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Fred Smith (Australian footballer)

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Fred Smith
Personal information
Full name Frederick Smith
Date of birth (1941-08-30)30 August 1941
Date of death 21 June 2024(2024-06-21) (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

Frederick Smith (30 August 1941 – 21 June 2024) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL)[1] and Sturt in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).[2]

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] Smith died from the cancer in Adelaide, on 21 June 2024, at the age of 82.[2]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b "Vale Fred Smith and Keith Bromage". collingwoodfc.com.au. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Former U19 Ruckman Reconnects", AFL Record, Australian Football League: Melbourne, 20 April 2024, p. 34.
  4. ^ "Fred Smith". AFL Tables. Paul. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  5. ^ "League Football instructors". State Library of South Australia. State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
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