Len Toyne

Leonard Harris "Barrow Boy" Toyne (12 July 1922 – 17 March 1998) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong, Fitzroy and Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1940s.

Len Toyne
Personal information
Full name Leonard Harris Toyne
Date of birth 12 July 1922
Date of death 17 March 1998(1998-03-17) (aged 75)[1]
Original team(s) Terang (HFL)
Height 175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 77 kg (170 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1940–41, 1945 Geelong 35 (15)
1942 Fitzroy 12 0(4)
1949 Melbourne 12 (18)
Total 59 (37)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1949.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Toyne, from Terang, made his way into the Geelong seniors for the first time in 1940 after serving his apprenticeship in the reserves. He spent the 1942 season at Fitzroy, as Geelong were forced into recess as a result of the war, but was out of action for the next two years due to his service with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Returning to Geelong in 1945, Toyne finished third in the club's 'best and fairest'.

After getting married, Toyne moved to Sandringham in 1946 to live and work. Geelong granted him a clearance which allowed him to be appointed captain-coach of the Sandringham Football Club. The club had finished 11th the previous VFA season and had never reached the finals but Toyne steered them to a seven-point Grand Final win over Camberwell. Sandringham were runners-up in 1947 but struggled the following season, with Toyne getting suspended for three matches during the year after an altercation. Five rounds into the 1949 season, Toyne resigned, citing that he was being victimised by the umpires.

He finished the year at Melbourne before crossing to Sturt, which he captain-coached in 1950 and 1951. His final port of call was Launceston for the 1953 Northern Tasmanian Football Association season.

References
  1. Len Toyne
  • Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
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