George Rawle

George Rawle (2 December 1889 – 12 June 1978) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the VFL during the 1920s. Rawle suffered a severe ankle injury when a boy, and the bone calloused, leading to the foot being badly deformed. Rawle tightly bandaged the injured foot, which enabled him to play.[1]

George Rawle
Personal information
Date of birth 2 December 1889
Date of death 12 June 1978(1978-06-12) (aged 88)
Original team(s) North Melbourne (VFA)
Height 175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 80 kg (176 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1923–1925 Essendon 19 (4)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1925.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Rawle was 33 years old when he made his league debut with Essendon in 1923, the second oldest to debut in history behind his teammate Charlie Hardy. He was a late inclusion in the 1923 VFL Grand Final, making Rawle one of just four footballers in history to play in a premiership on debut after Essendon beat Fitzroy by 17 points. The following season he played in another premiership.

The reason many Essendon players started their VFL careers late was because the likes of Rawle, Hardy and Syd Barker had been with North Melbourne in the VFA and joined Essendon when North briefly disbanded in 1921. Rawle's case was slightly different, he crossed to the VFA club Essendon (A), also sometimes called Essendon Town, (and no relation to the VFL Essendon), and returned to North Melbourne in 1922 as captain-coach before becoming coach of Essendon's seconds in 1923.

His career at North Melbourne had begun in 1911 and he played in their 1914, 1915 and 1918 premierships. After he left Essendon he returned to the VFA as captain-coach of Camberwell for their inaugural season.

Rawle's son Keith later became an Essendon premiership player.

References
  1. Atkinson, Graeme (1989). 3AW Book of Footy Records. South Melbourne: Magistra Publishing Company Pty Ltd. p. 278. ISBN 1863210091.
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