Harry Saunders | |||
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![]() Saunders during his Collignwood career | |||
Personal information | |||
Full name | Henry George Saunders | ||
Date of birth | 21 May 1898 | ||
Place of birth | Portland, Victoria | ||
Date of death | 9 December 1930 | (aged 32)||
Place of death | East Melbourne, Victoria | ||
Original team(s) | Collingwood Senior Cadets | ||
Debut | Round 4, 1916, Collingwood vs. Richmond, at Victoria Park | ||
Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||
Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1916–1926 | Collingwood | 135 (10) | |
Coaching career | |||
Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
1926 | Footscray | 10 (3–7–0) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1926. | |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Henry George 'Harry' Saunders (21 May 1898 – 9 December 1930)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood and coached Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[2]
The son of Henry Saunders (1859-1921),[3] and Hannah Saunders (1863-1941), née Guiney,[4] Henry George Saunders was born at Portland, Victoria on 21 May 1898.
He married Millicent May "Mollie" Allen (1900-1963), later Mrs. Walter William James Crawford, in 1922.
He attended Christian Brothers' College, East Melbourne.
Saunders was recruited locally to Collingwood and went on to play 11 seasons with the club as a defender, mostly at full-back. He was a member of Collingwood premiership teams in 1917 and 1919 as well as playing in three losing Grand Finals. Saunders also represented the VFL at interstate football on three occasions.
In 1922, following a game where he had knocked out Carlton's Alex Duncan, the VFL Tribunal suspended him for six matches.[5][6] He was also charged by the police,[7] found guilty in court, and fined £5, in default a month's imprisonment.[8][9][10]
After playing the opening two rounds of the 1926 season Saunders retired from playing.[11]
He was cleared to Footscray in mid-season 1926,[12] and coached them, as non-playing coach, in 10 games for three wins. South Melbourne's Paddy Scanlan was appointed as Footscray's captain-coach at the beginning of the 1927 season.
Saunders died on 9 December 1930 following an operation for pancreatitis, aged 32.[13][14]