Bill Sneazwell
Collingwood
AFL career
20 games0 goals
- Debut
- R3 1926 v HAW15 May 1926
- Most recent
- SF 1928 v MEL15 Sept 1928
Stats
Bio
A promising follower and defender whose career was cruelly cut short just as Collingwood's greatest era began, Bill Sneazwell was a Thornbury local who famously resisted fierce interest from Carlton to join the Magpies. After winning a tug-of-war for his clearance in 1926, he quickly established himself at Victoria Park, using his 182cm frame, speed, and stamina to serve as a capable following partner for skipper Syd Coventry. He showed immense dedication to his football, choosing to board in the city rather than move to the country with his parents to retain his spot in the side, but he was ultimately betrayed by his body. After thigh trouble limited his output in 1927, a severe knee injury sustained in a 1929 intra-club match forced him into retirement at just 22, denying him a place on the field during the "Machine" team's four consecutive premierships. Sneazwell remained a devoted servant of the club for decades, eventually presiding over the Past Players' Association, while his son Tony went on to represent Australia as a high jumper at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games.
Profile
- Born
- 03 Apr 1906
- Died
- 14 Dec 1967 (aged 61y 255d)
- Height
- 182 cm
- Weight
- 74 kg
Teams
- Collingwood20 games, 0 goals1926–1928
Bio
1 revisionA promising follower and defender whose career was cruelly cut short just as Collingwood's greatest era began, Bill Sneazwell was a Thornbury local who famously resisted fierce interest from Carlton to join the Magpies. After winning a tug-of-war for his clearance in 1926, he quickly established himself at Victoria Park, using his 182cm frame, speed, and stamina to serve as a capable following partner for skipper Syd Coventry. He showed immense dedication to his football, choosing to board in the city rather than move to the country with his parents to retain his spot in the side, but he was ultimately betrayed by his body. After thigh trouble limited his output in 1927, a severe knee injury sustained in a 1929 intra-club match forced him into retirement at just 22, denying him a place on the field during the "Machine" team's four consecutive premierships. Sneazwell remained a devoted servant of the club for decades, eventually presiding over the Past Players' Association, while his son Tony went on to represent Australia as a high jumper at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games.