Australian Football

Originally from VAFA club Ormond, Barry Beecroft joined South Melbourne in 1973, remaining there until part of the way into the 1977 season, when he crossed to Port Melbourne in the VFA. In that year's grand final, Beecroft played as a follower changing indefence as The Borough trounced Sandringham by 100 points - an eminently fitting margin, given that it was the VFA's centenary season. Beecroft continued with Port in 1978 but the following year saw him heading west to join Claremont.

Well-built, strong, and surprisingly agile for his size, Beecroft, who was equally effective as a ruckman or in a key defensive position, added versatility and depth to the Tigers' line-up and was a major reason behind the team's emergence as a power. He played in the 1981 Grand Final against South Fremantle, but was pole-axed early on, and took no further part in a match which Claremont eventually won by 15 points. After another season with the Swans, who had by this time re-located to Sydney, in 1982, Beecroft returned to the Tigers to complete a league and VFA career that eventually saw him play 71 VFL, 36 Association, and 113 WAFL games. He also represented Western Australia. Barry Beecroft retired at the end of the 1985 season.

Author - John Devaney