Australian Football

After playing 68 games for East Perth, during which time he won the club’s 1927 fairest and best award, ‘Brum’ O’Meara was lured to the goldfields by a Kalgoorlie Railways team which was, it seemed, able to offer him the prospect of secure work during a time when the economy generally was in decline. A highly polished centreman or half forward, O’Meara was a prominent figure for Railways in the club’s 1929 and 1931 premiership wins, but for the last 18 months of his time on the goldfields O’Meara endured a hand to mouth existence as the promised work dried up.

In 1933 South Melbourne came to O’Meara’s rescue, offering not only the prospect of a steady income from football, but an excellent job at Crofts stores as well. The solidly built Western Australian more than adequately repaid the club with three-and-a-half excellent seasons, including a strong performance on a half forward flank in the winning 1933 Grand Final against Richmond. After 47 games for the Blood-Stained Angels, O’Meara crossed to Fitzroy midway through the 1936 season but managed to add only 10 more VFL games before calling it a day the following year.

Author - John Devaney