Alan Stevens (footballer)

Alan Keith Stevens (5 August 1923 – 2 November 2010)[2] was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He also had a noted career in the Canberra Australian National Football League, with Ainslie, Eastlake-Manuka and Eastlake.

Alan Stevens
Personal information
Full name Alan Keith Stevens
Nickname(s) Ginty
Date of birth (1923-08-05)5 August 1923
Place of birth Coogee, New South Wales[1]
Date of death 2 November 2010(2010-11-02) (aged 87)
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 80 kg (176 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1940–1941 Ainslie
1942–1944 Eastlake-Manuka
1945 Eastlake
1946–1947 Ainslie
1948–1950 St Kilda 22 (1)
1952–1953 Ainslie
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1953.
Career highlights
  • Ainslie best and fairest – 1941, 1946 & 1947
  • Ainslie premiership player – 1946, 1947 & 1952
  • Ainslie premiership coach – 1947 & 1952
  • Eastlake premiership player – 1945
  • Mulrooney Medal – 1946
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Career

Early career during the war

Stevens, a defender, spent his first two years of senior football with Canberra club Ainslie.[3][4]

He won Ainslie's best and fairest award and finished third in voting for the Mulrooney Medal in 1941, his second season.[4][5]

From 1942 to 1944, Stevens played for the merged Eastlake-Manuka combination.[6][7]

The merger ended in 1945 and Stevens played for Eastlake that season.[8] He was named amongst Eastlake's best players in their one-point win over Navy in the 1945 grand final.[8]

New captain of Ainslie

Stevens returned to Ainslie in 1946, as club captain.[9] He had a triumphant return, ending the season with a premiership, Mulrooney Medal and another Ainslie best and fairest.[4][10]

The following year he was given the additional responsibility of being playing coach and steered Ainslie to another premiership.[4][11] Stevens, who captained Canberra at the 1947 Hobart Carnival, also won a third club best and fairest award.[3][4]

Three seasons with St Kilda

Stevens played for St Kilda from 1948 to 1950, during which time he amassed 22 league appearances.[12]

While in Victoria he was a state representative, in 1948.[3]

Final years at Ainslie

Stevens finished his career back at Ainslie, where he was playing coach for two more seasons, after moving back to Canberra late in 1951.[4][13]

He led Ainslie to another premiership in 1952, when they were undefeated all year.[14]

References
  1. "WW2 Nominal Roll". Government of Australia.
  2. "Alan Stevens - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  3. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  4. "Hall of Fame Inductees 2008". AFL Canberra.
  5. "National Football". The Canberra Times. ACT. 28 August 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  6. "National Football Code. First Defeat For A.G.H. Team". The Canberra Times. ACT. 1 June 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  7. "R.M.C. Defeated". The Canberra Times. ACT. 29 May 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  8. "Eastlake Wins 1945 National Premiership By One Point". The Canberra Times. ACT. 10 September 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  9. "Poor Kicking In National Rules". The Canberra Times. ACT. 8 July 1946. p. 4. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  10. "Triple Rules Premiership Won By Ainslie". The Canberra Times. ACT. 30 September 1946. p. 4. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  11. "Mr. W. McDonald New President Football League". The Canberra Times. ACT. 21 February 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  12. "Alan Stevens". AFL Tables.
  13. "National Football Melbourne Umpire For Grand Final". The Canberra Times. ACT. 28 August 1951. p. 6. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  14. "Left Back Pocket - Alan 'Ginty' Stevens (Ainslie & St Kilda - captain)". Full Points Footy. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011.
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