Dinny Kelleher

Denis "Dinny" Kelleher (22 July 1902 – 30 May 1963) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Denis Kelleher
Personal information
Date of birth (1902-07-22)22 July 1902
Place of birth Baddaginnie, Victoria
Date of death 30 May 1963(1963-05-30) (aged 60)
Original team(s) Baddaginnie, Benalla, Wangaratta.
Height 187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 101 kg (223 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1927–1932 Carlton 054 0(1)
1933–1936 South Melbourne 059 (14)
Total 113 (15)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1936.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com


Early life

Born in the small rural town of Baddaginnie in 1902. He apparently captained his school's football team, then went on to play with Baddaginnie in the Euroa District Football Association in 1919,[1] 1920[2] and 1921.[3]

Kelleher then played with Benalla in the Ovens and Murray Football League in 1922[4] and 1923, gaining selection in the OMFL team against the VFL in 1923.

He stood out of football in 1924 as Benalla refused to clear him to Wangaratta.[5][6] Standing out of football for a year gave him an automatic clearance. At Wangaratta he played as the team's centre half-forward in their 1925 Ovens and Murray Football League premiership[7] and 1926 Ovens and Murray Football League grand final loss to St. Patrick's.[8] Kelleher represented the O&MFL in a match against the VFL in 1926 at Albury.[9]

VFL career

Carlton initially tried to recruit Kelleher in 1925, after he was spotted playing for Wangaratta in the Ovens and Murray Football League.[10] He later played well in a practice match with Carlton in April, 1926,[11][12] before returning to Wangaratta,[13] then played seven senior VFL games in 1927. They considered him a plodder so after six years he began to look elsewhere. Kelleher also played mid-week with the Railways team which may have sapped his energy. Kelleher was the first big name Melbourne footballer to be recruited by a team in the Hampden League. Camperdown offered him the position as captain-coach and he accepted. Carlton took their time clearing him as he played the first four games of the 1932 season with the Blues. Unfortunately for Kelleher and Camperdown they finished last in 1932.[14]

He Returned to Carlton in 1933 but only managed to play a few games in the seconds before South Melbourne recruited him. His first game was against Melbourne and that started an eleven game winning streak which culminated in the 1933 premiership.

A solid 101 kg follower, Kelleher was a member of South's three unsuccessful VFL grand finals sides of 1934, 1935, and 1936.

Post VFL

Leaving South Melbourne for Murtoa in the Wimmera, he was there for two years before moving on to Tasmania. Kelleher coached four different teams to premierships.[15]

He captain-coached City to NTFA premierships in 1939 and 1940 before retiring as a player in 1941.[16]

References
  1. "1919 - Football". Euroa Advertiser (Vic. : 1884 - 1920). Euroa Advertiser (Vic). 5 September 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  2. "1920 - Football". Euroa Advertiser (Vic. : 1884 - 1920). Euroa Advertiser. 11 June 1920. p. 4. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  3. "1921 - Football". Benalla Standard. Benalla Standard (Vic). 20 May 1921. p. 3. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  4. "1922 - Football". Benalla Standard. Benalla Standard (Vic). 5 May 1922. p. 3. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  5. "1924 - Football". Benalla Standard (Vic). 23 May 1924. p. 5. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  6. "1934 - Kelleher took to mature". Sporting Globe. Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic). 18 August 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  7. "1925 - O & M Premiership". Benalla Standard. Benalla Standard (Vic). 15 September 1925. p. 3. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  8. "1926 - St. Patrick's (Albury) Gain Premiership of Ovens and Murray Football League". Weekly Times. 18 September 1926. p. 76. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  9. "1926 - To play at Albury". Weekly Times. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic). 31 July 1926. p. 80. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  10. "1925 - Umpires for Saturday". Corowa Free Press. The Corowa Free Press (NSW). 12 June 1925. p. 3. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  11. "1926 - Football: Final practice games". The Argus. 27 April 1926. p. 17. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  12. "1926 - Sporting Notes: Football". Benalla Standard. Benalla Standard (Vic). 30 April 1926. p. 6. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  13. "1926 - Kelleher remains at Wangaratta". The Age. 3 May 1926. p. 7. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  14. "Kelleher Took Time to Mature". Sporting Globe. 18 August 1934.
  15. "1953 - Dinny Kelleher no Sailor". Record. Record (Emerald Hill, Vic). 29 November 1953. p. 13. Retrieved 13 June 2021.
  16. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2009). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (8th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 441. ISBN 978-1-921496-00-4.
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