Australian Football

Known affectionately as ‘Puffer’, because of his habit of puffing up his cheeks when charging through packs in pursuit of the ball, Brian France was an archetypal key position defender whose ambition every time he took the field was to keep his direct opponent kickless. 

This was never better exemplified than during the 1966 Hobart carnival when Western Australia and the VFL met on the final day in what was effectively the championship decider. France was given the daunting job of minding Big V skipper Darrel Baldock, who had been in irrepressible form throughout the series, and for the better part of two quarters he almost literally wore ‘the Doc’ like an extra jumper. With their main route to goal blocked, the Vics looked uncharacteristically impotent, and the Sandgropers, five goals in front and playing superbly, seemed well on course for victory. Early in the third term, however, France was badly injured, and had to leave the ground, whereupon the hitherto unsighted Baldock immediately began to impose himself, enabling the Vics to eke out a 15-point win that at half time had looked distinctly improbable.

After another injury twelve months later, Brian France’s nine season, 159 game league career came to a premature end, although had the Cardinals allowed him the clearance he desired to arch rivals East Perth it may have provided him with the incentive he needed to continue. The fact that France had still been playing football of the highest quality was emphasised when he finished just one vote adrift of joint winners John Parkinson and Bill Walker in the Sandover voting. Had he not missed seven matches through injury there seems little doubt that he would have secured the Medal, which would have been an appropriate way of sealing a distinguished career that also brought involvement in a premiership in 1960, three club fairest and best awards, and 17 interstate appearances.

Author - John Devaney