Finding the greatest player of all time from West Torrens and Woodville
WOODVILLE-West Torrens chief executive Peter Schwarz admits to being awe-struck when Malcolm Blight returned to Woodville Oval in 1983 after a prolific VFL career.
WOODVILLE-West Torrens chief executive Peter Schwarz admits to being awe-struck when Malcolm Blight returned to Woodville Oval in 1983 after a prolific VFL career.
As an 18-year old, Schwarz was given his first opportunity to play league football by Blight and he remembers the legend as being “in a lot of ways bigger than football’’.
“When he came back it was more than just as player-coach,’’ Schwarz said. “He was heavily involved in the rebuild of the club and filled a whole range of jobs to change it.
“Blighty was an unbelievably gifted footballer and could do anything. He was the sort of guy who would be on the training track 30 minutes before anyone else.
“He’d be running around the boundary kicking left footers at goal from 50m out. He worked hard at it, trained hard. To kick 100 goals in a season when we were rock bottom shows how he could shape or control a game.’’
Schwarz made 183 league appearances for Woodville before being appointed inaugural captain of the Eagles following the merger of West Torrens and Woodville in 1991.
The backman played another 85 league games and led the club to the premiership in 1993.
Among the more prominent teammates he recalls is Ralph Sewer, who played 325 games for Woodville and made 12 state team appearances in a career spanning four decades.
“He was nicknamed Zip Zap for a reason,’’ Schwarz said. “He was able to work his way around packs, had immaculate skills, was creative and aggressive — he could turn a game.
“Then there was the likes of Kevin Harris, who came up from Mt Gambier and was a hard inside mid with an explosive ability to break packs.’’
Woodville was born as an SANFL league outfit in 1964. Bob Simunsen, Max Parker, Noel Teasdale, Lindsay Heaven, Rodney Allen, John Cummins, Romano Negri, Phil Maylin and John O’Connor are among the heroes from the days of the Woodpeckers and Warriors.
West Torrens’ history stretched back 93 years before the merger. Mention its greats and there are two names which are thrust into the spotlight — Lindsay Head and Bob Hank. Fred Bills was also a class act.
Hank is a dual Magarey Medallist, a record nine-time best and fairest and an All Australian in 1953. Spending most of his time at centre, courageous Hank was extremely skilful and his induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame was recognition of his qualities.
Head went one better with three Magarey Medals. But he had one less club champion award than Hank. His career included a club record 327 games and such was his prominence, he was awarded the MBE for services to football.
West Torrens’ list of stars includes Geoff Kingston, Alf Roberts, Bruce Lindsay and Andrew Payze. Michael Long, Bob Shearman and John Birt also wore the jumper.
The merger between the two clubs was not accepted by all at the two clubs. But Schwarz has no doubt it was necessary for the survival of both organisations.
“It was a difficult time as a player as there was there was a lot of unknown,’’ Schwarz said. “You did not know if you were going to make it through to the next stage as there were 70 odd players joining together.
“The Crows had also come at the same time so there were a number of West Torrens and Woodville players training with that group. The amalgamation had to happen though as the two clubs were not sustainable financially.
“The next 25 years have proved the amalgamation was done for the right reasons.’’
So who is the greatest player to have represented either Woodville or West Torrens? The Advertiser has revealed the best five all time and the greatest will be determined by an online poll at theadvertiser.com.au
Candidate biographies below
FRED BILLS
Games: 313 West Torrens
Goals: 58
Captain: 1965-67
Best and fairest: 1961, 64, 70, 72
State games: 7
SA Football Hall of Fame
MALCOLM BLIGHT
Games: 164 Woodville, 178 North Melbourne
Goals: 359 Woodville, 444 North Melbourne
Captain Coach: 1983-85
Premierships: North Melbourne 1975, 77
Best and fairest: Woodville 1972, 83. North Melbourne 1978
Leading goalkicker: Woodville 1983, 85. North Melbourne 1978-79, 81-82
Ken Farmer Medallist: 1985 (126 goals)
Magarey Medal: 1972
Brownlow Medal: 1978
Coleman Medal: 1982 (103 goals)
State games: SA 7 (captain 1985), Victoria 7 (captain 1979, 81)
All Australian: 1972, 85
AFL Hall of Fame
SA Football Hall of Fame
BOB HANK
Games: 224 West Torrens
Goals: 61
Captain: 1947-55
Premierships: 1945, 53
Best and fairest: 1945-50, 52, 53, 57
Magarey Medals: 1946, 47
State games: 29 (captain 1947-49, 51-54)
All Australian: 1950, 53
AFL Hall of Fame
SA Football Hall of Fame
LINDSAY HEAD
Games: 327 West Torrens
Goals: 494
Captain: 1959-62
Premierships: 1953
Best and fairest: 1955, 56, 58, 59, 62, 63, 66, 67
Magarey Medal: 1955, 58, 63
Leading goalkicker: 1954
State games: 37 (captain 1960)
All Australian: 1956
AFL Hall of Fame
SA Football Hall of Fame
MBE for services to football
ANDREW ROGERS
Games: 65 Woodville, 179 Eagles, 83 AFL (Essendon/Geelong)
Goals: 2 Woodville, 25 Eagles
Captain: 1995-2000
Eagles best and fairest: 1993, 95, 96
Premierships: 1993
State games: 8 (captain 1996)
All Australian: 1987
SA Football Hall of Fame