Australian Football

A fine wingman or centreman who hit the ground running when he arrived at Hawthorn from Auburn in 1931, Stan Spinks went on to amass 143 VFL games, and kick 19 goals, in almost a dozen seasons with the brown and gold. Combining pace, determination, toughness and skill in good measure, he was undoubtedly one of the Mayblooms' main shining lights during a bleak era for the club.

A dual best and fairest winner, Spinks also ran second in the Brownlow Medal voting on a couple of occasions, and played four interstate games for the VFL. After being dropped to the seconds for the first time in his career in 1941 he responded with a superb game, but when he was not restored to the seniors he quit the club in disgust. He ended up going to Camberwell in the VFA where he rounded off his career. One imagines that he must have been a strong contender for inclusion in Hawthorn's official 'Team of the Century', which was named in 2003, although the fact that his career with the club ended in somewhat acrimonious fashion would presumably not have helped his cause.

Author - John Devaney