It’s almost 50 years since Carlton’s Under 19 team completed the first of its back-to-back Grand Final victories under Coach Bryan Quirk’s watch – the first of them in 1978 over Collingwood at the MCG when Peter Daicos was going around for the black and whites.

And thanks to Quirk, footage has finally surfaced from that contest, which includes a moment of Daicos brilliance that curiously led to the Blues’ sealer.

Quirk, then in his maiden season at the helm some ten years after playing his part in the seniors’ drought-breaking Grand Final win over Essendon, recently availed VHS tapes of various matches (amongst them the second half of the ’78 GF) for digitization and inclusion in the club’s archive.

The moment in question came midway through the final term in a match which carried an all-too-familiar ring for the competing teams. Carlton, having trailed by 33 points at the main change and looking down and out, somehow found the wherewithal to lead by 11 points at the time.

With the game still in the balance, Daicos, wearing the uncustomary No.5, gathered a loose ball in the back pocket at the Punt Road end and set off on a seven-bounce run, before firing a kick to the top of the square.

What happened next was the epitome of team play, that culminated in a goal on the rebound to Carlton full-forward Darren Linkins - his fifth of six – to effectively seal the deal for Bryan’s Blues.

The Blues, having knocked Collingwood over by a point in the second-semi, secured the Under 19 Premiership of 1978 with a ten-goal last quarter, winning 20.15 (135) to 14.11 (95).  As with Linkins, Bruce Burns put six over the goal umpire’s hat, and half-back Bill Martin was adjudged best afield.

The club would welcome VHS tapes of Carlton matches of the pre-1980 period to convert for the Carlton archive. Those who can assist can contact tony.debolfo@carltonfc.com.au