Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Barclay Shrapnell Bailes

Known as
Barclay Bailes

Nickname
Tich, Bendigo

Born
9 August 1883

Died
24 September 1955 (aged 72)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 21y 284d
Last game: 26y 5d

Height and weight
Height: 157 cm
Weight: 65 kg

Senior clubs
Perth; Fitzroy; Brighton

Recruited from
Perth (1905); Fitzroy (1910)

Barclay Bailes

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
PerthWAFA190417
FitzroyV/AFL1905-190979290.3752%0
BrightonVFA1910-191597400.41
Total1904-1915193690.36

AFL: 1,046th player to appear, 3,041st most games played, 3,001st most goals kickedFitzroy: 106th player to appear, 150th most games played, 169th most goals kicked

'Titch' Bailes' league career began at Perth, where he played in a losing grand final team in 1904. The following year he transferred to Fitzroy, where he was a tremendous fan favourite throughout his five-season, 79-game VFL career, which included a best afield performance on the wing in the 1905 challenge final defeat of Collingwood, after which it was said that "every spectator at the match was charmed by his brilliance"¹. Bailes also played superbly in the following year's decisive match, but could not prevent a sizeable loss to Carlton.

In addition to his popular nickname of 'Titch', Bailes was also sometimes referred to as 'Bendigo'. He was a key player for the VFL at the inaugural interstate championship series in Melbourne. Bailes transferred to Brighton in 1910, but his VFA career was cut short when he sustained a serious facial injury in 1915. He played 97 VFA games for the club and registered 40 goals.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

  1. The Encyclopedia of League Footballers by Jim Main and Russell Holmesby, page 14.

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications, Crème de la Crème

Footnotes

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