Australian Football

A born and bred Queenslander and a product of Wests Juniors, Owen Backwell was a dual Grogan Medallist (1971 and 1975) who went on to play 323 games and kick 767 goals for Western Districts through the 1970s and 1980s. He ranks second only to Syd Guildford on the official QAFL games list and heads the goal-kicking table. 

He played more than 20 games for Queensland, and was honored in 2003 when named in a forward pocket next to Jason Dunstall and Ray Hughson in the Queensland Team of the Century. A brilliant goal-kicking rover who topped the QAFL goal-kicking with 93 goals in 1977 and played a key role in the Bulldogs’ premierships in 1977 and 1978, he had a short stint at Fitzroy in 1969 but did not play any senior games. Son Brett played senior football at Carlton, won a Liston Medal in the VFL and a Magarey Medal in the SANFL.

Author - Murray Bird and Peter Blucher