IT'S Saturday 6 May  1967, Carlton versus Melbourne on the mighty MCG. This is the story of the emergence of a football genius in the No.25.

The flickering black and white images offer precious insight into what was to come with Alex Jesaulenko, who just three weeks earlier appeared for the first time in the opening round match of the season with Fitzroy – and who by season’s end would finish third in the Brownlow Medal count.

Dennis Munari, who would complete his own Carlton debut in Round 8 of the ’67 season, was watching on from the stands when ‘Jezza’ made his mark in the 4^th Round contest with the Redlegs.

What Munari saw remains firmly etched in his memory.

In a previous interview for The Blueseum website page, Munari remembered Jesaulenko’s underwhelming early showings.

“During our four or five intra club practice matches and the first few home and home games Alex did not stand out greatly as a player, and there may have been some concerns amongst officials including the coach Ronald Dale Barassi . . . ,” Munari said.

“It was not until Round 4 - Carlton v Melbourne - that Alex from a half forward flank played an absolute blinder of a game kicking a number of goals, taking marks that you had to see to believe, and playing ‘cat like’ as we now know of him. The crowd was in absolute awe of his achievements on the day as were the coach, his teammates and officials.”

Jesaulenko, Bryan Quirk and the late Terry Board shared goalkicking honours with three each in Carlton’s 59-point rout of Melbourne. The game was effectively over by the main change, by way of a 7.2 opening to the visitors; the Redlegs having managed the solitary behind in response.

The intensity brought to the contest by the Carlton players under Barassi’s watch is evident in the surviving moving pictures from the first quarter – with Barassi himself booting the first goal of the match, by way of a clever loose gather and snap.

About 15 minutes into the quarter, Jesaulenko got involved in a one-two with Quirk that led to the latter’s fine goal on the run. Later in the term, Jezza’s uncanny left-foot running goal from the pocket brought up the visitors’ sixth for the term, and number seven followed from the next centre bounce, courtesy the players right boot.

These first precious images of Alex Jesaulenko in his Carlton playing days are historic in another way. They served as the catalyst for Barassi’s decision to accompany senior squad members to Seven’s Dorcas Street studios to view recorded replays in the pioneering days of video analysis.

Melbourne v Carlton - Round 4, Saturday, May 6, 1967 at the MCG

CARLTON          7.2      8.3      13.7      16.8 (104)

MELBOURNE     0.1      2.7      4.9        5.15 (45)

Goalkickers: T. Board 3.3, A. Jesaulenko 3.1, B. Quirk 3.0, A. Gallagher 2.2, J. Nicholls 1.1, I. Collins 1.0, R. Barassi 1.0, R. Walls 1.0, S. Silvagni 1.0.

Best: J. Nicholls, C. Stewart, A. Jesaulenko, T. Board, K. Hall, B. Quirk