Serge Silvagni: 28th June
Career : 1958 – 1971
Debut : Round 7, 1958 vs South Melbourne, aged 19 years, 330 days
Carlton Player No. 718
Games : 239
Goals : 136
Last Game: Round 22, 1971 vs Collingwood, aged 33 years, 61 days
Guernsey No. 20 (1958), 1 (1959 – 1971)
Height : 183 cm
Weight : 92 kg
Date of Birth: 28 Jun 1938
Premiership Player: 1968, 1970
Best and Fairest: 1962, 1968
Leading Goalkicker: 1959
Captain: 1964
Victorian Representative: 1962 & 1963
Carlton Hall of Fame (1989)
Team of the Century
The Sergio Silvagni story mirrors that of thousands of European settlers in Australia following World War II. While his parents had arrived years before and settled in Carlton, Sergio grew up in a time when Italy had been a recent enemy. He saw sport as a way of assimilating, so he took to the local game in primary school.
By his late teens he was a standout in senior school football with Parade College, and in 1956 he was invited to try out in a practice match with the Under 19 squad at Carlton. With fifty players involved and changes only being made at the regular intervals, he didn’t get a run until after half time – only to be sent to full-back to play on the team’s gun full-forward. In Serge’s words, he “blitzed” the bloke because he was so annoyed at having to wait to get his chance. Only later was he told that the officials at the game knew he could play, but they didn’t call on him earlier because they couldn’t pronounce his name!
The dark-haired, barrel-chested kid with determination written all over him forced his way into Carlton’s senior team in 1958. Originally given guernsey number 20, such was his impact that prior to the ’59 season his coach Jim Francis insisted that he switch to number 1. By this time Serge was a rapidly-maturing 21 year-old, standing 183 cm. When not playing or training with the Blues, he continued working in his father’s concreting business – hard physical labour that paid huge dividends in the powerful 92 kg physique he developed.
By 1962 Silvagni was established among the very best ruck-rovers in the game and was selected in the Victorian State team. A one-pace performer, he ran and worked as hard in the last minute of the game as he had in the first. He was a superb team player and a strong, safe mark; when Serge took front position or swooped on the ball at ground level, only a Mack truck could shift him. He wasn’t quick, but he read the play superbly and revelled in the fiercest contest.
Carlton made the 1962 Grand Final, only to lose to Essendon by 32 points, with Silvagni named among the best for the Blues. A couple of weeks later, Serge won Carlton’s Best & Fairest award with a record number of votes, polling in 19 of a possible 22 games. And in a portent of things to come, he had already developed a special on-field relationship with our blossoming champion ruckman John Nicholls.
Two years on, the third member of perhaps the greatest ruck combination of all played his first game for the Blues. Adrian Gallagher came to Carlton from Yarram, and claimed a rover’s spot in the senior team from day one. From 1964 to 1971 Nicholls, Silvagni and Gallagher were the most respected on-ball trio in the game. Nicholls’ brilliant palming, Silvagni’s tenacity and Gallagher’s fluent disposal made them a potent combination.
Serge was honoured with the captaincy in ’64, but the Blues had a poor year, finishing tenth. However the sensational arrival of Ron Barassi in 1966 revitalised the Blues, and two years afterward we beat Essendon by 3 points in a dour struggle before a record crowd on Grand Final day to claim our first flag in 21 years. Serge was in his element in that ’68 Grand Final, and was among Carlton’s top half-dozen contributors. He then topped off a great season with another Best & Fairest award.
Gary Lawson-Smith: 30th June
Playing Career : 1970-71
Debut : Round 10, 1970 vs Footscray
Carlton Player No. 823
Games : 7
Goals : Nil
Guernsey No. 16
Last Game: Round 11, 1971 vs Collingwood
Height : 191cm (6’3″)
Weight : 87.5kg (13.11)
Date of Birth : 30 June, 1947
Lawson-Smith debuted for the Blues in 1970, playing 7 games over 2 seasons.
Gary Smith was born in South Australia on June 30, 1947 and was recruited from Central District and had to stand out of football for the 1969 season, when he kept fit by being Carlton’s match day runner while waiting for his clearance. He played in guernsey number 16 and debuted in Round 10, 1970 against Footscray at the Western Oval at the age of 22 years and 341 days old in this 10 point loss where he was named on the half back flank. He was listed as 6′ 3″ (191cm) and 13.11 (87.5kg) and he played 3 senior games during 1970.
Before the start of 1971 season he married and changed his name from Smith to Lawson-Smith (Lawson being his middle name). He was one of the two Carlton players to change their surnames for this season the other one being Andy Lukas who shorted his name to Lukas.
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