- Apr 4, 2006
- 4,772
- 9,222
- AFL Club
- Western Bulldogs
The likely drafting of Charlie Spargo in a few weeks got me thinking if there are any other families with 4 successive generations of VFL/AFL players?
First, there was Bob Spargo Snr, recruited locally from the now-defunct Riverside club to Footscray, who played 65 games between 1934 and 1941 (and 2 at Melbourne in 1942). He also ran 3rd in both the 1936 and 1940 Stawell Gift finals. In fact, in 1936 he ran third to Ron McCann – who played one VFL game for Collingwood – in 1936 against Footscray, with Spargo on the opposite team!
Game stats from R8 20 June 1936 Footcsray v Collingwood:
https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1936/040719360620.html
Article from Brisbane Courier Mail re 1936 Stawel Gift:
Bob’s sons Bob Jnr and Ricky followed their father to Footscray, after being recruited from Braybrook.
Bob Jnr played 80 games between 1958 and 1963 wearing #8, including the 1961 Grand Final. In 1962 he polled 9 Brownlow votes, the same as his father had polled in the 1938 season.
Here is Bob Jnr in action in the 1961 Grand Final:
Ricky played 64 games between 1966 and 1971, once kicking 5 goals in a game in Round 1, 1969 – the same year he polled 7 (of a career total of 9) Brownlow votes. Ricky also ran 5th in the 1974 Stawell Gift final, and appeared in the 1970 Scanlen’s footy card series:
The third generation player was Paul, son of Bob Jnr, recruited by North Melbourne from Albury in their then country recruiting zone. Paul played 81 games for North between 1985 and 1992, and a further 9 for the Brisbane Bears in 1993. Paul’s debut game in 1985 was in the Semi Final loss to his father’s Bulldogs – wearing #56!
And now to Charlie (son of Paul) – where will he end up? Interestingly, he is 10cm shorter than Paul, and actually even shorter than his grandfather, who was 175cm.
https://www.afl*******************/tag/charlie-spargo/
First, there was Bob Spargo Snr, recruited locally from the now-defunct Riverside club to Footscray, who played 65 games between 1934 and 1941 (and 2 at Melbourne in 1942). He also ran 3rd in both the 1936 and 1940 Stawell Gift finals. In fact, in 1936 he ran third to Ron McCann – who played one VFL game for Collingwood – in 1936 against Footscray, with Spargo on the opposite team!
Game stats from R8 20 June 1936 Footcsray v Collingwood:
https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1936/040719360620.html
Article from Brisbane Courier Mail re 1936 Stawel Gift:
Bob’s sons Bob Jnr and Ricky followed their father to Footscray, after being recruited from Braybrook.
Bob Jnr played 80 games between 1958 and 1963 wearing #8, including the 1961 Grand Final. In 1962 he polled 9 Brownlow votes, the same as his father had polled in the 1938 season.
Here is Bob Jnr in action in the 1961 Grand Final:
Ricky played 64 games between 1966 and 1971, once kicking 5 goals in a game in Round 1, 1969 – the same year he polled 7 (of a career total of 9) Brownlow votes. Ricky also ran 5th in the 1974 Stawell Gift final, and appeared in the 1970 Scanlen’s footy card series:
The third generation player was Paul, son of Bob Jnr, recruited by North Melbourne from Albury in their then country recruiting zone. Paul played 81 games for North between 1985 and 1992, and a further 9 for the Brisbane Bears in 1993. Paul’s debut game in 1985 was in the Semi Final loss to his father’s Bulldogs – wearing #56!
And now to Charlie (son of Paul) – where will he end up? Interestingly, he is 10cm shorter than Paul, and actually even shorter than his grandfather, who was 175cm.
https://www.afl*******************/tag/charlie-spargo/
- 227 games (213 VFL/AFL, 5 SANFL, 9 WAFL)
