Frank Hodgkin
Hodgkin during his St Kilda career
Personal information
Date of birth (1941-06-20)20 June 1941
Date of death 17 December 2017(2017-12-17) (aged 76)
Place of death Wodonga, Victoria
Original team(s) Kergunyah
Height 179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Position(s) Centre half-forward
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1961–1962 St Kilda 32 (21)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1962.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Frank D. Hodgkin (20 June 1941 – 17 December 2017) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Hodgkin, originally from Kergunyah in the Tallangatta & District Football League, debuting as a 14-year and playing in a premiership in 1955. Hodgkin started his Ovens & Murray Football League career at Myrtleford in 1957, aged 17 and represented the O&MFL against the South West Football League.[1] Despite his young age, Hodgkin was chosen in the league's representative team in his debut season.[1] After winning Myrtleford's best and fairest award in 1960, Hodgkin went to St Kilda for the 1961 VFL season.[1]

He made an instant impression in a pre-season practice match when he traded punches with captain Neil Roberts, then later Eric Guy, the vice captain.[2] He played 18 of a possible 19 games in 1961, including St Kilda's semi-final loss to Footscray.[3] His performances that season earned him the "best first-year player" award.[1] A centre half-forward, Hodgkin's spot in the team became less certain due to the emergence of Darrel Baldock.[1][4]

In 1963 he returned to Myrtleford, where he won a second best and fairest.[5]

From 1964 to 1967, Hodgkin played for Ganmain in the South Western District Football League and was a member of two premiership teams (1964 and 1965).[5] He won the league's best and fairest award in 1966.[6][5]

Rutherglen secured him as coach in 1968 and he remained in that position for three years.[5]

Hodgkin played with North Albury from 1971 to 1974, then coached Mitta United to a premiership in the 1975 Tallangatta League season, in which he booted 120 goals.[1][5] In 1976 he spent the year with Wodonga, before he had two season stints back at North Albury and Mitta United, retiring in 1980.[5]

Hodgkin kicked 238 goals during his time in the O&MFL.

Hodgkin played 426 games of senior football over a 25-year period.[7]

His younger brother, Robert, played for Fitzroy.[4]

He died in 2017 at the age of 76.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Border Mail, "Hall of Fame: Frank Hodgkin ", David Johnston
  2. ↑ The Age, "Saints Swap Punches, But No Ill-feelings", 4 April 1961, p. 1
  3. ↑ "Frank Hodgkin". AFL Tables.
  4. 1 2 Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Frank 'Iron Man' Hodgkin". Fox Sports Pulse.
  6. ↑ "1981 - South West District FL - Grand Final Programme" (PDF). NSW Football History. South Western DFL. 26 September 1981. p. 19. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "1991 - O&MFL - The Critic" (PDF). NSW Football History. NSW Football History. 11 September 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  8. ↑ "Hodgkin, Frank". Herald Sun. 19 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
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