Harry Long
Melbourne
AFL career
117 games21 goals
- Debut
- R1 1929 v SME27 Apr 1929
- Most recent
- PF 1937 v COL18 Sept 1937
Stats
Bio
Hailing from Launceston, Tasmania, Harry Long arrived at the Melbourne Football Club in 1929 after being recommended by former Fitzroy player "Snowy" Atkinson. Ostensibly moving to Victoria to study accountancy, Long quickly established himself as a dependable half-back and occasional centreman for the Demons. He was a consistent performer during a transitional era for the club, earning selection for Victoria in 1932 (though he was unable to travel) and representing the VFL against the VFA. His leadership qualities were recognised when he was appointed vice-captain in 1934, becoming a key pillar in the Melbourne defence throughout the decade.
Long’s career concluded with a sense of "what might have been" regarding team success. After missing a large portion of the 1936 season due to a business trip to America and a car accident, he returned to play in losing preliminary finals in both 1936 and 1937. He retired just prior to the club’s golden era, narrowly missing out on the hat-trick of premierships that began in 1939 under Checker Hughes. Long later served with the Anti-Aircraft Regiment during World War II before returning to Melbourne as a long-serving committeeman and chairman of selectors, eventually earning induction into the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame.
Profile
- Born
- 13 Feb 1910
- Died
- 29 July 2003 (aged 93y 166d)
- Birthplace
- Tea Tree, TAS
- Height
- 182 cm
- Weight
- 79 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionHailing from Launceston, Tasmania, Harry Long arrived at the Melbourne Football Club in 1929 after being recommended by former Fitzroy player "Snowy" Atkinson. Ostensibly moving to Victoria to study accountancy, Long quickly established himself as a dependable half-back and occasional centreman for the Demons. He was a consistent performer during a transitional era for the club, earning selection for Victoria in 1932 (though he was unable to travel) and representing the VFL against the VFA. His leadership qualities were recognised when he was appointed vice-captain in 1934, becoming a key pillar in the Melbourne defence throughout the decade.
Long’s career concluded with a sense of "what might have been" regarding team success. After missing a large portion of the 1936 season due to a business trip to America and a car accident, he returned to play in losing preliminary finals in both 1936 and 1937. He retired just prior to the club’s golden era, narrowly missing out on the hat-trick of premierships that began in 1939 under Checker Hughes. Long later served with the Anti-Aircraft Regiment during World War II before returning to Melbourne as a long-serving committeeman and chairman of selectors, eventually earning induction into the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame.