AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game
Full name
Thomas Byrne
Known as
Tom Byrne
Born
7 November 1908
Died
23 November 1984 (aged 76)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 20y 192d
Last game: 30y 243d
Height and weight
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 84 kg
Jumper numbers
Carlton: 18
Hawthorn: 2, 23
Recruited from
Carlton (1935)
Family links
Rex Byrne (Brother)
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carlton | V/AFL | 1929 | 4 | 0 | 0.00 | 75% | — | — | — | 0 |
Hawthorn | V/AFL | 1935-1939 | 61 | 70 | 1.15 | 33% | 19.00 | — | 7.00 | 2 |
V/AFL | 1929, 1935-1939 | 65 | 70 | 1.08 | 35% | 19.00 | — | 7.00 | 2 | |
Total | 1929, 1935-1939 | 65 | 70 | 1.08 | 35% | 19.00 | — | 7.00 | 2 |
Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only
AFL: 3,549th player to appear, 3,571st most games played, 1,542nd most goals kickedCarlton: 462nd player to appear, 949th most games played, 1,080th most goals kickedHawthorn: 207th player to appear, 238th most games played, 87th most goals kicked
Quite powerfully built at 185cm and 82.5kg, Tom Byrne joined Carlton from Ararat and made his senior VFL debut in 1929. However, he failed to settle with the Blues, and after just four appearances was enticed to join Williamstown, where he spent the next four seasons, performing consistently well and becoming vice captain for a time. After 39 VFA games and 33 goals for the Seagulls he crossed to Prahran where he added five games and five goals late in the season. Still possibly feeling he had a point to prove, if only to himself, he returned to the VFL in 1935, with Hawthorn. A redoubtable ruckman and forward, he became a key figure in the Mayblooms side, playing 61 games and bagging the impressive tally of 70 goals over five seasons.
Author - John Devaney