1979 VFL Grand Final — “I Knocked It Back!”

The 1979 VFL Grand Final saw Carlton defeat Collingwood 11.16 (82) to 11.11 (77) at the MCG — a 5-point margin produced by Wayne Harmes’s iconic boundary-line “I knocked it back!” play. Played on 29 September 1979 in front of 113,545 fans, Carlton’s premiership delivered Alex Jesaulenko his first as senior coach. Wayne Harmes won the inaugural Norm Smith Medal — the very first.

The Build-Up: Blues vs Magpies

Carlton, under Alex Jesaulenko (who’d taken over from Ian Stewart), entered the Grand Final with a strong squad. Bruce Doull, Mike Fitzpatrick, Mark Maclure, Wayne Harmes and others were in form.

Collingwood, under Tom Hafey, had reached the Grand Final after years of finals contention. The Magpies’ continuing post-1958 drought (Colliwobbles) was torturing supporters. Peter Daicos, Phil Carman, and others led the squad.

The Match: A Five-Point Thriller

The match was tight throughout. Both teams played intense pressure footy. The lead changed multiple times. The defining moment came in the third quarter:

Wayne Harmes, on the boundary line, hooked a kick back into play after it appeared to go out of bounds. Sheldon collected the ball and goaled. Harmes, caught on TV celebrating, shouted “I knocked it back!” — one of the most-replayed moments in VFL history. The legality of the play was debated for years; the goal stood.

Final score: Carlton 11.16 (82) defeated Collingwood 11.11 (77) — a 5-point margin.

The Norm Smith Medal: Wayne Harmes (Inaugural)

The 1979 Norm Smith Medal was the first ever awarded. Wayne Harmes of Carlton won the inaugural medal — partly for his boundary-line moment, partly for his all-around performance.

The Premiership Coach: Alex Jesaulenko (First as Coach)

Alex Jesaulenko collected his first Jock McHale Medal — though the medal wasn’t awarded retrospectively until 2001. Jesaulenko’s playing career had included the famous 1970 Grand Final mark/goal (Goal of the Century); his coaching career began with this 1979 flag.

Famous Moments

• Wayne Harmes’s “I knocked it back!” — most-replayed VFL boundary moment.
• Sheldon’s goal from Harmes’s hook-back.
• Bruce Doull’s defensive class.
• Mike Fitzpatrick’s pressure.
• Mark Maclure’s 27 disposals.
• Peter Daicos’s defiant 25 disposals for Magpies.
• The 5-point margin.
• Alex Jesaulenko’s first coaching Cup lift.
• The inaugural Norm Smith Medal.
• The crowd of 113,545.

Trivia for the Pub

• Date: 29 September 1979, MCG.
• Final: Carlton 11.16 (82) defeated Collingwood 11.11 (77).
• Margin: 5 points.
• Crowd: 113,545.
• Norm Smith: Wayne Harmes — inaugural medal.
• Carlton’s 12th VFL premiership.
• Wayne Harmes’s “I knocked it back!” call became a VFL catchphrase.
• The boundary-line legality has been debated ever since.
• Collingwood’s continuing Colliwobbles — wouldn’t win until 1990.
• The Norm Smith Medal was instituted in 1979 in honour of Norm Smith.

The Verdict

The 1979 VFL Grand Final produced footy’s most-iconic catchphrase. Wayne Harmes’s “I knocked it back!”, the inaugural Norm Smith Medal, the 5-point margin, and the continuing Colliwobbles — all combined for one of the most-celebrated Grand Finals of the era. Long live the 1979 Blues.