The 1950 'Sporting Life' Team of the Year

by Peter Argent

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Backs Dick Russell (Port Adelaide) Bill Brittingham (Essendon) Merv McIntosh (Perth)
Half Backs Charlie Sutton (Footscray) Don Fraser (Richmond) Gordon Hocking (Collingwood)
Centres Arthur Hodgson (Carlton) Bob Hank (West Torrens) Doug Olds (Norwood)
Half forwards Bob Davis (Geelong) Fred Flanagan (Geelong) Len Dockett (Melbourne)
Forwards John Marriott (Norwood) John Coleman (Essendon) Foster Williams (Port Adelaide)
1st Ruck Bill Morris (Richmond) - captain Jack Whelan (Brunswick) Bill Hutchison (Essendon)

In the year of the 1950 Brisbane carnival, Bill Brittingham took over the full back position from Melbourne’s Shane McGrath, although he was not a member of the VFL team that season. A former full forward who became a full back at the Bombers because of the Coleman phenomenon he was, however, runner-up in his club's best and fairest in this, a premiership year.

Dick Russell, "a defensive genius whose natural home was the back pocket".  (Jeff Pash)

Port Adelaide’s R.A. 'Dick' Russell, triple Magpies best and fairest in 1948-9 and 1951, was selected for the first and only time in the back pocket, with Perth legend Merv McIntosh being picked in the other back pocket as the changing ruckman. This was the 196cm (6 foot, 5 inch) big man’s fourth consecutive selection in the side. The only other player to be selected as many times in succession to this stage was the mercurial West Torrens centre man and proven state performer, Bob Hank.

Charlie Sutton was moved from a back pocket to the half back line in 1950, for his third consecutive selection, while Richmond’s Don 'Mopsy' Fraser was selected in the key defensive post.  Collingwood’s veteran utility Gordon Hocking was selected on the alternate back flank. Only 178cm (5 foot, 10 inches), he was used by the Magpies for the majority of his decade and a half’s service as a ruckman, but he could be used in a myriad of roles and was a consistent state performer, until a knee injury against Western Australia virtually finished his career in 1951.

Bob Hank was moved this year from his normal half forward flank into the pivot, while two new wingmen were selected. Carlton’s Arthur Hodgson, who was recruited from Tasmania and won the Blues best and fairest in 1950, was given the honours on one wing, while Norwood’s Doug Olds was selected as the other. Olds, who had a 214 game, thirteen year stint with the Redlegs, was renowned for his ball skills and tenacity.

The ‘Geelong Flier', Bob Davis, was selected on a half forward flank, for the first time, next to friend and team mate Fred Flanagan. With the 1949 selection at full-forward, Lindsay White, the Cats had one of the most powerful forward lines in the VFL competition during this era. Nicknamed 'Woofa', Davis was acknowledged as one of the game's premier half forward flankers, and in his last season of league football he would be honoured with All Australian captaincy at the carnival in Melbourne, during the 1958 season.

Melbourne’s reluctant footballer Len Docket would collect a jumper as a half forward flanker as well. Also a fair cricketer, he played on the wing in both the 1948 Grand Final draw and the replay.

The 'Geelong Flier'.

Dentist, consistent top performer during interstate clashes, and one of South Australia’s football idols of the fifties, John Marriott gained his first selection by the 'Sporting Life' panel in this carnival year.

Norwood's John Marriott, pictured having just been presented with his 1951 Magarey Medal.

Full forward would again go to the dynamic Essendon star, John Coleman, who this season kicked a career high, 120 goals for the season in a year the Bombers lost only one game and were the dominant team in the VFL.

The instigator of the Port Adelaide revolution in the SANFL during the fifties, their captain-coach Foster Williams, was selected for second rover duties out of a forward pocket.  Besides a superb playing and coaching career himself, all three of his sons, Mark, Anthony (see footnote 1) and Stephen, had significant football lives of their own right. Stephen and Mark are continuing to uphold their father's rich coaching tradition.

After being picked as the change ruckman in the previous two sides, Bill Morris was given the task of leading the first ruck this time around, with Jack Whelan from VFA side Brunswick selected for following duties.

After a sabbatical from the side in 1949, masterful small man Bill Hutchison would return as first rover in this side. He was selected by the publication in eight of the nine years these teams were chosen, proving his untiring commitment, brilliance and consistency as a league footballer.

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Footnotes

1.  Anthony Williams tragically died in an accident at his home in 1988. Return to Main Text