Bert Chadwick | Demonwiki (original) (raw)

DOB: 15 November <1897>
Died: 27 October <1983>

Debut: Round 1, 1920 against South Melbourne at
Last MFC Game: Semi Final Replay 1928 against at

From: Prahran

Number: 17 (1920-1928)

Honours:
Premiership Player - <1926>
Captain - Coach - <1924> - <1927>
Team of the Century member
150 Heroes selection
MFC Hall of Fame - <2001>
Australian Football Hall of Fame member - <1995>
Victorian state player - <1920>, <1921>, <1922>, <1923>, <1924>, <1925>, <1926>, <1927>, <1928> (22 games including 10 as captain/coach)
Life Member - <1945>

Games: 141 (158 total)
Goals: 45 (53 total)
Career Statistics

Enlisting in the Flying Corp as a 19-year-old - having added a year to his age when signing up - Chadwick served in Palestine, Egypt and Arabia during World War I. He was Mentioned in Dispatches for his courageous work in supporting the Light Horse regiment against better equipped German forces.

With the war won, Chadwick returned to Australia in <1919> and was discharged. Having played both Australian Rules and Rugby in the army he went to Toorak Park to watch a game and realised that he could probably match it with the Association players. Voicing his opinion to the man standing next to him it turned out that his fellow spectator was the secretary of Prahran. He ironically invited Chadwick to come to training on the Tuesday and show the players how to do it. He slipped into training unnoticed, and by the end of the session was signed by the Two Blues and debuted that Saturday.

He played out the rest of the <1919> season, showing promise as a ruckman, and wrote a letter to Melbourne asking for a chance to play. Secretary Andrew Manzie later said that while he thought Chadwick was just another youngster trying to chance his way onto a VFL list he decided to take a closer look at him based on the neatness of his handwriting and the courtesy of his letter.

The next year he debuted in the VFL, played 16 games and was selected in the state side. Reinventing himself at the MCG as a tough centre-half back, Chadwick was appointed captain in <1924>, a year when he was also runner-up by one vote in the first ever Brownlow Medal.

In <1927> Chadwick captained Victoria to victory in the interstate carnival, and in <1928> he represented the VFL against the Bendigo League. He played 19 games for Victoria and was captain on many occasions. He was named on the interchange of the Melbourne "Team of the Century"

Coaching

First game: Round 1, 1925 vs St. Kilda at MCG
Last game: Round 18, 1927 vs Footscray at Western Oval
Career statistics

In <1925> Chadwick was appointed Captain/Coach to replace Gordon Rattray. A year later he had coached a premiership - Melbourne's first since <1900>. Despite missing eight weeks after suffering a leg injury in the Round 1 victory over St. Kilda, Chadwick returned in round 9 and missed just one more game for the year en route to the Grand Final success.

Chadwick ceded the captaincy to Ivor Warne-Smith before the <1928> season started and was appointed vice-captain. He retired at the end of that year but was persuaded to move to Hawthorn as playing coach in <1929>, where he spent one season.

Presidency

During World War II Chadwick was the Director of Recruiting for the RAAF. Employed as an engineer throughout his career, Chadwick became chairman of the Victorian Gas and Fuel Corporation and was President of the Melbourne Cricket Club from 1965-1979. He was knighted Sir Albert in 1974.

Chadwick later served as on the MFC committee in <1932>, <1933> and from <1950> to <1962>. For his second stint he was MFC President. He was president of the Melbourne Cricket Club form <1965> to <1978> and an MCC committeeman from <1941> to <1979>.

Despite winning his sole premiership as a coach in <1926>, "Sir Bert" was Melbourne's last surviving premiership coach before he passed away in <1983>.

In <1930> Chadwick was appointed to the first independent board which appointed VFL field umpires. He served as Melbourne's VFL delegate from <1951> until resigning in January <1962>. He was then awarded life membership of the league. Chadwick had also acted as manager of a VFL team which played in Bendigo in <1960>.

His son Bob played two games for Melbourne in <1949>.

Lists


Players who served during war

Media
Sun - 04/06/1926
Argus - 18/06/1926
Referee - 07/03/1928
Football Record R18 1928
Sydney Morning Herald - 05/06/1943
Age - 30/06/1951, 23/08/1978

Links
Boyles Football Photos
Demonwiki image gallery
Dictionary of Australian Biography
VFA Project profile
War Record
Wikipedia profile