Desmond John Herbert (born 15 March 1959) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Des Herbert
Personal information
Full name Desmond John Herbert[1]
Date of birth (1959-03-15) 15 March 1959 (age 65)
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 81 kg (179 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1980–1981 Collingwood 8 (5)
1981–1983 Fitzroy 14 (5)
Total 22 (10)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1983.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Herbert, who had to make his way up through the thirds, was a member of the Collingwood team that lost the 1979 reserves grand final to North Melbourne.[2][3]

In 1980 Herbert made five senior appearances, late in the season, but lost his place in the team before the finals.[4] Herbert played a further three games in 1981 before being traded to Fitzroy mid-season, along with Leigh Carlson and Matthew McClelland, in return for Warwick Irwin.[4][5]

Herbert's seven games for Fitzroy that year consisted of two finals, including their dramatic one-point loss to Collingwood in the semi-finals.[4] After making only seven appearances over the next two seasons, Herbert joined reigning South Australian National Football League (SANFL) premiers West Adelaide in 1984 and won their Best and Fairest that year.[4][6]

Herbert later returned to Victoria and played with Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Brunswick.

References edit

  1. ^ "Debut Dates - 1980–1989". West Adelaide Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013.
  2. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  3. ^ Canberra Times, "Take flag by five points", 30 September 1979, p. 17
  4. ^ a b c d AFL Tables: Des Herbert
  5. ^ The Age, "Magpie Irwin", 29 May 1981, p. 28
  6. ^ "Honour Table (1951 - Today)". West Adelaide Football Club. Archived from the original on 22 May 2010.