Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Frank Spiel

Known as
Frank Spiel

Born
18 December 1954 (age 69)

Place of birth
Kingaroy, QLD (4610)

Senior clubs
South Adelaide; Sturt; West Torrens

Recruited from
South Adelaide (1981); Sturt (1988)

State of origin
QLD

Frank Spiel


ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
South AdelaideSANFL1979-19802130.14
SturtSANFL1981-1987143350.24
West TorrensSANFL1988-199072120.17
SANFL1979-1990236500.21
Total1979-1990236500.21

Born in Kingaroy, Queensland, in 1954 Frank Spiel's preferred sport until after his 21st year was hockey.¹ However, in 1976 he commenced what was to develop into a perhaps surprisingly illustrious football career when he turned out for Meadows mid-season before joining Teachers' College in Adelaide the following year. He was the Amateur League’s best and fairest for A Reserve Grade in 1977 and runner up the next season in Teachers College’s A Grade best and fairest.

In 1979 he made his SANFL debut with South Adelaide, managing only two league appearances but winning the club's reserves best and fairest award. After 21 games with the Panthers he moved to Sturt in 1981.

A resilient, combative ruckman, opponents underestimated Spiel at their peril. He represented South Australia in 1983 against Western Australia, was Sturt's best and fairest player in 1982 and runner-up in 1986. He played 143 games for the club before retiring at the commencement of 1987 upon taking up a promotion teaching position in Port Augusta.

West Torrens FC approached Frank and persuaded him to come out of retirement in 1988 and arranged to fly him down each game day. He played a further 71 games in three seasons with the Eagles and was runner-up in their best and fairest award in both 1988 and 1990 and third in 1989. He retired when the newly formed Woodville-West Torrens Football Club debuted in 1991.

He is a life member of the SANFL with a career total of 236 games.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. This updated version of Frank Spiel's profile includes information kindly supplied by the player himself

Sources

Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.