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Full name
Rex Elvyn Garwood
Known as
Rex Garwood
Born
15 May 1930
Died
16 May 2007 (aged 77)
Senior clubs
New Town; New Norfolk
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New Town | TANFL | 1950-1953 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
New Norfolk | TANFL | 1954-1960 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
TANFL | 1950-1960 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Total | 1950-1960 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
One of only two triple winners of the TANFL’s best and fairest award (the other being Len ‘Apples’ Pye), Rex Garwood began his senior football career with New Town as a 20 year old in 1950. Playing as either a half forward or in the ruck, his talent was evident right from the start, and in 1951 he not only won the first of his Leitch Medals but also landed ‘The Mercury’ newspaper’s Player of the Year Award, played representative football for the first time both the TFL and Tasmania, tied for the Wander Medal for the best player in intrastate matches, was New Town’s leading goal kicker with 37 goals, and was close to best afield in his club’s 71-point Grand Final annihilation of North Hobart. So much for second season blues!
Two seasons later, the Magpies appointed Garwood as captain and he promptly led them to their second premiership in three seasons, with Garwood himself best afield in the Grand Final. Earlier in the year he had represented Tasmania at the 1953 Adelaide carnival.
The 1954 season saw Garwood transfer to New Norfolk, who appointed him as captain-coach. The following year he captained Tasmania on its victorious tour of New South Wales and Canberra, while back at home he secured a second Leitch Medal. In 1956 he was again appointed captain of his state, this time for the interstate carnival in Perth.
Garwood’s tenure as New Norfolk coach ended in 1957, but he continued to give excellent service as a player, winning his third and final Leitch Medal in 1958. Somewhat surprisingly, he never won a club best and fairest award. He was, however, selected in both the Glenorchy/New Town, New Norfolk and official Tasmanian ‘Teams of the Century’.
Author - John Devaney