Keith Batchelor

Keith Batchelor (4 October 1930 – 24 September 2009[1]) was a former Australian rules footballer, who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) for Collingwood and North Melbourne in the 1950s. He made his senior debut in the 1952 VFL Grand Final.[2]

Keith Batchelor
Personal information
Date of birth 4 October 1930
Date of death 24 September 2009(2009-09-24) (aged 78)
Original team(s) Murrumbeena
Debut 1952 VFL Grand Final, Collingwood
vs. Geelong, at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 86 kg (190 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1952–1955 Collingwood 21 (17)
1956–1957 North Melbourne 21 0(0)
Total 42 (17)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1957.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

VFL career

Batchelor arrived at Collingwood in 1949 as a forward from the suburban club Murrumbeena. Unable to secure a game with the Pies he asked for a clearance to Carlton and spent time on the Blues list (1951) but was unable to get a game. In 1952 he was cleared back to Collingwood. Injuries late in the season allowed the selectors to play him as a defender in the reserves. A strong dose of form and injuries to senior players caused the Collingwood selectors to surprisingly pick him at full back in the Grand Final, so he made his debut there – a feat that was not replicated until Richmond's Marlion Pickett did so in 2019. George Goninon kicked five goals against him as the Geelong strolled away with the premiership.

In the 1953 Grand Final Batchelor was playing at Full Forward and kicked 4 goals in the victorious Collingwood side.

He later was cleared to North Melbourne in 1956 and stayed for two years.[3]

References
  1. Lovett, Michael (ed.). AFL Record Season Guide 2010. p. 948. ISBN 978-0-9806274-5-9.
  2. "Magpies Spring Surprise". The Argus. Melbourne. 26 September 1952. p. 1. Retrieved 9 February 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Batchelor Says North For Me". The Argus . Victoria, Australia. 9 April 1956. p. 20. Retrieved 27 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  • Grand Finals: Victorian Rules' Greatest Moments – Stories and Research by Jim Main, Murray Publishers Pty Ltd, Sydney.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.