Frank Donnellan

James Francis Donnellan (17 November 1907 – 5 July 1994) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Frank Donnellan
Personal information
Full name James Francis Donnellan
Date of birth (1907-11-17)17 November 1907
Place of birth Clifton Hill, Victoria
Date of death 5 July 1994(1994-07-05) (aged 86)
Place of death Victoria, Australia
Original team(s) Xavier College
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1926 Hawthorn 03 0(2)
1927; 1931–32 North Melbourne 18 0(8)
1933–34 Fitzroy 36 0(0)
Total 57 (10)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1934.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

The son of James Francis Donnellan and Margaret Ann Fitzgerald, Frank Donnellan was educated at Xavier College in Kew and was a prominent player in their 1924 premiership side.[2]

Football

Donnellan trialled with Essendon in 1925[3] but joined Hawthorn in 1926, making his debut at full-forward in their 141-point loss to Melbourne[4] and making two other appearances before being dropped to the reserves.

Having been released by Hawthorn at the commencement of the 1927 VFL season,[5] Donnellan played with Thornbury in the C.Y.M.S. Association and then moved to North Melbourne[6] and made a solitary appearance late in the season. During the next few years Donnellan did not play VFL football, again playing with Thornbury,[7] but he resumed with North Melbourne halfway through the 1931 VFL season and made 17 consecutive appearances in the team. During this run of games he changed position from being a key forward to playing at full-back.

At the start of the 1933 VFL season, Donnellan transferred to Fitzroy[8] and he played as full-back in every game for the next two seasons before his retirement.

Later life

In 1935 Frank Donnellan married Jane Elizabeth O’Connell[9] and they lived in Melbourne until his death in 1994. Donnellan is buried at the Andersons Creek Cemetery in Warrandyte.[10]

Notes
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. "XAVIER COLLEGE CHAMPIONS". The Argus. Melbourne. 16 August 1924. p. 27.
  3. "FOOTBALL". The Age. Melbourne. 13 April 1925. p. 4.
  4. "A MELBOURNE WASHAWAY". The Argus. Melbourne. 28 June 1926. p. 16.
  5. "FOOTBALL". The Argus. Melbourne. 25 April 1927. p. 7.
  6. "UMPIRES AND PERMITS". The Argus. Melbourne. 9 June 1927. p. 6.
  7. "THE JUNIORS". The Herald. No. 15, 960. Melbourne. 13 July 1928. p. 15.
  8. "LEAGUE PERMITS". The Argus. Melbourne. 29 April 1933. p. 23.
  9. "Family Notices". Table Talk. Melbourne. 12 September 1935. p. 47 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "James Francis Donnellan". Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust.
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