Australian Football

Classy rover Leon Grosser enjoyed a long career at Richmond Oval during which he achieved virtually everything the game had to offer, with the sole, somewhat surprising, exception of state football. West recruited him from Cowandilla and he served notice of his potential by winning the 1977 Tomkins Medal as the best and fairest player in the SANFL’s thirds competition. 

He made the first of an eventual 280 senior league appearances in 1978, but did not really establish himself as a regular first choice selection until 1983, which happily for Grosser turned out to be a premiership season. In the meantime, he added a reserves Magarey Medal in 1980 to his Tomkins, a rare ‘double’ only previously achieved by two other players. West comfortably accounted for Sturt in the 1983 Grand Final, with Leon Grosser listed high in his team’s best players. It was in some respects the highlight of his playing career, but he continued to give good service to the Bloods for another ten seasons.

Grosser captained West in 1987 and again between 1990 and 1993.

Author - John Devaney