Australian Football

Albert Thurgood - or 'Albert the Great' as he was known - was an all round football champion of the highest order, and arguably the game's first true 'superstar'.

"Tall and magnificently built, Thurgood could play in any position on the ground and was extraordinarily fast. It was said that he could run 100 yards in even time. His high marking was superb, his ground work robust, and he was said to be as nimble and agile as a hare. Like a true champion he rarely had an off day and he could kick brilliantly with every type of kick imaginable."¹

Thurgood originally played football at Brighton Grammar School before joining Essendon in 1892. He went on to help the Same Old lift the next three VFA premierships (making it four in succession all told). Thurgood won Essendon's best and fairest award in 1901, and was the leading goal kicker in the VFA three times and in the VFL once. He kicked 181 goals in three VFA seasons with Essendon, during which he would have played a maximum of 57 games. In just under five seasons in the VFL he played 46 games, booting 89 goals.

He was particularly renowned for his prodigious kicking, being recorded on one occasion as producing a place kick of 98.48 metres, or 107 yards 2 feet 1 inch. One of his drop kicks was allegedly measured at 82.3 metres, or 90 yards.

Thurgood played with Essendon from 1892 to 1894 and again from 1899 to 1902 and in 1906. He spent the 1895-6-7 seasons in Western Australia with Fremantle during a time when it arguably boasted the strongest team in the land. During his stint there he topped the WAFA goal kicking list on three consecutive occasions between 1895 and 1897, helping the side lift premierships in the first two of those years.

In 1902 there were widespread allegations that Thurgood had 'laid down' against Collingwood in the Challenge Final, which Essendon lost by the heavy margin for the time of 33 points. In disgust, he demanded, and was refused, a clearance to the Magpies, whereupon he decided to retire. He was tempted back to Essendon four years later, but after playing eight games he was forced to retire permanently when he sustained a serious ankle injury.

Author - John Devaney