Brian Gleeson
St Kilda
AFL career
70 games47 goals
- Debut
- R1 1953 v NTH18 Apr 1953
- Most recent
- R18 1957 v COL24 Aug 1957
Stats
Bio
Recruited from the prestigious football nursery of St Patrick’s College in Ballarat, Brian Gleeson was a mobile big man whose brilliance was confined to a tragically brief window. Originally stationed at centre half-forward, he transformed into the VFL’s premier ruckman, utilizing his athleticism to dominate around the ground and his deft palm work to feed the Saints' rovers. His 1957 campaign was the pinnacle of his career, seeing him claim the Brownlow Medal and the club Best and Fairest before being appointed St Kilda captain at just 23 years of age. However, his tenure as skipper never officially began; a severe knee injury sustained in a 1958 pre-season practice match forced him into immediate retirement, cementing his legacy as one of the game's greatest "what if" stories.
Profile
- Born
- 03 Nov 1934 (age 91y 352d)
- Height
- 188 cm
- Weight
- 82 kg
Teams
Honours
- Brownlow Medal1957
- St Kilda B&F1957
- St Kilda captain1958
Family
- Brother:Terry Gleeson
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from the prestigious football nursery of St Patrick’s College in Ballarat, Brian Gleeson was a mobile big man whose brilliance was confined to a tragically brief window. Originally stationed at centre half-forward, he transformed into the VFL’s premier ruckman, utilizing his athleticism to dominate around the ground and his deft palm work to feed the Saints' rovers. His 1957 campaign was the pinnacle of his career, seeing him claim the Brownlow Medal and the club Best and Fairest before being appointed St Kilda captain at just 23 years of age. However, his tenure as skipper never officially began; a severe knee injury sustained in a 1958 pre-season practice match forced him into immediate retirement, cementing his legacy as one of the game's greatest "what if" stories.