The Essendon and North Melbourne rivalry reaches an important milestone this season.

It is 65 years since the Bombers defeated the Kangaroos in the 1950 Grand Final.

The match was played before 87,601 fans.  So big was the crowd, supporters sat on the boundary line just inches from where the players battled for the ball. 

It was North Melbourne’s first ever appearance in a Grand Final.  It was fitting that the Kangaroos would have to get past Essendon because it was the Bombers they blamed for not gaining entry to the VFL much earlier that its eventual first season in 1925.

Essendon entered the game having lost only once during the season.  That defeat was at the hands of its Grand Final opponent, North Melbourne, in round six.  

Goal-kicking champion John Coleman (bottom row, middle) booted the first major of the Grand Final.  He was just 21 at the time, but he’d already kicked 220 goals from his 40 matches. 

Coleman kicked 120 goals during the 1950 season, which remains the record for the most goals kicked in a single season by an Essendon player.  He was a power of brilliance and consistency that season, kicking at least four goals in each match.

It was a mighty Essendon line-up that took the field on Grand Final day.  The great Bill Hutchison (middle row, third from right) was playing in his fourth premiership success.  He also picked up Essendon’s Best and Fairest award that year before going on to claim two Brownlow medals later in his career.

Dick Reynolds (middle row, fourth from left) was the team’s Captain and Coach.  When the final siren went with Essendon 38 points in front, the crowd swarmed the field and Reynolds was chaired off by his teammates.  This was to be the then 35 year old’s final game of VFL football, but he returned a year later to play in the final quarter of the 1951 Grand Final against Geelong.  That match was the sixth straight year Essendon played in the Grand Final.  Reynolds and Hutchison would play in 20 Grand Finals between them.

Norm McDonald (middle row, second from right) was one of Essendon’s best in the 1950 decider.  He provided constant run off the half back line while Alan Dale (bottom row, second from right) provided drive in the middle of the ground.  This was just Dale’s 6^th League game.

In 1950 Essendon became the only team to win the senior, seconds and thirds Grand Finals.  It was a remarkable season in the history of a remarkable club.

Today, 65 years on, Essendon and North Melbourne are still slugging it out.  There is great history between the two clubs.  From the battle to win the support of Melbourne’s northwest corridor, to great comebacks, to Lloyd and Carey shootouts, to marshmallows – the drama between these two sides lives on.

So make sure you’re at Etihad Stadium on Friday night to witness the next chapter.

1950 VFL Grand Final

Essendon       7.3       7.6       10.11  13.14.92

Nth Melb        4.0       5.5       7.9       7.12.54

Goals: Coleman 4, Reynolds 2, Syme 2, Dale, Harper, Hutchison, McEwin, Snell.

B:   Les Gardner            Bill Brittingham            Wally May

HB: Harold Lambert       Roy McConnell           Norm McDonald

C:   Chris Lambert         Alan Dale                    Jack Collins    

HF: Jack Jones              Bill Snell                     Albert Harper

F:   Dick Reynolds         John Coleman            Ron McEwin

R:   Bob McClure           Bob Syme                  Bill Hutchison

I:   Ted Leehane            Noel Allanson

Coach: Dick Reynolds