Syd Jackson: 1st July
Read the story behind Syd’s Birth Date Here: http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/114240/default.aspx
Playing Career : 1969 – 1976
Debut : Round 1, 1969 vs St Kilda, aged 24 years 278 days
Carlton Player No. 808
Games : 136
Goals : 165
Guernsey No. 5
Last Game : Preliminary Final, 1976 vs North Melbourne, aged 32 years 79 days
Height : 172 cm (5 ft. 8 in.)
Weight : 72.5 kgs (11 stone, 6 lbs.)
DOB : July 1, 1944
Premiership Player 1970, 1972
Carlton Hall of Fame (2006)
Before Nicky Winmar made his celebrated stand against racism at Victoria Park; before Jim and Phil Krakouer redefined the art of ball-handling, and before a succession of brilliant aboriginal small forwards transformed the forward pocket from a respite station for tired rovers into a major avenue to goal – there was the mercurial Syd Jackson; a gifted, courageous aboriginal footballer who was a star in two Carlton Premiership teams.
Jackson was discovered by a scout from the East Perth Football Club in 1963. A scrawny, spindly-legged teenager from Roelands Mission near Bunbury, Western Australia, he was already dazzling with his ability on the football field. There wasn’t a lot of Syd, however within a year he was entrenched in the centre for the Royals, and considered as one of the rising stars of the WA competition. In fact, in his first year at East Perth, he scored more votes than anyone else in the Sandover Medal (WA’s equivalent of the Brownlow) but was ruled ineligible for the honour because he had been suspended during the year.
That effort brought strong overtures from two VFL clubs; North Melbourne and Carlton. Syd was reluctant to leave WA at first, but after repeated invitations he eventually agreed to join the Blues in 1968. By then he was a mature 24, with more than 100 senior games to his credit. For a lucrative transfer fee, East Perth agreed to clear Syd to Carlton. Then the WANFL stepped in.
Alarmed by the drain of its finest players from Perth to Melbourne, the WANFL board decided to make a stand, and refused to endorse Jackson’s transfer. Syd’s only option then was to stand out of football for a year. Under ANFC rules, players who took this course of action were granted automatic clearance after twelve months. Consequently, Jackson spent his first year at Carlton as coach Ron Barassi’s runner – which at least gave him some valuable insights into Barassi’s methods. It also got his career at Princes Park off to a positive start, when the Blues beat Essendon for the 1968 Premiership.
Syd pulled on Navy Blue guernsey number 5 for his first match in round one of 1969, against Richmond. He had played almost all of his senior football in WA in the centre, but Barassi had reservations about Jackson’s slim frame in heavy traffic at VFL level. Instead, he preferred to use him as a creative half-forward flanker. Like most of Barassi’s ideas at the time, it proved a winner.
Jackson had an impressive debut season, using his lightning pace and accurate disposal with telling effect. An intuitive reader of the ball as it spilled off packs, and a driving drop-kick on the run, Syd was instrumental in Carlton finishing second on the ladder by percentage to Collingwood. But after jumping to outright favouritism for the flag with a decisive six goal defeat of the Magpies in the Second Semi, Carlton were no match for a rampaging Richmond in the ‘69 Grand Final, losing by 25 points.
Dan Halloran: 4th July
Playing Career : 1975 – 1977
Debut : Round 13, 1975 Aged 20 years 359 days
853th Carlton Player
Games : 15
Goals : 4
Last Game : Round 1, 1977 Aged 22 years 272 days
Guernsey No. 31
Height : 189 cm (6′ 2½”)
Weight : 95 kgs (14.13)
DOB : July 4, 1954
Danny Halloran was recruited from Kyneton and wore guernsey #31 in 15 games for Carlton commencing in Season 1975. The 189cm Blue kicked 4 goals. Halloran retired from VFL football in 1978.
Alex Marcou: 6th July
Career : 1979-1986
Debut : Round 3, 1979 v Essendon, aged 20 years, 268 days
Carlton Player No. 879
Games : 134
Goals : 148
Last game : Round 11, 1986 v North Melbourne, aged 27 years, 338 days
Guernsey No. 34
Height : 178 cm
Weight : 76 kg
DOB : 6 July, 1958
Premiership Player: 1979, 1981, 1982
Carlton Hall of Fame (2006)
Alex Marcou was a member of Carlton’s fabled mosquito fleet of brilliant small men of the 1970’s and ‘80’s, and a three-time Premiership rover for the Blues. Recruited within the Blues recruiting zone, from northern suburban VAFA club Thomastown, he was among four first-gamers for Carlton in the opening round of the 1979 season. The others were Wayne Johnston, Robbert Klomp and Peter Francis; all of whom were destined for Premiership glory.
Marcou was a lightning-quick rover with sure ball-handling skills and excellent goal sense. Aged 20 on debut, by mid-season in ‘79 he was a regular in a powerful Blues combination that topped the ladder, then went on to beat Collingwood by 5 points in a see-sawing Grand Final on a boggy MCG. It was the perfect culmination to a great first year for the 178 cm, 76 kg speedster wearing number 34, and he was widely regarded as Recruit of the Year.
Carlton crashed out of the 1980 final series in successive weeks, but under new coach David Parkin, bounced back to beat Collingwood for the ’81 flag. This time, Marcou came off the bench when Carlton trailed by 21 points in the third quarter of the Grand Final. His pace was a factor as Carlton steadied, then rallied to win by 20 points. It was the Blues’ twelfth flag, and the second in a row over Collingwood.
Lance Styles: 6th July
Playing Career: 1973 – 1974
Debut: Round 14, 1973 v Hawthorn
Carlton Player No. 841
Games: 3
Goals: Nil
Last game: Round 15, 1974 v Richmond
Guernsey No. 35
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 85 kgs
DOB: 6th July 1951
Recruited from Northern Tasmanian Football Association club Scottsdale and wearing guernsey #35, Styles played 3 games for Carlton after debuting in the same game as Craig Davis in Round 14, 1973.
1973 4th Reserves Best & Fairest
1974 6th Reserves Best & Fairest
With thanks to the Blueseum for player pictures and information.