Australian Football

Essendon recruited Hugh Callan from Brighton, which at the time was in the Metropolitan Junior Association, not the VFA. A talented follower and utility, he played 36 VFL games and scored 15 goals for the Same Old from 1903 to 1905. He then spent a short time in New Zealand after a transfer in employment, but he was back in Melbourne in time to front up for South Yarra juniors in 1906. His next and final port of call was South Melbourne where, between 1907 and 1910, he added a final 36 VFL games and 17 goals to his respective career tallies.

Although on the small side for a follower he was effective thanks to his agility coupled with an extremely aggressive approach. He was also a deft palmer of the ball. In both of South’s 1907 finals matches, a semi final win over Collingwood, and a grand final loss to Carlton, he was rated his team’s best player. He did not play in South’s 1909 grand final-winning team.

Callan later died in action in world war one.

Author - John Devaney