AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game
Full name
Edwin George Tilley
Known as
Eddie Tilley
Born
14 October 1920
Place of birth
Sturt, SA (5047)
Died
22 July 2006 (aged 85)
Senior clubs
Sturt
State of origin
SA
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sturt | SANFL | 1939-1950 | 127 | 54 | 0.43 | — | — | — | — | — |
Total | 1939-1950 | 127 | 54 | 0.43 | — | — | — | — | — |
Eddie Tilley was a rare football character who gave fine service to Sturt in a war-interrupted league career that began in 1939 and ended, 127 games and 54 goals later, in 1950. He also played nine times for South Australia, including games at both the 1947 Hobart and 1950 Brisbane carnivals.
Mercurial, highly skilled and adaptable, he suffered disappointment early in his career when he was suspended for the 1940 Grand Final against South Adelaide, which Sturt ended up winning. Tilley played his best football after the war, winning club best and fairest awards in 1947 and 1949. He was the Blues' captain in 1948. He liked nothing better than to put on a show, and in one match against Norwood in 1948 caused a real stir by kicking a goal with a place kick. A few weeks later, he booted what, at the time, was a club record haul of 13.7 as Sturt trounced South Adelaide 22.22 (154) to 9.8 (62).
In 1957, Eddie Tilley returned to Unley as the senior side’s non-playing coach, but after a fairly promising debut season the wheels fell off spectacularly in 1958 as the Blues slumped to a distant last place. Perhaps not surprisingly, Tilley’s services as coach were not retained for 1959, but on the basis of his all-round contribution to the club, particularly as a player, he deserves to be remembered with esteem.
Author - John Devaney