Rod Jameson etched a place on Crows folklore with a winning after siren goal against Fitzroy
Rod Jameson entered early Crows folklore with a winning goal after the siren against Fitzroy in 1991 and was best on ground that night at his 21st birthday party.
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It was a boys own manual fantasy as Adelaide’s Rod Jameson boomed the winning after siren goal at Football Park to sink Fitzroy on the icy night of his 21st birthday party.
Adelaide was staring at a 4-7 win-loss record when nine points down with a minute remaining on a wet and wild June night of its inaugural 1991 season.
Jameson’s famous, last roll of the dice broke the hearts of battling Fitzroy and set up the mother of all parties that included vanquished opponents headlined by Paul Roos.
“I didn’t think much about it other than going back and taking the kick at the time, backed myself and would do it again if I had the chance,” recalled Jameson of the round 12 clash before 31,273 fans that earnt an early place in Crows folklore.
He would become a premiership defender under Malcolm Blight in 1997 but Jameson booted 49 goals across half forward in his debut season after resisting the keen advances of North Melbourne.
“I trusted a fair bit the way I would use the footy in terms of my kicking ability both left or right foot. It was wet but not raining at that point and didn’t think the distance would be much of an issue,” said Jameson.
“It was just making sure the kick was going to be accurate enough. Ruckman John Ironmonger was on the goal line so I had to get over his head as well!”
Fitzroy had led at every change but a David Marshall goal reduced the deficit to three points. Jameson secured a contentious holding the ball decision against a skinny Steve Paxman to set up his glory shot. Cult-figure rover Eddie Hocking claimed the bounty but Jameson was, fortuitously, awarded the final kick of an epic match.
“It was wet, cold and everybody had vacated Football Park. David Marshall got a dubious free to get a goal and Andrew Jarman one in the middle and ultimately myself,” said Jameson.
“Eddie picked it up straight away and went off with it but the umpire got it and through it straight to me. It was an awesome outcome.
“I was probably a bit blown away by the enormity of it at that age.”
Jameson respected a Fitzroy side coached by Robert Shaw who would controversially replace Crows counterpart Graham Cornes four years later. Fitzroy merged with Brisbane in 1996.
Richard Osborne and Ross Lyon featured in Brownlow Medal votes behind Crows utility Nigel Smart, driving a Fitzroy side fuelled by passion if short on class. Jameson’s third goal proved decisive after two from McGuiness.
“They had a go and there was always a bit of an underdog mentality. They had their challenges through the financial side of things,” said Jameson, now a Crows board member and sales director with Sandstone Technology.
“There were still some quality players. It was never as easy as the score sometimes depicted. They were pretty dogged.”
The clarity and absolute belief Jameson had in slotting a water-soaked winner from 50 metres out contrasted with hazy memories of a 10am return home the next morning.
“I had planned to have my 21st that night so kept it pretty intimate, around 80 people at Glenelg Cricket Club but ended up having over 200 people turn up and getting home at 10am,” recalled Jameson.
“It was really solid.
“I had friends and family from interstate and was pretty keen to get back to the club and have a beer with some mates but the crowd kept swelling. I had Tony McGuiness there and he was good mates with Roosy so a few of the Fitzroy blokes turned up.”
This was the 1990s, arguably Australian football’s most exhilarating era where players could have their cake and eat it.
AFL’s semi professional age was free-flowing but elite and so were the off-field escapades.
Jameson notes Adelaide’s tee-totaler, maiden coach Cornes’ probably ‘wouldn’t have approved’.
“After some games you would have a beer or two and sit in a bath with 10 blokes,” said Jameson.
“It was more social than players today, they don’t go out and have a beer as much. We would catch up and head to pub or nightclub and spend some time together. The more mature guys knew how to play the game off field.”
As times marches on, membership of AFL’s successful after the siren club means more for Jameson who retired after 153 games in 1999.
“I reflect on it and there’s only 50 people in the AFL that have done something like that,” noted Jameson.
“You go back to round one, Sydney and Adelaide where Tex Walker was unable to nail it at the end.
“So there’s plenty of others that missed it and could have changed the outcome of the game.
“It was a good result.”