Australian Football

In the brief history to date of the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club it is doubtful if there has been a more important on-field contributor than Gavin Colville. Nicknamed ‘Scratcher’, the distinctively red-haired on-baller joined the Eagles from TAC under 18s club Geelong Falcons, and made his league debut in 1995. 

Four times a club best and fairest award winner (once jointly), he suffered the ultimate agony in 2006 when, in his sixth season as club captain, he missed out on the Eagles’ long overdue premiership triumph owing to injury. Runner-up in the Magarey Medal voting in both 2000 and 2004, Colville has been a regular South Australian state league representative for much of the past decade. Combining an abundance of energy with finely honed skills, he had, when he retired in 2008, been an adornment both to his club and the SANFL in an Eagles record 232 senior games, plus three for South Australia.

Author - John Devaney