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Mark Tandy (Yarraville & South Melbourne)
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| Mark
Tandy played his early football at Yarraville
as a wingman, a role he also occupied for much of his time at South.
His contribution to the club's 1918 grand final defeat of Collingwood
was significant and decisive, as it was he who made the surging run down
the wing culminating in a kick to the goal square which enabled Chris
Laird to soccer the winning goal.
While with South, Tandy found himself saddled with the inglorious nickname 'Napper', which apparently arose because of his alleged propensity for 'switching off' during games. At one stage in his career he roved to the famous Roy Cazaly-Fred Fleiter ruck combination, with Cazaly recalling that he often needed to 'gee' Tandy up in order to prevent him drifting out of the game. Nevertheless, Cazaly regarded Mark Tandy as the finest rover he ever saw. In 1923, just as people were beginning to suggest that he ought to think of hanging up his boots, Tandy suddenly tapped into the richest vein of form of his career. He was chosen to represent the Big V that year, and again at the following year's Hobart carnival. All told, he made 13 appearances for the VFL, and had amassed a total of 207 league games by the time he retired in 1926. In August 2003, Mark Tandy's reputation was enhanced when he was selected in Sydney's official 'Team of the 20th Century'. |
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Xavier Tanner (North Melbourne & Melbourne)
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| Recruited from Wodonga, Xavier Tanner gave North Melbourne precisely 100 VFL games of high quality service, mainly as a centreman, between 1976 and 1983. He boasted plenty of pace and courage, and his distribution skills were first rate. He was a fine player for the Kangas in the drawn grand final of 1977 against Collingwood, and more particularly in the replay, which North won. In 1984 he crossed to Melbourne, linking up once more with Ron Barassi, who had coached the 'Roos between 1973 and 1980, but managed just 11 games in two years before calling it a day. |
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Albert Tapping (North Adelaide, South Fremantle, Port Adelaide)
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| A powerful, bullocking footballer who
was capable of playing more or less anywhere, Bert Tapping commenced his
league career with a brief stint at North
Adelaide, but it was during his second stint with South Fremantle,
where he initially played in 1912, that his impact was most marked.
That second stint took place in 1914, after a season spent at Port
Adelaide, where his 10 senior appearances included the winning grand
final against his former club, North Adelaide, and the championship
of Australia trouncing of Fitzroy.
It was only after returning to South Fremantle the following year that the
full extent of his talent emerged, however.
Midway through the season he was included in Western
Australia's squad for the Sydney
carnival, and ended up playing in all 5
of the state's matches. In the narrow loss to the VFL he was many
observer's choice as the best player afield, and he ended up winning a commemorative
Medal, donated by 'The Referee' newspaper, as his state's top player in
the series. Amply demonstrating his versatility, Tapping played
successfully in three different positions during the carnival, and when he
returned home he was being widely touted as a likely future champion. At
the end of the season he augmented his reputation still further when a
series of strong performances helped South Fremantle reach the first
premiership play-off in the club's history, but local arch-rivals East
Fremantle proved too strong.
Sadly, that was as good as it would get for Bert Tapping. Over the next few years he rapidly gained weight to such an extent that his effectiveness as a league footballer was completely eradicated. Indeed, after 1914 he played just 1 further league match - and that was not until 1928 - taking his final tally of games with South to a miserly 27. It could, and should, have been many more, but Bert Tapping's career provides a stark reminder that success in top level sport derives at least as much from an individual's mental fortitude as it does from raw physical ability. |
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| Known somewhat lamely as 'Spudda', Geelong's Syd Tate was a powerful and pacy wingman who knew how to take care of himself, and loved to go on a run with the ball. His disposal skills were excellent, over both long and short distances. Tate was on a wing, and contributed a goal, when the Cats won the 1951 grand final against Essendon. Originally from Yallourn, he played 85 VFL games and kicked 13 goals between 1947 and 1951. |
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| Bert Taylor's big claim to fame was that, for a three year period, he was, at 198cm, the tallest footballer in the VFL. He made his league debut with Melbourne in 1934 but, after some promising early displays, his form fell away, and he only rarely succeeded in reaping the full benefits of the size advantage he possessed. Between 1934 and 1936 he played a total of 39 senior games and kicked 23 goals. |
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| Recognised as the finest full back in South Australia for many years, Arthur 'Footy' Taylor occupied that position in a total of 13 interstate teams, and was one of the stars of the 1911 Adelaide carnival. During what was a predominantly unremarkable era for his club, West Torrens, Taylor was a model of consistency, allying sound technique with irrepressible determination and vigour, and treating each goal kicked against him as a personal insult. After his retirement as a player he was made a life member of the club. |
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Brian Taylor (Richmond, Collingwood, Prahran)
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| Originally
from Mandurah in Western Australia, full forward Brian Taylor was
recruited by Richmond without ever having
played league football in his home state. Usually referred to either
as 'Barge', owing to his formidable 191cm, 91kg frame, or 'BT', he was
signally unfortunate in that the Tigers already had a top quality full
forward in Michael
Roach who remained ahead of him in the pecking order throughout his
five season stint at Punt Road. Between 1980 and 1984 Taylor played
just 43 senior games, kicking 156 goals. He was not selected in
either of Richmond's grand final teams (in 1980 and 1982) during that
period. He did, however, manage to top the Tigers' goal kicking list
with 61 goals in his last season with the club.
In 1985, Taylor crossed to Collingwood, where for a time he became something of a cult hero. He played 97 games in six seasons with the Magpies, heading their goal kicking list every year but the last. His tally of precisely 100 goals in 1986 made him the VFL's top goal kicker that year, and overall he kicked 371 goals for Collingwood. In 1986 West Australian football fans at Subiaco Oval were presented with the farcical sight of Taylor lining up for Victoria against his home state in a so-called state of origin match. He performed well, too, but his tally of 4.2 for the match was not enough to get the Victorians over the line as the home state won by 3 points. A combination of knee problems and coach Leigh Matthews' desire to operate with a more mobile forward line limited Taylor's senior appearances in 1990, a season which ultimately saw the Magpies win the premiership. Taylor left the club at the end of that season - somewhat acrimoniously, it must be said - and took up the role of playing coach at Prahran in the VFA. In 1992 he led the side to a 3rd place finish, its best result for many years. He also continued to perform well as a player, kicking 16 goals - a personal record - in one match against Oakleigh. |
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Don Taylor (West Adelaide & Glenelg)
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| Described
by Paul Depasquale as "one of those footballers who could hold his
form no matter how celebrated the opposition" (see
footnote 1), Don Taylor gave fine service to West
Adelaide, West Adelaide-Glenelg and Glenelg
in 135 SANFL games between 1939 and 1954. He also played 9 state
games for South Australia. Much of his best football
was played across half back, although he could also take a turn on the
ball. His form peaked during his time at the Bay and he won
Glenelg's best and fairest award on two occasions.
Taylor spent the 1965 season as non-playing coach of West Adelaide but endured a terrible time as the side slumped to 9th position on the ladder, technically their worst return up to that point. |
Footnotes1. The Pash Papers by Jeff Pash, page 204. Return to Main Text |
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Jim Taylor (South Melbourne & Norwood)
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| Pacy, strong and versatile, Jim Taylor was a superb player for South Melbourne in 153 VFL games between 1949 and 1954 and from 1956 to 1961. In between he spent a season with Norwood where he played 13 SANFL games , including the losing grand final against Port Adelaide, when he was the Redlegs' best player. With South he played mostly as a ruckman or centre half back, although he could turn his hand to most positions when needed. Originally from amateur club Caulfield Grammarians, he had a tremendous leap and was unusually nimble for a big man. He won the club's best and fairest award in 1953 and 1957. His 13 interstate appearances for the VFL included games at the 1961 Brisbane carnival. He also played 4 interstate matches for South Australia. |
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John Taylor (West Adelaide & Glenelg)
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| The
son of former Port Adelaide footballer Johnny Taylor senior, a member of
the Magpies' famous unbeaten 1914 combination, Johnny Taylor junior
naturally wished to follow in his father's footsteps. However, along
with brothers Don and Laurie, he was residentially bound to West
Adelaide, which was where he ended up spending the majority of his seventeen season
league career. He made his debut with West as a seventeen year old in 1936,
playing as a ruck shepherd in support of Colin
Smith. The role of
ruck shepherd was later outlawed, but for Johnny Taylor, surviving his
induction to league football in the position was a key to his developing
into one of the toughest and hardiest footballers ever seen in the
SANFL. During his career he received a total of 48 stitches in
facial wounds, and was concussed 14 times. "At the end I felt
that if someone blew on me I would be concussed again," he said when
his career was over (see footnote 1).
He was renowned for playing on in spite of injury, and on one notable
occasion he captained South Australia in Perth despite having sustained
cracked ribs in a club game the previous weekend. The injury
produced internal bleeding, and Taylor was constantly coughing up blood,
but by sucking on ice cubes during intervals in the play he was able to
quell the bleeding temporarily.
In 1939, Taylor experienced the great thrill of playing in the same West Adelaide league team as his brothers. Over the years, all three brothers would give the red and blacks sterling service, but when the side broke through for a flag in 1947, only Johnny played, as Don was with South Melbourne, and Laurie with Richmond. Johnny Taylor actually skippered the side in 1947, and the following year he took over from Gordon Scott as coach. After a couple of years as captain-coach of West, Taylor crossed to Glenelg, where he undertook the same role. With his brothers alongside him in the team, the Tigers quickly went from being perennial also-rans into a genuine premiership threat. In his first season at the helm they reached the grand final, only to lose to Norwood. The side enjoyed another good year in 1951, finishing 3rd, but after a slump to 5th place the following year, Johnny Taylor was replaced as coach by Pat Hall. His 55 games at the Bay took his final career tally to 258 and made him the first SANFL player to pass the 250 game mark. He also represented South Australia on 5 occasions. |
Footnotes1. Blood, Sweat and Tears by Merv Agars, page 54. Return to Main Text |
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Michael Taylor (Norwood, Collingwood, West Adelaide)
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| Michael
Taylor was a pivotal figure in Norwood's
re-emergence as a league power during the mid-1970s. Hailing from
Kingston in the south-east of South Australia, he made his
senior debut in 1972, winning the first of an eventual six club best and
fairest awards (a Norwood record shared with Walter
Scott) the following year. In 1975 he was in a back pocket -
his favoured position early in his career - as the Redlegs ended a twenty-five year
premiership drought by beating Glenelg by 2
goals in the grand final. Three years later, Norwood won another
flag, with centreman Taylor skippering the side to a heart-stopping 1
point grand final win over Sturt (click here
for a detailed match review). In the opinion of many, he was the game's
pre-eminent player that day.
Michael Taylor - known as 'Kingo' after his home town - captained the Redlegs from 1978 to 1980, winning club best and fairest awards every year, and in 1981 he became one of several high-priced recruits to join Collingwood. Playing mainly in the back pocket, he gave the Magpies excellent service in 92 VFL games over the ensuing four years. He returned to Norwood in 1985 with plenty of good football still left in him and carried on for three further seasons to take his final tally of SANFL games to 289. He also played 13 times for South Australia. After cutting his coaching teeth with Collingwood reserves and as an assistant to Graham Cornes at Adelaide, Taylor was appointed senior coach of West Adelaide in 1996. In five seasons at the helm he steered the Bloods to finals qualification twice. When Norwood announced its official 'Team of the Twentieth Century' few if any people were surprised to see Michael Taylor lining up in a back pocket. |
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| Neil Taylor was an inspirational player who served as Subiaco captain in six of his fifteen league seasons, including the premiership year of 1986. Equally at home as a wingman or on the ball, he won the Lions' fairest and best award on a couple of occasions, and was one of the primary reasons behind his club's re-emergence as a WAFL force during the mid-1980s. Taylor played a club record 260 senior games for Subiaco between 1975 and 1989. His style of play was perhaps ideally suited to the VFL, but he remained loyal to the Lions. |
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Richard Taylor (Melbourne & North Melbourne)
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| A perennial VFL interstate representative, Dick Taylor was almost universally acknowledged as one of the most accomplished centremen, or indeed players, of his era. He began with Melbourne in 1922, and was a key member of the 1926 challenge final victory over Collingwood. After ten seasons with the Fuchsias he transferred to North Melbourne where he served as captain in 1932-3-4, and as coach for part of 1932, the whole of 1933, and the first half of 1934. He returned to Melbourne for one final season at the top level in 1935. Lithe, elusive and tricky, his use of the ball was impeccable, and when playing in the centre his understanding with his wingmen was first rate. He ended his fourteen season VFL career with 207 games to his credit, all but 40 of which were with Melbourne. |
| A strong, determined, pacy footballer who disposed of the ball immaculately, Wyburn Taylor made his league debut with East Fremantle in 1929, although he did not become a regular member of the senior team until 1931. A rover in that year's winning grand final team against Subiaco, he was on a wing in the play-off of two years later when the Maroons were again vanquished. In 1936 he spent a season as captain-coach of Mines Rovers in the GNFL. He proved to be a stunning success, for not only did he steer the Diorites to a premiership, he won the Dillon Medal for the fairest and best player in the competition. Returning to Old Easts in 1937 he was 19th man in that year's grand final-winning team against Claremont. Taylor went on to play three further seasons of league football for a career total of 136 games. He also played twice for Western Australia. |
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Graham Teasdale (Richmond, South Melbourne, Collingwood)
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| A forward during his 6 games with Richmond in 1973 and for the first two seasons of his South Melbourne career (see footnote 1), Graham Teasdale was thrown into the ruck in 1977 to spectacular effect, winning both that year's Brownlow Medal and club best and fairest award. Thereafter, he never quite recaptured the same level of performance, but he remained a key contributor to the South cause, and when he sought a transfer to Collingwood in 1982 the club was, understandably, reluctant to clear him. After standing out of football for several months, however, Teasdale finally got his way, but his time with the Magpies was effectively ruined by injury. In a season and a half at the club he managed just 14 games and 21 goals to add to the 125 games and 138 goals he had played with the Swans. At his best, Graham Teasdale's aerial brilliance and prodigious kicking made him one of the game's most exciting talents, but he produced his best form too intermittently to be regarded as a true champion. |
Footnotes1. Teasdale did not manage a senior game with Richmond in 1974, crossing to South Melbourne, in exchange for John Pitura, at the end of that season. Return to Main Text |
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Noel Teasdale (North Melbourne, Woodville, West Torrens)
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| An
energetic, bullocking ruckman and occasional defender, Noel Teasdale was
one of the most noteworthy identities in the history of the North
Melbourne Football Club. Recruited from Daylesford, he played a
total of 178 VFL games for the 'Roos between 1956 and 1967, kicking 71
goals. A clear indication of his class is that he also represented
the VFL no fewer than 19 times in an era replete with top line
ruckmen. A clash of heads with team mate Ken Dean in 1964 produced a
serious head injury, and when 'Teaser' returned to the fray he was wearing
the padded head guard that was to become his trademark. The head
guard did nothing to undermine his effectiveness, however; in 1965 he
finished runner-up, on a countback, in the Brownlow
voting to St Kilda's Ian
Stewart (he was later awarded a retrospective Medal), and the following season saw him achieve All
Australian honours after the Hobart
carnival. Teasdale also won North's best and fairest award in
both years to make it an unprecedented four such wins in succession.
He captained the 'Roos from 1965-7.
In 1968 Noel Teasdale was appointed captain-coach of Woodville but his four seasons at the helm - the last of these in a non-playing capacity - produced an overall success rate of just 29.6%. On an individual note, however, Teasdale continued to perform with distinction as a player, adding a total of 47 SANFL games, winning the 'Peckers' best and fairest award in his debut season, and representing South Australia twice. In 1975-6 he returned to football as senior coach of West Torrens, but was unable to help the Eagles avoid the wooden spoon in both years. There would have been little surprise when, in 2003, it was announced that Noel Teasdale had been selected to lead the first ruck in the North Melbourne Kangaroos official 'Team of the Century'. |
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Dick Telford (Collingwood, Fitzroy, Preston)
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| A
talented all round sportsman, Dick Telford was unsure early on whether he
wanted to concentrate on football or baseball. He played reserves
football with Collingwood, but then quit in
order to concentrate on his baseball with Melbourne University.
After a short while, however, he decided that he preferred football, and
returned to the Magpies, for whom he managed a single senior VFL game in
1966 before being released to Fitzroy.
Things started off well at the Lions, and he made his senior debut in 1967
as a rover, but in only his second game he suffered a badly broken thumb
and did not play again that year. Given that he had performed quite
well in both his games, Telford felt confident of producing his best and
most consistent football so far in 1968, and so it proved - but it was not
to be with Fitzroy. At the end of the 1967 season the Lions
surprisingly told him that his services were no longer required, and he
ended up transferring to VFA side Preston.
After a game with the seconds, he made his senior debut in round 5, and,
playing mainly in the centre, went on to enjoy a superb season, winning
the Liston Trophy by
5 votes from Oakleigh's Norm Luff. He
also won the first of two Bullants best and fairest awards. The
highlight of Telford's debut year with Preston, however, was his
participation in the side's 15.8 (98) to 12.12 (84) 1st division grand
final defeat of Prahran, when he was one of the
best players on view. When the Bullants went back to back in 1969
thanks to a 12.11 (83) to 10.11 (71) grand final win over Dandenong,
he had no fewer than 32 kicks to be best afield.
Owing to pressures of work and study, Dick Telford retired in 1972, still aged just twenty-seven, after 68 VFA games. He later returned to Preston as non-playing coach in 1975 and spent two seasons in the role. |
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| Len Templar was a clever, free-roaming wingman who picked up plenty of possessions and loved to kick a goal. He played a total of 60 VFL games for North Melbourne between 1954 and 1957, booting 54 goals. One of his finest performances came in North's losing 1st semi final against Melbourne during his debut season, when he contributed 5 of his side's 11 goals for the match. |
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Jim Templeton (South Adelaide)
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| Jim Templeton was a forceful, aggressive and exuberant footballer who was exhilarating to watch when in full flight. He began his league career with South Adelaide in 1936, and two years later was in the team which humiliated Port Adelaide in the grand final by 44 points (match reviewed here). Equally at home anywhere across centre or on a half forward flank, he was often inspired to produce his best football when the going was at its most tempestuous. Templeton was a South Australian interstate representative on 5 occasions, kicking 2 goals. He continued playing with the Sturt-South Adelaide wartime combination from 1942 and 1944 and thereafter for four more seasons with South, the second of these as captain. When he retired he had played a total of 161 senior games. |
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Kelvin Templeton (Footscray & Melbourne)
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| When
he joined Footscray from Traralgon
in 1974 Kelvin Templeton was already a league footballer in all but
name. Possessing in substantial measure all the traditional skills
of the top class key position forward - quick and combative at ground
level, strong overhead, and a resplendent kick of the football over any
distance up to 60 metres - Templeton was idolised by Bulldog fans
throughout his nine season, 143 game career with the club. Those 143
games elicited 494 goals, including tallies of 118 in 1978 and 91 the
following year to top the VFL's goal kicking ladder. Templeton also
topped Footscray's goal kicking list in 1976-7 and 1980. His
greatest 'day out' came when Footscray kicked its record VFL score of
33.15 (213) against St Kilda in 1979,
with Templeton contributing 15.9.
Kelvin Templeton's best season in football was undoubtedly 1980 when he not only won his second Footscray best and fairest award but the Brownlow Medal as well, the latter achievement being comparatively rare for a key forward. A regular 'Big V' representative, Templeton played in both the 1979 and 1980 state of origin championship series. After captaining Footscray for the first time in 1982 Templeton was lured to Melbourne the following year in what was reputedly a big money transaction. Persistent niggling injuries undermined his effectiveness while with the Dees, but he still managed 99 goals in 34 games over two seasons, including 51 in 1984 to top Melbourne's list. After retiring as a player, Templeton worked for Sydney for a time as a skills coach. Templeton was named at centre half forward in the Bulldogs' official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'. |
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| Max Tetley was a fine key position defender for West Perth in 210 WANFL games from 1931 to 1941. Born and raised in Fremantle, he played his early football in the Fremantle suburban competition, where he caught the eye of officials from East Fremantle, who asked him to train with them. In 1930 he even played for Old Easts in a challenge match against the Goldfields Football League in Kalgoorlie. However, in 1931 Tetley began working for a company which was run by the president of the West Perth Football Club, Alec Breckler, who arranged for him to be cleared to the Cardinals. An excellent long kick, safe mark, and a stylish mover, Tetley was a ready made league footballer who excelled from the start. He won West Perth's best first year player trophy in 1931, and the following year was a key member, at full back, of the club's first premiership team since 1905. Renowned as an inspirational leader, he assumed coaching duties at the club in 1938, and was captain as well in 1939 and 1940. He played in four premiership teams in all, and won the club's fairest and best trophy in 1932. He played 14 interstate matches for Western Australia, and was state captain 4 times, including both games at the 1937 Perth carnival. He also coached the state. In October 2000, Max Tetley was included on the interchange bench in West Perth's official 'Team of the Century'. |
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Billy Thomas (Port Adelaide & North Adelaide)
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| Unable to crack it for a regular senior game with Port Adelaide, Billy Thomas followed Jack McCarthy to North Adelaide when McCarthy went to the Roosters as coach in 1960. Having managed just 18 games in three seasons with the Magpies, Thomas became a regular with North, adding 108 league games, mainly as a rover, between 1960 and 1966. All told he managed the impressive tally (for a rover) of 236 goals, which entailed topping the Roosters' goal kicking list on no fewer than five occasions. Thomas was first rover in North's 1960 premiership team. He represented South Australia 4 times, kicking 2 goals. |
| Doug Thomas played 218 games and kicked 110 goals for West Adelaide between 1951 and 1957 and from 1961 to 1965, spending the interim time as captain-coach of Wimmera Football League side Dimboola, whom he steered to a rare premiership success in 1959. He made his name as a dour, close-checking full back, but later put some of the knowledge gained to paradoxically good use as a full forward. Thomas captain-coached Westies in 1963 and 1964 and was skipper under Don Taylor in 1965. He played 5 times for South Australia, kicking 6 goals. After his retirement as a player he embarked on a lifelong administrative and managerial career with the club. |
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Edward Thomas (Oakleigh & Melbourne)
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| Ted
Thomas was a superb half back flank specialist who began his senior career
with Oakleigh after the First World War before
being signed by Melbourne in 1921. Since
winning their only VFL pennant in 1900, the Redlegs had persistently
under-achieved, and this pattern continued during Thomas' first four
seasons at the club. In 1925, however, Bert
Chadwick took over as coach, sparking an immediate improvement:
Melbourne reached the finals that season for the first time in a decade,
and the following year upset the odds with a storming 17.17 (119) to 9.8
(62) challenge final defeat of Collingwood.
Playing in his usual spot on a half back flank, Thomas was a key
contributor to the win.
In 1930-31, he was a member of two more premiership sides, this time back at Oakleigh, where he played between 1929 and 1931. His final season in league football came at Melbourne in 1932, bringing his final tally of VFL games to 104 in 9 seasons. |
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Keith Thomas (Norwood & Fitzroy)
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| Keith Thomas' career tally of precisely 300 league games between 1979 and 1986 and from 1989 to 1992 puts him third on Norwood's all time list, behind only Michael Aish (307) and Garry McIntosh (371), and he loses nothing in comparison with those, or indeed any other luminaries, in the club's illustrious history. Quick, nimble and deadly near goal, Thomas' style bore numerous similarities to that of another modern day great, former Port Adelaide and Carlton champion Craig Bradley. A member of Norwood premiership teams in 1982 against Glenelg and two years later against Port Adelaide, he was the recipient after the latter grand final of the Jack Oatey Medal for best afield. A club best and fairest winner in 1985, Keith Thomas represented his state on five occasions, and was named on the interchange bench in the Redlegs' official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'. He spent the 1987 and 1988 seasons with Fitzroy in the VFL, where he played 28 games and kicked 15 goals. |
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Len Thomas (South Melbourne, Hawthorn, North Melbourne)
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| Powerful,
fleet of foot, and possessing all the essential skills of the game, Len
Thomas was without doubt one of the best all round VFL footballers of the
1930s. He actually began with South
Melbourne in 1927, but it was during the 1930s that he arrived at a
peak of excellence which was maintained throughout most of the
decade. Winner of South's best and fairest award in 1931 and 1938,
he was a significant contributor from the centre when the red and whites
thrashed Richmond in the 1933 grand
final. Thomas crossed to Hawthorn
as captain-coach in 1939, but the Mayblooms had a poor season, and
finished 10th. The 1940 season saw him at North
Melbourne, once again as captain-coach, but after a disastrous year
which produced just 4 wins and the wooden spoon, Thomas retired from
football and embarked on military service. Tragically, he was to
meet his end while serving his country abroad.
Len Thomas played a total of 208 VFL games, and represented the VFL in the interstate arena on half a dozen occasions. He came from a footballing background, with his father, 'Sonna' Thomas having enjoyed a noteworthy VFL career with South Melbourne and Richmond. |
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Richard Thomas (East Perth & Essendon)
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| A quintessential no nonsense, hard as nails defender, Ritchie Thomas was a key member of East Perth teams on either side of World War Two. The son of the Royals' 1925 Sandover Medallist, William 'Digger' Thomas, he shared his father's almost fanatical dedication to physical fitness, and indeed was widely acknowledged as one of the fittest players going around throughout his twelve season, 211 game league career, which included 4 games for Essendon during a wartime posting to Melbourne. Thomas made his senior debut in 1933, and was on a half back flank three years later when East Perth overcame both the grand final challenge of Claremont, and the weight of popular public sentiment, in a tensely fought grand final. A stay at home backman of the old school (he managed only 2 goals during his entire league career), Thomas produced much of his best football at centre half back, where he combined considerable strength overhead with perhaps surprising adeptness at ground level, all laced with the trademark Thomas aggression and never-say-die spirit. Winner of the Royals' fairest and best award in 1939 (jointly with Dave Miller) and 1940, Ritchie Thomas played interstate football for Western Australia on 4 occasions, and might perhaps be considered slightly unfortunate to have failed to achieve selection in both of East Perth's official 'Teams of the Century'. |
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William Thomas (North Adelaide)
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| Billy Thomas was a gutsy and highly effective rover who was a key member of North Adelaide's 1930 challenge final winning team against Port Adelaide, earning nomination high on the list of his team's best players. He played precisely 100 senior games for the red and whites, and represented South Australia 4 times, including games at the 1927 Melbourne carnival. |
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William 'Billy' Thomas (Kalgoorlie City & East Perth)
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| Originally from Geraldton, 'Billy' Thomas played senior football with Kalgoorlie City in 1925 and 1926 before transferring to East Perth in 1927. A premiership player in his debut season with the Royals, he impressed observers with his pace and cleverness as well as the accuracy of his disposal. In 1928 and 1929, playing mainly as a rover, he won East Perth's fairest and best award, adding the 1929 Sandover Medal for good measure. Always dangerous when resting in a forward pocket, he topped the Royals' goal kicking list in 1931 with 30 goals, and overall amassed 169 goals in 114 senior appearances spread over ten seasons. Thomas made his interstate debut for Western Australia and went on to play a total of 9 state matches, including all 5 games at the 1930 Adelaide carnival. Like his namesake 'Digger', William 'Billy' Thomas achieved selection in East Perth's official 'Team of the Century 1906 to 1944'. |
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William 'Digger' Thomas (Warriors, Subiaco, East Fremantle, East Perth, Paddington)
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| Broken
Hill-born 'Digger'
Thomas began his senior football career with Goldfields Football League
side Warriors. In 1910 he was a member of a star-studded goldfields
representative side which defeated Port
Adelaide, and the following season
he ventured to the coast to throw in his lot with Subiaco.
A superb aerialist, Thomas earned much respect and admiration for his
fairness, and so it was something of a shock when he was suspended for six
months late in the 1912 season after being charged with striking in a
match against South Fremantle.
The suspension forced him out of the Maroons' inaugural league premiership
side that year, but he made amends in 1913 when he was a driving force in
the centre as the club went 'back to back'.
Thomas' excellent form continued in 1914, and he was named in Western Australia's team for the Sydney carnival. Records from the carnival are somewhat sketchy, but he is known to have kicked 14 of his team's 33 goals in the game against Queensland. Unfortunately, West Australia's goal kickers in the 29.14 (188) to 12.8 (80) defeat of Tasmania, and the 23.24 (162) to 8.10 (58) win over New South Wales are unknown, but it would seem reasonable to assume that 'Digger' Thomas was one of the leading goal kickers of the championships. After 32 games with Subiaco, Thomas transferred to East Fremantle, where he played 17 games in 1917. He then joined East Perth, where he went on to enjoy the greatest success of his career. A member of premiership teams in 1919-20-21-22-23 and 1927, his individual brilliance was recognised in 1923 when, aged thirty-three, he became East Perth's first ever Sandover Medal winner. His interstate exploits continued as well, and he was a key member of Western Australia's winning 1921 carnival side in Perth, and was still part of the team three years later in Hobart. Later in the 1924 season he headed east, initially to Sydney, where he coached Paddington during what proved to be the club's 7th and last premiership year prior to its merger in 1926 with East Sydney. Thomas then moved to Melbourne where he endeavoured to obtain a clearance to Richmond, but when this was not forthcoming he returned to East Perth. When he retired in 1928, 'Digger' Thomas had played 177 league games for the Royals for an overall career total of 226. He played a dozen state games for Western Australia. In June 2006 he was named in the centre in East Perth's official 'Team of the Century 1906 to 1944'. His son, Ritchie Thomas, was a great defender with East Perth during the 1930s and '40s. |
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William 'Sonna' Thomas (South Melbourne & Richmond)
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| Regarded as one of the best and most consistent defenders of his era, William 'Sonna' Thomas gave sterling service to two league clubs over the course of career that lasted the better part of fifteen seasons, and saw him play in excess of 200 top level games. He commenced in the VFL in 1905 with South Melbourne, and after taking some time to establish himself developed into a mainstay of the team that went on to win its first premiership in nineteen years in 1909. During that year's final series he held down centre half back with great conviction and authority, and his contribution to the flag win was unsurpassed. In the challenge final against Carlton (reviewed here) he capped a near best afield performance with a last minute saving mark which ensured that South held on to record a memorable win by just 2 points. Thomas captain-coached the southerners to 3rd place in both 1910 and 1911, and his 4 interstate appearances for the VFL included a game as captain against South Australia in 1913. In 1914, after 135 games and 2 goals for South, he crossed to Richmond where he was promptly appointed captain. He spent five and a half seasons with the Tigers, adding another 62 games and 3 goals, and in the process helping them to emerge as a genuine VFL force for the first time. Bill Thomas might feasibly have still been around when the team broke through for its first VFL flag in 1920 but a dual leg fracture sustained a year earlier ended his career. His son, Len Thomas, was a successful league footballer with three different clubs during the 1920s and '30s. |
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Clayton Thompson (Sturt & Hawthorn)
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| Known as 'Candles', Clayton Thompson was a gangly giant of a forward-ruckman who marked and kicked well and was deceptively mobile. He played 151 SANFL games for Sturt in two stints from 1948 to 1953 and between 1957 and 1961, kicking 236 goals, and topping the club's goal kicking list on three occasions. He also won the club's best and fairest award twice. After impressing at the 1953 Adelaide carnival when he was the top goal kicker with 17 goals and achieved All Australian selection, Thompson was signed by Hawthorn. In three seasons with the Hawks, playing mainly as a forward, he racked up 50 VFL games and booted 54 goals. On his return to Sturt he was given a license to roam as a ruckman and produced some of the best football of his career. He was a hot favourite to win the 1959 Magarey Medal, but finished runner-up to team mate Len Fitzgerald. His interstate career comprised 11 appearances for South Australia, which netted him 25 goals. |
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Colin Thompson (West Adelaide)
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| Colin
Thompson made his league debut with West
Adelaide in 1962. At the end of that season he was the team's
1st ruckman in a 3 point grand final loss to Port
Adelaide. It was West's sixth grand final appearance in nine
seasons, and Thompson could have been forgiven for imagining that he would
have many more opportunities to participate in a premiership.
However, over the remainder of his twelve season, 201 game SANFL
career, the closest Thompson came to enjoying the thrill of a flag was a
preliminary final loss to Glenelg in 1969.
A ruckman for the majority of his career, Thompson was transformed into a defender after Murray Weidemann took over as coach in 1968. He performed well against resting ruckmen and bigger full forwards like North Adelaide's Dennis Sachse, but he was sometimes found wanting against fast leaders like Malcolm Greenslade and 'Freddy' Phillis. Overall, however, he played some of his best and most consistent football late in his career when the responsibility of being one of the team's on field leaders elicited enhanced dedication and commitment. In his very last season, anxious to break the 200 game barrier, "I ran faster at training.......than at any stage of my career" (see footnote 1). Once he reached the milestone he was playing so well he could easily have continued, but he opted instead to take up a coaching appointment with Central Augusta. |
Footnotes1. Bloods, Sweat And Tears by Merv Agars, page 68. Return to Main Text |
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Len Thompson (Collingwood, South Melbourne, Fitzroy, Preston)
[Click to enlarge] |
| Great
though he undoubtedly was, and as much as he accomplished, one sometimes
got the impression that Len Thompson could have achieved almost anything
he wanted out of the game had his self belief equalled his ability, or had
he enjoyed at least his fair share of the rub of the green.
Combining physical enormity (200cm, 95.5kg) with tremendous athleticism, Thompson
sometimes ruled the ruck contests as though he owned them, whilst
simultaneously providing Collingwood with a
formidable around the ground presence. The Magpies recruited
Thompson from North Reservoir after he had initially been rejected by Essendon,
a club which, ironically, would end up struggling in the ruck for much of Thompson's
career. Len Thompson played a total of 272 VFL games and booted 217
goals for the 'Woods between 1965 and 1978, winning the club's best and
fairest award a record 5 times, as well as securing the 1972 Brownlow
Medal. He later played briefly for both South
Melbourne (20 games and 39 goals in 1979) and Fitzroy
(13 games, 19 goals, 1980), but his name will forever be synonymous with
Collingwood. Undoubtedly the biggest disappointment of Len
Thompson's auspicious, sixteen season, 305 game VFL career was his failure
to play in a single premiership team, despite appearing in four grand
finals. He was a regular 'Big V' interstate representative, and
achieved All Australian
selection after the 1972 Perth carnival.
In 1989, Thompson served as coach of Preston in the VFA, but the side's 9-9 record was not good enough for it to make the finals. When Collingwood selected its official 'Team of the Twentieth Century' Len Thompson was a 'shoe-in' choice to lead the first ruck. In September 2007 he sadly passed away, aged sixty, after suffering a heart attack. |
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Mark Thompson (Essendon & Geelong)
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| Popularly
known as 'Bomber', Mark Thompson was a highly dependable performer for Essendon
in 202 V/AFL games from 1983 to 1996. A dual club best and fairest
winner, he played most of his football as an attacking half back flanker
who provided plenty of rebound without neglecting his defensive
duties. Always a popular figure at Windy Hill, he was appointed club
captain in 1992, and led the Bombers to the 1993 premiership.
'Bomber' Thompson was appointed coach of Geelong in 2000 and got the club to the finals in his first season. Three disappointing years followed before the Cats emerged as a genuine premiership threat in 2004, ultimately finishing 4th. In 2005 they more or less marked time and ended up in 5th position after the finals, before under-achieving quite dramatically in 2006 and slumping to 10th. In 2007, however, things came together in as near perfect a way as is probably possible in modern professional sport, and the Cats claimed their first flag since 1963 in resoundingly emphatic fashion. 'Bomber' Thompson thus became only the seventh man in V/AFL history to achieve premiership success as both a captain and a non-playing coach. |
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Jim Thoms (Footscray & West Torrens)
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| Jim Thoms was a top quality all round sportsman who, in addition to his prowess as a footballer, was a fine grade cricketer, and an excellent table tennis player who won the Australian championship in 1936. Most of his senior football career was spent with Footscray, where he commenced in 1937. A clever, speedy and elusive rover, he earned VFL interstate representation in 1941 and again in his final league season five years later. He spent the 1945 season with West Torrens, was first rover that year in the club's 15.25 (115) to 15.12 (102) grand final defeat of Port Adelaide. His VFL career comprised 120 senior games and 101 goals. |
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Vic Thorp (Richmond & Prahran)
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| Vic 'Flippa' Thorp was arguably the greatest player produced by Richmond
during the first two decades of the club's involvement in the VFL.
He was also, in the view of some, the finest full back the game has seen,
in which position, needless to say, he was selected in Richmond's official
'Team of the Century'. It is more than a touch surprising
therefore, to learn that the VFL's interstate selectors did not see fit to
include Thorp in an official state team until 1919, his tenth league
season.
Combining pace, great anticipation, courage, mental strength, agility and superb aerial prowess, Thorp was by no means a typical VFL full back, and would probably have been equally successful had he played as a centreman, half back, or half forward. It was not merely the fact that he was effective that made him a great player, it was the fact that he was effective with style. 'Dick' Lee, undoubtedly the greatest VFL full forward of Thorp's era, had no doubt whatsoever that the Richmond champion was far and away the finest full back of them all, with his admiration doubtless enhanced by the fact that Thorp never resorted to foul means in order to beat his man. A key player in Richmond's breakthrough VFL premiership wins of 1920-21, Vic Thorp was the club's best and fairest winner in 1924, making him one of the earliest known recipients of the award. He continued with the Tigers until early in the 1925 season when, after 261 VFL games, he crossed to Prahran in the VFA where he played under the coaching of former South Melbourne and Footscray champion Jack Howell. Thorp spent much of his time with the Two Blues as a forward, topping the club's goal kicking list in 1925 with 30 goals. |
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David Thorpe (Footscray, Richmond, Yarraville, Port Melbourne)
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| Highly skilled, courageous and purposeful, David Thorpe was among the finest centremen in the VFL during an era replete with top quality denizens of that position. He joined Footscray from North Footscray, and made his league debut in 1965, winning a best and fairest award three years later en route to a career total of 151 games with the Bulldogs over nine seasons. He also booted 79 goals. A VFL representative every year from 1969 to 1972, Thorpe was included in the All Australian team selected after the 1972 Perth carnival. In 1974 he transferred to Richmond and was in the centre as the Tigers downed North Melbourne in that season's grand final. In three seasons at Punt Road Thorpe added 27 games and 24 goals. The 1977 season saw him at Yarraville as captain-coach and he promptly took the 1976 2nd division wooden spooner to a grand final meeting with Mordialloc, which was ultimately lost by 38 points after a closely fought first three quarters. Thorpe spent one further season with the Eagles, steering them to 4th spot on the division two ladder, before finishing his playing career with half a dozen games for Port Melbourne in 1979. |
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Albert Thurgood (Essendon & Fremantle)
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|
'Albert the Great', as he was known, was an all round football champion of the highest order, and arguably the game's first true 'superstar'. In Western Australia, he played with the famous Fremantle club during a time when it arguably boasted the strongest team in the land. During his stint there he topped the WAFA goal kicking list on three consecutive occasions between 1895 and 1897, helping the side lift premierships in the first two of those years. "Tall and magnificently built, Thurgood could play in any position on the ground and was extraordinarily fast. It was said that he could run 100 yards in even time. His high marking was superb, his ground work robust, and he was said to be as nimble and agile as a hare. Like a true champion he rarely had an off day and he could kick brilliantly with every type of kick imaginable." (See footnote 1) Thurgood originally played football at Brighton Grammar School before joining Essendon in 1892. He went on to help the Same Old lift the next three VFA premierships (making it four in succession all told). Thurgood won Essendon's best and fairest award in 1901, and was the leading goal kicker in the VFA three times and in the VFL once. He kicked 181 goals in three VFA seasons with Essendon, during which he would have played a maximum of 57 games. In just under five seasons in the VFL he played 46 games, booting 89 goals. He was particularly renowned for his prodigious kicking, being recorded on one occasion as producing a place kick of 98.48 metres, or 107 yards 2 feet 1 inch. One of his drop kicks was allegedly measured at 82.3 metres, or 90 yards. In 1902 there were widespread allegations that Thurgood had 'laid down' against Collingwood in the challenge final, which Essendon lost by the heavy margin for the time of 33 points. In disgust, he demanded, and was refused, a clearance to the Magpies, whereupon he decided to retire. He was tempted back to Essendon four years later, but after playing 8 games he was forced to retire permanently when he sustained a serious ankle injury. |
Footnotes1. The Encyclopedia of League Footballers by Jim Main and Russell Holmesby, page 436. Return to Main Text |
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John Tidswell (North Adelaide)
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| Having
progressed steadily through the junior ranks at the club, John Tidswell
made his senior league debut for North
Adelaide in 1949. At the end of his first season he was
nineteenth man
in the grand final as the red and whites downed West
Torrens by 23 points. When North next reached the decisive match
of the year two seasons later, Tidswell put in a stirring four quarter
performance in the ruck, but could not prevent his team from going down to
Port Adelaide by 11 points. He made
amends the following year, however, as he helped his team mates to a
record 108 point grand final annihilation of Norwood.
A ruckman for most of his ten season, 162 game league career, John Tidswell's biggest assets were his prodigious leap and the extraordinary accuracy of his palming. He was also an excellent high mark, boasted good judgment, and was a reliable kick, enabling him to perform effectively in a key position when required. Indeed, many of his finest games, particularly later in his career, were played at either centre half back or full back. After retiring from league football, he coached for a time in the South Australian amateur competition. |
|
James Tierney (West Adelaide, West Torrens, South Adelaide, North Adelaide)
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| Despite looking old enough, even during the early stages of his career, to have fathered many of his fellow players (indeed, towards the end of that career, he gloried in the nickname 'Dad'), James 'Sorry' Tierney possessed formidable talent. He won a Magarey Medal in 1908, and formed a highly effective partnership for a time with Tom Leahy during West Adelaide's rapid emergence as a power in 1908 and 1909. He had first played with West in 1901 and 1902, and then spent the first part of the 1903 season with West Torrens and the second part in Broken Hill, before returning to the red and blacks in 1904. In 1905 he was on the move again, this time to South Adelaide, where he remained until 5 games into the 1906 season, when West again benefitted from his services. He finished his league career in 1911 by renewing his partnership with Leahy, this time at North Adelaide. Tierney represented South Australia on 9 occasions. |
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[Click to enlarge] |
| A talented and creative wingman or half forward flanker, Ken Tierney was in and out of the Port Adelaide team throughout his ten season league career, during which time he played a total of 160 games. The problem was not that he lacked ability - far from it - but that his game was centered on crisp, short, accurate foot passing, in total contrast to the trademark long kicking approach favoured by coach Fos Williams. Had Tierney played at virtually any other SANFL club, he would probably have retired with in excess of 200 senior games to his credit, plus a couple of best and fairest awards, but he chose to remain loyal to Port. He made his league debut in 1954, and at the end of that season was on a wing in the Magpies' stirring 3 point grand final win over West Adelaide. He later also played in the club's 1956, 1958 and 1959 premiership teams. At his best during the late 1950s, he represented South Australia at the 1958 Melbourne carnival, and played a total of 4 interstate games. Late in his career he twice sustained broken legs, but by playing a handful of games in 1963 he managed to qualify for life membership of the league on the grounds of having played more than 150 senior games over ten seasons. Tierney coached amateur league side Rosewater in 1964 before returning to Port as coach of the club's Seconds team in 1965. |
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Phil Tierney (East Perth & West Torrens)
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| Although
he tended to be overshadowed for much of his career by Subiaco's Austin
Robertson junior, Phil Tierney was a fine full forward in his own
right. He booted 620 goals in 190 games for East
Perth between 1962 and 1969 and from 1971 to 1972, heading the club's
list in 1965 (55 goals), 1967 (119), 1968 (106), 1969 (74) and 1971
(105). He also kicked 65 goals in 16 games to top West
Torrens' list in 1970. Perhaps surprisingly, given these totals,
only once, in 1967, was he the leading goal kicker in the competition in
which he was playing.
Phil Tierney's only interstate appearances came at the 1972 Perth carnival when he booted 11 goals in 3 games for a Western Australian side that ran second to the VFL. His final league game was the 1972 grand final in which East Perth met Claremont; lining up on a half forward flank, Tierney was kept goalless for one of the rare times in his career, but nevertheless had the satisfaction of heading into retirement with a premiership under his belt. In June 2006 Phil Tierney was named as full forward in East Perth's official 'Team of the Century 1945 to 2005'. |
|
[Click to enlarge] |
| Originally from Risdon in Port Pirie, David Tiller enjoyed a brief but successful under-age career with North Adelaide before making his senior debut in 1977. A smooth running, creative half back flanker for most of his league career, he was a more or less permanent fixture in the Roosters' line-up for nearly fourteen years, during which time he played 290 SANFL games. He was voted the club's best and fairest player in 1981 and 1984, and served as captain from 1984 to 1986, but the unarguable highlight of his career was participation in the resounding 82 point grand final defeat of Glenelg in 1987. Quite astonishingly for a player of his calibre and impact, David Tiller never played interstate football. |
|
[Click to enlarge] |
| Eddie Tilley was a rare football character who gave fine service to Sturt in a war interrupted league career that began in 1939 and ended, 172 games and 54 goals later, in 1950. He also played 9 times for South Australia, including games at both the 1947 Hobart and 1950 Brisbane carnivals. Mercurial, highly skilled and adaptable, he suffered disappointment early in his career when he was suspended for the 1940 grand final against South Adelaide, which Sturt ended up winning. Tilley played his best football after the war, winning club best and fairest awards in 1947 and 1949. He was the Blues captain in 1948. He liked nothing better than to put on a show, and in one match against Norwood in 1948 caused a real stir by kicking a goal with a place kick. A few weeks later, he booted what, at the time, was a club record haul of 13.7 as Sturt trounced South Adelaide 22.22 (154) to 9.8 (62). In 1957, Eddie Tilley returned to Unley as the senior side's non-playing coach, but after a fairly promising debut season the wheels fell off spectacularly in 1958 as the Blues slumped to a distant last place. Perhaps not surprisingly, Tilley's services as coach were not retained for 1959, but on the basis of his all round contribution to the club, particularly as a player, he deserves to be remembered with esteem. |
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[Click to enlarge] |
| Energetic, industrious and highly creative, Stephen Tingay was one of the best and most highly respected Melbourne footballers of the 1990s. Recruited from Shepparton, he made his VFL debut in 1989, and over the ensuing eleven seasons went on to play 162 games and kick 84 goals. His best season was 1994 when he finished second in Melbourne's best and fairest award and was chosen in the AFL All Australian team. In 2001, after being out of the game for a year with a hip injury, Tingay joined Sydney, but his injury problems persisted and he never played a senior game for the club. |
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Jack Titus (Richmond & Coburg)
|
| Standing
just 175cm in height, and weighing in at a meagre 65.5kg, Richmond
forward Jack 'Skinny' Titus could scarcely be said to look like a league
footballer - until he took to the field. It was then that all of his
pace, poise and extraordinary nimbleness, both of body and of mind, came
to the fore. Like Kevin
Bartlett in later years, he was supremely adept at keeping his
lightweight frame out of trouble - or of earning free kicks on those rare
instances that his
incomparable skills of elusiveness failed him.
Nevertheless, he was often prevented from training on Tuesday evenings as
a result of knocks received on the preceding Saturday.
Recruited from Castlemaine in 1926, Titus played much of his early football on a half forward flank, before developing into one of the many highly accomplished full forwards to grace the VFL during the 1930s. When Richmond was a league power during the late 1920s and early 1930s, Titus was a prominent and influential figure. Among the best players on the ground as a half forward flanker in the Tigers' 1932 grand final defeat of Carlton, he was a near unanimous choice as best afield two years later when his 6 goals from full forward against South Melbourne effectively comprised the difference between the two teams. Although he was undoubtedly a very prolific goal kicker, as his overall tally of 970 goals in 294 VFL games (at a per match average of 3.29) clearly attests, Jack Titus' contribution to the team cause always went far beyond the kicking of goals, which may be why the VFL selectors turned to him so often (14 times in all) rather than his ostensibly more prolific counterparts. After retiring from football at the end of the 1943 season, Titus spent a year out of the game before making a one season comeback with Coburg in 1945. He immediately showed that he had lost none of his talent and nouse by booting 119 goals for the year to assist his new team to third place on the ladder. It was the second time Titus had topped the century; the first was five years earlier, when his tally of precisely 100 goals for Richmond had enabled him to top the VFL goal kicking list for the only time in his career. He was Richmond's top goal kicker eleven times, and won the club's 1941 best and fairest award. Sixty years after his last game for the Tigers 'Skinny' Titus was a predictable choice as full forward in the club's official 'Team of the 20th Century'. |
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[Click to enlarge] |
| After
beginning his league career with Geelong as
a centre half forward, where he was by no means ineffectual, 'Jocka' Todd
developed into one of the finest full backs the club, and the game, has
ever seen. He was at centre half forward in the Cats' 1925
premiership-winning team, and at full back six years later when they again
triumphed. Three times voted his club's best and fairest player, he represented the VFL a dozen times.
An accomplished spoiler, he was said to be able to punch the ball
almost as far as some players could kick. Todd himself was a
masterful exponent of the drop kick, often clearing the ball well over the
centre line. From 1922 until 1934 he played a total of 232 VFL
games, and kicked 54 goals. Champion Collingwood
full forward Gordon
Coventry regarded Todd as one of his toughest opponents.
In 2001, George Todd was selected as full back in Geelong's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'. |
|
John Todd (South Fremantle, East Fremantle, Swan Districts, West Coast)
[Click to enlarge] |
|
Few players have exploded onto the football scene as sensationally as did John Todd in 1955 when, as a seventeen year old, he not only represented the state and won South Fremantle's fairest and best award, he became the youngest ever winner of the Sandover Medal. South Australian legend Bob Quinn, after witnessing Todd's debut at interstate level against South Australia, ventured the opinion that the youngster "was the most complete footballer for his age that he had seen" (see footnote 1). Todd sustained a serious knee injury against East Perth in round 7 1956. The road to recovery was long and hard, but after several aborted comeback attempts he finally returned to something approaching his best late in the 1958 season, a year which saw him again receive the red and whites' premier individual award. The following year, aged just twenty-one, he took over as South Fremantle coach, but stood down after just one year. He would later eke out a reputation for himself as one of West Australian football's finest ever coaches. Injuries continued to beset Todd for most of the remaining half a dozen seasons of his career (he stood out of football completely in 1965). In 1961, however, he enjoyed a comparatively injury free run, and 3 of his 13 interstate appearances for WA were at that year's Brisbane carnival, from which the sandgropers emerged victorious. Todd's excellent form during the carnival, in which he played mostly on the wing, was rewarded with All Australian selection. He rounded the season off in gratifying fashion by winning his third South Fremantle best and fairest award. But for injury, John Todd would surely have achieved much more as a player, and indeed might even have managed to fulfill his childhood ambition of becoming "the greatest footballer ever". Nevertheless, he accomplished more in 132 league games than many players do in twice that number, and his accomplishments did not end when he retired as a player. As a coach he enjoyed premiership success with East Fremantle in 1974 as well as with a superb Swan Districts combination every year between 1982 and 1984. A regular and highly successful West Australian interstate and state of origin coach, he also coached Australian international rules sides in the mid-1980s. In 1988, fittingly for someone so publicly proud of his West Australian heritage, he became the first West Coast coach to get the Eagles into the VFL finals. When John Todd finally retired as a coach in 2002 he had overseen a West Australian league record 721 games, and masterminded half a dozen premierships, besides becoming a veritable legend of the game at two clubs. He also held the unique distinction of having been both the youngest (twenty-one) and oldest (sixty-two) senior coach in WAFL history. |
Footnotes1. Football Greats of Western Australia Volume One by Anthony James, page 62. Return to Main Text |
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Ron Todd (Collingwood & Williamstown)
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After commencing his league career at centre half forward, Ron Todd had the unenviable task of succeeding the legendary Gordon Coventry at the Collingwood goalfront when Coventry retired. In terms of style, the two players could hardly have been more different: whereas the stolidly built Coventry used a combination of strength and guile to obtain possession, Todd was one of the most acrobatic aerialists the game has seen; moreover, whereas Coventry was slow to the point of appearing plodding, Todd possessed blistering pace, and away from football enjoyed success as a professional sprinter. Both Todd and Coventry shared one important thing, however - they could kick goals. In Ron Todd's case, this meant 327 goals in just 76 VFL games at the phenomenal average of 4.3 per game. At the close of the 1930s, Ron Todd was indisputably one of football's most compelling attractions. Then, at the end of a 1939 season that had seen him top the VFL goal kicking list for the second successive time, he committed what, from a Collingwood perspective, was the unforgivable sin, and accepted the equivalent of $1,000 from bookmaker Bill Dooley to sign for VFA side Williamstown. The ANFC, of which the VFL was a member, was embroiled in a clearance dispute with the VFA at the time which meant that Todd was able to transfer to the Seagulls without a clearance, to which the VFL retaliated by handing him a five year ban, effectively ruining his chances of ever playing for Collingwood again. The Magpies' loss, however, proved to be a massive gain both for Williamstown, which saw its average home attendances more than double, and the Association. In tandem with former Carlton star Harry 'Soapy' Vallence Todd was irrepressible, and between 1940 and 1949 he booted 672 goals in 141 games for an overall career total of 999 goals. A member of premiership teams in 1945 and 1949 - the latter season as captain-coach - he allegedly made a couple of attempts to return to Collingwood, only to come up against a committee which was unable to make up its mind. In the end, he was happy to stay at Williamstown, where some of his goal kicking achievements - notably 188 goals in the 1945 season, and 20 in a match against Oakleigh that same year - helped re-write the Association record books. |
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Hedley Tomkins (Fitzroy, Melbourne, East Perth)
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| A diminutive but gutsy rover and forward, Hedley Tomkins struggled during his initial stab at league football with Fitzroy in 1904, and was off-loaded after just 4 senior games for being 'too small'. He returned to league ranks a couple of years later with Melbourne, however, and this time he did himself justice, racking up a total of 71 games both that year and from 1910 to 1913. He kicked 25 goals. In his final season with Melbourne he was chosen to represent the VFL against South Australia. Crossing to Western Australia in 1914, Tomkins joined East Perth, and enjoyed an excellent season, capped by selection in all 5 of his adopted state's matches at the Sydney carnival. In 1915 he coached the Royals for part of the year and continued to perform creditably as a player. His two season WAFL stint saw him play a total of 30 games and kick 10 goals. In 1916 he embarked on military service abroad where he was tragically to lose a leg. |
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Stan Tomlins (Sandringham & Richmond)
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| Described
as "an ornament to the game making the ball his only objective"
(see footnote 1) Stan Tomlins achieved it all during
his comparatively brief post-war VFA career with Sandringham.
At centre half back in 1946 as the Zebras broke through for their first
ever flag with a 7 point grand final defeat of Camberwell,
he won the following season's Liston
Trophy for the best and fairest player in the competition. In
that year's grand final, however, playing at centre half forward, he was
eclipsed by Cyril Mann as Port Melbourne
raced to victory by 31 points.
The 1948 season saw Tomlins at Richmond where he played a dozen VFL games without ever really establishing himself. |
Footnotes1. The Zebra Story by Albert Hubbard, page 18. Return to Main Text |
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Bernard Toohey (Geelong, Sydney, Footscray)
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| Bernard Toohey was a rugged and highly dependable defender who gave good service to three league clubs during a thirteen season career that saw him play in excess of 250 games. Powerfully built and adaptable, he was a prodigious kick, and excellent mark, and was equally at home in a key position or on a flank. Geelong recruited him from Barooga in the Picola and District Football League, and he made his VFL debut in 1981 before going on to play 94 games and kick 35 goals in five seasons. In 1986 he transferred to Sydney and it was with the Swans that he would play the best and most consistent football of his career. An All Australian in 1987 after representing Victoria, Toohey also played state of origin football for his home state of New South Wales. In 1989 he demonstrated his versatility when he topped the Swans' goal kicking list with 27 goals after spending the second half of the season at full forward. After 129 games and 76 goals for Sydney he crossed to Footscray in 1992 and rounded off his AFL career with two solid seasons that yielded a further 40 games and 4 goals. |
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| Despite only weighing about 60kg George Topping was a feisty customer who once incurred a suspension of more than a season. He was a follower in Carlton's 1906 and 1907 premiership-winning combinations, and also played successfully as a half forward. In all, he played 125 VFL games and booted 152 goals between 1902 and 1910 and in 1912, 1914 and 1916. Somewhat ironically, given his reputation for enjoying a stoush, Topping spent the entire 1913 season as a VFA field umpire. |
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John Towner (Essendon & West Perth)
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| John Towner arrived at Essendon from Ascot Youth Centre, and was initially hailed as a possible replacement for John Coleman at full forward. However, despite having plenty of pace and being exceptionally strong in the air, his kicking was wayward, and he lacked the strength to win kicks under pressure. Coach Dick Reynolds then decided to try him in defence, and he became a consistent and highly reliable performer. He was on a half back flank, and high among the best players, in the grand final of 1957, and at full back two years later. Essendon lost both matches to Melbourne, however. Between 1953 and 1959 Towner played 87 VFL games and kicked 36 goals. He won the Dons' best clubman award in both 1957 and 1959. In 1960 he transferred to West Perth, where he spent three seasons, starring at full back in the Cardinals' 32 point grand final win over East Perth in his first year. Towner later moved to Queensland where he finished his playing career as captain-coach of Surfers Paradise. |
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John Townsend (Melbourne & Prahran)
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| John Townsend was a pacy and energetic goal kicking rover who served Melbourne well in an eleven season, 153 game VFL career that saw him kick 182 goals. Recruited from St Pat's College, Sale, he made his league debut in 1962, and two seasons later topped the Demons' goal kicking list with 35 goals. He was a member that same year of the winning grand final team against Collingwood. Townsend won the club's best and fairest award in 1965, but played little football in 1966-7 after injuring himself in a social game. He battled his way back to full fitness, however, and after showing glimpses of his best form in 1968 he enjoyed an excellent 1969 season which yielded a second club best and fairest award. In 1973 John Townsend moved to Prahran and at the end of the year had the considerable satisfaction of being close to best afield as the Two Blues comfortably overcame Oakleigh in the VFA 1st Division grand final. Appointed senior coach in 1975, he spent two seasons in charge, but was unable to get the team into the finals. He did, however, win Prahran's best and fairest award both years. In 2003, he was selected on the interchange bench in the Two Blues' official 'Team of the Century'. |
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Len Toyne (Geelong, Fitzroy, Sandringham, Melbourne, Sturt, Launceston)
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| A
persistently peripatetic footballer during an era when club loyalty was
paramount, Len Toyne began his league career at Geelong
in 1940, spent the 1942 season with Fitzroy,
and then, after a couple of years of war service, resumed with the Cats in
1945. By far the most important phase of his career, however, was
from 1946 until round 5 1949, when he served as captain-coach of Sandringham.
Right from the outset his impact on the team was considerable: in 1945,
the Zebras had finished 11th; the following year, under Toyne, they
carried everything before them, culminating in a 14.15 (99) to 13.14 (92)
grand final defeat of Camberwell. It
was not only the Zebras' first ever VFA premiership, but the first time
they had even qualified for the finals, and Toyne's contribution, both
as player, and in more general terms as motivator, was immense. Quite fittingly, he ended up
being a popular winner of the club's 1946 best and fairest award.
Sandringham reached the grand final again in 1947, but on this occasion proved unable to get past Port Melbourne. Things began to go wrong the following season when Toyne began to attract some adverse publicity for what some saw as his overly vigorous style of play. During one match against Brighton he was reported following an altercation with Tommy New, and ended up being suspended for 3 matches. To make matters worse, on field performances declined significantly, and with only 7 wins from 19 matches the club missed the finals by some measure. Despite the apparent downward spiral, Len Toyne continued as coach of Sandringham in 1949, but after a spiteful clash with Prahran in round 5 he resigned, claiming that he was being victimised by the umpires. He spent the rest of the season with Melbourne, before moving to South Australia as coach of Sturt the following year. Part of the way through the 1952 season, however, he was replaced by Len Fitzgerald, and returned home to see out the year with Melbourne. He spent the 1953 season, his last in senior football, with NTFA side Launceston. |
| After playing for Hotham during the VFA's inaugural season of 1877, Joe Traynor was one of several top Victorian players enticed to cross to South Australia by Arthur Diamond, manager of Falk and Company's wholesale jewellery warehouse in Adelaide. Diamond, himself originally from Victoria, offered the Victorian footballers employment, in return for which they agreed to line up with Norwood, the club with which he was associated. Norwood's dominance of the SAFA between 1878 and 1883 was largely attributable to this importation of prominent footballers from across the border, and of these, Joe Traynor was certainly among the best. Dubbed 'the prince of followers' during his career with the Redlegs, he invariably made the ball his object, and was renowned for his even-tempered, preeminently fair approach, although he was also known to air his feelings rather volubly on occasion. Arguably his finest moment in football came against Victorian at Montefiore Hill in 1880 when his place kicked goal gave the Redlegs victory not only in the match, but in that year's premiership. Traynor, who played intercolonial football for South Australia on 4 occasions, was an all round sportsmen who also contributed to the supremacy of Norwood's cricket team during the 1880s. |
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Stephen Traynor (Port Adelaide)
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| Steve Traynor was a fine if often underrated player for Port Adelaide in 121 SANFL games between 1961 and 1967. He booted 163 goals. Equally useful either as a knock ruckman or in a key forward position, he seemed to be arriving at a peak of effectiveness when his career was cruelly brought to a premature end by injury. Tremendously agile for a tall player (192cm), he also boasted commendable all round skills, and was an especially fine kick. Traynor played in three premiership teams for Port. He led the rucks in 1962 and 1965, and was at full forward in 1963. In 1964 North Melbourne endeavoured to procure his services, but Port refused to clear him. North then threatened to issue a writ against Port, but before the matter could go to court Traynor decided to remain in South Australia. The Magpies soon had cause to be grateful for this as Traynor's excellent form during the 1965 finals series was a major reason for the team's eventual premiership success. Despite being a regular member of state training squads, Steve Traynor represented South Australia only once. |
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Frank Treasure (South Fremantle)
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Ultra reliable and utterly unflappable, Frank Treasure senior played 254 games for South Fremantle, including all 6 of the club's victorious grand finals between 1947 and 1954. Noted as a half back flank specialist, he was also an accomplished centreman when the need arose. Club captain in 1954 and 1955 (his last season), Treasure's "relaxed style earned him the humorous-affectionate nickname of 'Loafer', but many opponents found to their cost that his sometimes leisurely attitude cloaked a precision of movement" (see footnote 1). Frank Treasure was runner up in the Sandover Medal count of 1951, a rare achievement for a defender. |
Footnotes1. The South Fremantle Story 1900-1975 Volume 2 by Frank Harrison and Jack Lee, page 139. Return to Main Text |
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Jack Tredrea (South Adelaide & North Adelaide)
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| Between
1903 and 1922, Jack Tredrea played a total of 191 league games - no mean feat considering that his club, South
Adelaide, only played an average of 12 games per season for most of
his career, which began in 1903 and ended nineteen years later, with the period
1916-18 being lost owing to World War One.
A tough, team-orientated player, Tredrea was invaluable to both his club and state in that he was sufficiently versatile to succeed in almost any position on the field. Tredrea was also supremely fit and could maintain the same high levels of pace and vigour throughout a game. A highly proficient exponent of the stab pass, he rarely wasted a possession, and his fearless attack on the ball even won the admiration of notoriously hard to impress Victorians in the interstate arena, a type of football in which Tredrea excelled for over 30 games (sources vary as to the precise number). South Adelaide's perennial failure not only in terms of premierships but even in qualifying for the major round must have frustrated Tredrea enormously, but there was never any question of his transferring allegiance to another club. Even after his retirement he maintained association with South for another three seasons as non-playing coach but when premiership success continued to prove elusive he made a surreptitious exit leaving only a multitude of memories. He returned to football as non-playing coach of North Adelaide in 1924, but after the side managed just 4 wins from 14 matches for the season to finish 6th he was replaced in the role by Percy Lewis. Jack Tredrea was chosen as a ruck-rover in South Adelaide's official 'Greatest Team'. |
| As a tough, hard working, and ultimately highly decorated footballer who typically racked up numerous possessions, Craig Treleven gave East Fremantle fine service in 102 games between 1992 and 1995 and in 2002. In between these two stints he played successfully with Hawthorn (78 games) in the AFL. Treleven started on the interchange bench when East Fremantle beat South Fremantle in the 1992 WAFL grand final, and played across half back when West Perth was vanquished two seasons later. Capable of playing more or less anywhere, he enjoyed a particularly noteworthy season in 1995 when he shared the Lynn Medal for the Sharks fairest and best with skipper Steve Malaxos (amazingly, for the second time), won the Simpson Medal for his display for Western Australia against Queensland, and capped things off by claiming the Sandover with a near record 43 votes. Craig Treleven played twice for Western Australia, at state league level in the aforementioned Queensland game, and in a state of origin match against the Allies. |
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Ray Trenorden (North Adelaide)
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| Many champion schoolboy footballers do not make the grade at league level, but Ray Trenorden was not one of them. In 1953, while representing New South Wales, he won the J.L. Williams Medal for the fairest and most brilliant player at the Brisbane schoolboys' carnival. The following year he moved with his family to Adelaide, and in both 1954 and 1955 he excelled as a member of the powerful the Prince Alfred College first eighteen. Whilst there, his potential was spotted by North Adelaide, and in 1956 he was invited to try out with the club's Thirds. So impressive was Trenorden that within just over a year he was making his senior debut for North as a half forward flanker, having spent some of the intervening time captaining the Rooster's Seconds team. The sort of player who brings out the best in himself by relentless hard work, determination, and a wholehearted commitment to all the less glamorous minutiae of the game, Trenorden played most of his early senior football either on the half forward line or across centre. Dropped to the Seconds only once during his career, he was North's centreman in the winning grand final of 1960 against Norwood. Thereafter, however, he spent most of his time as a half back flanker, in which position he produced the best and most consistent football of his career, exemplified by his near best afield performance in a losing cause in the 1963 grand final against Port Adelaide. The previous season had seen Trenorden serving as North's skipper. At the end of the 1966 season, having played 171 SANFL games in ten seasons, the twenty-eight year old Trenorden decided that he wanted to put something back into the game he loved, and from which he had derived so much enjoyment. He successfully applied for the role of captain-coach of North's Seconds whom he steered to a losing grand final against Glenelg. |
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Tim Trevaskis (North Melbourne)
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| Tim Trevaskis joined North Melbourne in 1923, and was quick to establish himself as an important senior player. He was a member that year of the VFA party which travelled to the Western Australian goldfields to engage in a three match 'Test' series against the GFA (which was won 2-1). When North Melbourne was admitted to the VFL, Trevaskis, who played for most of his career as a rover or forward, was a member of the club's inaugural league team against Geelong. He went on to play a total of 64 VFL games and kick 26 goals between 1925 and 1929. In his final league season he helped a VFL representative team to a 17.16 (118) to 15.10 (100) victory over New South Wales in Sydney. After retiring as a player, Trevaskis coached North's seconds for a time. |
|
by Murray Bird and Peter Blucher |
| The youngest of the famous Trewick brothers, behind Alan, Ken and Phil, all of whom represented Queensland , Jim Trewick was a centre half forward cum on-baller who was regarded as a reliable team member, fast and hard, with a good kick. He was a member of Windsor's last four premiership sides in 1947, 1949, 1950 and 1951, and formed an unbeatable combination with Ray Marshall, the boom full forward of the same era. Trewick was the QAFL's leading goal-kicker in 1947 and represented Queensland from 1946 to 1953. |
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| Recruited by Geelong from Redan, Neil Trezise combined with Peter Pianto to give the Cats arguably the finest roving combination in the game at the time. Quick off the mark, courageous, and a genuinely two-sided player, Trezise was a key member of Geelong's 1951 and 1952 flag-winning teams. He was particularly dangerous near goal and once kicked 8 goals in a match against Footscray. He played 185 VFL games and booted 272 goals between 1949 and 1959. |
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Albert Trimm (South Melbourne & Carlton)
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| Solid, resolute and imperturbable, Albert Trimm was one of the pre-eminent defenders of the early VFL era. He began with South Melbourne in 1898, and played a total of 65 games over the next four seasons. After missing the 1902 season he resumed in the VFL with Carlton in 1903, adding another 36 games before retiring after the 1904 grand final defeat against Fitzroy. Trimm, playing at centre half back, was one of the best players afield in that match. He also represented the VFL. |
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Percy Trotter (Fitzroy, Essendon Association, East Fremantle)
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"At a big circus show a performer is placed inside a canon, and at a given signal is actually shot out of it. When I see Trotter roving for Fitzroy, my thoughts turn to that fellow being shot out of the gun, for that's how Trotter comes out of the pack." (Jack Worrall) In the opinion of many of the Fitzroy supporters who saw both Percy Trotter and Haydn Bunton senior in action, there was little if anything to choose between the pair in terms of all round football ability. Both had superb balance, were extraordinarily quick, marked well, and could pass the ball with pinpoint accuracy. Trotter though could do something that Bunton notoriously could not, which was kick well with both feet. Moreover, in the opinion of former umpire Jack Elder, Trotter's kicks were more penetrating than Bunton's (see footnote 1). Wearing the red cap that was to become his trademark wherever he played, Trotter made his VFL debut with the Maroons as an eighteen year old in 1901, and within a couple of seasons he was universally acknowledged as one of the finest players in the game. He made his VFL interstate debut in 1903, and the same year was best afield in Fitzroy's losing grand final team against Collingwood. He had more than adequate consolation in 1904 and 1905, however, as the Maroons secured successive flags with grand final wins over Carlton and Collingwood. Fitzroy reached another premiership play off in 1906, but lost to Carlton, and the following year, after 109 VFL games and 144 goals, Trotter jumped ship, without a clearance, "for private business reasons" (see footnote 2) and joined ambitious VFA side Essendon Association, which simultaneously appointed former Essendon champion Jack 'Dookie' McKenzie as coach. After three years which saw the Dreadnoughts slowly begin to emerge from the doldrums, Trotter accepted an offer to play for East Fremantle. Technically, however, because he had crossed to the VFA without a clearance, he remained bound to Fitzroy, and was ineligible for Old Easts until a proper clearance arrangement had been negotiated. Oblivious - or casting a blind eye - to this, East Fremantle chose to play him anyway, and it was not until several matches into the 1910 season that the authorities caught up with the matter, and Trotter was forced to stand down. Percy Trotter's clearance to play for East Fremantle finally arrived early in the 1911 season, and, after a somewhat tentative start, he soon began to function on full throttle. In that year's grand final he was a key contributor with 5 goals as Old Easts demolished West Perth by 51 points. Appointed captain of the club in 1912, Trotter retired at the end of the season, and, as was the wont of many of his contemporaries, turned to umpiring. However, when he served abroad during World War One he again donned the boots on occasion and was said to have lost little if any of his earlier prowess. In 2002, Percy Trotter was chosen on the interchange bench in Fitzroy's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'. |
Footnotes1. See The Encyclopedia of League Footballers by Jim Main and Russell Holmesby, page 441. Return to Main Text 2. Ibid., page 441. Return to Main Text |
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Bob Troughton (West Torrens & Geelong)
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| A cheeky, determined and aggressive customer who was a proven master of 'staging' for free kicks, Bob Troughton began his senior league career with West Torrens, whose goal kicking list he topped in 1928 (37 goals) and 1929 (51). He crossed to Geelong in 1930 and was an important player for the Cats over the next six seasons, including the winning 1931 grand final against Richmond. Extremely proficient at what, in later years, would come to be described as 'hard ball gets', he also used the ball with consummate efficiency. In his six seasons with Geelong he played 92 games and booted 100 goals. |
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William Truscott (Mines Rovers, East Fremantle, Perth)
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| In
a brilliant senior career lasting more than twenty seasons William Truscott
proved himself a football artist of the highest order, and yet he grew up
playing rugby. It was not until his parents moved from Sydney to the
Western Australian goldfields that Truscott, then in his early teens, even
realised that Australian football existed. However, it was not long
before he proved himself a natural at the game and, after a solid
grounding with junior side Trafalgar, he fronted up with Mines Rovers in
the senior goldfields competition in 1906. At this time the standard
of football being played in the Kalgoorlie-Coolgardie region was the equal
of that almost anywhere in Australia, and in both 1908 and 1911 Truscott,
still playing with Mines Rovers, was selected to represent Western
Australia in the Melbourne and Adelaide
carnivals.
In 1913 Truscott, already with a formidable reputation as an accomplished senior footballer, joined East Fremantle, where he was to enjoy an illustrious fourteen season career. Although his loping stride made him appear slow, Truscott actually moved over the ground as quickly as most of his opponents, and once he gained possession of the ball he invariably disposed of it - usually with either a drop kick or stab pass - to telling effect. A member of three East Fremantle premiership sides, 'Nipper' Truscott also played in seven losing grand finals, while for over a decade his name was almost invariably one of the first to be penned in by the Western Australian state selectors. All told, he played in no fewer than five interstate carnivals, creating an Australian record which still endures. His finest moment came in 1921 when he skippered his adopted state to its first interstate championship victory. Overall, if you include games played in the goldfields competition, which at the time Truscott played in it (early 20th century) was irrefutably of league standard, William 'Nipper' Truscott played well over 400 games. According to Dolph Heinrichs, "Truscott was the finest centreman of them all. His great merit was his disposal of the ball. The writer cannot remember Truscott ever punting a ball, always it was a drop kick, stabbed with the name of the recipient on it.......Truscott possessed a long, easy stride, which made him faster than he appeared, and he was a master of ground play.....Truscott played the game as it should be played; with skill, and scrupulous fairness." (See footnote 1) Truscott made a fleeting return to top level
football in 1934 as non-playing coach of Victoria Park,
the name by which Perth was known for a couple of seasons. He managed to
get his charges into the finals, but they fell at the penultimate hurdle
against |
Footnotes1. Celebrating 100 Years of Tradition by Jack Lee, page 131. Return to Main Text |
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| A half back flanker very much in the Collingwood tradition - tough, relentless and indefatigable - Frank Tuck gave the Magpies excellent service in 131 VFL games between 1950 and 1959. He was amazingly unfortunate to miss both of the Collingwood premierships that occurred during his career, being suspended in 1953, and injured five years later, when, to make matters even worse, he was club captain. His misfortune was mitigated by his participation in three losing grand final teams. Tuck came to Collingwood from Strathmerton, and left in 1960 to coach Corowa. |
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| With 426 senior games from 1972 to 1991 Michael Tuck remains the most durable player in V/AFL history, and yet it took him several seasons to secure a regular place in the strong Hawthorn line-up. The Hawks used him in several different positions during his early days at the club, but it was not until they tried him as a ruck-rover that he really hit his straps. Lean and wiry, Tuck was deceptively strong, handled the ball extremely well, and could run all day. During the mid-1970s he combined with ruckman Don Scott and rover Leigh Matthews to give Hawthorn the most damaging first ruck combination in the league; in 2003, these three players were named as the first ruck in the club's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'. In 1986 he took over the Hawks captaincy from Matthews and went on to lead them to four flags, making him one of the most successful V/AFL skippers in the history of the game. Although he never won a Hawthorn best and fairest award, he ran second half a dozen times, and was without doubt one of the club's most important players during its halcyon phase of the mid-seventies to early nineties. A Victorian representative on 11 occasions, Tuck was named an All Australian in 1979 and 1983 - rare individual accolades for a player whose paramount concern was always the success of his team. |
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| A mercurial key position forward whose career traversed World War Two, Ron Tucker's total of 727 goals in 197 league games for Perth (at an average of 3.69 per game) is a club record. He also represented Western Australia 14 times, mainly at centre half forward. He made his WANFL debut in 1940, and played his last game in the Redlegs' premiership year of 1955, although he was not selected in the grand final winning team. Tucker spent the 1952 season with Subiaco, where he played 18 games. He topped Perth's goal kicking list on no fewer than nine occasions, with his tally of 115 in 1950 - a personal record - being good enough to head the league ladder. In 1999 Ron Tucker was selected at centre half forward in Perth's official 'Team of the Century'. |
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Des Tuddenham (Collingwood, Essendon, South Melbourne, Werribee)
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| Throughout
his 252 game VFL career with Collingwood and
Essendon, flame-haired Des Tuddenham's
name was virtually a synonym for 'desperation and courage'. In
essence, 'Tuddy' knew only one way to play the game, and that was with the
utmost physicality and determination. Footballers are almost
routinely referred to as 'tough', but in Des Tuddenham's case this would
be an understatement; on numerous occasions he took to the field carrying
injuries which would have seen lesser men spend the day at home in bed,
but regardless of physical inconvenience, Tuddenham invariably produced
performances that were at least serviceable. More often than not, of
course, they were infinitely better than that.
Recruited from Ballarat YCW, Tuddenham made his Collingwood debut in 1962. Used mainly as a half forward flanker, his tear-through style and complete obliviousness to his own personal safety soon attracted rave reviews. His very presence on the field was often an inspiration to his team mates, and in 1966 the club hierarchy ratified this situation by making him team captain. In 1970, Tuddenham was stood down by Collingwood after a pay dispute, and although he later resumed he was no longer captain. The Magpie hordes adored him anyway - "to many he was the embodiment of what Collingwood players must have been like in the club's greatest days" (see footnote 1). Tuddenham crossed to Essendon as captain-coach in 1972 and, although unable to steer the Bombers to a flag, he did at least manage to restore a measure of self-respect to a club that had finished second to last in both 1970 and 1971. Des Tuddenham's heart was always essentially black and white, however, and in 1976 he hobbled 'home' - hobbled quite literally, having just recovered from a broken leg sustained while playing for Essendon the previous year. He spent the final two seasons of his playing career with the Woods, and in 1978 became non-playing coach of South Melbourne. When the Swans failed to make the finals, however, he was replaced by Ian Stewart. In 1988 he returned to coaching at VFA 2nd division club Werribee when the got his side as far as the preliminary final. Always a consummate team man - even the pay dispute in 1970 was more about morals than money - the biggest disappointment of Tuddenham's career was that, although he garnered numerous personal accolades and awards, he never got to play in a premiership side. He came agonisingly close - a 4 point loss to Melbourne in 1964, a 1 point defeat by St Kilda two years later, not to mention the unmitigated disaster of 1970 - but a runner-up is still a runner-up no matter what the margin of defeat. The Collingwood Football Club was home to numerous champions during the 'lost era' of 1959 to 1989, and their failure to enjoy premiership success is highly unfortunate; in the case of Des Tuddenham, however, it is tantamount to injustice. |
Footnotes1. The Encyclopedia of League Footballers by Jim Main and Russell Holmesby, page 443. Return to Main Text |
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Lawrence Tulloch (Collingwood)
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| 'Lardy'
Tulloch was one of the all time great Collingwood
captains, which, given that he was born in Carlton, has to be regarded as
almost the supreme irony. He joined the club in 1894, but struggled
initially to make his mark. Indeed, after sitting out much of the
first half of the 1896 season with injury, he actually announced his
retirement, which meant that, when the Woods secured their first ever
premiership at the end of the year with a play-off win over South
Melbourne (reviewed here)
Tulloch was missing.
In 1897, Collingwood was one of eight renegade clubs to quit the VFA, and start a new, rival competition, the VFL. For reasons which are unclear, it managed to persuade Tulloch to re-think his intention to retire, and he not only fronted up for the season, he produced far and away the best football of his career to be one of the Magpies' best and most consistent performers. Tough, skilful and extremely versatile, he could play with equal effectiveness at both ends of the ground, and was widely admired for his air of authority, and the unflappable way he went about his business regardless of the pressure he was under, or the state of the match. In 1902 he was a popular choice as Collingwood skipper, and promptly steered the side to its second flag, and its first since the formation of the VFL. In the challenge final against Essendon he played a tireless game as a follower as the Magpies rattled on 6 second half goals to 1 to win 'pulling away' by 33 points, 9.6 (60) to 3.9 (27). The following year saw him mastermind a second consecutive premiership courtesy of a heart-stopping 4.7 (31) to 3.11 (29) final victory over the club's then arch rival, Fitzroy. 'Lardy' Tulloch kept the role of club captain until he retired at the end of the 1904 season, having played 132 VFL games plus an unspecified number in the VFA. The VFL portion of his career saw him kick 67 goals. Following his retirement as a player, Tulloch enjoyed an auspicious career as a VFL central umpire, in which capacity he officiated at the 1907 premiership decider between Carlton and South Melbourne. |
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| Slightly built but boasting immense courage, grit and perseverance, Frank Tully was one of the finest South Australian rovers of the between the wars period. Hailing from Gawler, he commenced his senior career with South Adelaide in 1927 and went on to play a club record 168 league games in succession before retiring in 1936. During that time he played 13 interstate matches with South Australia, including 4 games as captain, and won South Adelaide's best and fairest award, the Knuckey Cup, in 1929-30, 1933 and 1935. When South went from bottom in 1934 to the following year's premiership it was under Frank Tully's captaincy. Tully's importance in the history of the club was recognised with his selection as first rover in South Adelaide's official 'Greatest Team'. |
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| Recruited by Melbourne from Ballarat when he was already twenty-five years of age, Geoff Tunbridge played his entire six season, 117 game, 128 goal VFL career as an amateur. (He had, in fact, commenced his senior football in the VAFA with University Blues, playing in that side's 1952 A Grade premiership side.) Not that there was anything remotely amateurish about his play: explosively energetic and quick, he was one of the most damaging half forward flankers in the game. In his debut season he contributed a couple of goals to the Demons' 17.14 (116) to 7.13 (55) grand final demolition of Essendon, while in 1958 he was one of the few Melbourne players justified in holding his head high after the shock grand final loss to Collingwood. Tunbridge went on to play in further Demon premiership sides in 1959 and 1960. He also represented the VFL. |
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Greg Turbill (Norwood & Nightcliff)
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| Without doubt the greatest moment in Greg Turbill's ten season, 128 game league career between 1974 and 1983 with Norwood came at the end of the 1982 grand final when he was the recipient, on the club's behalf, of the Thomas Seymour Hill Cup, awarded annually to the SANFL premier. Tough and nuggety, he skippered the Redlegs for the last season and a half of his senior career, taking over from Phil Gallagher midway through 1982. Not always the most eye-catching of players, Turbill can nevertheless claim a Norwood best and fairest award, won in the premiership year of 1982, among his football honours. He was also a member of the club's 1975 and 1978 premiership teams. Turbill played football in Darwin after his SANFL career was over, and captain-coached Nightcliff to a commendable 3rd place finish in 1987-8. |
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John Turnbull (Swan Districts)
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| After winning the fairest and best award in the Belmont under nineteen competition, John Turnbull joined Swan Districts in 1961, and made an immediate impact. An astonishingly versatile footballer, he played in every position on the field, except rover, during the course of his 209 game WANFL career. He was named at centre half forward in Swan Districts' victorious 1961 and 1962 grand final teams, and played in the centre in the 1963 win, when he was close to best afield. Turnbull represented Western Australia in his very first league season and went on to make a total of 10 state appearances. |
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Norman Turnbull (St Kilda & Richmond)
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| Despite hailing from Richmond, when Norm' Turnbull commenced his VFL career in 1914 it was with St Kilda. A smooth running, purposeful footballer, he gave the Saints good service in a war-interrupted 38 game stint in 1914-15 and from 1918 to 1920. In 1921 he effectively returned home when he crossed to reigning VFL premier Richmond, and promptly had a major effect on the club's retaining its title. Playing as a half forward flanker, he enjoyed a fine finals series which he crowned with the match-winning goal in a 5.6 (36) to 4.8 (32) challenge final defeat of Carlton. Turnbull spent three seasons in Tigerland, where he added a final 34 VFL games. |
| As the only post-1987 member of East Perth’s official ‘Team of the Century 1945 to 2005’ Ryan Turnbull deserves the highest commendation. His achievements with the club go a long way toward explaining why he was chosen: 155 games and 84 goals between 1991 and 2004 (interspersed for over a decade with AFL football with West Coast), a Sandover Medal in 2001, three Book Medals as the Royals’ fairest and best player, Simpson Medals after the winning grand finals of 2001 and 2002, and half a dozen interstate appearances for Western Australia. Turnbull actually commenced his league career with Claremont for whom he played 23 games in 1989 and 1990 including the winning grand final of the former year against South Fremantle. He also played in an AFL premiership side for the Eagles in 1994. Sometimes unfairly dismissed as a ‘work-horse’, he was in truth a highly astute ruckman whose partnership with his rovers was exemplary, and who belied his substantial 195cm, 100kg frame by featuring prominently in the action all over the ground. The umpires were certainly in no doubt as to Turnbull’s pedigree as, over the course of his career with East Perth, they accorded him a club record total of 175 Sandover Medal votes. |
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Dean Turner (East Perth, Fitzroy, West Coast)
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| Clever, quick and tidy, Dean Turner was a top quality utility who gave fine service to three league clubs during his fourteen season, 253 game senior career. He began at East Perth in 1978, winning the club's fairest and best award in 1981. From 1984-6 he added 54 VFL games with Fitzroy, before dividing the remaining five seasons of his career between his original club, East Perth, for whom he ended up playing a total of 143 league games, and the West Coast Eagles (56 games). Best suited to either a wing or a free running role, Turner somewhat surprisingly was never selected to represent Western Australia at either state league or state of origin level. |
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| A Collingwood stalwart for a decade, Ken Turner packed plenty of ability, drive and courage into his slightly stocky 178cm, 76kg frame. A staunch Magpie supporter as a youngster, he worked his way through the club's junior ranks before making his senior VFL debut in the 5th round of the 1956 season against Carlton at Princes Park. On 16 September that year he lined up on a half forward flank in the losing grand final against Melbourne, and he would later play in the losing play-offs of 1960 and 1964 against the same opposition. Turner's proudest moment, however, came in the winning 1958 grand final - yet again against Melbourne - when his dynamic, strong marking performance on the wing belied the wet, slippery conditions. A VFL interstate representative on 7 occasions, the last of Turner's 170 VFL games came in the losing preliminary final of 1965 against Essendon when he was close to best afield. He booted a total of 56 goals in his career, and was perhaps a touch unfortunate never to win a Copeland Trophy although he almost invariably polled well. After retiring as a player he continued to serve the club he loved as a committee man. |
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| Leo Turner was a smooth-moving, highly talented wingman, centreman and half forward who was a key member of Geelong's 1951-2 premiership sides. He possessed the rare skill of being able to kick long and accurately even when moving at top speed. Extraordinarily elusive, he had the knack of maneuvering into space from seemingly impossibly tight situations. Between 1947 and 1954 Turner played a total of 130 VFL games and kicked 30 goals. A left footer, he represented the VFL in interstate matches 13 times. In 2001, he was selected on a wing in Geelong's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'. |
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Michael Turner (Geelong & Werribee)
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| The
son of former Geelong champion Leo
Turner, Mike Turner was a pacy and skilful wingman or half forward who
gave the Cats great service in 245 VFL games between 1974 and 1988,
kicking 285 goals. A strong tackler, and extremely elusive, Turner
was regarded as one of the quickest VFL players of his era. He
represented Victoria on 11 occasions, earning All
Australian selection in 1979. Captain of Geelong in 1984 and
1986, he topped the club's goal kicking list in 1982 with 40 goals.
His trademark, long distance goals on the run were possibly the most
eye-catching feature of his play, and there were few more popular players
at Kardinia Park.
In 1989, Michael Turner was appointed coach of VFA club Werribee, but although the side scored some impressive wins, overall it was inconsistent and finished well down the list. In 2001, Turner was chosen as a wingman in Geelong's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century' |
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Steve Turner (Perth & Swan Districts)
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| Perth
recruited Steve Turner from Queens Park and he made his WANFL debut in
1979. Over the next five seasons he gave the club fine service as a
ruckman and occasional forward, but a serious knee injury sustained in
1984 effectively short-circuited his career, although he struggled on to
amass 107 league games before finally retiring in 1990. At his best he was a forceful presence who gave good value
all over the ground with his strong overhead marking.
In 2003, Steve Turner was appointed senior coach of Swan Districts. |
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Bill Twomey junior (Collingwood)
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| Arguably
the most talented, and certainly the most successful, of three brothers to
play for Collingwood in the period between
1945 and 1961, Bill Twomey combined great power and physical strength with
tremendous pace and skill - a truly potent mixture, which frequently gave
rise to a highly spectacular end product. Like many champions,
however, Twomey sometimes gave the impression that he was coasting, and on
one notorious occasion he fell foul of veteran coach Jock
McHale who was of the school which maintained that a player could not
be genuinely trying unless manifestly sweating blood in the Magpie
cause.
McHale's impressions notwithstanding, Twomey was certainly no slacker, as he proved repeatedly in an auspicious fourteen season, 189 game league career that spawned a Copeland Trophy in 1956, membership of Collingwood's 1953 premiership side, and regular interstate selection for the VFL. Had he not been inhibited by injury problems late in his career he might easily have won a Brownlow. Bill Twomey's brother Michael played 157 games for the Woods between 1951 and 1961, while Pat had two brief stints with the club which amounted to 55 games. The three brothers' nephew David later also played with the Magpies. |
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| Originally from Ivanhoe Amateurs, David Twomey was a resilient, hard-running player best suited to a half back flank, which was where he played most of his 63 VFL games for Collingwood between 1979 and 1985. He was one of the Magpies' best in the 20 point grand final loss to Carlton in 1981. David Twomey was the nephew of former Collingwood players Bill, Mick and Pat. |
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| At 185cm in height, Collingwood's Mick Twomey was taller than his brothers Bill and Pat, and played most of his 157 VFL games between 1951 and 1961 as a ruckman. If his attitude occasionally seemed almost lackadaisical, he always seemed to raise his performance level a notch or two when it mattered most, such as in finals. Twomey's main strengths were his tremendous leaping ability, and his pace. He was widely acknowledged as the fastest ruckmen in the VFL for much of his career, boasting the same distinctive long striding running style as his oldest brother, Bill. Unlike his brothers, Mick Twomey was a right foot kick. He was capable of propelling the ball over enormous distances, but his accuracy often left much to be desired. Over the course of his career Twomey was a member of five Collingwood grand final teams, enjoying premiership success in 1953 and 1958. |
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John Tye (Darwin, Norwood, Nightcliff, Norwood)
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| Had
it not been for a brief, 6 game stint with Norwood in 1974, John Tye would
have afforded the classic example of the 'stay at home' champion. A Nichols
Medallist in 1978/79 while with Nightcliff,
Tye was also runner up in the same award, also with the Tigers, in
1973-74. He played a total of 138 NTFL games, with two clubs, winning
Nightcliff's best and fairest award in the same season as his Nichols
Medal.
A regular member of NTFL representative teams, one of 'Bubba' Tye's proudest achievements was captaining the Territory to a superb 32 point win over Queensland in Brisbane in 1974. A spectacular, high energy player, Tye was frequently seen to best effect when the chips were down, or when the stakes were at their highest. For example, he was best afield, and recipient of the Chaney Medal, in appallingly wet conditions in Darwin's 1972-73 grand final defeat of St Marys, and again the following year when he booted 4 goals in Nightcliff's 3 point loss to Waratahs. Selected in the 1978-79 and 1979-80 'Northern Territory News' Teams of the Year, Tye was later selected by a panel of twenty independent judges as the greatest footballer to have played in the NTFL during the period 1974 to 1990, beating the likes of Michael Graham (5th), Arch Wilkey (7th), Michael Long (11th), Michael Athanasiou (12th) and Mike Poulter (15th) in the process, and prompting the judges to comment: There are not enough superlatives to describe John Tye's football ability. His inspirational play earned him the respect of all football followers. His fierce attack on the ball sent shudders through all his opponents. A brilliant mark and superb kick, to watch Bubba play would often give supporters goose bumps. Preferring to stay in Darwin to pursue his favourite pastime, fishing, Bubba could have been one of the greats in either the SANFL or VFL. (See footnote 1) |
Footnotes1. Quoted in A History of Australian Football in Darwin and the Northern Territory from 1916 to 1995 by David Lee and Michael Barfoot, page 156. Return to Main Text |
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William Tymms (St Kilda, Prahran, Melbourne)
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| Bill
Tymms achieved his greatest success during a 91 game stint with Melbourne
in the VFL between 1925 and 1933. During that time he was widely
considered to be the finest full back in the league. A member of the
Fuchsias' 1926 VFL premiership-winning team, Tymms was heftily-built,
tenacious and quick, while his kicking was both accurate and
penetrative. During the Melbourne phase of his career he was
selected to represent the VFL in the interstate arena on 5 occasions.
Tymms' senior career actually began in 1922 with St Kilda where he failed to establish himself, managing just 8 senior games in two seasons. In 1924 he played with Prahran in the VFA, developing sufficiently as a footballer to inspire him to take a second - and ultimately highly successful - stab at the 'big time' with Melbourne. |
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| Algy
Tynan was a fine defender who played with distinction for Launceston
both before and after World War One. He represented Tasmania at the
first three Australian interstate championship series in Melbourne
(1908), Adelaide (1911) and Sydney
(1914), with his already high reputation being enhanced still further
with his selection as 'Australia's champion full back' after the Adelaide
series.
Tynan was a member of three NTFA premiership sides during his career, which began in 1905, and ended with the third of those flags in 1920. He was also a regular intrastate representative for the NTFA, captaining the team on four occasions. When Algy Tynan died in 1974 he was the last surviving member of Tasmania's inaugural carnival team. |
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Charles Tyson (South Fremantle & Subiaco)
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| Whether
playing as a half forward flank specialist or on the ball as a ruck-rover,
Charlie Tyson was arguably on a par with the very best footballers of his
era. Extraordinarily fit, he combined tremendous dash and consummate
ball skill with a lively football intelligence that would serve him well
as a league coach. He commenced his senior career with South
Fremantle, for whom his 152 games included the winning grand finals of
1948, 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954. Tyson was the sort of player who
seems to get better with age, and his best football with South came during
a 1954 season that saw him win both his club's fairest and best award, and
the Simpson Medal as
the best player afield in the grand final. That grand final, played
on an exceptionally warm (27°C) October afternoon, saw South Fremantle
overwhelm arch rivals East Fremantle
21.14 (140) to 9.8 (62), with Tyson capping an effervescently purposeful
display at half forward left with 3 goals. His form throughout the
1954 finals series was superb, and in the view of some he was South's best
player in all three of the side's games.
In 1956 Charlie Tyson, after much soul searching, embraced a new challenge when he accepted an offer to coach Subiaco, a side which had slumped to the last three wooden spoons, and which had only contested the finals once since the end of World War Two. Under Tyson, who continued to perform with consistent brilliance as a player, there was gradual improvement, culminating in a grand final appearance in 1959 against East Perth. The Maroons ultimately lost that game by 23 points, but won many friends for their wholeheartedly impassioned approach to the game. Tyson, who had won a second club fairest and best award during his debut season with Subi, was widely lauded for his feat in transforming a team of also-rans into genuine premiership contenders. He remained with the Maroons for one further season, taking his final tally of games with the club to 93. A regular member of Western Australian interstate teams, his total of 17 state appearances included all 4 matches at the 1956 Perth carnival. |
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Charlie Tyson junior (Kalgoorlie Railways, Collingwood, North Melbourne)
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| While
following in his father's footsteps by playing for Railways in the
Goldfields Football League Charlie Tyson junior was pursued by a number of
league clubs in both Perth and Melbourne. He eventually decided to
head east and join Collingwood, for whom he
made his VFL debut in 1920.
Playing mainly as a half back flanker, he quickly established a reputation for assurance, reliability and poise. Widely respected at Victoria Park, he was appointed club captain in 1924 and was at the forefront of the club's re-emergence as a league force which saw it contest the 1925 and 1926 grand finals. Unfortunately for Tyson, the Magpies not only lost both, but after the 1926 capitulation to Melbourne Tyson himself became the focus of controversial allegations that he had 'played dead'. When the allegations, which Tyson continued to deny until his death fifty nine years later, refused to go away, he sought, and was granted, a clearance to North Melbourne where, as captain-coach, he played out the remaining three seasons of his league career. Tyson's reputation was inevitably tainted by the scandal surrounding the 1926 grand final, and it seems unlikely that the truth will ever categorically be known. However, it does appear that there were some members of the Collingwood committee at the time who regarded Tyson's relaxed and easy-going demeanour as 'inappropriate' in a captain of the ruthless, win-at-all-coasts Magpies, and were prepared to do almost anything to get rid of him. Moreover, the fact that, after leaving Victoria Park, Tyson remained on close personal terms with many of his erstwhile team mates, most notably Gordon Coventry, is somewhat hard to reconcile with the image of someone who allegedly let them, and indeed the whole of the Collingwood Football Club, down so appallingly. |
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Charlie Tyson senior (Kalgoorlie Railways & East Fremantle)
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| Captain of Railways for many years, and one of the finest players on the goldfields. Tyson played the 1902 season with East Fremantle, and would go on to win a GFA champion player award in 1906, and represent Western Australia at the inaugural Australian championships in Melbourne in 1908. His son, Charlie junior, later followed in his footsteps at Railways and went on to play in the VFL, while a grandson, also named Charlie, was a prominent player with South Fremantle, and later coach of Subiaco. |
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George Tyson (Kalgoorlie Railways, Perth, West Perth)
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| One
of seven brothers to play football at league level, George Tyson enjoyed a
playing career that lasted over thirty years. He began playing in on
the Western Australian goldfields in 1898, and was still playing senior
football for Kalgoorlie Railways in
1929. He also had stints at Perth and West
Perth. In both 1908 and
1911, while playing for Railways, he was
selected in Western Australia's carnival teams. In all he
represented his state on 10 occasions, 8 times against other states, and
twice against visiting club sides. In 1914 while playing for Perth
he opted to go on that club's mid-season trip to Brisbane rather than join
the West Australian party for the Sydney
carnival.
Strong, talented and versatile, Tyson played in virtually every position on the field during the course of his career. However, he was best known as a ruckman or key position forward. In 1909 he won the GFL's best and fairest award. He was Perth's first ruckman in the 1915 grand final loss to Subiaco and one of the club's most prominent players during the Great War years. While with West Perth he was the club's captain-coach in 1920 and coach for part of the 1921 season. He was still playing football of consistently high quality up to the time of his retirement. |
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| Only
Subiaco's Austin
Robertson junior has kicked more goals in West Australian league
football than Ted Tyson of West Perth.
In the eleven seasons between 1931 and 1941, Tyson topped the Cardinals
goal kicking list without fail, topping the century on half a dozen
occasions. All told, he booted 1,203 goals in 227 games, at an
average of over 5 a match. It is perhaps somewhat surprising
therefore that he only twice finished as the leading goalkicker in the
WANFL, largely because his career coincided to a significant extent with
that of East Fremantle's George
Doig, who played 25 games fewer than Tyson, but whose goals per game
average was slightly better.
None of this should detract from Tyson's achievements, of course. For one thing, the teams in which he played were arguably stronger, and certainly more consistently successful, than the East Fremantle sides of George Doig's era. This meant that the Cardinals were blessed with a surfeit of scoring options, with Tyson content on occasion to serve as a decoy, allowing others to collect the kudos. A member of premiership teams in 1932, 1934-5 and 1941, Tyson's only full interstate appearances for Western Australia came at the 1933 Sydney carnival, when he booted 13 goals in 4 games. In October 2000 he was the unsurprising choice as full forward in West Perth's official 'Team of the Century'. |
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Troy Ugle (Wanderers, Swan Districts, West Coast)
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| Troy
Ugle's pace, agility and, most of all, his aerial ability (as exemplified
above) belied his fairly solid, 175cm, 78kg build. Originally from South
West Football League side Carey Park, he
marked himself as a player of the future with a series of seismic
performances for the victorious South West team in the 1985 Wesfarmers
Country Championships. The following year, aged eighteen, he crossed
to Swan Districts, but had to wait until
1987 for his senior debut. In the meantime he spent the 1986/7
Darwin football season with Wanderers, earning
selection in the NTFL representative team that thrashed Sydney
in the 1987 Australia Day challenge match. Later that year, his
highly consistent form in his debut season with Swans earned him the
club's fairest and best award, as well as inclusion on the West
Coast Eagles list for 1988.
Although he produced some memorably spectacular football on occasion, it would probably be fair to suggest that, overall, Troy Ugle failed to do himself justice at the game's top level. Between 1988 and 1993 he played a total of just 43 V/AFL games, highlighting the fact that he was in and out of the Eagles side, and kicked the same number of goals. Equally effective either on the ball or in the forward lines, Ugle arguably produced some of his best football towards the end of his career with Swan Districts, topping the club's goal kicking list in 196-7-8. When he retired from the WAFL in 1999 he had played a total of 164 WAFL games for the club, kicking 312 goals. Somewhat surprisingly, he never represented Western Australia either at state of origin or state league level. After leaving Swans he played in the WAFA for Magpies, helping the side to a flag in 2004. |
| Earmarked
early in his career as a wet weather footballer par excellence, Max
Urquhart ended up wearing this label rather as a noose around his neck the
longer his career progressed. Indeed,
Urquhart himself felt that he was sometimes unfairly omitted from the Collingwood
side merely because the weather was dry, and therefore presumed to be
inimical to his style of play. In
fact, Urquhart's hard running, straight at the ball style did not depend
on any particular weather conditions for its effectiveness.
Come rain or shine, Urquhart was capable of a consistently high
performance level. Hailing
from the small |
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| Blessed with all the skills of the game, and particularly renowned for his sure ball handling, Ray Usher was virtually the perfect centre line player, a fact he repeatedly proved in 82 VFL games for Melbourne between 1928 and 1933. He also represented the VFL on 5 occasions. |
|
Somewhat unusually, Charles Utting commenced his
senior league career with Collingwood as a
back pocket specialist before developing into a first rate centreman.
He joined the Magpies from Charles Utting was the nephew
of Edward 'Tich'
Utting, who had played league football with Collingwood
and Hawthorn between the wars. |
|
Edward 'Tich' Utting (Preston, Collingwood, Hawthorn)
[Click to enlarge] |
| A Collingwood Districts product,
Ted or 'Tich' Utting was a wholehearted trier who was not reticent about hurling his chunky frame into the thick
of the action. He played with Preston in 1917 and 1918 and commenced with Collingwood
in 1919, but struggled to make his mark owing to the preponderance of fine
players at the club. In four
seasons with the Magpies, Utting managed just 16 senior appearances,
kicking 29 goals. He returned
to |
| Barry Vagg was a Shepparton product whose first attempt to make the grade in league football, with Footscray in 1960, ended in frustrating failure. Two years later he returned to the city to try his luck with Melbourne, and enjoyed success from the start. Exceptionally speedy, elusive, and a superb kick with either foot) he was, in modern parlance, the quintessential 'receiver'. Vagg enjoyed premiership success with the Demons in 1964 when he lined up on a half forward flank in the 4 point grand final defeat of Collingwood (match reviewed here). When he retired in 1969 he had played a total of 115 VFL games for the Demons, kicking 130 goals. |
|
Viv Valentine (Launceston, Latrobe, Mersey, Carlton)
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| Strongly
built, agile and quick, Viv Valentine was one of the earliest of the many
brilliant Tasmanian players to have made their mark in Victorian football
over the years. Originally from Launceston, he made his debut with the
club of that name in 1906. His impact was immediate and
pronounced, and later that year he was selected to represent a combined
NTFA team against a visiting Collingwood
combination. The following season he was transferred in his
employment, and joined Latrobe, where he played
for two highly successful years. In 1908, he was selected to
represent Tasmania at the inaugural
Australian championships in Melbourne, but was unable to travel.
Another job-related move in 1909, this time to Devonport, saw Valentine
fronting up with Mersey, which won that season's NWFA premiership.
In a challenge match at the end of the year against TFL and state premier Cananore,
a Valentine-inspired Mersey caused something of a sensation by winning
easily.
After one final season with Mersey, Viv Valentine ventured across the Bass Strait to join Carlton, where he would play out the remaining eight seasons of his league career. His vigorous, all action approach to the game coupled with his renowned penchant for performing at his best in inclement weather made him a success in the VFL right from the start and he was selected as first rover in the VFL's 1911 carnival team. Later on, he played in the Blues' 1915 premiership team, as well as the losing grand final team of 1916. He played 115 games for Carlton, kicking 90 goals. In 1919, the season after his retirement as a player, he became the first Tasmanian ever to coach a VFL side when he steered his former teammates to 4th place on the ladder. He was replaced as coach the following year by Norman Clark, but his all round contribution to the club had been considerable, and was recognised shortly afterwards with life membership. |
|
Harry Vallence (Carlton, Williamstown, Brighton)
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| After
a stuttering start to his league career with Carlton
Harry 'Soapy' Vallence developed into arguably the greatest full forward
in the club's history. Deceptively awkward looking, he was actually
very agile when the ball hit the deck, while his overhead marking ability
was second to none. Early in his career, however, the Carlton brains
trust found it hard to decide where best to place him, and it was only
when he was shifted to the goalfront in 1929, his fourth league season,
that he began to blossom. Vallence, who used the punt kick almost
exclusively when kicking for goal, registered 64 goals that year to
finish second on the VFL list to Collingwood's
Gordon Coventry; it
was also the first of eight occasions on which he would win Carlton's top
goalkicker award.
The presence in the league of numerous other full forwards of the highest quality meant that Vallence's interstate opportunities were somewhat limited; nevertheless, he represented the Big V on 5 occasions, booting 8 goals against South Australia in 1931, the same year that saw him top the VFL's goalkicking table for the first and only time. 'Soapy' Vallence's greatness was not merely a matter of statistics, however. Perhaps more than any other full forward of his time, he habitually reserved his best displays for important occasions, such as the 1st semi final of 1931, and the following season's preliminary final, in both of which he booted 11 goals. Vallence's last game in a Carlton jumper was almost certainly the most rewarding. In 1938, after more than a decade of almost perennial, but fruitless, finals participation, the Blues finally broke through for a flag, beating arch rivals Collingwood in a tensely fought grand final by 15 points. Lining up on a half forward flank, Harry Vallence had a quiet game, but he had consistently proved over the course of the whole season that he still had plenty to offer. It would not be the Blues though who would benefit. In 1939, Vallence became one of the first big name VFL stars in many years to transfer to the VFA when he signed for Williamstown. In his debut season with the Seagulls he kicked 133, and the following season he embarked on a prolific, though brief, partnership with former Collingwood sharpshooter Ron Todd, who had followed Vallence to the Association. In one match against Sandringham in 1941, Vallence booted 20 goals, to add to bags of 18 and 15 kicked against Oakleigh and Yarraville in 1939 and 1940 respectively. With such firepower in its armoury, the only surprise was that Williamstown was unable to procure a premiership before the VFA ceased operations, owing to the war, in 1942. When the VFA competition resumed in 1945, Harry Vallence joined Brighton as captain-coach, where he continued to display great skill, intelligence and goalkicking prowess for the remaining two seasons of his senior career. This was particularly the case in 1946, his last year, when his tally of 77 goals was good enough to top the club's list, and was fourth highest in the VFA. In his final senior match, aged forty-one, Vallence booted 11 goals. Vallence's importance in the history of the Carlton Football Club was endorsed with his selection in the club's official 'Team of the Century' - the only pre-World War Two player to be so honoured. |
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Bill Valli (West Perth, Collingwood, Essendon, Subiaco)
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| Boasting
a powerful physique and plenty of courage, Bill Valli was a strong,
ball-winning rover who gave West Perth
fine service in 148 WANFL games between 1969 and 1978. Together with
ruckmen Graham
Farmer and Bill
Dempsey he gave the Cardinals arguably the strongest first ruck
combination in West Australian football for several years. A club
fairest and best winner in 1974, 1977 and 1978, Valli represented Western
Australia in the interstate arena half a dozen times, with his intense
style of play being regarded as particularly appropriate for matches
against the Victorians. In 1979, aged twenty-nine, he embarked on
the second phase of his career in the VFL, playing 17 games for Collingwood
that year, and 1 with Essendon the next.
He returned to Western Australia in 1981 and spent the final two seasons
of his league career with Subiaco, where he
added another 37 WAFL games.
Bill Valli still enjoys a high reputation at West Perth, and in October 2000 he was selected in the forward pocket in the club's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'. |
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'The Flying Dutchman' as
he became known was a firm favourite at Windy Hill for well over a decade.
He arrived at Essendon from local club
Ringwood and made his league debut in 1977. Right from the outset, his
impact was considerable. With his blond hair, spectacular aerial ability,
and all-action approach, Van Der Haar was a born headline maker, that rare
type of player who somehow manages to show-case all the most visually
appealing elements of the Australian code of football. He was also
extremely effective, and one of the single biggest reasons for the
Bombers' evolution from challenger to champion under Kevin Sheedy.
In both 1984 and 1985 he was a member of the Bomber combinations which
triumphed over Hawthorn in the grand
final. He also played in the 1981 and 1984 night premiership-winning
teams. Throughout his career
Van Der Haar was no stranger to mishap and misfortune. In 1978 he
sustained a serious neck injury in a trail bike accident and was a long
while recovering both fitness and form. Later in his career he was
frequently sidelined with injury but almost always managed to give good
value when selected. Van Der Haar played the last of his 202 senior games,
during which he kicked 278 goals, in 1990. His career also comprised
several appearances in a Big V jumper, and he twice finished as runner-up
in Essendon’s best and fairest award voting.. |
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| Melbourne's Bill Vanthoff only had a comparatively brief career at the top level, but he impressed sufficiently to gain selection for the VFL against South Australia at the 1933 Sydney carnival. Nimble and lively, he played most of his football as a crumbing forward, although he could also do a job as a rover. His 60 VFL games between 1930 and 1934 saw him kick 42 goals. |
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Peter Vardy (Central District, Adelaide, Melbourne)
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| Drafted by Adelaide from Central District before he had played a senior SANFL match, Peter Vardy made his league debuts with both the Crows and the Bulldogs in 1996. He spent the majority of the 1996 season with Centrals, where his 15 appearances and 18 goals culminated in participation in the club's losing grand final against Port Adelaide. In 1997 Vardy began to make more of an impact with the Crows, but a shoulder injury forced him to miss the team's grand final win over St Kilda. Elusive and inventive, he served the club well on a wing or, more commonly, across half forward, and another fine season in 1998 was crowned with a 2 goal performance in the grand final as the Crows beat North Melbourne. His form thereafter was undermined by a persistent groin injury, and the 2000 season even saw him playing a game back at Centrals. At the end of the 2001 season, after 96 AFL games and 150 goals for Adelaide, he was traded to Melbourne, where he enjoyed a couple of good seasons before his form began to decline. He retired at the end of the 2004 season, having added 42 games and 56 goals to his tallies while with the Demons. |
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George Vautin (City-Launceston & Essendon)
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| One
of the first Tasmanians to make a significant impact in Victorian
football, George Vautin began his senior career with Launceston-based NTFA side
City.
In 1889 he was a member of a Tasmanian representative side that played
four matches in Victoria, and one presumes that it was during this tour
that he came to the attention of Essendon
officials, for the 1890 season saw him lining up for the Same Old.
Renowned for his pace, elusiveness and guile, Vautin quickly established himself as one of the VFA's top rovers and indeed players. Between 1891 and 1892 he helped Essendon to four successive premiership wins. Still a top quality performer when Essendon became a founder member of the VFL in 1897, Vautin was a key contributor to the club's flag win that year. Having played an unknown number of VFA games, he then added a total of 28 VFL matches in 1897-8 before retiring. |
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Dick Verdon (Sandgate & Coorparoo)
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| Dick
Verdon was a formidable last line defender who escaped from rugby league
to enjoy a highly successful two club QANFL career. Commencing with Sandgate,
he played in successive flag-winning teams in 1956 and 1957, whilst
simultaneously establishing himself as an automatic selection in the
Queensland state side, which he later captained. On moving to Coorparoo,
Verdon enjoyed further premiership success in 1960, 1963 and 1964 as that
club finally flexed its muscles after a prolonged period of
under-achievement.
During his career, Verdon received several offers to move interstate, but preferred the Queensland lifestyle. He went on to play more than 250 QANFL games before retiring. His stature as a player is well evidenced by his achievement in finishing 2nd in the Grogan Medal count on three occasions, an unmatched feat for a permanent key position defender. |
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Richard Vernon (Boulder City & Collingwood)
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| Nicknamed 'Bendigo', Richard Vernon played his early senior football with Boulder City, captaining the side in 1906. As a rover he was reported as being highly determined and skilful, and as teaming well with the great Phil Matson. In 1909 he decided to try his hand in the VFL and signed for Collingwood. Over the next three years he played a total of 51 senior games and booted 12 goals. In the 1910 grand final he contributed a goal from a half forward flank to the Magpies' 9.7 (61) to 6.11 (47) defeat of Carlton. After retiring as a player he became a VFL umpire. |
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Ian Verrier (West Adelaide & Port Adelaide)
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| At 191cm and 83.5kg Ian Verrier was the perfect build for the role of run-on ruckman that he occupied for most of his 200 game league career with West Adelaide (135 games) and Port Adelaide (65). He also represented South Australia half a dozen times. Strong overhead, and extremely quick, he saw plenty of the ball, but his sometimes suspect kicking made him less than the full package. Touted as 'the next big thing' when he began with West in 1968 it would probably be fair to suggest that, when he finally retired eleven seasons later, he had not done full justice to his potential. |
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| Hans Verstegen was a dashing and highly effective rover who gave East Perth fine service in 204 league games between 1967 and 1977. He had a pronounced impact from the start, combining brilliantly with the Royals' 1966 All Australian rover Keith Doncon, and winning the Book Medal as the club's fairest and best player at the end of his debut season. That debut season also saw him suffer the disappointment of appearing in the first of three successive losing grand finals for the club. In 1976 he would make it four such appearances, but thankfully by then he had rectified matters to some extent by starring as first rover in the Royals' 9.17 (71) to 8.8 (56) grand final defeat of Claremont in 1972. Somewhat surprisingly, given the consistently high performance level he maintained for so many years, Hans Verstegen was never selected to represent Western Australia. |
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Peter Vertudaches (Norwood & West Adelaide)
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| Blessed with an abundance of pace and no small amount of skill, Norwood wingman Peter Vertudaches was a consistently noteworthy performer during what was an unusually bleak era for his club. He joined the Redlegs from Norwood Union, but found it hard at first to break into the senior team, despite playing consistently well in the Seconds. When he finally did so, in 1964, he impressed as one of the most consistently effective wingmen in the game, an assessment endorsed by his selection that year in the prestigious 'Advertiser Team of the Year'. His form in subsequent years was never quite as dazzling, but he usually gave good value. The last of his 62 games for Norwood came in 1968. Two years later he added another couple of senior games at West Adelaide. |
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| John Vickers - more usually referred to as 'Jack' - was one of several high quality players unearthed by South Adelaide in the years immediately following World War One. He was a talented centreman, boasting plenty of pace, sure ball handling skills, and the ability to kick well with either foot. He was at his peak during the first two or three years of the 1920s, when he would have been a strong contender for a club best and fairest award were it not for the fact that South did not commence conferring these on a regular basis until 1923. Between 1919 and 1925 Vickers played a total of 86 senior games for South, kicking 10 goals. A South Australian carnival representative at Perth in 1921, he made a total of 4 interstate appearances. |
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Enrico Vidovich (Central District & East Fremantle)
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| Of
light build, fleet of foot, and elusive, full forward Rick Vidovich seldom
accumulated many possessions during a match, but at his best he did not
need to as his conversion rate was so impressive. Whether from a set
shot or on the run, his trademark left foot drop punts were almost
unwaveringly accurate, and he typically registered better than 3 goals to
every behind. Vidovich made his league debut for Central
District in 1967, but spent the majority of the season in the Seconds,
where his tally of 60 goals earned him the Wooley Trophy as that grade's
top goal kicker. He backed this up the following year by heading the
league list with 62 goals which amounted to almost 30% of Centrals'
aggregate goal tally for the season. Nevertheless, he was dropped to
the Seconds for 3 games late in the year after losing form.
Vidovich was similarly blighted by inconsistency during his next stab at league football, which occurred in 1970 and 1971 at East Fremantle. Tallies of 12 goals against Perth and 10 against South Fremantle during the latter season emphasised his capabilities, and he ended up as his club's top goal kicker with 65 goals. However, his form dipped alarmingly late in the year, and he was dropped to the Seconds, thereby missing both of East Fremantle's finals matches. Vidovich's last involvement in league football came in 1976 when he played 1 final game with Central District to take his tally with the club to 22 - exactly the same number of games he had managed with Old Easts. |
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Benny Vigona (St Marys & South Fremantle)
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| After commencing his senior career with St Marys, where he won back to back best and fairest awards, Benny Vigona moved to South Fremantle in 1977 and rapidly developed into one of the WANFL competition's most exciting talents. Initially used mainly either on a wing or at half forward, he boasted sublime ball skills, explosive pace, and a penchant for the spectacular. Later in his career he was shifted to a half back flank with considerable success, reinforcing his undoubted ability with a newfound consistency in the process. In a decade with South, Vigona amassed close to 200 league games and represented Western Australia on 4 occasions. |
| Probably
best remembered for his prodigious kicking, Paul Vinar was a tough,
industrious utility for |
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| 'Pops' Vine made his VFL debut with Melbourne in 1926, and kicked a goal in that season's winning grand final against Collingwood. He played as a follower, resting in defence, in that game, but went on to make his name as an authoritative, long kicking, strong marking centre half back. Particularly admired for his ability to take telling grabs even in the wet, Vine went on to play a total of 105 senior games and kick 41 goals for the Fuchsias in a nine season VFL career. |
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Todd Viney (Sturt & Melbourne)
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| As a youngster, Todd Viney exhibited at least as much if not more talent at tennis as he did at football. However, it was to football that he devoted most of his energies as a senior sportsman, making his league debut with Sturt in 1985, and going on to play a total of 45 SANFL games and boot 30 goals in two seasons before joining Melbourne. Between 1987 and 1999 Viney gave the Demons great service as a hard-running, extremely slick on-baller or wingmen, happily switching between attacking and negating roles as the need arose. He won Melbourne's best and fairest award on two occasions, captained the side in 1998-9, and was an AFL All Australian in 1998. Neither the quickest nor most naturally skilful of players, his immense stamina and resolve enabled him to compete successfully against players of ostensibly greater talent. He played a total of 233 V/AFL games and kicked 92 goals as well as representing South Australia on 4 occasions. |
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Peter Vivian (Central District)
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| Skilful, lively, and boasting exceptional pace, Peter Vivian played a club record 308 league games for Central District between 1969 and 1985. Most of those games were played on the wing, in which position he also represented South Australia twice. Nicknamed 'Milky' because of his pale complexion, Vivian won Centrals' best and fairest award in 1978. He was chosen on a wing in the Bulldogs' official 'Best All Time Team 1964 to 2003'. |
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| Despite being a late convert to the sport of Australian football, Steve Vizy developed into one of Queanbeyan's, and the ACT's, finest ever players, amassing a total of 223 first grade appearances which included participation in no fewer than half a dozen senior premiership teams. The 1997 Mulrooney Medallist was renowned for his great enthusiasm, energy and commitment, and represented the ACT on numerous occasions. He is a life member of the Queanbeyan Tigers. |
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| Recruited from Loxton, and popularly known as 'Noddy', Rex Voigt was a tremendous player for Glenelg in 258 league games between 1967 and 1979. He also represented South Australia once. Most of his initially football was played as a rover when his powerful physique enabled him to compete strongly in the crushes. He was also excellent near goal, and many of his 258 career goals, which included 7 in a superb performance in the 1973 grand final, which Glenelg won, were kicked during his roving phase. Later, however, he transformed himself into a strong, rebounding back pocket player who was without doubt one of the best in the business. In 2002, 'Noddy' Voigt, who won a club best and fairest award in 1970, was named as an inaugural member of Glenelg's official 'Hall of Fame'. |
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| Despite
his Christian name, Vollugi was an extremely lightweight wingman who was a
fine kick to position, and was particularly exhilarating to watch when he
got in the clear. He starred for the Same
Old in their 1901 grand final defeat of Collingwood.
Despite his diminutive stature he was as game as they come, and in one
match in 1905 was among the Dons' best players despite having to have
fourteen stitches inserted in a facial injury.
Vollugi retired at the end of the 1906 season after a comparatively brief five season, 70 game league career. He later served as Essendon's secretary. |
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Terry Von Bertouch (North Adelaide & Norwood)
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| Terry Von Bertouch was one of the leading South Australian rovers of his generation. He was a regular interstate representative (11 appearances) who played 163 games for North Adelaide between 1967 and 1976, including the winning grand finals of 1971 (when he was close to best afield) and 1972. In 1977 he crossed to Norwood, where he continued to perform creditably for the final two seasons of his SANFL career. His last ever league match was the 1978 grand final in which the Redlegs came from behind to defeat Sturt by a point (click here for details). |
| Clarrie
Vontom was already twenty-five years of age when he commenced his VFL
career, but he wasted little time establishing himself as a highly useful
rover. Recruited by St Kilda from |
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| In
addition to being without doubt one of the finest footballers of his
generation, Michael Voss arguably made a greater contribution than anyone
else to the remarkable transformation of the Brisbane
Football Club from perennial chopping block to AFL heavyweight.
Originally from Traralgon in Victoria, he moved to Brisbane at the age of
eleven, taking with him an insatiable passion for a sport which few of his
new friends and neighbours either understood or cared about.
Nevertheless, he persisted in giving full rein to that passion, and was
rewarded with a noteworthy junior career that saw him represent his
adopted state at both schoolboy and under seventeen level, and win the
1992 Hunter Harrison Medal as
the best and fairest player in division two of that year's Teal Cup.
When, in round 18 1992, just eleven days after his seventeenth birthday,
he made his AFL debut for the Bears they were attempting to avoid their
third successive wooden spoon - a feat they ultimately achieved, but only
just. When he retired 289 AFL games later at the end of the 2006
season it was with three premiership medallions, a Brownlow
Medal and five club best and fairest awards to his credit. He was
selected in the AFL
All Australian team on five occasions, including twice as
captain. The three premierships, which came in consecutive years
between 2001 and 2003, were all achieved under Voss's captaincy, and
indeed he was either co-captain or sole captain of the club in no fewer
than nine of his fourteen complete senior seasons.
These are mere statistics, however, and do no more than gloss the surface of Voss's greatness (an overused word, but one which, in this case, is wholly warranted). Few footballers have combined strength (physical and mental), intelligence, skill and creativity in such ample measure, while his personal qualities were equally exemplary, making him the quintessential ambassador and role model for the game in what the AFL would doubtless refer to as 'a very competitive market'. The fact that Australian football today enjoys greater popularity in Queensland than ever before is directly attributable to the impact of the Brisbane Football Club, and no one has done more to nurture, embellish and hone that impact than Michael Voss. Lions coach Leigh Matthews, himself no mean contributor to the burgeoning of the game in Queensland, would probably be the first to endorse this view, and indeed was reported as declaring, shortly after the announcement of Voss's retirement, that in the entire history of the game he doubted whether there had been "a more valuable football person". Moreover, Matthews maintained, it is doubtful whether the Lions would have been successful in procuring three successive premierships had they not had Michael Voss in the team. Such a glittering testimonial would be well nigh impossible to improve upon, but very few genuine lovers of the game, including many who do not often find themselves in agreement with Matthews, would regard it as inappropriate. One of the most telling and fitting endorsements of Michael Voss's importance in the history of the game was his selection in 2003 as captain of AFL Queensland's official 'Team of the Century'. |
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Jack Vosti (Brunswick, Essendon, Footscray)
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| A competent forward who re-invented himself as a champion full back, Jack Vosti was sometimes referred to as 'the tall musician' because of his elegant, stylish, indeed almost delicate approach to the game. He commenced his senior career with Brunswick in the VFA in 1924, and after just one season crossed to the VFL with Essendon. Sadly for Vosti, this meant that he missed probably his best chance of playing in a premiership team, as in 1925 the Magpies would win their second VFL flag, while the Dons were about to embark on an unprecedentedly sustained period of mediocrity. Not that Vosti himself was a mediocre performer, especially after being shifted to full back in 1928. Prior to that, playing mainly as a full forward, he had topped Essendon's goal kicking list with 35 goals in 1927. As a full back he possessed all the necessary attributes: pace, aerial prowess, and first rate kicking ability. He ran second in the Dons' best and fairest voting in 1929, and might have been expected to improve still further had he not sustained a serious knee injury the following year. Vosti played state football for the VFL as a forward in 1927, and as a full back in each of the three succeeding seasons. When he resumed playing after his knee injury he did so with a penny taped under his knee bandage to keep his cartilage in place, but although he still exhibited plenty of composure and native football intelligence, much of the old pace had gone. In 1933, after 99 VFL games and 80 goals with Essendon, he crossed to Footscray where he added a further 26 games in two seasons. In 1935 he was back with the Dons, but managed only a couple more games before his knee problems became intolerable, and he retired. |
