Harry Dowdall

Henry Arthur Dowdall (29 June 1872 – 9 May 1912) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood in the 1897 inaugural Victorian Football League (VFL) season.[1]

Harry Dowdall
Dowdall in 1896 during his Collingwood VFA career
Personal information
Full name Henry Arthur Dowdall
Date of birth (1872-06-24)24 June 1872
Place of birth Emerald Hill, Victoria
Date of death 9 May 1912(1912-05-09) (aged 39)
Place of death Collingwood
Original team(s) South Melbourne
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1892–1896 Collingwood (VFA) 074 (19)
1897-1900 Collingwood 038 (21)
1901 St Kilda 001 0(0)
Total 113 (40)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1901.
Career highlights
  • 1896 VFA premiership player
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of James Dowdall and Isabella McGowan, Harry was small of stature and lightly built, and used these traits to his advantage, particularly in wet weather.

Football

Harry's older brother Jim had both previously played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1887, with Harry playing in the 2nd Twenty. In 1892 they both tried to move to Collingwood. Jim was unsuccessful and instead played for Richmond.[2]

In Collingwood's final game of the 1897 VFL season, Harry refused to play unless he was allowed to play on the ball for the entirety of the game. Although not pleasing Collingwood officials with his stance, he remained at the club for a further three seasons, playing 38 games and kicking 21 goals, before crossing to St Kilda in 1901 at the age of 29, where he played only one game.

Notes
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  1. Newspaper reports of the time spell his name (and Jim's) variously as Dowdell/Dowdall. Dowdall is correct.
  2. Contemporary newspaper reports

References
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