Research Recent Deaths

ThePope

Premiership Player
Jun 23, 2003
3,671
381
32º 03'S 115º 45'E
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
South Fremantle
Following on from the missing DOD thread, I thought that it might be useful to have a thread on all of the recent deaths of footballers listed. I have written a query that retrieves a list from WikiData, which is linked (sort of, semi manual, semi automated) from Wikipedia. So, obviously, it may not be 100% correct, but, on the other hand, it may receive information from the general public who wouldn't otherwise contact the club or the AFL. So this could be a useful resource for AustralianFootball.com and the AFL or those in contact with them, to keep an eye on (and of course vice-versa, if there is an official notification, update here, and I, or someone else, will probably update Wikipedia/WikiData.)

This is the link to the script - http://tinyurl.com/y7338sfb. The language used, SPARQL, is not that easy to use, but anyone with some programming experience, even basic/macros, should be able to workout how to change dates, etc. There are some tutorials and manuals around, that sort of help, but I mainly learnt by copying the examples. And you basically can't break anything - my original script will always be linked from the tinyurl link.

The query is based on the player having an occupation listed as "Australian rules footballer" (can have other occupations as well), so it isn't just AFL/VFL. This list is from June 2017 to May 2018, to more or less be since the last Hall of Fame dinner (when they do the in memoriam segment).

Separate lists for other years are found elsewhere in this thread:
From June 2018 to May 2019
From June 2019 to May 2020
From June 2020 to May 2021
From June 2021 to May 2022
From June 2022 to May 2023
From June 2023 to May 2024


If anyone knows of any more, please reply.
Recent updates are in Red.

  • Player; Club(s); Age; Birth date; Death date
  • John K Watts; East Perth & Geelong Football Clubs; 80; 21/01/1937; 3/06/2017
  • George Moloney; Essendon Football Club; 77; 29-Sep-1939; 3-Jun-2017
  • Bruce McMaster-Smith; Carlton, St Kilda & Fitzroy Football Clubs; 77; 19/11/1939; 6/06/2017
  • Brian Henderson; Carlton Football Club; 73; 18/06/1943; 16/06/2017
  • Andrew Kuka; Fitzroy Football Club; 66; 9 May 1951; 24 June 2017
  • Gerry Noonan; Fitzroy Football Club; 66; 24/01/1951; 26/06/2017
  • Ken Hopper; Hawthorn/Carlton Football Clubs; 93; 8/06/1924; 29/06/2017
  • Frank Parker; Hawthorn Football Club; 96; 20 September 1920; 7 July 2017
  • Don Hewson; Melbourne Football Club; 97; 28/10/1919; 12/07/2017
  • Chris Elliott; South Melbourne Football Club; 63; 6 October 1953; 22 July 2017
  • Jack MacGregor; Fitzroy Football Club; 84; 15/09/1932; 24/07/2017
  • Eric Moore; Fitzroy Football Club; 91; 25/12/1925; 25/07/2017
  • Jim Norman; Geelong Football Club; 88; 1/09/1928; 26/07/2017
  • Ken Rollason; Melbourne Football Club; 89; 12 July 1928; 27 July 2017
  • Dennis Smith; Richmond Football Club; 78; 1/02/1939; 30/07/2017
  • Kevan Hamilton; Carlton Football Club; 83; 1/02/1934; 30/07/2017
  • Frank Steane; North Melbourne Football Club; 92; 22/02/1925; 4/08/2017
  • Merv Agars; West Adelaide Football Club; 92; 12-Jun-2025; 08-Aug-2017
  • Mac Wilson; Carlton Football Club; 103; 9/07/1914; 9/08/2017
  • Bernie Ryan; Geelong Football Club; 82; 10/08/1934; 12/08/2017
  • Harry Beitzel; ;89; 29/11/1927; 13/08/2017
  • Ken Christie; Melbourne Football Club; 89; 28 August 1927; 17 August 2017
  • Pat Hogan; South Melbourne Football Club; 86; 19 November 1930; 17 August 2017
  • Cliff Eade; Richmond Football Club; 84; 24 May 1933; 19 August 2017
  • Bruce Cummins; St Kilda Football Club; 87; 17/11/1929; 22/08/2017
  • Alan Jewell; Hawthorn Football Club; 85; 19/02/1932; 22/08/2017
  • Ian Slockwitch; Richmond Football Club; 75; 6 October 1941; 23 August 2017
  • Tom Tarrant; Collingwood Football Club; 85; 29/09/1931; 23/08/2017
  • Bill Joiner; Hawthorn Football Club; 78; 29 August 1939; 4 September 2017
  • Geoff Turner; St Kilda Football Club; 89; 7/09/1928; 8/09/2017
  • Kevin Dynon; North Melbourne Football Club; 92; 11/08/1925; 8/09/2017
  • Bernie Smallwood; Footscray Football Club; 89; 22 December 1927; 28 September 2017
  • Bobby Burt; North Melbourne Football Club;83; 23/05/1934; 29/09/2017
  • Allan Rogers; Footscray Football Club; 87; 9 August 1930; 30 September 2017
  • Ken Munro; Hawthorn Football Club; 95; 14/03/1922; 2/10/2017
  • Bill McMaster; North Melbourne Football Club; 95; 15/03/1922; 3/10/2017
  • Mike Woods; Melbourne Football Club; 91; 1/08/1926; 4/10/2017
  • Jason Bevan; Collingwood Football Club; 39; 18/04/1978; 7/10/2017
  • Stuart Lennie; St Kilda Football Club; 80; 16/10/1936; 15/10/2017
  • Roger Bullen; Geelong Football Club; 83; 18/07/34; 25/10/17
  • Cecil Austen; Hawthorn Football Club; 98; 30/11/1918; 29/10/2017
  • Malcolm Scott; Sydney/St Kilda Football Clubs; 59; 11/04/1958; 4/11/2017
  • Frank O'Connor; Melbourne Football Club; 94; 6/11/1923; 13/11/2017
  • Norm Charles; Footscray Football Club; 86; 1 August 1931; 25 November 2017
  • Matt Cunningham; Fitzroy Football Club; 83; 28/02/1934; 2/12/2017
  • Laurie Rymer; Collingwood Football Club; 83; 5/07/1934; 5/12/2017
  • Dave Boyd; Port Adelaide Football Club; 90; 16/08/1927; 15/12/2017
  • Gerry Walsh; Richmond Football Club; 85; 4 May 1932; 17 December 2017
  • Frank Hodgkin; St Kilda Football Club; 76; 20/06/1941; 17/12/2017
  • Ken Hands; Carlton Football Club; 91; 26/10/1926; 22/12/2017
  • Ray Schofield; West Perth Football Club; 92; 7/08/25; 23/12/17
  • Ken Feltscheer; Hawthorn/Melbourne Football Club; 102; 9/06/1915; 25/12/2017
  • Keith McKenzie; North Melbourne Football Club; 95; 26/04/1922; 8/01/2018
  • John Elder; South Melbourne/Collingwood Football Clubs; 85; 8/07/1932; 13/01/2018
  • Eric White; South Melbourne Football Clubs; 75; 10/9/1942; 14/01/2018
  • Bruce Light; Port Adelaide Football Club; 68; 26/06/1949; 24/01/2018
  • Jack Law; Footscray Football Club; 93; 18/07/1924; 26/01/2018
  • Frank Allen; East Perth Football Club; 91; 5/12/1926; 4/02/2018
  • Don Hart Richmond/Fitzroy Football Club; 87; 29/9/1930; 8/2/2018
  • Geoff Jones; St Kilda Football Club; 87; 5/4/1930; 15/2/2018
  • Ian McCann; Hawthorn Football Club; 84; 28/8/1933; 16/2/2018
  • Jack Eichhorn; Sydney Swans; 91; 23/12/1926; 20/2/2018
  • Graeme Gahan; Richmond Football Club; 76; 10/1/1942; 23/2/2018
  • Max Cole; Fitzroy Football Club; 77; 30/1/1941; 25/2/2018
  • Troy Casserly; East Fremantle & Central District Football Clubs; 73; 24-Apr-1944; 06-Mar-2018
  • Harold Rosewarne; South Melbourne Football Club; 87; 31-Aug-1930; 09-Mar-2018
  • Geoff Hibbins; St Kilda Football Club; 88; 13-Nov-1929; 10-Mar-2018
  • Dexter Davies; East Fremantle Football Club; 66; 10-Apr-1951; 17-Mar-2018
  • Joe Malone; North Melbourne Football Club; 94; 04-Feb-1924; 24-Mar-2018
  • Ray Marinko; West Perth & East Perth Football Clubs; 81; 29-Nov-1936; 30-Mar-2018
  • Bob Collins; Footscray Football Club; 83; 25-Dec-1934; 30-Mar-2018
  • Tom Jones; Carlton & Footscray Football Clubs; 87; 10/07/30; 20/04/18
  • Shane Yarran; Fremantle/Peel Thunder/Subiaco Football Clubs; 28; 2-Jun-1989; 20-Apr-2018
  • Don Hall; Carlton Football Club; 78; 7/06/39; 23/04/18
  • Russell Renfrey; Geelong Football Club; 94; 11-Aug-1923; 28-Apr-2018
  • Bill Hay; Hawthorn Football Club; 83; 27-Jun-1934; 29-Apr-2018
  • Mark Cross; Footscray/Williamstown Football Clubs; 61; 23-Jul-1956; 1-May-2018
  • Tony Gilmore; Geelong Football Club; 68; 3/12/49; 10/05/18
  • Tony Beers; Collingwood/Claremont Football Clubs; 55; 7-Nov-1962; 11-May-2018
  • Bob Bonnett; Port Melbourne Football Club; 85; 1933; 11-May-2018
  • Russell Jessop; Collingwood Football Club; 60; 25-Sep-1957; 16-May 2018
  • Dennis O'Sullivan; Carlton Football Club; 72; 5-Jan-1946; 16-May-2018
  • Eddie Lane; Sydney Swans; 88; 25/06/29; 28/05/18
  • Brian Mee; St Kilda Football Club; 88; 25/04/30; 29/05/18


Last updated 26 Mar 2019
 
Last edited:

ThePope

Premiership Player
Jun 23, 2003
3,671
381
32º 03'S 115º 45'E
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
South Fremantle
A few more queries visually analysing the data, with some graphs:
  • http://tinyurl.com/yag9s73z
    - recent month and year counts . August 2007 was the deadliest month recently, 15 footballers died. 3 months have had only a single death, most are 4 to 8.
  • http://tinyurl.com/yctap7qe
    - All time deaths by year. Originally I had thought that 2017 and 2016 had had the fewest deaths since 1951 (54). But either the data was wrong, or we've found more lately. 1967 and 1968 had the most (98).
(updated query in Nov 2018 to only include AFL/VFL players, and to remove some duplication.)

Also, Dave Boyd, Port Adelaide Hall of Famer, died in December 2017, but we don't have an exact date of birth. Is anyone a member of Genealogy SA, so that they can see the details of his birth registration? Can't find anything on Trove or other sites, or even a burial record.
 
Last edited:
Oct 22, 2000
1,290
910
Launceston
AFL Club
Geelong
A few more queries visually analysing the data, with some graphs:


Also, Dave Boyd, Port Adelaide Hall of Famer, died in December 2017, but we don't have an exact date of birth. Is anyone a member of Genealogy SA, so that they can see the details of his birth registration? Can't find anything on Trove or other sites, or even a burial record.

Yes, I too have checked a range of sites and sources, and cannot find a direct reference to Boyd's DOB.

He is listed as being 25 in early October 1953 in the Grand Final team list:
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/3970840

He played in the 1950 Brisbane Carnival. I think I can find a souvenir programme which may show player ages, if so will add detail to this post later in the day.
 

35Daicos

Premium Platinum
Mar 6, 2011
8,952
11,843
Adelaide
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Collingwood (VFL), Man Utd.
Also, Dave Boyd, Port Adelaide Hall of Famer, died in December 2017, but we don't have an exact date of birth. Is anyone a member of Genealogy SA, so that they can see the details of his birth registration? Can't find anything on Trove or other sites, or even a burial record.
From Genealogy SA (my father is a member):

BOYD, David Edward
Given Name(s): David Edward
Last Name: BOYD
Birth Date: 1927, August 16
Gender: M
Father: David BOYD
Mother: Thelma Irene FRY
Birth Place/Residence: Largs Bay
District: Port Adelaide
Symbol:
Book/Page: 197A/351
Cross Reference:
 

Kingpin

Brownlow Medallist
Jan 15, 2004
13,082
933
AFL Club
Richmond
  • Graeme Gahan; Richmond Football Club; 76; 10/1/1942; 23/2/2018
I remember Graeme Gahan as he coached Glenorchy over here in around 1969-70.
Also coached Scottsdale in the old NTFA too.

John K Watts; Geelong Football Club; 80; 21/1/1937; 3/6/2017

Darryl Sutton; North Melbourne/Richmond/Sydney Football Club; 64; 27/7/1952; 28/1/2017
 

35Daicos

Premium Platinum
Mar 6, 2011
8,952
11,843
Adelaide
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Collingwood (VFL), Man Utd.
Tony Beers, who played 5 games for Collingwood in the early 80's, died recently (11/05/2018) in Perth, aged 55. His father Brian was a Premiership player for the club, and brother Mark also represented the Magpies. He had a successful career with Claremont in the WAFL after his stint at Collingwood ended:-

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/classifieds/ad/2906959/

BEERS. _ Tony.

The Committee and Members of the Collingwood Past Players are saddened to hear of the passing of Tony, who represented our great Club from 1982-1983. Our thoughts and condolences are with the Beers family, a great Collingwood family during this sad time.

Side By Side We Stick Together

http://tributes.heraldsun.com.au/notice/6534555779465216/view?random=1526614565178

BEERS - Anthony Brian (Tony)

Passed away suddenly in Perth aged 55. Beloved son of Margaret and Brain, much loved father of Maddison and Charlotte, loved brother to Mark and Sue, Stephen and Kim. Loved uncle of his 6 nieces and nephews in Melbourne. Sadly missed. Memorial service in Melbourne to be advised.

Edit: http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2018-05-18/vale-two-distinguished-magpies

The President, Board, staff and members of the Collingwood Football Club would like to express their sadness at the passing of former players Tony Beers and Russell Jessop.

The son of former Collingwood premiership player Brian Beers, Tony Beers played five games for the club between 1982 and 1983.

Russell Jessop was a member of the Collingwood list between 1976 and 1977, and, like Beers, managed five games across his two seasons.
======================
https://forever.collingwoodfc.com.au/players/russell-jessop/
Date of Death: 16 May 2018
 
Last edited:

ThePope

Premiership Player
Jun 23, 2003
3,671
381
32º 03'S 115º 45'E
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
South Fremantle
Back