Bert Francis
Melbourne
AFL career
5 games1 goals
- Debut
- R1 1912 v COL27 Apr 1912
- Most recent
- R7 1912 v ESS3 June 1912
Stats
Bio
A mature-age recruit from the Mornington Peninsula, "Pompey" Francis was already a legendary local figure at Hastings before briefly trying his hand at the top level. A hard-working fisherman and shearer by trade, he arrived at Melbourne in 1912 as a readymade ruckman, standing six feet tall and debuting comfortably against Collingwood at age 26. Despite holding his own in the contest during his short stint, the city lifestyle ultimately held little appeal for him; he walked away from the VFL after just five games to return to the coast. While his League career was a fleeting cameo, Francis remained a giant of country football, playing for Hastings into his late 30s and later serving the club as President.
Profile
- Born
- 26 June 1885
- Died
- 21 July 1958 (aged 73y 25d)
- Birthplace
- South Yarra, VIC
- Deathplace
- Hastings, VIC
Teams
Bio
1 revisionA mature-age recruit from the Mornington Peninsula, "Pompey" Francis was already a legendary local figure at Hastings before briefly trying his hand at the top level. A hard-working fisherman and shearer by trade, he arrived at Melbourne in 1912 as a readymade ruckman, standing six feet tall and debuting comfortably against Collingwood at age 26. Despite holding his own in the contest during his short stint, the city lifestyle ultimately held little appeal for him; he walked away from the VFL after just five games to return to the coast. While his League career was a fleeting cameo, Francis remained a giant of country football, playing for Hastings into his late 30s and later serving the club as President.