George Robert "Tod" Collins (30 January 1876 – 24 August 1942) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
| Tod Collins | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | George Robert Collins | ||
| Date of birth | 30 January 1876 | ||
| Place of birth | Hobart, Tasmania | ||
| Date of death | 24 August 1942 (aged 66) | ||
| Place of death | Malvern, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Austral / Ballarat | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1896 | Essendon (VFA) | 7 (4) | |
| 1897–1903 | Essendon | 91 (23) | |
| Total | 98 (27) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1903. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Family
editThe son of George Washington Collins (1852-1916),[1] and Mary Collins (1851-1941), née McConnell,[2] George Robert Collins was born at Hobart, Tasmania on 30 January 1876:[3] although his given name was George, he was always known as "Tod Collins".
He married Ada Catherine McKinnell (1875-1961) on 24 April 1912 in Hawthorn, Victoria.[4]
Football
editEssendon (VFA)
editCollins played mostly as a half back flanker and was a strong marker of the ball.
Essendon (VFL)
editPlaying on the half-forward flank, he was one of the 20 who played for Essendon in its first VFL match against Geelong, at Corio Oval, on 8 May 1897: Jim Anderson, Edward "Son" Barry, Arthur Cleghorn, Tod Collins, Jim Darcy, Charlie Forbes, Johnny Graham, Joe Groves, George Hastings, Ted Kinnear, George Martin, Bob McCormick, Pat O'Loughlin, Gus Officer, Ned Officer, Bert Salkeld, George Stuckey, George Vautin, Norman Waugh, and Harry Wright.[5]
Collins was a member of the inaugural VFL premiership side with Essendon in 1897. During his career he was chosen to represent the Victoria interstate team, appearing in games against South Australia in 1900, 1901 and 1902.
He captained Essendon in 1901 and 1902, the former a premiership team.
Preston (VFA)
editIn 1906 he became captain-coach of Victorian Football Association club Preston,[6][7] but retired five games into the season.
Death
editHe died at Malvern, Victoria on 24 August 1942.[8]
Notes
edit- ^ Personal, The Argus, (Monday, 1 January 1917), p.4.
- ^ Marriages: Collins—McConnell, The Mercury, (Thursday, 23 October 1873), p.1.
- ^ Births: Collins, The Launceston Examiner, (Thursday, 3 February 1876), p.2.
- ^ Marriages: Collins—McKinnell, The Argus, (Saturday, 8 June 1912), p.13.
- ^ Maplestone (1996), p.50.
- ^ Footscray (7.16) beat Preston (5.8), The Age, (Monday, 7 May 1906), p.9.
- ^ 'Follower', "Football Gossip", The Leader, (Saturday, 12 May 1906), p.17.
- ^ Deaths: Collins, The Argus, (Tuesday, 25 August 1942), p.2.
References
edit- Maplestone, M., Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996, Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-9591740-2-8
External links
edit
- Tod Collins's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Tod Collins at AustralianFootball.com
- Tod Collins, at The VFA Project.
- Essendon Football Club profile