Dick Harris (Australian rules footballer)

Richard Harris (21 October 1911 – 30 September 1993)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) between 1934 and 1944 for the Richmond Football Club. Harris played mainly as a rover and was highly successful in front of goals. He also represented Victoria at interstate football, playing a total of nine games for his state including the 1937 Perth Carnival.

Not to be confused with Dick L. Harris (1885–1945).
Dick Harris
Personal information
Full name Richard Harris
Date of birth 21 October 1911
Date of death 30 September 1993(1993-09-30) (aged 81)
Original team(s) Warrnambool
Height 171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight 73 kg (161 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1934–1944 Richmond 196 (548)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1964 Richmond 6 (3–3–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1944.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

Born and raised in Warrnambool, he started his playing career with Victoria Ward in the Warrnambool Junior FA in 1927. His father had told him he would get a shilling for every goal he kicked. His first game he kicked seven goals. In 1931 he joined the main town side Warrnambool in the Western District Football League. He kicked 96 goals in his first season and was the league's leading goalkicker. In 1933 Warrnambool moved to the Hampden Football League and Harris was again the league's leading goalkicker with 85 goals.

VFL career

At the end of 1933 Richmond recruited him and he made his debut for them in 1934. Harris played mainly as a rover and was highly successful in front of goals, kicking 51 goals in his debut season. He topped Richmond's goalkicking on three occasions and his career best 64 goals in the 1937 home and away season was the most in the VFL that year. A premiership player in 1934, Harris was a member of another Richmond premiership team in 1943 when he kicked seven goals in their five-point Grand Final win against Essendon Football Club.

VFA career

At the end of the 1944 season he left the league and joined Victorian Football Association (VFA) club Williamstown, helping them to the 1945 premiership. Later, after two seasons at Wiiliamstown, Harris was cleared to Yarraville. Harris also played for Camberwell, in the VFA.

He moved onto the Federal league club Mordialloc, and captain-coached them to a hat-trick of premierships from 1950 to 1952.[2]

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References
  1. "Dick Harris - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  2. Atkinson, p. 48.

Sources
  • Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0 86788 009 0.
  • Hogan P: The Tigers of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996
  • Richmond Football Club – Hall of Fame
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