AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game
Full name
Vincent Gardiner
Known as
Vin Gardiner
Born
23 October 1885
Died
3 October 1972 (aged 86)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 307d
Last game: 31y 313d
Height and weight
Height: 167 cm
Weight: 67 kg
Senior clubs
Melbourne; Carlton
Jumper numbers
Carlton: 13
Recruited from
Melbourne (1907)
Family links
Jack Gardiner (Brother)
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Melbourne | V/AFL | 1905 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | 0% | — | — | — | 0 |
Carlton | V/AFL | 1907-1917 | 157 | 341 | 2.17 | 71% | — | — | — | 0 |
V/AFL | 1905, 1907-1917 | 159 | 341 | 2.14 | 70% | — | — | — | 0 | |
Total | 1905, 1907-1917 | 159 | 341 | 2.14 | 70% | — | — | — | 0 |
AFL: 1,093rd player to appear, 1,138th most games played, 147th most goals kickedMelbourne: 142nd player to appear, 1,127th most games played, 1,048th most goals kickedCarlton: 211th player to appear, 70th most games played, 10th most goals kicked
After failing to impress during a brief stint with Melbourne in 1905, Vin Gardiner took a second stab at league football with Carlton a couple of years later. Despite standing only 167cm in height and weighing just 67kg, he quickly showed himself to be a superb key position forward, going on to play a total of 157 games for the Blues over the course of the ensuing eleven seasons including the winning grand final of 1908. He booted a total of 341 goals in his career, topping the VFL list with 46 in 1911, the same year in which he was chosen to represent the Big V at the Adelaide carnival. Many of the spectators who watched him in action during his peak described him as the most prodigious kick of a football for his inches they had ever seen.
Author - John Devaney