Thirty years on it remains one of football's most contentious incidents . . . that famous play in time-on of the 1979 Grand Final where a 19 year-old kid from Oak Park named Wayne Harmes thumped the football 20 metres towards the Carlton goalmouth and into the path of the welcoming Ken Sheldon.
 
The dramatic passage - which culminated in Sheldon's goal from point blank range to seal a hard-fought five-point victory over good old Collingwood - has been the subject of much debate in the three decades since the Blues' dynamic No.37 thumped it goalward.
 
Was the ball in or out ? It's a question that continues to be asked. Put the poser to "Piggy" Harmes and he'll respond with one of his own. "Who do you barrack for?. If it's Carlton, then the ball was in - if it's Collingwood, then it was in the foyer of the Hilton Hotel.
 
In truth, Harmes doesn't know. As he readily admits, his eyes were fixed only for the footy, not the boundary.
 
But former goal umpire Bob Barker is in no doubt . . . and it was him, not the boundary umpire, who made the call. 
 
Look at the still and you'll note that Barker was front-on to Harmes and barely ten metres away. Undoubtedly he was impeccably placed to adjudicate.
 
For Wayne Victor Harmes, the inaugural Norm Smith Medallist for best player afield, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship with the Blues - 169 games all up over 13 seasons, including the back-to-back triumphs of 1981 and '82.
 
And today, almost 30 years since the widow of Harmes' great uncle Norm Smith hung the coveted baubel around his neck, Harmes will again be front and centre to relive the past glory, when The Spirit of Carlton hosts a luncheon at Etihad Stadium on Thursday, August 27, in celebration of Alex Jesaulenko's 1979 heroes.
 
Spirit of Carlton - PAST & PRESENT
“Last Ever Captain-Coach”
Premiership 1979 Luncheon
Thursday 27th August 2009, 12.00pm
“The Victory Room” Etihad Stadium, Docklands
Price: $170.00 All Inclusive
Dress: Lounge Suit
For further information CLICK HERE