Australian Football

Neville Hayes was a classical type of backman, described by Jeff Pash as a “player of all-round gifts who backs his judgement (to a hair-raising extent in this particular case) and plays his man at a distance”.¹ A dual best and fairest winner, Hayes played a total of 217 games with Port Adelaide between 1953 and 1965, mostly in the backlines, but frequently enough as a forward for him to amass 58 goals. He also represented South Australia 18 times.

His sometimes overly aggressive approach to the game often earned him the ire of opposition supporters, but he was enormously respected down Alberton way during what was a halcyon era - one of many, to be sure - in the club’s history.

Author - John Devaney