Of all the contests between Carlton and South Melbourne/Sydney, it’s “The Bloodbath” that probably elicits the greatest emotions in people.
But while the 1945 Grand Final will forever live in football infamy, history’s pages have also been littered with the noble deeds of past champions of both clubs, as statistician Stephen Williamson’s combined team reveals.
In the lead-up to Friday night’s match between Sydney and Carlton at the SCG, Stephen has named an 18 plus an interchange from nine – and amongst those players are some of the game’s most decorated.
They include Carlton Premiership players Brighton Diggins, Ritchie Green, Harvey Kelly (twice), Mick Kennedy, Warren McKenzie, David Rhys-Jones and Greg Williams.
Diggins, who captained and coached Carlton to the 1938 Grand Final victory over Collingwood, has the rare distinction of also being part of South’s ’33 Premiership as a member of the Bloods’ famed “Foreign Legion”.
Williams is of course a Brownlow Medallist with both Sydney (1986) and Carlton (1994), while Peter Bedford (1970) “took Charlie home” for South before ending it all at Princes Park after eight games through 1977-78.
Together with Rhys-Jones (1987), Williams (1995) has a Norm Smith Medal hanging from his neck.
A total of 18 players have represented Carlton seniors before for South Melbourne/Sydney - Les Abbott, Charlie Anderson, Vin Catoggio, George Collard, Craig Davis, George Dougherty, Pat Farrelly, Bill Flynn, Ritchie Green, Eric Huxtable, Maurie Johnson, Denis Kelleher, Mick Kennedy, Bert Lucas, Warren McKenzie, Simon Minton-Connell, Darren Ogier and Les Vernon.
A further 26 had previously played seniors for South Melbourne/Sydney before Carlton - Mark Athorn, Peter Bedford, Paul Cameron, Tom Clancy, Maurie Connell, George Cornelius, Jim Cullen, Brighton Diggins, Bernie Evans, Bill Goddard, Bill Hickey, Reuben Holland, Percy Jackson, Harvey Kelly#, Damian Lang, Norm Le Brun, Rod Leffanue, Barry Mitchell, Harry Morgan, Ricky Mott, Joe Prince, David Rhys-Jones, Jason Saddington, Jack Scobie, Albert Trim and Greg Williams.
“Bluebloods" – the Carlton/South Melbourne/Sydney Combine
Backs: Jason Saddington Warren McKenzie Ritchie Green
1998-2008 (162-47) 1985-1992 (88-56) 1946-1953 (97-1)
H/Backs: Eric Huxtable David Rhys-Jones Albert Trim
1930-1942 (157-5) 1980-1992 (182-112) 1898-1904 (101-0)
Centres: Joe Prince Greg Williams Tom Clancy
1908-1919 (115-7) 1984-1997 (250-217) 1908-1916 (93-10)
H/Forwards: Craig Davis Harvey Kelly# Peter Bedford
1973-1988 (163-360) 1902-1914 (92-127) 1968-1978 (186-329)
Forwards: George Dougherty Simon Minton-Connell Bernie Evans
1934-1945 (173-259) 1989-1998 (112-305) 1978-1988 (185-257)
Followers: Maurie Johnson Brighton Diggins
1927-1937 (128-97) 1932-1940 (96-27)
Rover: Barry Mitchell
1984-1996 (221-247)
I/c from: Denis Kelleher Vin Catoggio Jack Scobie
1927-1936 (113-15) 1973-1983 (88-121) 1909-1919 (86-4)
Mark Athorn Bert Lucas Mick Kennedy
1987-1993 (83-17) 1944-1950 (76-36) 1984-1990 (74-9)
George Collard Harry Morgan Maurie Connell
1935-1942 (73-57) 1914-1921 (70-125) 1922-1929 (52-18)
#Note: Harvey Kelly later returned to South Melbourne/Sydney after playing at Carlton
Bold: from South Melbourne/Sydney
Key: Year span (total games-total goals)
