Frank Maher (footballer)

Infobox afl player | firstname = Frank
lastname = Maher




birthdate = 22 September 1895
birthplace = Ballarat
originalteam = Lilydale
heightweight = 167.5cm (5'6") 70 kg
dead =
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = 11 June 1921
debutteam = Essendon
debutopponent = Carlton
debutstadium = East Melbourne Cricket Ground
playingteams = Essendon (1921-1928)
* 137 games, 124 goals
coach =
coachingteams = Essendon (1927)
* Carlton (1935-1936)
statsend = 1936
careerhighlights =
* Essendon Premiership: 1923, 1924
* Essendon Captain-Coach: 1927 (18 games)
* Essendon Captain: 1925-1928 (77 games)
* Essendon Vice-Captain: 1924
* Essendon Best and Fairest: 1927
* Victorian Representative: 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928.
* Captain of Victorian Representative Team: 1927, 1928.

Frank H. Maher (22 September 1895 — 1976), is a formerAustralian footballer, and coach in the Victorian Football League.

He served in the army in World War I from 1916 to 1919, and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry for his actions in France on 19 May 1918. [http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=Frank%20Maher]

He only began playing football when serving overseas with the AIF. On his return to Australia, he started playing football with two clubs, Shepparton and Lilydale.

Recruited from Lilydale Football Club, he played his first game for Essendon in 1921 at the advanced age of 25, playing against Carlton at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground on 11 June 1921 (the Carlton team is at [http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=Round+6%2C+1921] ).

He went on to play 137 games with Essendon Football Club from 1921 to 1928; and 118 of those games were played consecutively.

Only 5'6" (167.5cm) tall, he was part of Essendon's famous "Mosquito Fleet"; he had superb reflexes, perfect timing, and wonderful ball skills.

He represented Victoria on nine occasions in 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927 (captain), and 1928 (captain).

He was captain-coach of Essendon in 1927; whilst his application to coach Essendon in 1928 was rejected, he captained Essendon in that year.

After leaving Essendon, he went on to coach at Oakleigh on two occasions, at Fitzroy, and at Carlton; and from 1958 and 1968 he was president of Essendon's past players and officials association.

Career

* Lilydale Football Club and Shepparton Football Club: 1920
* Essendon Football Club: player, 1921-1928
* Essendon Football Club: Premiership Team, 1923 (first rover, kicking 2 goals), 1924 (forward flank, kicking four goals in the three matches)
* Brownlow Medal: third place 1925 — 4 votes. [In those days, there was only a single vote available in any one game. The 1925 winner, St Kilda's Colin Watson won the medal with 9 votes (i.e., best on the ground on nine occasions) having played in only 15 matches.]
* Essendon Football Club: captain-coach 1927 (18 games, 6 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw)
* Oakleigh Football Club: captain-coach 1929-1931 (premierships 1930-1931)
* Fitzroy Football Club: coach 1932-1933
* Oakleigh Football Club: coach 1934
* Carlton Football Club: coach 1935-1936 (38 games, 26 wins, 11 losses and 1 draw).

Notes

External links

* [http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=Frank%20Maher Blueseum Biography: Frank Maher, coach and war hero]
* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/F/Frank_Maher.html AFL Statistics: Frank Maher]
* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/ma.htm#Frank%20Maher%20(Essendon,%20Oakleigh,%20Fitzroy,%20Carlton) Full Points Footy Biography: Frank Maher] ]
* [http://www.essendonfc.com.au/champions/profile.asp?ID=39 Champions of Essendon Profile: Frank Maher]