Ted Rowell (footballer)

Edward M. "Ted" Rowell (c. 1877ndashc. 1967) was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.

Early life

Born in Victoria, Australia (or Kalgoorlie, Western Australia according to another source), as a teenager in the 1890s he was attracted to the goldfields in Western Australia and as a youngster was proficient in cricket, foot running and of course Australian rules football. Playing locally in WA for 5 years, he booted over 250 goals, which earned him representation in Perth in the first Australian rules goldfield representative side in 1896.

VFL career

Rowell made his Victorian Football League debut with the Collingwood Football Club 1901 (at 24 years of age). He was not an overly tall player at 178 cm and weighing 80 kg but his great advantage was his speed (which had also been useful in his career as a professional runner). He scored 31 goals in the 1901 season and 33 goals in 1902, playing as a key position forward. In 1902 he was named as Champion Of The Colony.

Rowell played in the 1903 premiership side with Collingwood and in 1904 moved back to Western Australia, however this was only a one-off and he attempted a return to the Magpies in 1905, but for the League not allowing a permit for him to play. He sat out the 1905 season but returned in 1906. In 1907 he was then switched to defence where he became one of the first truly attacking full-backs - prior to this full-backs did not create run out of defence and acted more like a goalkeeper. He remained a full-back until 1914. Trademarks of his play would be to "tap the ball to himself and run along the wing" as well as his placekicking, which travelled 60 yards.

In 1907 and 1908 Rowell was the acting playing-coach of Collingwood. He added to his 1903 success as a player with another premiership in 1910. In 1914 Rowell called it quits from the game but made a return in the 1915 Grand Final where he was among the best players in a loss for the Magpies.

In the interstate arena, Rowell played 7 games for 7 goals. For Collingwood, he played 189 games for 175 goals.

Retirement/death

He later wrote a series of sporting articles and never lost his love for the black and white. He died at 90 years of age.

References

* [http://fullpointsfooty.net/r.htm#Ted%20Rowell%20(Collingwood) Bio at FullPointsFooty]
* [http://pigskinpromotions.com/pigskin/prod8.htm Football career profile]
*Holmesby, Russel and Main, Jim (2007). "The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers". 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.