Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Leonard Crane

Known as
Len Crane

Born
7 February 1928

Died
24 May 2006 (aged 78)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 141d
Last game: 29y 219d

Height and weight
Height: 179 cm
Weight: 80 kg

Senior clubs
South Melbourne; Hawthorn; Mordialloc

Jumper numbers
South Melbourne: 21
Hawthorn: 31, 1, 14

Recruited from
South Melbourne (1951)

Family links
Jack Crane (Brother)

Len Crane

Advanced stats
Club
League
Career span
Games
Goals
Avg
Win %
AKI
AHB
AMK
BV
South MelbourneV/AFL1947-19504310.0237%———3
HawthornV/AFL1951-1955, 195710210.0137%———20
MordiallocVFA1958-1961————————
V/AFL1947-1955, 195714520.0137%———23
VFA1958-1961————————
Total1947-1955, 1957-196114520.01—————

AFL: 5,714th player to appear, 1,445th most games played, 8,027th most goals kickedSouth Melbourne: 670th player to appear, 376th most games played, 940th most goals kickedHawthorn: 416th player to appear, 142nd most games played, 668th most goals kicked

Playing mainly on a half back flank, Len Crane appeared to be a footballer of modest ability and potential during his 43 VFL games with South Melbourne in 1945 and from 1947 to 1950. On moving to Hawthorn in 1951, however, he found a new lease of life as a negating full back of the highest order. A VFL representative in 1953 and 1954, Crane played 102 senior games for the Hawks from 1951 to 1955 and in 1957, and was widely considered to be one of the finest defenders in the league. In 1958 he was appointed captain-coach of Mordialloc, which was making its debut in the VFA, and he was joined there by several former Hawthorn team mates including Barry Metcalfe, Bernie Sheehan and Max Jose. Crane coached the Bloods for four seasons, the last in a non-playing capacity. He represented the VFA at the 1958 Melbourne carnival.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

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Footnotes

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