Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Les Allen

Known as
Les Allen

Born
7 March 1911

Died
5 September 1989 (aged 78)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 71d
Last game: 23y 164d

Height and weight
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 72 kg

Senior clubs
Carlton; North Melbourne

Jumper numbers
Carlton: 20
North Melbourne: 16

Recruited from
Carlton (1932)

Family links
Neville Huggins (Cousin)

Les Allen

Advanced stats
Club
League
Career span
Games
Goals
Avg
Win %
AKI
AHB
AMK
BV
CarltonV/AFL1930-193129873.0069%9.00—1.400
North MelbourneV/AFL1932-1934411032.5137%14.33—2.671
V/AFL1930-1934701902.7150%11.00—1.881
Total1930-1934701902.7150%11.00—1.881

Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only

AFL: 3,673rd player to appear, 3,435th most games played, 455th most goals kickedCarlton: 467th player to appear, 472nd most games played, 111th most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 149th player to appear, 322nd most games played, 69th most goals kicked

As a full forward, Les Allen seemingly had all the attributes necessary to succeed in the position. Cool under pressure, resourceful, boating good anticipation skills and an extremely accurate kick for goal, he might have been expected to develop into a bona fide champion. However, after an impressive debut campaign with Carlton in 1930, when he headed the club’s goal kicking list with 56 majors, he failed to kick on.

Part of the problem might have been psychological. It was the time of the Great Depression, and Allen found it difficult to procure work, a state of affairs which it is not difficult to imagine having a damaging effect on his mental well-being. At any rate, in 1932 he sought and was granted a clearance to North Melbourne after a Shinboners club benefactor found him a job. He had played 29 VFL games and kicked 87 goals in three seasons with the Blues, and would add another 41 appearances and 103 goals for North from 1932 to 1934.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Crème de la Crème

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Footnotes

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