A healthy gathering of former Blues stars were on hand at Uni Oval for the club's recent game against Collegians.  The gathering of the 1981 B-Grade Premiership team, co-ordinated by Roger Curnow, saw the likes of former coach Sid Myers, Mark "Nails" Tyquin and Don MacInnes swapping tales beneath the Ormond clocktower.

The story of the 1981 season is itself quite a yarn, warranting its own chapter in the MUFC history, "Black & Blue".  That chapter begins as follows:

"On Saturday 14 March 1981, the cosy world of the VAFA received arguably the greatest jolt in its existence when an article appeared on the back page of Melbourne's daily broadsheet newspaper, the Age, detailing serious allegations against University Blues.  Under the heading "Amateurs probe pay claim", reporter Ron Carter revealed an allegation that the Blues had offered match payments to former Reservoir Old Boys and Ivanhoe rover Ray Shepard."

On the eve of the 1981 season, the VAFA executive stripped Blues of match points earned in the previous season with the result that they were relegated to B Grade.  New coach Sid Myers steeled his charges for an unexpected campaign in the lower grade and "Black & Blue" recounts its outcome:

"The Blues began the season in B Section poorly, but won enough games to spend most of the season in the top four.  The quality of the team was highlighted by the state selectors' decision to include seven Blues in the initial state training squad: Steve Dobbie, Steve Kauffman, Tim Orton, Mark Tyquin, Michael Yeo, Michael Sleeman and Rodger Davies.  Of those, Davies was sidelined by a knee reconstruction, while Tyquin declared himself unavailable in protest at the Blues' demotion...

...The Blues won the final seven home-and-away games.  The second semi-final, against Collegians, was a tight contest before the Blues cleared away in the second half to win by four goals.  The Blues had earned promotion after one season in B Section.  During the celebrations in the pavilion, Michael Yeo and Mark Tyquin had a bet to see if either man could lift an 18-gallon keg above his head.  While Yeo was hoisting the barrel skywards, Tyquin threw a telephone book at his midriff.  Yeo played in the grand final with a large dent in his leg, courtesy of the keg, but his influence was undiminished.  The Blues were again too strong for Collegians, with Murray Fry outstanding in a back pocket."