Past Player Birthdays: 1st February

Kevan Hamilton

Career : 1956
Debut : Round 3, 1956 vs St Kilda, aged 22 years, 86 days
Carlton Player No. 703
Games : 11
Goals : 22
Last Game : Round 17, 1956 vs Richmond, aged 22 years, 191 days
Guernsey No. 5
Height : 180 cm (5 ft. 11 in.)
Weight : 81 kg (12 stone, 10 lbs.)
DOB : February 1, 1934
Club Leading Goalkicker 1956

Nicknamed 'Icy', Kevan Hamilton found his way to Princes Park in 1956 from McKinnon via Melbourne seconds. A tall rover-forward, he started his career impressively with eight goals in his first two matches, and by midway through the year was regularly selected as first rover.

But thereafter his form tailed off, and his goal-scoring opportunities dried up as opposition teams starved him of opportunity. While Carlton wound up fifth on the ladder and missed out on a finals berth by just two points, the lack of a consistently reliable goal-scorer proved the team’s main drawback – as shown by Hamilton's total of 22 goals from only 11 matches. That was good enough to win him our club goal-kicking award, but it was one of the lowest tallies for the Blues in 50 years.

‘Icy’ finished up at Carlton after just that one season, and returned to McKinnon as captain-coach in the Federal League.

Stephen Edgar

Career : 1990 - 1991
Debut : Round 1, 1990 vs Sydney, aged 23 years, 58 days
Carlton Player No. 965
Games : 14
Goals : 1
Last Game : Round 9, 1991 vs Richmond, aged 24 years, 106 days
Guernsey No. 9
Height : 175 cm (5 ft. 9 in.)
Weight : 76 kg (12 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : 1 February, 1967

Edgar was drafted from East Fremantle, WA with Carlton’s selection 7 in the 1989 National Draft. A lightly-framed defender with good all-round skills, he had represented his home state against a VFA representative team in 1988, and impressed enough at WAFL level with the Sharks to convince Carlton to pick him up.

Edgar played his debut game for the Blues against Sydney at Princes Park in round 1, 1990. Stationed in a back pocket alongside Adrian Bassett and David Kernahan, he was travelling alright at half-time, when his team led by 45 points - but after that, Sydney came roaring back to squeeze out the Blues by 5 points in a tight finish.

Edgar was one of those to lose his place after that debacle. He wasn’t able to force his way back into the seniors until round 18, but then played out the season on the last line of defence as Carlton wound up an inconsistent year ranked eighth on the ladder. When the finals got underway, the Blues’ seconds – with Edgar solid in a back pocket - brought some optimism back with a good win over Melbourne in the Reserves Grand Final.

Past Player Birthday: 20th January

Brendan Fevola

Career : 1999 - 2009
Debut : Round 17, 1999 vs Collingwood, aged 18 years, 185 days
Carlton Player No. 1034
Games : 187
Goals : 575
Guernsey No. 25
Last Game : Elimination Final, 2009 vs Brisbane, aged 28 years, 229 days
Height : 188 cm (6 ft. 2 in.)
Weight : 101 kg (15 stone, 12 lbs.)
DOB : 20 January, 1981
Coleman Medal 2006, 2009
All Australian 2006, 2008, 2009
Club Leading Goalkicker: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Victorian State Player: 2008
Allen Aylett Medal: 2008

Past Player Birthdays: 18th January

Anthony Koutoufides

Career: 1992 - 2007
Debut: Round 13, 1992 vs Adelaide
985th Carlton Player
Games: 278
Goals: 226
Last game: Round 17, 2007 v St Kilda
Guernsey No. 43
Height: 190cm
Weight: 99kg
DOB: 18 January, 1973
Premiership Player: 1995
Leigh Matthews Trophy AFLPA MVP: 2000
Best and Fairest: 2001, 2005
All Australian: 1995, 2000
Leading Goalkicker: 1997
Captain: 2004-06

Anthony Koutoufides will no doubt be remembered for many things; Carlton Captain, his famous super-build, his ability to play in a number of positions and thrive, his outstanding fairness out on the field, his pay-packet, his ability to pick up and hold the ball with one hand, and for being a mildly spoken nice guy. But above all, "Kouta" will go down in history as a Club legend.

The 191cm right-foot star in the #43 guernsey came to the Blues via a zone selection, a form of recruiting replaced by the draft (he was recruited from Lalor, he also played at East Thomastown). Although it took a few seasons for Kouta the utility to take his place, Kouta began to dominate on the wing over 1994 and 1995 and he was unlucky not to win the Norm Smith Medal in our GF win of 1995. He came 2nd in the Club Best & Fairest in 1999, third in 2000 while he won All-Australian selection plus the Players Association MVP award, and then won the Club Best & Fairest in 2001 and 2005.

Kouta was unstoppable in 2000, including a run of games mid season in which we would dominate.

In later years he would play occasional key position roles, including 6 from Full Forward one day, plus rucking in his early days when we needed some mobility. Perhaps of most interest to the historians is Kouta's change in game from strong marking midfielder to insider clearer, as Ratten's demise and Kouta's knees required a change in position.

Kouta's influence was so important to the Blues that the Blueseum has utilised a 'story by games' of Kouta's career, which highlights wonderful games of Kouta's career from 1992 to 2007, and can be accessed here.

For a true understanding of Kouta's potential in many roles across the ground, look no further than his 'Stat Shot' in side the Blueseum. From key position player, to midfielder, to extractor, to bit-part player as his age increased, you can see Kouta the player excelling in different areas of the game - from goals, to marks, to clearances, to tackles. His importance to the team in various roles would simply not decline as the years did - Kouta was / is a champ in many different areas of the game.

There was also Kouta's fair share of injuries, with two major knee injuries in 2000 and 2001 plus a hamstring tendon injury that delayed his debut as captain in 2004. The 2000 knee injury was incurred in a mid-air collision with Bomber Johnson in Round 20 injuring his Posterior Ligament, not to mention our finals chances. The 2001 injury was even more longer term, and caused after Tiger Matthew Knights fell across his knee in the dour 2001 Semi-Final loss. Of course, Kouta tried to return early, playing 3 games with a mattress tied to his leg in Rounds 15-17 of 2002, before re-hurting the knee against the Swans and finishing his season early.

There are so many memories to Kouta's play that it is hard to pick out the best. The 1999 Preliminary Final where Kouta was dominating at all parts of the ground simultaneously - think about that for a second - was as awesome a game of footy you will see from any one player.

Past Player Birthdays: 1st-7th November

November 1st: Leo Brereton Happy 75th Birthday!

Career : 1957 -62
Debut : Round 1, 1957 vs Hawthorn
Carlton Player No. 707
Games : 72
Goals : 129
Guernsey No. 6
Last Game: Preliminary Final, 1962 vs Geelong
Height : 174cm
Weight : 70kg
DOB : 1 November, 1936
Leading Goalkicker: 1960

Recruited from the Murray River town of Cohuna, Brereton was a small, nippy rover with excellent goal sense. He wore guernsey number 6 in his 72 games for the Blues in seasons 1957 to '62, including finals appearances in 1957, 1959 and 1962.

Brereton would share his debut game in 1957 with Club Great John Nicholls.

A skilled crumber, he kicked 130 career goals, including 44 in 1960 to win Carlton’s goal kicking award.

November 2nd

Henry Ogilvie: Happy 70th Birthday!

Career : 1962 - 1963
Debut : Round 6, 1962 vs Collingwood, aged 20 years, 205 days
Carlton Player No. 749
Games : 2
Goals : 0
Last Game : Round 18, 1963 vs Footscray, aged 21 years, 308 days
Guernsey Nos. 24 (1962), 37 (1963)
Height : 184 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 79.5 kg (12 stone, 7 lbs.)
DOB : November 2, 1941

A lightly-framed, athletic defender from Ararat, Henry Ogilvie played two matches for Carlton in seasons 1962-63, wearing a different guernsey number in each of them. Remarkably, there was one year, three months and thirteen days between his debut game in 1962, and his second and last appearance in 1963.

Warren Jones

Career : 1978 - 1985
Debut : Round 1, 1978 vs Richmond, aged 24 years, 150 days
Carlton Player No. 871
Games : 92
Goals : 31
Last Game: Round 3, 1985 vs North Melbourne, aged 31 years, 162 days
Guernsey No. 2
Height: 200 cm (6 ft. 7 in.)
Weight : 103 kg (16 stone, 3 lbs.)
DOB : 2 November, 1953
Premiership Player : 1982

Warren "Wow" Jones added more than his share to the rich tapestry of the Carlton Football Club in his 92 games for the Blues between 1978 and 1985. Perhaps best remembered for the myth that grew from his nickname, Wow was a heavily-tattooed giant at 200 cm and 102 kg - but one whose forbidding appearance hid a surprisingly gentle nature off the field.

November 4th: Luke Livingston

Career : 2002 - 2006
Debut : Round 4, 2002 vs Port Adelaide, aged 19 years, 168 days
Carlton Player No. 1052
Games : 46
Goals : 2
Guernsey No. 4
Last Game : Round 11, 2006 vs West Coast, aged 23 years, 219 days
Height : 190 cm (6 ft. 2 in.)
Weight : 92 kg (14 stone, 7 lbs.)
DOB: 4 November, 1982

Luke Livingston was taken at Pick No. 4 in the 2000 National Draft, the draft selection Carlton received from St Kilda as part of the trade for then club favourite Aaron Hamill. There were high expectations that Livingston, at 190cm, would become a star key position player for the Blues. Livingston was drafted from the Bendigo Pioneers U/18's, with Kerang being his junior club.

'Livo' was given the prized number 4 guernsey worn by Hamill, but made famous by our long-serving, dual Premiership captain, Stephen Kernahan. He played the first half of 2001 in the VFL, but then suffered a knee injury, followed by a life-threatening bowel disorder. He therefore had to wait until 2002 to make his debut, in round 4. This was also the year after Full Back of the Century Stephen Silvagni retired, leaving a void in defence that would be impossible to fill. Luke played 17 games in his first year - mainly at full-back, against some the best full forwards in the competition. He was young and inexperienced, and on a steep learning curve.

November 5th

David McKay

Career : 1969-1981
Debut: Round 3, 1969 v Footscray
Carlton Player No. 809
Games: 263
Goals: 277
Last Game: Grand Final, 1981 v Collingwood
Guernsey No. 43
Height: 191cm
Weight: 92kg
DOB: November 5, 1949
Premiership Player: 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981
Judged Best on Ground: 1970 Grand Final

Fondly remembered as one of the most consistent and spectacular high marks of his era, David “Swan” McKay was a Carlton star for twelve years, and a key member of four Premiership teams.

Recruited from Newlyn, near Ballarat in central Victoria, McKay arrived at Princes Park in 1968 as a raw-boned 19 year-old. Coach Ron Barassi liked what he saw, and quickly realised that the laconic, easy-going country kid had the makings of something special when he played his first senior game for the Blues in 1969 in a back pocket, wearing the number 43 guernsey that he would retain throughout his career. At 191cm and 92 kg he had the ideal build for a key position, but was forced to wait for a regular place in a strong Carlton team, until the Blues were beaten by Richmond in the ’69 Grand Final. Early in the next season, McKay was given a chance at centre half-back, and took to it “like a swan to water.”

Terry Board

Career : 1965 - 1968
Debut : Round 1, 1965 vs Hawthorn, aged 19 years, 163 days
Carlton Player No. 769
Games : 41
Goals : 42
Last Game : Round 18, 1968 vs Collingwood, aged 22 years, 285 days
Guernsey No. 24
Height : 173 cm (5 ft. 8 in.)
Weight : 73 kg ( 11 stone, 7 lbs.)
DOB : 5 November, 1945

An honest, hard-working rover from the famous Western District club South Warrnambool, Terry Board played his first game for the Navy Blues round 1, 1965, against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval. That achievement however, was completely overshadowed by the parallel debut that day of ex-Melbourne champion Ron Barassi, who had sensationally been appointed captain-coach of Carlton during the off-season.

On that pivotal Saturday afternoon, a record crowd of 36,000 packed into the Hawks’ headquarters, and saw a disciplined Carlton side come out on top by six goals, with Board more than handy in the role of second rover. Working in tandem with Adrian Gallagher, Terry kicked two majors, and gave every indication that he would be a handy acquisition. From then on, he went on to tally up 16 games and 20 goals for the year, and his future looked bright.

November 6th: Gordon Collis

Career : 1961 - 1967
Debut : Round 2, 1961 vs Fitzroy, aged 20 years, 167 days
Carlton Player No. 739
Games : 95
Goals : 40
Last Game : Preliminary Final, 1967 vs Geelong, aged 26 years, 313 days
Guernsey No. 17
Height : 187 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight: 84.5 kg (13 stone, 4 lbs.)
DOB : 6 November, 1940
Brownlow Medal 1964
Club Best and Fairest 1964
Carlton Hall of Fame 1987

Gordon Collis was a gifted key position player whose injury-hit career at Carlton was highlighted by one magnificent season in 1964. Overall, the Blues achieved very little that year, but Collis was hailed as the game’s outstanding key defender when he was an emphatic winner of the most prestigious individual award in the game; the Brownlow Medal.

November 7th: Mark Athorn

Career: 1992 - 1993
Debut: Round 1, 1992 vs Brisbane
Carlton Player No. 975
Games: 30
Goals: 6
Guernsey No. 25
Last Game: Grand Final, 1993 vs Essendon
Height: 178cm
Weight: 76kg
DOB: 7 November, 1967

Look up the word 'journeyman' in the AFL Dictionary is a picture of Mark Athorn, sitting next to other 4-clubbers such as Stuart Wigney, Adrian Fletcher and Phil Carman. Athorn, who wore the number 25 for the Blues, played 17 games for the Dogs, 21 for Fitzroy and 15 for the Swans before coming to Carlton at the end of 1991, he had originally started out with Essendon U/19's.

Past Player Birthdays: 27th October

Geoff Southby

Career: 1971- 1984
Debut: Round 1, 1971 v North Melbourne
825th Carlton Player
Games: 268
Goals: 31
Last game: Round 20, 1984 v North Melbourne
Guernsey No. 20
Height: 188cm
Weight: 86kg
DOB: 27 October, 1950
Best and Fairest: 1971, 1972
Vice-Captain 1974, 1981-83
Victorian Representative Player
Team of the Century: Back Pocket
Premiership Player: 1972, 1979

Most of the current Carlton faithful agree that Stephen Silvagni was deservedly named as the AFL's Fullback of the Century. However there are plenty of Blues' supporters of a more mature vintage willing to argue that Geoff Southby could just as easily have been given the nod. That's how good this rangy, mop-haired, consumate defender was.

From Bendigo League club Sandhurst, Southby arrived at Carlton in late 1970 as a 20 year-old, and was revelation from his first practice game. At 188cm and 87kg he was the perfect build for a key defender of that era. Wearing the number 20 guernsey, he forced his way into the reigning Premiership team for round one of 1971, and a star was born.

Southby had stopped playing footy in his mid teens (U/15's) and concentrated on his first sporting love - baseball! He was coaxed back into playing footy by mates at the hostel he was staying at in Melbourne whilst studying. He didnt take long to make his mark by winning the best and fairest with amateur club Powerhouse FC in 1969, and then at Sandhurst in 1970. In 1972, after his first two years at VFL level, he had won best and fairests in his last four seasons of football, an extraordinary effort in anyone's language.

Beautifully balanced and with wonderful reflexes, Southby was a strong mark and a gloriously long kick. But his defensive instinct and coolness under pressure were perhaps his greatest attributes. He invariably made the right decision to mark, or to punch the ball away, and he always seemed to have that split-second longer to dispose of the ball - as all champions do. Indicative of his impact at Princes Park, he won Carlton's Best & Fairest in his first season as the Blues missed the finals, then won the same award again in 1972 as Carlton crushed Richmond in the Grand Final. It was Carlton's eleventh VFL Premiership.

By 1973, Geoff was firmly established among the elite of the competition. He had refined his game to become more attacking whenever possible, and his soaring torpedo punts were a real offensive weapon. Such was his influence that at times some opposing teams actually placed a defender at full-forward in an attempt to nullify him!

Following their defeat in '72, Richmond were burning for revenge when they met Carlton again in the 1973 Grand Final. Led by ruckman Neil Balme, the Tigers went head-hunting on a day when an act of sheer football bastardry occurred that has never been forgiven. Southby was crashed to the ground by an elbow to the head that he didn't see coming, and the resulting concussion was so severe that he was a passenger for the rest of the day. In fact it was well into the next season before he fully recovered. Richmond won the flag, but lost all respect.

A teaching colleague of mine and an avid Geelong supporter, declares that Southby was the best fullback he ever saw. He remembers the first day he saw Southby at Kardinia Park when he stood the great Doug Wade and mastered him with a cool efficiency that was to become his trademark. My colleague is still appalled by Neil Balme's unprovoked and cowardly attack upon one of football's fairest and best players.
Thankfully, by 1975 Geoff was back to his brilliant best and was selected in the Victorian State team for the third time. Carlton made the finals in '75, '76 & '78 without progressing past the semi-finals, before new captain-coach Alex Jesaulenko led a resurgent Blues outfit into the 1979 Grand Final against Collingwood. When Wayne Harmes' desperate slide and swipe at the ball in the dying minutes of that game led to a Ken Sheldon goal and a famous victory, Carlton had won its twelfth flag and Geoff Southby his second Premiership medal.

Peter Bosustow

Career : 1981 - 1983
Debut: Round 1, 1981 vs Richmond, aged 23 years, 152 days
Carlton Player No. 888
Games : 65
Goals : 146
Last Game: Round 21, 1983 vs North Melbourne, aged 25 years, 296 days
Guernsey No. 4
Height : 183 cm (6 ft. 0 in.)
Weight : 85 kg (13 stone, 5 lbs.)
DOB : 27 October, 1957
Premiership Player 1981, 1982
Club Leading Goalkicker 1981 (59 goals)

In the summer of 1980-81, Peter "The Buzz" Bosustow arrived at Princes Park for pre-season training - and a relatively short, yet unforgettable career was cleared for lift off. Peter was the son of Bob Bosustow, who came from WAFL club, Perth to play 20 games for Carlton in seasons 1955 and '56. So it was that when Bob's 183 cm, 85 kg son began to dominate the WAFL competition in the late 1970's, the Blues had the inside running for his signature. After flying him to their round 9 Sunday game against Essendon in Sydney, the Blues signed him under the Father-Son rule then in place.

Bosustow simply gatecrashed a strong Carlton squad that just two years previously had won the flag, and in 1980 should have made it two in a row. Under new coach David Parkin the Blues were hell-bent on claiming our 13th Premiership in 1981, and had assembled a team that was the envy of every other club in the competition. Parkin's coaching style demanded discipline in all aspects of the game, but to his credit he realised that in The Buzz he had a rare talent. One that flourished under less restraint; that responded to a personal challenge, and that more often than not could wrest the initiative from any rival with just a quarter or two of football magic.

Often unstoppable as a free-running half-forward, Bosustow was a freakish mark, a brilliant ground-level player and a deadly snapshot at goal. The highlight tapes of seasons 1981 to '83 are filled with his exploits, including awards for Mark of the Year and Goal of the Year. Bosustow himself talks about his great mark here.

Legend has it that the Buzz promised Mark Maclure that he would give him a ride in his new car before he took his 1981 screamer. He was a crucial part of our glorious 1981 and '82 Premiership double, and our Leading Goalkicker with 59 goals in 1981. People flocked to see him in action, and he was one of the brightest stars of his era.

In only his second game - during the second quarter of Carlton's Round 2, 1981 match against Hawthorn at Princes Park, Carlton was kicking to the scoreboard end. 'Buzz' marked on the wing, chip-passed to Wayne Johnston and sprinted hard to create the loose man. His opponent - Hawthorn's tough man Robert Dipierdomenico - ran in to block him, but Bosustow crashed through the beefy Hawk with a punishing, legitimate shirtfront, right in front of the old press box. A resounding crack was heard (to the roar of an adoring throng) and Dipper's season was prematurely ended by a broken sternum.

The Round 21 game against North Melbourne would turn out to be a last hurrah for the Buzz. He was reported for striking North Melbourne defender John Law, and subsequently rubbed out for four weeks. This meant that he could only have played again that year if Carlton had made the Grand Final - but it was not to be. In what turned out to be a prophetic statement, a clearly upset Bosustow mentioned after his tribunal appearance that "I am absolutely shattered, when the sentence was delivered I thought my career in Melbourne was all over". He was just 26 years old, and at the peak of his career.

Thanks to the Blueseum for player pics and bios.

Past Player Birthdays: 26th October

Ken Hands: HAPPY 85th BIRTHDAY!

Career : 1945 - 1957
Debut : Round 5, 1945 v St Kilda, aged 18 years, 205 days
Carlton Player No. 606
Games : 211
Goals : 188
Last Game: Semi Final, 1957 v Hawthorn, aged 30 years, 309 days
Guernsey No. 1
Height : 185 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 85 kg (13 stone, 5 lbs)
DOB : 26 October, 1926
Premiership Player : 1945 & 1947
Best and Fairest : 1953
Captain : 1952-1957
Captain of Victoria : 1957
Carlton Coach : 1959 - 1964
Carlton Hall of Fame: 1988
Team of the Century

Another of the pivotal figures in the proud history of the Carlton Football Club, Ken Hands left an indelible mark on, and off the field at Princes Park. A two-time Premiership player, state representative, Best & Fairest winner and inspirational captain, Hands played 211 games and kicked 188 goals in twelve seasons beginning in the last months of World War II. Later, he became embroiled in a long and bitter wrangle with Jim Francis, while both were bidding to coach the Blues.

To the chagrin of Geelong Football Club, Carlton recruited Hands from right under their noses in 1944. As the conflict in Europe and the Pacific drew to a close, the 17 year-old key forward was playing impressive football for amateur side Geelong Scouts. The Cats had had Ken in their sights for months, but it was Carlton who pounced first with a firm offer - including the prestige of wearing guernsey number 1 for the Blues. In his senior debut in round 5 of the ‘45 season, against St Kilda – Carlton won a tough match by 11 points. Hands took some strong marks and kicked two goals at centre half-forward. When the siren sounded after that match, Carlton coach Percy Bentley knew that he had something special in the long-striding, 185 cm, 85 kg youngster.

Carlton lost the first three games of 1945, before a late-season revival brought ten wins in the last eleven matches. The Blues went into the finals in third place, but with some advantage, because the final series was to be played at Princes Park, while the MCG was being used as a transit camp for US forces bound for the war in the Pacific. Carlton struck top form at the right time, beating North Melbourne and Collingwood in successive weeks to earn a shot at South Melbourne in the Grand Final. Our Preliminary Final win over Collingwood was a hard, often spiteful clash, and a real portent of things to come. Bruised and battered, Carlton won on heart alone. For this reason, the fresher South Melbourne team went into the decider as warm favourites.

A ground record of almost 63,000 spectators packed into Princes Park on that Grand Final day. At just 18 years of age, and playing his eighteenth senior match, Hands faced the biggest challenge of his blossoming career at centre half-forward. As expected, the physical intimidation wasn’t long in coming. Carlton were in front by 11 points when the match erupted in the second quarter. “I had taken a mark about fifteen yards out and kicked a goal,” Hands explained later. “While the ball was being taken back to the centre, Jim Cleary knocked me out cold. He must have done a good job because I didn’t actually feel it. In those days you only had a nineteenth man and ours was already on, so I had to keep playing. But I don’t remember anything until about ten minutes before the end of the game, when Perce Bentley, who was in the coaches box just behind the goals, whistled me to drop back into the goal square and I suddenly realised it was raining. That game was quite an initiation, and I’m still paying the price for it - I lost a tooth.” In fact he lost two teeth – to go with his broken nose and split lip!

Seemingly oblivious to the battle raging around him, Ken ended the game with three goals in Carlton’s 28-point victory. Infamously remembered as the “Bloodbath” Grand Final, in all, ten players (including Hands) were reported after the match. Eight were found guilty, and suspended for a total of 68 weeks. Hands was one of the two acquitted.

That tempestuous debut season helped forge Hands into a tough, team-oriented performer. Always a well balanced ball-handler, he was a superb mark for his size and a long, accurate kick – particularly when drop-kicking on the run. He became a leader by example, and while no heavyweight, he was a willing protector of his smaller team-mates. In 1947 he won his second Premiership medal when Carlton beat Essendon after an epic Grand Final struggle. Essendon had nine more scoring shots than the Blues, but rover Fred Stafford snapped a glorious goal with just 44 seconds left on the clock to give Carlton victory by one point.

John Gill: HAPPY 70th BIRTHDAY!

Career : 1962 - 1967
Debut : Round 1, 1962 vs Geelong, aged 20 years, 177 days
Carlton Player No. 745
Games : 88
Goals : 38
Last Game : Round 13, 1967 vs Hawthorn, aged 25 years, 268 days
Guernsey No. 12
Height : 180 cm (5 ft. 11 in.)
Weight : 80 kg (12 stone, 7 lbs.)
DOB : 26 October, 1941
Best First Year Player 1962

John Gill was a player with an impressive football pedigree. The nephew of Frank Gill (Carlton’s champion full-back of the 1930’s), he was also the older brother of 1968 and 1970 Carlton Premiership player Barry Gill. After completing an impressive debut season in 1962, John should have gone on to play 100 games or more for the Navy Blues - had injury not brought a premature end to his VFL career at the age of only 25.

Gill was recruited from Casterton in Western Victoria, and wore guernsey number 12 for the Navy Blues for the first time at senior level in a landmark clash against Geelong at Princes Park in round one, 1962. The Cats’ boom WA recruit, Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer, also made his long-awaited debut that afternoon, only to wreck a knee in the first few minutes of the game. However, Farmer stayed on the field, and limped to a forward pocket, where he kicked four goals and led his team to a big win over Carlton by 39 points.

Gill played out that match on a half-forward flank, where his determination and straight-ahead style stood out. From then on, he held his place in the side right through the year, as the Navy Blues battled through to fourth place on the ladder. Three desperately hard-fought finals ensued; a two-point Semi Final win over Melbourne, a famous draw with Geelong in the Preliminary Final, and a dramatic five-point victory over the Cats in a highly-controversial replay. Not surprisingly, those three epics took their toll, and on Grand Final day the valiant Navy Blues were never really in contention against Essendon, losing by six goals. Gill finished his maiden season with 19 matches and twelve goals to his credit, and was a popular winner of Carlton’s Best First Year Player award.

From the highs of 1962, the Navy Blues fell into a slump over the following three seasons, before the coaching coup of the century brought former Melbourne champion Ron Barassi to Princes Park in the summer of 1964-’65. Earlier that same year, John and Barry Gill were reunited on the football field when they played together for the first time as Blues, against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval in round 2.

Under Barassi, John Gill developed into a tenacious, hard-working half-back. He was encouraged to seize the initiative, and became adept at wrong-footing opponents by often playing on as soon as he took one of his strong marks. By 1967, Carlton was once again looming as a finals contender, and Johnny had become an asset in defence or attack. Then disaster struck in the opening game of the season, when he tore a knee cartilage in Carlton’s huge win over Fitzroy at Princes Park.

Sidelined for a month, John eventually returned to the side for a handful of games with his knee heavily strapped. But his customary zip was missing, and another knock on the same leg in round 13 against Hawthorn did further damage. Over the next six months, while Barassi’s Blues climbed back toward the top of the VFL ladder, Gill was under constant medical treatment. Sadly, it was all in vain, and on doctor’s advice he retired at the end of that year.

Thanks to the Blueseum for player pics and bios.