Australian Football

Although he spent much of his time at Norwood alternating between seconds and seniors there was a brief period when Gordon Sawley was acknowledged as one of the finest rovers in the state. His career with the Redlegs spanned the years 1937 to 1941, and saw him play 53 SANFL games and score 71 goals. He was a member of the Redlegs’ 1937 reserves premiership-winning team. In 1939 he was first rover for South Australia in a match against Victoria. Early in the 1941 season he played seven games and scored eight goals for South Melbourne, impressing observers with his verve and skill. He then returned to the Parade and played in the Redlegs’ second semi final loss to Sturt, only to sustain an injury which kept him out of both the preliminary final and the ultimately successful flag decider. Less than a year later he tragically lost his life during a RAAF training mission over Scotland. Brian Sawley’s brothers Albert and Frank also played for Norwood.

Author - John Devaney