Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
George Bell

Known as
George Bell

Born
7 May 1912

Died
12 May 1999 (aged 87)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 21y 41d
Last game: 30y 9d

Height and weight
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 79 kg

Senior clubs
Essendon

Jumper numbers
Essendon: 10, 12

George Bell

Advanced stats
Club
League
Career span
Games
Goals
Avg
Win %
AKI
AHB
AMK
BV
EssendonV/AFL1933-194212040.0343%———13
Total1933-194212040.0343%———13

AFL: 4,063rd player to appear, 1,955th most games played, 6,685th most goals kickedEssendon: 457th player to appear, 135th most games played, 593rd most goals kicked

George Bell, the Essendon back pocket player has had an experience this year that comes the way of few players, for his form in the practice games was so poor that he failed to make either the first or second 18. Living close to the ground he was called on one day to help the seconds out as they were short of a player, and his game brought him under the notice of the selectors again. Selected to play with the seniors he acquitted himself well and he is the most delighted boy in the side.¹

After playing for Horsham from 1928 to 1932 George 'Ginger' Bell joined Essendon where he rapidly established himself as a key member of the side. Despite standing only 174cm in height and weighing a mere 79kg he played for the majority of his League career as a full back, and did so with aplomb. Between 1933 and 1942 he played 120 VFL games for the Dons and booted four goals. He made just one senior appearance in his final season which meant that he did not play in Essendon's winning grand final team.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. “Sporting Globe”, 21/7/34, page 7.

Sources

Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main; Wikipedia article, Flying Higher by Michael Maplestone; Crème de la Crème

Footnotes

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