In 1978, current renowned online football columnist with Footystats, Kevin Taylor (pictured), was the anchor in Sydney’s channel 7 VFL match of the day. He had several cronies on his half time,
Football World panel, all of whom were Sydney local football identities.
At the end of the season they selected a Sydney All-Star Team, or putting it simply, a team of the year. Click green image to view.
We are again publishing the team but this time adding the Phelan Medal Votes those selected received in that year:
NAME |
CLUB |
VOTES |
Bob Bell |
St George |
5 |
Steve Bird |
St George |
2 |
Jim Bourke |
Western Suburbs |
11 |
Kent Coburn |
Newtown |
9 |
Keith DeLooze |
Pennant Hills |
3 |
Graeme Foster |
East Sydney |
5 |
Brett Francis |
St George |
24 |
Ian Geddes |
East Sydney |
8 |
Wayne Goss |
East Sydney |
20 |
Barry Greaves |
Western Suburbs |
10 |
Ian Harry |
Western Suburbs |
5 |
Lindsay Hetherington |
Western Suburbs |
6 |
Bob Hill |
St George |
5 |
Jack McCormack |
Southern Districts |
*26 |
Richard Morgan |
North Shore |
6 |
Kevin O’Halloran |
Newtown |
14 |
John Pitura |
North Shore |
12 |
Wes Preston |
Western Suburbs |
2 |
Graham Shiel |
Western Suburbs |
Nil |
Alan Woodhams |
North Shore |
6 |
PHIL HAYES |
UMPIRE |
*Won the Phelan Medal
CLUB REPRESENTATION IN THE TEAM
East Sydney |
3 |
Pennant Hills |
1 |
Newtown |
2 |
North Shore |
3 |
Southern Districts |
1 |
St George |
4 |
Western Suburbs |
6 |
TOTAL: |
20 |
1978 FINAL LADDER
TEAM |
PLAYED |
WON |
LOST |
DRAWN |
FOR |
AGAINST |
% |
PTS |
North Shore |
21 |
19 |
2 |
– |
2622 |
1953 |
134.2 |
76 |
Western Subs |
21 |
15 |
6 |
– |
2363 |
1755 |
134.6 |
60 |
St George |
21 |
13 |
7 |
1 |
2210 |
1995 |
110.8 |
54 |
East Sydney |
21 |
11 |
10 |
– |
2233 |
2132 |
104.7 |
44 |
Newtown |
21 |
9 |
11 |
1 |
2017 |
1933 |
104.3 |
38 |
Pennant Hills |
21 |
8 |
13 |
– |
2013 |
2080 |
96.8 |
32 |
Southern Dists |
21 |
7 |
12 |
2 |
1795 |
2033 |
88.3 |
32 |
Balmain |
21 |
– |
21 |
– |
1462 |
2734 |
53.5 |
– |
North Shore won the grand final: 17-17 (119) to Western Suburbs 13-12 (90).