Australian Football

While he is best known as the father of Hawthorn legend Peter, the story of Bryan Crimmins' VFL career is an interesting one, considering it comprised only one game. Crimmins played his early senior football with the Benalla All Blacks in the Tatong-Thoona Football League before his job as a policeman took him to Melbourne, where he played in South Melbourne's seconds.

In 1943, Crimmins job took him to a new post at Werribee Police Station, and he played both cricket and football with the local Werribee side, where his football prowess came under the notice of Melbourne. The Demons applied to South Melbourne for a clearance, not expecting any resistance from the Swans, but there was a twist in the tale.

South Melbourne had previously tried to gain the services of Len O'Shea, a centreman who had played several games in Melbourne's seconds. However, Bull Adams, Melbourne's seconds' coach, thought O'Shea too good a player to let go, and denied him a clearance. When Melbourne came calling for Bryan Crimmins sometime later, the Swans took the opportunity to use the request as a bargaining tool, offering Crimmins to Melbourne in exchange for a clearance for O'Shea.

The Demons agreed to the trade, and Crimmins was named as 19th man for Melbourne for the Round 12 game against Richmond. Crimmins replaced the injured Frank Scanlan in the last quarter of that match but, whatever limited chance he had to impress, it was not enough for him to retain his place, and he became one of a growing legion of players to make only a single VFL appearance.

While Melbourne might have been disappointed more did not come of the Crimmins/O'Shea swap, they could comfort themselves in the fact that they did not appear to lose much in the deal, as Len O'Shea himself played only two games for the Swans, kicking one goal in his two games in 1944.

Author - Andrew Gigacz