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Hedley Tomkins

Image DOB: 11 June 1885
Died: 6 February 1965

Debut: Round 1, 1906 against Carlton at Princes Park
Last Game: Round 18, 1913 against Essendon at MCG

From: Fitzroy/Leopold/Preston

Number: 11 (1912), 17 (1913)

Honours
Victorian state player - 1913

Games: 71 (75 total)
Goals: 25
Career Statistics

WinsDrawsLossesWinning %
2214830.98

Tomkins joined Fitzroy at 15-years-old, but after four senior games in 1904 they released him for being too small even as a rover. Crossing to Melbourne via a year at Leopold, he played one season before leaving for Preston in the VFA.

He returned to the VFL in 1910 and by 1912 was being hailed as one of the best rovers in the competition. He only missed Victorian state selection that year because he was unable to make the game due to business commitments. He instead played in a game representing the league against a side from Ballarat.

Tomkins stayed with the Redlegs until the end of 1913, a year he won a newspaper award for Player of the Year. Transferred west by his employer, Tomkins joined East Perth for 1914 and played five times for Western Australia that season. During 1915 he also coached the side.

Enlisting in the Army in August of that year, he left for Europe at the conclusion of the season to serve with the 28th Battalion in France. Tomkins was injured on duty and received five wounds on the ankle, five in the abdomen, two on his right arm and a piece of shrapnel in the left. He had eight operations and lost his leg as a result of the injuries. He was unable to travel back to Australia for six months afterwards.

He became a football journalist after returning to Australia.

YearGamesGoals
1906 53
1910 142
1911 177
1912 186
1913 177

Lists
Fitzroy
Players who served during war
VFA
WAFL

Media
Argus - 27/04/1906
The Argus - 28/04/1910
Football Record - R15 1912
Herald - 18/11/1916
Weekly Times - 25/11/1916
Sporting Globe - 21/05/1932

Links
VFA Project profile
War record
Wikipedia profile