Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Christopher Lethbridge

Known as
Chris Lethbridge

Born
24 May 1890

Died
25 March 1970 (aged 79)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 23y 14d
Last game: 32y 143d

Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 83 kg

Senior clubs
Fitzroy

Jumper numbers
Fitzroy: 12

Chris Lethbridge

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
FitzroyV/AFL1913-1922149190.1360%0
Total1913-1922149190.1360%0

AFL: 2,001st player to appear, 1,329th most games played, 3,747th most goals kickedFitzroy: 213th player to appear, 42nd most games played, 232nd most goals kicked

Having already played interstate football for his native New South Wales, Chris Lethbridge joined Fitzroy from YMCA in 1913 where he quickly acquired a reputation as a hard-hitting, no frills defender who knew how to look after himself, could take a grab, and was a prodigious kick. He went on to play 148 games for the Maroons in an era when the club was a bona fide VFL power.¹ In his debut season he was in a back pocket in Fitzroy's premiership winning combination. He was not a member of the side which won the farcical 1916 premiership when only four clubs competed, but in 1922 he finished his VFL career as he started it by playing in a premiership winning side, this time on a half back flank, and as club skipper. He also represented the VFL on three occasions. In 1925 he returned to Fitzroy as non-playing coach, steering his side to a fifth place finish.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

  1. In addition to their three flags, the Maroons had the impressive success rate of almost 62% in this period.

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

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