Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Albert Naismith

Known as
Alby Naismith

Born
13 November 1917

Died
14 June 1981 (aged 63)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 20y 161d
Last game: 25y 288d

Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 81 kg

Senior clubs
Hawthorn; Oakleigh

Jumper numbers
Hawthorn: 26, 1

Family links
Wally Naismith (Father)Herb Naismith (Brother)Charlie Naismith (Uncle)

Alby Naismith

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
HawthornV/AFL1938-194368851.2529%6
OakleighVFA1945-1950
Total1938-1943, 1945-195068851.25

AFL: 4,571st player to appear, 3,456th most games played, 1,274th most goals kickedHawthorn: 237th player to appear, 220th most games played, 72nd most goals kicked

The son of dual Fitzroy premiership player Wally Naismith, Alby Naismith played an at times prominent role with Hawthorn in a brief six-season career at Glenferrie Oval. Recruited from Alphington, the six-foot Naismith spent most of his time on the Mayblooms' forward line, mainly as a forward pocket or centre-half forward. 

In a far from auspicious period for the club (the Mayblooms finished no higher than ninth in five of his six seasons with them), Naismith provided Hawthorn with an avenue for goal, kicking 85 majors in his 68 games, topping the club's list in both 1938, with 30, and 1940 (25). 

In 1945, Naismith moved to VFA club Oakleigh and was a solid focal point - and at times a star - at full forward for the Purple and Golds over the next six seasons until he was cut from the club's list prior to the 1951 season.¹

Author - Andrew Gigacz

Footnotes

1. Naismith by this stage was 32 years old, so it is possible he chose to retire, but in his article, Many New Players in Leading V.F.A. Teams, in the Age in April 1951, Bruce Welch lists Naismith as among those "dropped" from Oakleigh's list.

Sources

Wikipedia, The Age

Footnotes

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