Australian Football

While at Carlton, Greg Towns was never exactly a first choice senior player, but he could invariably be relied on to give a good account of himself when selected. Tenacious, indeed quite fiery at times, he knew how to look after himself, and might have been expected to achieve somewhat greater notoriety had he spent the initial phase of his career with a weaker club. As it was, his six season career with the Blues saw him repeatedly alternating between seniors and reserves, and playing just 66 games in the former grade, kicking 23 goals. These totals might have been even lower had he not possessed the versatility to undertake a number of different commissions. His best position was probably centre, but Carlton had several players ahead of him in the pecking order for that role.

Towns first came to the attention of the Blues whilst playing for Cooee in the NWFU and he made his VFL debut in 1974. A career highlight was representing Tasmania at the 1979 Perth state of origin carnival. In 1980, irked at his failure to gain a place in any of Carlton’s 1979 finals teams, he sought, and was granted, a clearance to Footscray, where he added 23 games and seven goals over three seasons. His final port of call was VFA first division side Williamstown, for whom he played 22 games and scored 20 goals in 1983-4.

Author - John Devaney