’s full back and Brownlow Medallist in 1955).

Jim played 102 games for South Melbourne between 1951 and 1958. He received a good deal of publicity because of his strong performance as a
defender but unfortunately he received more than a fair share of press coverage for injuries sustained while playing VFL.

In 1953 Jim fractured his shin in a clash with Melbourne follower, Mike Woods and was forced to miss the remainder of that season.

‘The Argus’ (May 31st 1955) carried the photograph (see above) and explanation that Jim had burst a blood vessel in a match. The article said…
“South Melbourne back pocket Jim Dorgan was in bed yesterday and not sure if he would play again”.

Jim was in the middle of another incident against Geelong in 1956 when a bottle was thrown by a spectator at the players. It was given substantial
press coverage and caused debate about crowd behaviour at football matches.

1956 was Jim’s best season in the VFL and he polled 15 votes to finish third in the Brownlow Medal. Peter Box (Footscray) won with 22 votes and Geelong
rover Peter Pianto (18 votes) was second in the count.

On the 26th November in 1958 ‘The Argus’ reported…
“Also going to the country is back pocket-defender Jim Dorgan…he has accepted an offer from Moe in the Latrobe Valley Football League.

Jim coached Moe in 1959 and at the end of that year was appointed as coach of Yallourn FC.

Early in 1960 ‘The Live Wire” carried a photograph of Jim running onto the ground at his ‘new’ club. Jim was 29 years of age when he took ‘the helm’ at
YFC and he made an immediate impression with his ‘sure-footed, slick and skillful’ style of football. Even under pressure in a match situation, Jim’s
precise and pin-point passing was a ‘cut above the rest.’ Jim established himself as a ‘blue ribbon’ player of the LVFL that season.

1960 was a successful season for the Blues and the team won the right to play in the LVFL finals. YFC had finished in fourth position with 13 wins and 5 losses and a percentage of 131%.

Yallourn supporters had every right to feel confident about going ‘deeper’ into the final series. Yallourn had not participated in finals since 1955 (the Grand Final against Sale) and the prospect of another tilt at a flag had everyone in the town very excited. It was a tough challenge for the Blues as Bairnsdale, Traralgon and Morwell were ‘hard nuts to crack’ at the best of times.

Yallourn met Bairnsdale in the First Semi Final on the 10th September. The match was played at Sale and a large crowd of more than 4000 paid £570.9s to watch the clash. (Note: The gate receipts included the fact that 501 children attended the game and 352 cars packed in around the boundary fence
for a ‘ringside seat’ that day).

With Eddie Lane (ex-South Melbourne), Barry Somerville and Kevin Coverdale (later Hawthorn), Bairnsdale FC was the ‘wild card in the pack’ and liable
to do the ‘unexpected’.

Unfortunately, Yallourn suffered a major setback when Jim Dorgan was injured in a motor accident in the lead-up to the game. If that wasn’t bad enough
key defender Frank Johnson was also unavailable due to injury. To further ‘rub salt in to the wound’ YFC veterans Ron Lee and Jack Vinall were late
withdrawals from the team. The Blues selected Terry Wells, Rod Bennett and a promising youngster named Graeme McHenry in the line-up.
(Note: See Norm Hall’s footnotes below for his memories of the game).

The quarter by quarter score-line indicates that Yallourn played a tough and enterprising brand of football that day. At ¾ time the Blues were in front
by 16 points. One press report said that…
“the Blues had the game by the throat.”

However, a sensational last quarter blitz by the Redlegs’ dashed any hope of a Yallourn victory. John Hutchinson who kicked three goals that that day
said…
“…the Blues’ lack of experience in the last quarter was telling.”

Football can be a cruel game. Any optimism felt by the Blues at the three quarter time huddle vanished as the relentless Bairnsdale surge swamped the
Blues’ young backline.

Bairnsdale kicked 6 goals 9 behinds and held Yallourn score-less.

The match details were:
Bairnsdale : 1.4 3.7 5.11. 11.20 (86)
Yallourn : 3.2 7.3 9.3 9.3 (57)
Goals for Yallourn: Hutchinson 3 Philpott 2 Heesom 2 Sunderland Wilden
Best for Yallourn: Crane Hall Kitney Wells Szabo Heesom Bennett

The disappointment of the last quarter ‘fade out’ hung heavily over the club for some time but the news that Steve Szabo had won the Trood/Rodda
Medal with 20 votes lifted spirits ‘sky high.’

As mentioned previously on Virtual Yallourn, Steve had crossed from being the goal keeper at the Yallourn Soccer Club in 1959. Within the space of two
seasons, he had won the LVFL’s major award. He was a remarkable athlete, a tough competitor and a spirited ruckman. Not only did Steve learn the
fundamentals of the game quickly but he set new standards in fitness and athleticism for ruckmen in country football.

Steve won another Medal while playing with Morwell in 1965.

Jim Dorgan coached Yallourn again in 1961 but the ‘window of opportunity' for that ever-elusive premiership flag had closed. Yallourn missed the
finals that season and John Hutchinson, who had returned from Fitzroy FC in 1959, took over as the coach in 1962.

Jim Dorgan died on the 30th January 2003.

FOOTNOTES~ NORM HALL

1. Norm Hall was born in Perth 1943. When his father enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy during World War: II the family moved to Melbourne. In 1948
the Hall family settled in Yallourn. Norm was a pupil at the Yallourn State School (4085) then attended the YTS (junior & senior schools). He later
furthered his studies in Civil Engineering at the Swinburne Institute of Technology. Norm had a wonderful life growing up in the Yallourn and, as can
be seen below in these footnotes, he may have modelled his adventures on those of Huckleberry Finn.

2. After starting competitive sport with the Yallourn Soccer Club (as many youngsters did in Yallourn in those days) Norm’s junior football began with
Yallourn fourths. There were two Yallourn teams in the local district competition (Yallourn Reds & Yallourn Blues). Vic Robinson was Norm’s first
coach. Vic was a former player with YFC and in 1951 won the Best Clubman trophy in the reserves team. Vic was an astute and popular coach in junior
ranks.

Norm quickly gained a reputation as a player of immense potential and with his ability to gather ‘hard-ball’ possessions he became a key player in the
team.

Norm remembers the Grand Final played against Moe in that season. A massive crowd attended the match which was played at the Moe Racecourse Oval and Norm played on a local junior star named Danny Bryce.

3. In 1957 Norm was selected in the Latrobe Valley Schoolboys’ team that participated in the Annual Victorian Carnival in Melbourne. Norm was one of
the ‘Valley’s better players that week and he came under notice for his fierce attack on the ball and courage in contests. From memory, it was a very wet week of football and the heavy conditions made ‘tough going’ for most of the young boys. Norm was a bit of a ‘mudlark’ and made the most of his opportunities and he was selected in the Victorian Schoolboys team that was announced following the Carnival. It was a well deserved honour for ‘young’ Norm and a just reward for the officials of the Yallourn Football Club who had worked so determinedly to develop a structure for junior football in the town.

4. In 1959 Norm played with the Yallourn Third XVIII. The team was coached by YFC stalwart Joe Carmody. Not only did Norm win the YFC’s Best & Fairest
but he was awarded the Bruce Wilkinson Medal for the Best & Fairest Player in the LVFL competition. Norm polled 12 votes that year. He was the only
Yallourn footballer to ever win that prestigious award in the history of the YFC. Also that season Bob Pollock, a very popular YFC personality and
determined ruckman, won the Rex Hartley Medal for the Best & Fairest in the LVFL Reserves competition.

(Note: In 1978 a talented youngster named Wayne Mc Innes won the medal as a player for Yallourn-Yallourn North FC combine. Wayne played 367 games for the club including 260 senior games with YYNFC which is a magnificent individual achievement in country football).

5. Norm Hall played 75 (approx) senior games with YFC and, with time and experience, became a reliable and effective half back. Norm recalls that he
was often given the tough task of ‘blanketing’ or negating key half forwards from opposing teams. Norm ranks Les Sweet (Morwell), Terry Hunter
(Traralgon), Col Mahoney (Morwell), Tommy O’Reilly (Moe) and Barry Somerville (Bairnsdale) as his best opponents in his years at Yallourn. Norm
enjoyed the challenge set by his coaches to play tight, man-on-man and physical football.

6. In 1959 Essendon FC invited Norm to play in a trial match and consequently he was offered the opportunity to play with Essendon in the VFL Thirds XVIII competition that year. Norm declined the chance and returned to play with the Blues. Readers will be interested to know that another ex-Yallourn Technical School student, John Somerville trained at Essendon at about that time. John went on to become a star half forward for Essendon (106 games/ 96 goals) and was a member of Essendon’s 1962 premiership team.

7. Norm was asked to note a few YFC players that he remembers from that era. Norm said there was long list of terrific footballers at Yallourn but he
named Keith Angove, Ron Lee, Kevin ‘Gasher’ Gould, Ricky Belford, Grant Cowley, Peter and Brian Bertoli, the Edmondson brothers , Col Wiggins, Len
Ralph, John Hutchinson and a talented player named Laurie Parkes who was cleared from Fish Creek to play for YFC.

Norm thought Murray French was wonderful player who…
“…had a good knack of reading the play which made him a stand-out player”.

8. Norm has never forgotten the brilliant kicking of Yallourn’s full backs Jock McGregor and Arthur Nicholas in those years. Jock and Arthur were prodigious kicks of the football and it was one of the thrills of the match to see Jock (nicknamed ‘Bullet’) drive the ball back into play with a long
raking kick from the 10-yard goal square. In those days ‘torpedos’ or spiral punts were regularly used for long distance kicking. With a ‘tail breeze’
both Jock and Arthur could consistently cover 60-65 metres with their kicks. Arthur was stylish and effective kick who became a reliable defender during
the 1960’s. Arthur was a loyal and enthusiastic clubman of YFC. There are photos of Arthur acting as the goal umpire for the Sunday junior competition
despite having played senior football on the previous Saturday.

10. When asked about the 1960 First Semi Final against Bairnsdale at Sale (see details above), Norm stated …
“I do recall that we had a good side that year and may have won that final but for two main reasons. In the week prior to the game we lost our coach
Jim Dorgan and Frank Johnson who were badly injured in a car crash. The other reason was Kevin Coverdale who kicked 6 goals in the last quarter.
Graeme McHenry was selected to take Dorgan’s half back flank whilst I played on the other one. As 17 year olds we may have been the youngest players in that game”.

11. Norm also won the YFC Best Clubman Trophy in 1963 which says a great deal about his commitment to the football club and his team-mates.

12. Norm suffered a serious facial injury at Heyfield in 1964 when his front teeth were knocked out in heavy collision in a contest. He has never
forgotten that his mouth was such a bloodied mess that his team-mate Mick Collins (ex-Melbourne and later coach of YFC) virtually fainted when he ran
in to render assistance to Norm.

13. 1964 was Norm’s last season with YFC as his work took him to suburban Melbourne. Norm was cleared from YFC to Croydon FC where former team-mate and star Yallourn rover Ricky Belford was the coach. When looking back, it is fair to say that two of the Blues’ smallest players Jimmy Shaw and Ricky Belford were the best rovers in the history of the YFC. Both Jimmy and Rick won league medals and both represented the LVFL in inter-league matches. Norm recollects that at Croydon, Ricky was a fine coach and an inspiring leader who had lost none of brilliant skills and flair from his earlier days
at YFC.

14. A highlight of Norm’s career at Croydon was his selection in the EDFL Combined XVIII against Hawthorn FC. Both Rick and Norm were selected for
that representative match. Note: Rick Belford has been mentioned at regular intervals on this website.

(Note: In the period 1960-1964 three players Yallourn FC won the Trood/Rodda Medal for the Best and Fairest in the LVFL. Steve Szabo (1960), Ricky
Belford (1962) and Mike Collins(1964) will be recorded in history as three of Yallourn and the LVFL’s best-ever players of that era. Photos of Rick
and Steve are posted with this story.)

15. Like former champion Yallourn (ex- North Melbourne) ruckman Laurie Shipp, Norm played with contact lens. Norm admits that his eyesight caused
‘grief’ and restricted his performance in football. Norm’s first pair of corneal plastic contact lens was purchased by the YFC Ladies’ Committee. Norm was forced to wear ‘contacts’ when playing football up until the time of his ‘hanging up his boots. Norm said…
“I could write a book about the trouble my myopia caused in football and life.”

Some readers may remember Gordon Collis (Carlton FC) who won the Brownlow Medal in 1964. Gordon’s on-field performance improved markedly that season and he attributed his win in the Brownlow Medal to wearing contact lens.

At the age of 50, Norm underwent laser surgery to correct his eye problems. He was one of the first people in Australia to ‘chance’ the new surgical
procedure but the outcome was well worth the risk. Norm now enjoys the pleasure of sharp eyesight.

16. In 1969 Norm returned to the Latrobe Valley and played at Hazelwood which was affiliated with the Mid Gippsland Football League in those days
Norm played his last game with Hazelwood/Churchill in 1978 at the age of 34.

17. Asked to discuss his work in civil engineering Norm commented …
“I worked in Municipal Engineering for 15 years before commencing my own business, where I remained for the next 30 years. My eldest son Laurie now
runs the company with a fellow director. As civil engineers and building practitioners we have constructed many major projects for industries in the
Latrobe Valley. We have also designed and constructed many new subdivisions for developers including our own projects. In some of our developments in
Moe/Newborough I included the following old Yallourn street names, Banksia Street, Tarwin Grove and Jeeralang Crescent. They can be located in the
Ollerton Park subdivision near the former LV hospital site. We also constructed many of the roads and services to the resettlement areas for ex-Yallourn residents in Newborough, including the Latrobe Village for the Aged where George Bates played a leading role. We also constructed the Joe Carmody athletic facility , also in Newborough. Joe and I shared many fond memories of our time spent in Yallourn”.

18. Like so many other footballers who have contributed to this project, Yallourn holds a very special place in Norm’s heart…
“Yallourn was a great place for kids providing much more opportunities than what is on offer today. We became independent at an early age without having to rely on parents for anything other than food & shelter. We rode our bikes or walked to school, sporting activities, scouts etc. without having to rely on our parents like the kids of today. We went to the pictures, built huts in the bush, played cricket and footy in the street and nicked as much fruit
as we could eat from overhanging branches which were in abundance. We went swimming in the pool or Latrobe River and we could all swim like fish from a very early age”.

19. Norm’s senior football career spanned 18 seasons and he ‘racked up’ some two hundred matches of senior football in LVFL, EDFL and the Mid Gippsland LF. Norm will always be remembered as a hard-running, disciplined and courageous footballer who made every opposing player earn a possession.

20. No matter in what era or in what league, Norm won a reputation as a determined defender and dedicated clubman who played football in the finest
traditions of sportsmanship.

Photographs of Norm can be found in an earlier story which was posted on the Virtual Yallourn website in February 2014.

21. Footnotes regarding Ted Heesom have been included in a story about the 1964 season and Garry Butler. The story will be posted on the website this
year.

Written by Roger Spaull for Virtual Yallourn ~ March 2013

For further stories, photographs and memorabilia regarding YFC…click ‘Search’…type ‘Football’…press ‘Enter’.