Bill Crane
Collingwood
AFL career
4 games0 goals
- Debut
- R1 1943 v NTH8 May 1943
- Most recent
- R9 1943 v FIT3 July 1943
Stats
Bio
Bill Crane was a talented schoolboy footballer from Alphington whose career was largely defined—and curtailed—by the Second World War. Initially scouted by Magpie great Des Fothergill and taken to Williamstown in the VFA, Crane played senior football as a teenager before the competition went into recess. He eventually arrived at Collingwood in 1943, where he quickly found a niche in defence, utilising his speed and a reliable clearing kick to hold down a spot in the back pocket and half-back flank. Despite showing significant promise across his four senior appearances, his momentum was halted by RAAF service in Port Moresby. He returned to Australia after the war but was unable to reclaim a place at VFL level, leaving him as one of many skilled players whose opportunities were swallowed by the timing of global conflict.
Profile
- Born
- 11 Jan 1924
- Died
- 02 Oct 2014 (aged 90y 264d)
- Height
- 173 cm
- Weight
- 83 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionBill Crane was a talented schoolboy footballer from Alphington whose career was largely defined—and curtailed—by the Second World War. Initially scouted by Magpie great Des Fothergill and taken to Williamstown in the VFA, Crane played senior football as a teenager before the competition went into recess. He eventually arrived at Collingwood in 1943, where he quickly found a niche in defence, utilising his speed and a reliable clearing kick to hold down a spot in the back pocket and half-back flank. Despite showing significant promise across his four senior appearances, his momentum was halted by RAAF service in Port Moresby. He returned to Australia after the war but was unable to reclaim a place at VFL level, leaving him as one of many skilled players whose opportunities were swallowed by the timing of global conflict.