Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Arthur Edward Clarence Hodgson

Known as
Arthur Hodgson

Nickname
The Black Prince

Born
8 January 1926

Place of birth
Sydney, NSW (1002)

Died
12 May 2003 (aged 77)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 22y 121d
Last game: 26y 214d

Height and weight
Height: 176 cm
Weight: 77 kg

Senior clubs
Carlton

Jumper numbers
Carlton: 24, 8

State of origin
NSW

Arthur Hodgson

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
Queenstown CrowsDFA1947
CarltonV/AFL1948-19527670.0953%15.001.0010
UlverstoneNWFU1953-1960
Total1947-19607670.09

Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only

AFL: 5,795th player to appear, 3,161st most games played, 5,628th most goals kickedCarlton: 623rd player to appear, 241st most games played, 502nd most goals kicked

Born in Sydney, Arthur Hodgson moved to the mining settlement of Queenstown in west Tasmania at the age of nine and quickly acquired a prowess at the 'foreign' sport of Australian football. A best-on-ground performance for the Queenstown Football Association representative side against a TFL second eighteen in 1947 earned him a crack at the 'big time' as part of the NTFA combination which took on, and lost narrowly to, the TFL in Hobart. His stellar performance at centre half back in that game was rewarded with inclusion in Tasmania's 1947 carnival team, making him the first QFA player since 1904 to be so honoured.

Hodgson's meteoric rise continued when his displays in the carnival attracted the attention of recruiting officers from the mainland. In 1948 he began a five-season, 76-game association with Carlton which included an appearance in that club's losing 1949 grand final side, a club best and fairest award in 1950, and VFL representation in the Brisbane carnival of that same year.

Returning home in 1953, Hodgson took over as coach of Ulverstone whom he steered to four NWFU premierships in seven seasons in charge, as well as the 1955 state flag (Ulverstone's first). His prowess as a player had not diminished either as he won a Wander Medal in 1955 and represented Tasmania in 11 more interstate matches, including involvement in the 1953, 1956 and 1958 carnivals. Hodgson's record of five interstate carnival appearances is matched only by another Sydney-born player in William 'Nipper' Truscott of Western Australia, plus South Australia's Fos Williams. Throughout his career Hodgson's speed, safe ball handling, and exquisite disposal skills made him one of Australia's finest centreline players.

In June 2004, Arthur Hodgson was selected as a wingman in the official Tasmanian 'Team of the Century', and two years later he was inducted as a legend into Tasmanian Football's official Hall of Fame.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy's Tasmanian Football Companion

Footnotes

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