Ivan Smith
Fitzroy
AFL career
4 games0 goals
- Debut
- R12 1956 v FSC7 July 1956
- Most recent
- R16 1956 v NTH4 Aug 1956
Stats
Bio
Recruited from Robinvale along the Murray River, Ivan Smith was a reluctant VFL footballer who managed a brief four-game stint with the Lions in 1956. Although a natural ruckman or back pocket, he was often deployed in the centre—a role he later self-deprecatingly admitted left him "ball watching" while club legend Kevin Murray covered for him. Smith prioritised his career in the police force and returned to country football after just one season, but his true legacy at Fitzroy was established off the field. Returning to the club in the 1960s, he became a stalwart of the Past Players’ Association, serving as Secretary for decades and playing a critical role in unifying the Fitzroy and Brisbane Lions history following the 1996 merger, eventually earning Life Membership for his half-century of service.
Profile
- Born
- 31 Dec 1933
- Died
- 09 Dec 2020 (aged 86y 344d)
- Height
- 185 cm
- Weight
- 86 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Robinvale along the Murray River, Ivan Smith was a reluctant VFL footballer who managed a brief four-game stint with the Lions in 1956. Although a natural ruckman or back pocket, he was often deployed in the centre—a role he later self-deprecatingly admitted left him "ball watching" while club legend Kevin Murray covered for him. Smith prioritised his career in the police force and returned to country football after just one season, but his true legacy at Fitzroy was established off the field. Returning to the club in the 1960s, he became a stalwart of the Past Players’ Association, serving as Secretary for decades and playing a critical role in unifying the Fitzroy and Brisbane Lions history following the 1996 merger, eventually earning Life Membership for his half-century of service.