Australian Football

Christened Angus, but invariably answering to the name of ‘Horrie’, Mason began his senior league career with North Hobart, and played in that club’s 1920 local and state premiership sides. He also played the following year when North lost the local Grand Final to Cananore, before embarking on a 10-season, 137-game VFL career with St Kilda.

A slimly built wingman when he first arrived in Melbourne, he eventually bulked up so much that by the end of his career he was playing as a ruckman. He also gave good service, at various times, as a centreman and half forward flanker, where his superb disposal skills came to the fore. Regarded by many as one of the finest exponents of the stab pass in the league, he could also drop kick the ball prodigious distances.

A joint winner of St Kilda’s top individual award in 1926, Mason also represented the Big V against South Australia that year, and went on to make a total of half a dozen appearances for his adopted state.

At the end of a 1931 season which had seen him skippering the Saints for part of the year, Mason crossed to Camberwell, which had just finished in last place in the VFA, as captain-coach. His arrival sparked the emergence of the Tricolours as a VFA force for the first time, but a runner-up spot to Yarraville in 1935 was the closest they could get to a flag.

During his time with Camberwell (and with Kyneton, where he spent part of the 1934 season), Mason continued to display some excellent form. He "did a lot of heavy work in the packs and at times was an inspiration".¹ When the VFA met the VFL in a charity match at Princes Park in 1932, ‘Horrie’ Mason gave an inspirational performance as captain of the VFA which was almost enough to secure a famous win; as it was, the VFL just managed to hold on to secure an eight-point win.

When Camberwell selected its official ‘Team of the 20th Century’ in August 2003, Mason was given the prestigious coaching position.

Author - John Devaney