Fred Smith (30 August 1941 – 21 June 2024) was anAustralian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL)[1] and Sturt in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).[2]
| Fred Smith | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Frederick Smith | ||
| Date of birth | 30 August 1941 | ||
| Date of death | 21 June 2024 (aged 82) | ||
| Original team(s) | North Reservoir | ||
| Height | 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Weight | 92 kg (203 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1961 | Collingwood | 1 (0) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1961. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
A ruckman, Smith was recruited from North Reservoir Football Club and won two best and fairests for the Collingwood Under 19s[3] before making his senior debut in Round 5 of the 1961 VFL season, against Fitzroy at Collingwood's home ground Victoria Park.[4]
Returning to the Collingwood reserves, Smith's season was impacted by injuries and he moved to Sturt for the 1962 SANFL season.[3] Smith's first season with Sturt saw him become one of the leading ruckmen in the SANFL, winning selection for South Australia and named in the Adelaide Advertiser's Team of the Year.[3]
Smith however continued to battle injuries, missing almost the entire 1963 SANFL season to a knee injury and was then hit by a car in early 1964, eventually leading to his retirement.[3]
Following his retirement, Smith ran coaching clinics for juniors, including trips to regional South Australia.[5]
In April 2024, it was revealed that Smith was battling Non-Hodgkin lymphoma but was still well enough to meet some of the current Collingwood squad when they were in Adelaide.[3]
References
edit- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 827. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
- ^ "Vale Fred Smith and Keith Bromage". collingwoodfc.com.au. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Former U19 Ruckman Reconnects", AFL Record, Australian Football League: Melbourne, 20 April 2024, p. 34.
- ^ "Fred Smith". AFL Tables. Paul. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "League Football instructors". State Library of South Australia. State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
External links
edit- Profile at Collingwood Forever
- Fred Smith at AustralianFootball.com
- Fred Smith's playing statistics from AFL Tables
