Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Alan David Hickinbotham

Known as
Alan Hickinbotham

Born
9 December 1925

Place of birth
Geelong, VIC (3220)

Died
25 May 2010 (aged 84)

Place of death
Adelaide, SA (5000)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 23y 205d
Last game: 25y 280d

Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 85 kg

Senior clubs
South Adelaide; Geelong

Jumper numbers
Geelong: 18, 3

Recruited from
South Adelaide (1949); Geelong (1952)

State of origin
VIC

Family links
Dave Hickinbotham (Grandfather)

Alan Hickinbotham

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
South AdelaideSANFL1945-1948, 1952-1954
GeelongV/AFL1949, 1951600.0067%0
Total1945-1949, 1951-1954600.00

AFL: 5,916th player to appear, 9,426th most games played, 11,701st most goals kickedGeelong: 532nd player to appear, 798th most games played, 983rd most goals kicked

A tough, courageous and sometimes almost wantonly aggressive ruckman and defender, Alan Hickinbotham was a shining light in under-achieving South Adelaide sides for almost a decade after World War II. Winner of the club's best and fairest award in 1947, he was joint runner-up to Bob Hank in the Magarey Medal the same year. In 1954, his last league season, he served as South's captain-coach.

Earlier, in 1949, Hickinbotham had crossed to Geelong, only to break his leg in a match at the MCG before his VFL career had properly got going. Ironically, Hickinbotham had previously broken his leg while representing South Australia at the same ground. Because of the effects of the injury, he managed just half a dozen senior games in three seasons with the Cats. After his retirement as a player, Hickinbotham, who played a total of four interstate matches for South Australia, continued to serve South Adelaide in various off-field roles, including that of club president.

Hickinbotham was inducted into the Panthers' official Hall of Fame in 2005, the same year that saw the club announcing that its home ground at Noarlunga would be renamed the Alan Hickinbotham Oval.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion

Footnotes

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