William Snell (23 March 1927 – 18 March 2009[1]) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the VFL during the early 1950s.
| Bill Snell | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 23 March 1927 | ||
| Date of death | 18 March 2009 (aged 81) | ||
| Original team(s) | Mirboo North | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 1950, Essendon vs. Fitzroy, at Brunswick Street | ||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 84 kg (185 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1950–52 | Essendon | 36 (16) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1952. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
A centre half forward, Snell made his debut in Dick Reynolds's 300th game. He was a member of Essendon's 1950 premiership team and also played in the side which lost the decider the following season. He suffered a serious head injury during a pre-season game before the 1951 season.[2][3] Although doctors feared that he would never play football again, Snell returned to play the last eight games of the 1951 VFL season,[4] including Essendon's loss to Geelong in the 1951 VFL Grand Final. He played a further eight games in 1952 before retiring from the VFL and going to coach the Stawell Football Club in 1953.[5]
References edit
- ^ Lovett, Michael, ed. (2010). AFL Record Season Guide 2010. p. 948. ISBN 978-0-9806274-5-9.
- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2002). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (4th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 610. ISBN 1-74095-001-1.
- ^ "Football star's injuries critical". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 16 April 1951. p. 1. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "DONS REGAIN STAR Snell wins back place". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 3 August 1951. p. 10. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "SNELL AT STAWELL". Horsham Times. Horsham: National Library of Australia. 27 January 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
External links edit
- Bill Snell's playing statistics from AFL Tables