Gus Petzke
Richmond
AFL career
2 games0 goals
- Debut
- R5 1923 v COL4 June 1923
- Most recent
- R6 1923 v ESS9 June 1923
Stats
Bio
Hailing from the Mallee region, August "Gus" Petzke was a colossus of his era, standing 193cm and weighing nearly 100kg when such dimensions were a rarity in the VFL. A jackaroo by trade who cut his teeth with Koondrook and Ultima, he arrived at Richmond in 1923 to provide a towering presence as a ruckman and centre-half forward. Despite his significant physical advantages, Petzke's senior career at Punt Road was fleeting, consisting of just two consecutive matches against Collingwood and Essendon before he departed the league almost as quickly as he arrived. He subsequently forged a reputation as a nomadic bush legend and captain-coach, securing a premiership for Lalbert and turning out for clubs ranging from Nhill to Yarraville in a journey that cemented his status as a larger-than-life character of country football rather than a long-term VFL regular.
Profile
- Born
- 23 Aug 1896
- Died
- 26 May 1967 (aged 70y 276d)
- Birthplace
- Kerang, VIC
- Deathplace
- Melbourne, VIC
- Height
- 193 cm
- Weight
- 96 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionHailing from the Mallee region, August "Gus" Petzke was a colossus of his era, standing 193cm and weighing nearly 100kg when such dimensions were a rarity in the VFL. A jackaroo by trade who cut his teeth with Koondrook and Ultima, he arrived at Richmond in 1923 to provide a towering presence as a ruckman and centre-half forward. Despite his significant physical advantages, Petzke's senior career at Punt Road was fleeting, consisting of just two consecutive matches against Collingwood and Essendon before he departed the league almost as quickly as he arrived. He subsequently forged a reputation as a nomadic bush legend and captain-coach, securing a premiership for Lalbert and turning out for clubs ranging from Nhill to Yarraville in a journey that cemented his status as a larger-than-life character of country football rather than a long-term VFL regular.