Frank Gumbleton
North Melbourne
AFL career
147 games19 goals
- Debut
- R1 1970 v STK4 Apr 1970
- Most recent
- R20 1979 v MEL18 Aug 1979
Stats
1979 | NTH | 1 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
1978 | NTH | 2 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
1977 | NTH | 19 | 7.0 | 3.9 | 10.9 | 3.5 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
1976 | NTH | 26 | 7.5 | 4.9 | 12.4 | 4.1 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
1975 | NTH | 24 | 9.1 | 3.7 | 12.7 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
1974 | NTH | 19 | 8.3 | 2.4 | 10.7 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
1973 | NTH | 20 | 9.3 | 3.0 | 12.3 | 3.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
1972 | NTH | 18 | 8.3 | 1.6 | 9.9 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
1971 | NTH | 5 | 5.4 | 2.2 | 7.6 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
1970 | NTH | 13 | 8.8 | 2.5 | 11.3 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
Bio
Recruited from the Mallee town of Manangatang, Frank Gumbleton established himself as a cult figure at North Melbourne during the club's golden era of the 1970s. Affectionately known as "Gunboat," he was a versatile key position player who primarily operated as a rugged defender but possessed the contested marking strength to drift forward when required. His physical approach and reliability made him a fixture in Ron Barassi's lineup during the club's rapid ascent from league strugglers to powerhouse contenders.
Gumbleton played a significant role in North Melbourne's history, featuring in the losing 1974 Grand Final side before achieving the ultimate success as part of the club's inaugural premiership team in 1975. While he was a central pillar of the defence during the mid-70s, persistent injury battles and the immense depth of the Kangaroos' list limited his continuity in the latter stages of the decade. These fitness issues unfortunately cost him a place in the 1977 premiership side, and he eventually retired in 1979 having served the club with distinction across a decade of transformation at Arden Street.
Profile
- Born
- 06 Mar 1951 (age 75y 229d)
- Birthplace
- Ganmain, NSW
- Height
- 188 cm
- Weight
- 83 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership(2×) 1975, 1977
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from the Mallee town of Manangatang, Frank Gumbleton established himself as a cult figure at North Melbourne during the club's golden era of the 1970s. Affectionately known as "Gunboat," he was a versatile key position player who primarily operated as a rugged defender but possessed the contested marking strength to drift forward when required. His physical approach and reliability made him a fixture in Ron Barassi's lineup during the club's rapid ascent from league strugglers to powerhouse contenders.
Gumbleton played a significant role in North Melbourne's history, featuring in the losing 1974 Grand Final side before achieving the ultimate success as part of the club's inaugural premiership team in 1975. While he was a central pillar of the defence during the mid-70s, persistent injury battles and the immense depth of the Kangaroos' list limited his continuity in the latter stages of the decade. These fitness issues unfortunately cost him a place in the 1977 premiership side, and he eventually retired in 1979 having served the club with distinction across a decade of transformation at Arden Street.