Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Allen James Aylett

Known as
Allen Aylett

Born
24 April 1934

Died
16 September 2022 (aged 88)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 17y 361d
Last game: 30y 85d

Height and weight
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 80 kg

Senior clubs
North Melbourne

Jumper numbers
North Melbourne: 17

Allen Aylett

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
North MelbourneV/AFL1952-19642203111.4140%22.674.3386
Total1952-19642203111.4140%22.674.3386

Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only

AFL: 6,168th player to appear, 475th most games played, 183rd most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 432nd player to appear, 27th most games played, 14th most goals kicked

He draws teeth during the week, and applause on Saturdays for his remarkable feats as a rover.¹

As a football administrator, Allen Aylett was undoubtedly one of the most important figures in the game's history during the second half of the twentieth century, but prior to that he enjoyed a career of considerable note as a player. The highlight of that career came in 1958 when,as first rover in arguably the strongest ever VFL side to take the field, he polled seven Tassie Medal votes (two first preferences and a third) at the 1958 centenary carnival in Melbourne to edge out teammate Ted Whitten (also seven votes, but containing only one first preference) for what was, at the time, football's most prestigious individual award.

A quick and highly elusive player, Aylett was also a good deal stronger than the average rover, enabling him to win possession of the ball seemingly at will. Once in possession, his disposal skills were immaculate, and few rovers in the history of the game have been as dangerous near goals. At the 1958 Melbourne carnival he booted 15 goals, second only to North Melbourne teammate John Dugdale (18) on the goal kicking list, while three years later at Brisbane he was the tournament's leading scorer with 19 goals.

Aylett enjoyed a stellar season all round in 1958, not only securing the Tassie Medal and All Australian selection, but also winning the first of three successive club champion trophies, and topping the poll in virtually every VFL media award for the year. In the Brownlow Medal, however, he finished a disappointing seven votes adrift of surprise winner, Neil Roberts from St Kilda.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. Lou Richards, 1964 Mobil Footy Photos number 7.

Sources

Crème de la Crème

Footnotes

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