Australian Football

With a heart to match his colossal 193 cm, 105 kg frame it would seem reasonable to suppose that Barry Round was always destined to carve out an illustrious career for himself in his chosen sport. Nevertheless, for many of his 135 VFL games with Footscray between 1969 and 1975 he played second fiddle to the likes of Gary Dempsey, and it was not until he crossed to South Melbourne in 1976 that he truly hit his straps. 

Over the course of his 193-game, ten-season stint with the Swans, Round proved himself without peer as a ruckman, while for good measure he could hold down centre half forward with as much aplomb as anyone. A joint Brownlow Medallist (with his good friend Bernie Quinlan) in 1981, Round was captain of South when the club relocated to Sydney in 1982, and he rapidly became the Harbor City's most renowned and popular Australian footballer. Round won the Swans best and fairest award on two occasions and was a 'shoe-in' as first ruckman in the club's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'.

The final phase of Barry Round's career took place in the VFA with Williamstown, where he established himself as one of the Association's premier draw-cards, winning the 1987 Liston Trophy, and captain-coaching the Seagulls to the 1990 flag. Emulating his feat with the Swans, he was chosen to lead the rucks in Williamstown's official 'Team of the Century'.

Author - John Devaney