I remember the night Ian Nicoll’s football career turned around…………
It was a mid-September evening in 1968. We’re shoe-horned into a packed Festival Hall for Johnny Famechon’s Commonwealth title bout with the Canadian featherweight, Billy McGrandle.
The crowd erupts, as the national hero appears from a darkened corridor, sparring and bobbing his way down the aisle. Shortly after, amidst the razzamataz and pre-fight hubbub, the ring announcer calls the crowd to attention:
“Ladeez and Gentlemen…..Before we begin proceedings, For the benefit of the football fans here, I have an important announcement to make…..There has been a late change to the Carlton team for tomorrow’s Second Semi-Final clash with Essendon.”
“Ian Nicoll has been named to take the place of the injured Dennis Munari……….”
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For a bloke who had ‘come from the clouds’ to play League footy, this was a rare opportunity.
Ian knew that, in the ‘pressure-cooker’ of a VFL final, in front of a crowd exceeding 100,000, he would need to produce his best.
We watched on, as he turned in a more than serviceable performance. The Blues booted seven goals to one in the last half, to run away from the Bombers by 36 points.
Inevitably though, the classy Munari regained full fitness a fortnight later, and took his place as second rover in the Grand Final line-up. The boy from Whorouly was consigned to the sidelines, as Carlton snatched a thriller by three points, over a valiant Essendon.
But a sniff of the finals atmosphere had convinced Ian Nicoll that he had the prerequisites to acquit himself capably in League football………..
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He grew up among cricketing bluebloods at Whorouly, inheriting a sporting pedigree from his father Wils and uncles Ron, Ernie and Vic, who set prodigious batting records at the Memorial Oval,some of which still stand.
Ian was conspicuous as a youngster, with his slight build, horn-rimmed glasses and shirts buttoned to the wrist to protect a delicately pale skin.
“I didn’t have the batting technique of Dad, or my brother Peter,” he says. “Uncle Ron once said to me: ‘Just give it a good crack, son,’ And that’s what I did.”
Ian’s most famous contribution to local cricketing folklore is the double century he scored, which included 24 fours and a six. The fifth-wicket partnership of 302 with his cousin Lex remains a WDCA record for any wicket. His second century came up in just 40 minutes.
So his slot in the assembly-line of a famous cricketing family was well-recognised . Not so obvious was his prowess as an up-and-coming footballer.
He played about 100 games with Whorouly.
“About half of those were with the Seconds,” he says. “When I broke into the Seniors, Terry Burgess was coach, then Ron Critchley took over. It was because of Critchley, who had moved on to coach Wangaratta, that I was talked into having a run with the Magpies in 1966.”
Aged 19, he enjoyed an outstanding season with Wangaratta, who looked to be the only likely challenger to Murray Weideman’s all-powerful Albury.
The Pies really took it up to the Tigers in a thrilling second semi, and were doing all the attacking in the final stages. At the 29-minute mark, Nicoll streamed goalwards, but his kick veered off-line, to leave the ‘Pies one point down. Critchley had just about got his foot to the ball for another shot at goal when the siren sounded. Albury had won by a point.
The Tigers made no mistake in the Grand Final though, and controlled the game throughout, to win by 55 points……….
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Ian had ‘nibbles’ from Richmond, Collingwood and Carlton at season’s end. He had accepted a transfer to the city in his job as a clerk with the Railways and hadn’t given much thought to his football future.
“I had no great pretensions about my footy ability, but Dad said: ‘Why don’t you have a run at Carlton. You just have to turn left there on Sydney Road. It’ll be the most convenient for you.”
“I hadn’t signed anything, but after the second practice match old Jack Wrout (Chairman of Selectors) pulled me aside and said: ‘Look Ian, we’re going to put you on the list. If you work your butt off I reckon you’ll make it.’ “
He was a relative lightweight, tipping the scales at just 73 kg and standing at 179cm, but possessed a couple of prized assets – pace to burn and a distance-devouring left boot.
Progress was slow – a token senior game in 1967 and scant opportunities for most of ‘68. Things were looking bleak……until the selectors threw him that life-line in the Second Semi-Final………
Ian put in a red-hot pre-season in 1969 and knew that he wasn’t far away from senior selection.
His big chance came in a Round 2 match against Hawthorn. He was one of a heap of stars who glittered, as the Blues booted 12.6 in the final quarter, to amass 30.30 to the Hawks’ 12.10.
With a string of consistent performances during the season, Ian had now supplanted Denis Munari as the second-string rover to Adrian Gallagher.
One of the highlights of the Blues’ 36-point win over minor-premiers Collingwood in the semi was Nicoll’s exhilarating, team-lifting run around the Member’s Stand wing, and a spearing pass up forward.
Old rivals Carlton and Richmond tangled in front of 119,000 fans to decide the 1969 premiership. “We led by four points at three quarter-time, but they ran over us in the last quarter. They kicked 4.7 to our two points. It was a huge disappointment,” Ian recalls.
“That was the day Billy Barrott was switched to full forward and kicked some telling goals, and big John Ronaldson snagged a couple from well out.”
Ian again shone during 1970, but after two average games towards the end of the season, Carlton coach Ron Barassi rung the changes and he made way for utility Bert Thornley in the semi-final ine-up.
And Thornley held his place for the famous Grand Final, which saw the Blues come from 44 points down to bury Collingwood.
Ian knew deep-down that his League career was over. “I was physically and mentally worn out. To be truthful, I never came to terms with all the glamour, the publicity and worst of all, the fickle supporters.”
“It was a great thrill to play alongside the likes of Nicholls, Silvagni and Jesaulenko and the like, but you know when you’ve had enough.”
So after 41 games with the Blues he headed to VFA club Preston for a couple of seasons.
Then he decided to play locally, with Mount Evelyn. “I had a bit of a link with a few of their fellahs. I met them when they came up to Wang for a footy trip a few years earlier.”
“There was no money involved. I just enjoyed the Club and must have played about 130 games over the next 10 years.”
Ian finally hung up the boots at the age of 34.
Although he admits he’s not a great spectator, he did follow the sporting exploits of his son David, who played in 3 footy Grand Finals at Boronia, and was a more than handy cricketer. His daughter Sarah also played good quality Netball for many years.
It was at a Carlton Re-Union many years ago, that an old team-mate, Kevin Hall, precipitated a change of direction in Ian’s life.
“He ran a successful Printing business and suggested I should buy a Vehicle and come and work with him. He had another crack at me a while later, so I decided to take the plunge.”
“I delivered Stationery for Kevin for 24-25 years. I’m still working as a delivery driver for a firm in Knoxfield.”
What a long and winding journey it’s been for the boy from Whorouly……………
ON REFLECTION 