FRANK KELLY – 1910-1982
Others readers who have examined the photograph of the 1950 Yallourn Football Club on the Virtual Yallourn website would be excited to read the
name Frank Kelly (middle row-centre).
In 1950 Yallourn was affiliated in the Central Gippsland Football League. The history of the league is thin and not readily available, but is it has
been confirmed that Frank Kelly coached Yallourn for several years.
FRANK KELLY – 1910-1982
Others readers who have examined the photograph of the 1950 Yallourn Football Club on the Virtual Yallourn website would be excited to read the
name Frank Kelly (middle row-centre).
In 1950 Yallourn was affiliated in the Central Gippsland Football League. The history of the league is thin and not readily available, but is it has
been confirmed that Frank Kelly coached Yallourn for several years.
Frank Kelly was a high profile sporting identity and a dynamic footballer and inspirational coach. Former Yallourn captain/coach and Fitzroy player, John Hutchinson remembers being promoted from the Yallourn Under19’s to play for the Seniors during the 1953 Final series. John recalls that Frank was an eloquent orator with the ability to motivate players and lift performance. No doubt his years as a top line AFL/VFL coach and player gave Frank the ammunition to encourage and fire his players.
Frank Kelly played his first game for Collingwood seniors in 1930 . He was only 19 but had gained a strong reputation in suburban junior football. His AFL career is intriguing, as he is only one of few players to play with four AFL cubs. He is said to have been a highly accurate kick, determined and talented midfielder.
His AFL/VFL and country football career includes:-
.. Collingwood 1930,31,33 34 games 8 goals
.. Melbourne 1934,35,36 31 games I goal
.. Essendon 1937,38,39 30 games 7 goals
.. St Kilda 1942, 43, 44 21 games 28 goals
In total..116 games and 44 goals. He also gathered a total of seven Brownlow Medal votes with his best season being 1933 with 4 votes.
Frank coached Port Melbourne to a Premiership in 1940 after taking over the mantle from Port legend Tom Lahiff. This would have been a demanding
coaching role for any person as Port Melbourne’s followers were knowledgeable, critical and, some say, fanatical about their club and Australian rules.
Frank returned to St Kilda after his stint at Port Melbourne and was captain of St Kilda in 1944. After returning to Port Melbourne in 1945 and 1946 Frank was cleared to Yallourn North in 1947 and, according to one source, was playing coach for two years and in 1949 was non-playing coach.
The Kelly name became well known in sport and he became a popular and influential celebrity in our district. His experience, high energy and skill
stood out. With former Yallourn players Doug Williams (Carlton), Sid Tate (Geelong) and George Card (Geelong) starring in the AFL at that time , it is easy to imagine that the town and its workplaces would be awash with great stories of football during the winter months. ‘Frank Kelly’ would be a name spoken often in football circles.
It seems that Frank coached Yallourn for three seasons. He led the Yallourn team in the 1953 Final series of the CGFL. It is hard to ascertain how many games Frank was involved in as a player for Yallourn.
Frank was an accomplished cricketer and according to John Hutchinson was a brilliant wicket keeper. Former Yallourn Best and Fairest Winner (1963) and local sporting identity Grant Cowley played cricket with Frank at Yallourn North. Grant also remembers watching Frank’s son, John, box in competition bouts at Warragul which were held in earlier times. Frank was John’s trainer. (Boxing was a popular sport in those days and ‘prize money’ bouts were common and well attended by the male population.)
Frank’s son, John, carved out his own reputation as a clever footballer and a handy cricketer. John also umpired junior matches.
Frank’s sporting life in the city and Yallourn is probably worthy of greater consideration. What a pity there are no films of Frank playing football.
Even photographs of Frank in action are scarce but it cannot be denied that Frank was as ‘large as life’ and made a great contribution to sport in our
town.
Frank Kelly died on the 6th July 1982.
Written for Virtual Yallourn by Roger Spaull ~ September 2012.