Elkin Reilly
South Melbourne
AFL career
51 games2 goals
- Debut
- R5 1962 v FIT19 May 1962
- Most recent
- R17 1966 v RCH20 Aug 1966
Stats
Bio
Born in the Northern Territory and a member of the Stolen Generations, Elkin Reilly was adopted by a doctor's family and educated at Adelaide’s Rostrevor College before carving out a formidable reputation in country football. After winning Mail Medals in South Australian leagues and catching recruiters' eyes at Wentworth, he signed with South Melbourne in 1962, identifying a clearer path to senior selection there than at rival suitors Essendon or Richmond. Standing just 191cm, Reilly was an undersized ruckman even for his era, relying on competitive spoiling tactics and athleticism rather than brute strength to service champion rover Bob Skilton. He holds a significant place in history as the Swans' first Indigenous player, though his 51-game career was continually hampered by injury and eventually cut short by a ruptured appendix.
Profile
- Born
- 02 Apr 1938
- Died
- 03 Sept 2020 (aged 82y 154d)
- Birthplace
- Alpurrurulam, NT
- Deathplace
- Adelaide, SA
- Height
- 191 cm
- Weight
- 91 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionBorn in the Northern Territory and a member of the Stolen Generations, Elkin Reilly was adopted by a doctor's family and educated at Adelaide’s Rostrevor College before carving out a formidable reputation in country football. After winning Mail Medals in South Australian leagues and catching recruiters' eyes at Wentworth, he signed with South Melbourne in 1962, identifying a clearer path to senior selection there than at rival suitors Essendon or Richmond. Standing just 191cm, Reilly was an undersized ruckman even for his era, relying on competitive spoiling tactics and athleticism rather than brute strength to service champion rover Bob Skilton. He holds a significant place in history as the Swans' first Indigenous player, though his 51-game career was continually hampered by injury and eventually cut short by a ruptured appendix.