It is 50 years ago this week – Saturday, May 23, 1964 – the day Carlton met St Kilda for the last time at the Junction Oval, and day one for Yarram’s very own Adrian Gallagher.

The famed following division of Nicholls, Silvagni and Gallagher was still a little while away. On this occasion, Nicholls, Silvagni and John Comben did the honours, with “Gags”, then 18 years and 11 days, taking his place on the pine alongside the 19^th man Kevin Hall.

It wasn’t until the three quarter-time huddle that Gallagher finally got the call-up from coach Ken Hands, much to the former’s unmitigated terror.

“There was no interchange then, so you couldn’t go on and off, and it wasn’t until three quarter-time that they made the change,” Gallagher recalled this week.

“It was rather frightening because Ken Hands said to me ‘You’re going to the half-forward flank. I nearly fainted on the spot, because I thought I was on Eric Guy, who was the toughest player I’ve ever seen in my life.

“Thankfully I copped Jim Guyatt on the other one, and I managed to play out the last quarter having thought I was going to faint.”

Of Carlton’s starting 18 for that particular match, Maurie Sankey and John Benetti are no longer with us. “Frosty” Miller (who later earned legendary status at Dandenong) lined up at full-forward, Gordon Collis was named at full-back, Doug Ringholt (an old teammate of Gallagher’s at Under 19 level) turned out for the last time and Jim Pleydell was the Blues’ other debutant.

“Jimmy Pleydell was a really good player from Maffra. I remember him starting on the ground and playing on Ian Stewart, and he did do very well in that first year.”

The visitors lowered their colours to St Kilda that afternoon, 6.13 (49) to 13.19 (97), with Tony Thiessen (who would represent Melbourne, Carlton and North Melbourne in three successive seasons 1963, ’64 and ’65) their leading goalkicker in the match with two.

Collis, who was reported for striking St Kilda’s Alan Morrow, was subsequently cleared in what was ultimately his Brownlow Medal-winning season, while Berkley Cox copped four for whacking Carl Ditterich of all people.

“Berkley was my size, but he looked after me,” Gallagher said. “He was at locker no.9 and I was at 10.”

As first rover, Gallagher would represent Carlton in 165 senior matches through nine seasons, ending with the 1972 Grand Final. A three-time Premiership player in 1968, ’70 (his Best and Fairest year) and ’72, “Gags” would ultimately find his name amongst the much-vaunted members of Carlton’s Team of the Century.

Looking back on it now, Gallagher insisted that running out for game No.1 only seemed like yesterday. “It’s only when you mention the number ‘50’ that it sounds so long ago,” he said.