Len Gardner
Richmond
AFL career
5 games0 goals
- Debut
- R1 1951 v FSC21 Apr 1951
- Most recent
- R15 1951 v HAW11 Aug 1951
Stats
Bio
A local product recruited from the Burnley Scouts, Len Gardner was a utility and ruck-rover who made his senior debut for Richmond in the opening round of the 1951 season. Standing 180cm, he often served as a second ruck to Brownlow Medallist Roy Wright, yet despite winning the club’s Reserves Best and Fairest award that same year, his senior opportunities were restricted to just five games. His swift exit from Punt Road is often linked to a piece of football folklore, with reports suggesting he fell out of favour with coach Jack Dyer after refusing an instruction to physically target Carlton captain Ken Hands during a match. Gardner subsequently transferred to Box Hill in the VFA for two seasons before enjoying a decorated stint in suburban football with North Kew, where he won a premiership and a club champion award.
Profile
- Born
- 16 Feb 1931
- Died
- 17 May 2025 (aged 94y 90d)
- Height
- 180 cm
- Weight
- 81 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionA local product recruited from the Burnley Scouts, Len Gardner was a utility and ruck-rover who made his senior debut for Richmond in the opening round of the 1951 season. Standing 180cm, he often served as a second ruck to Brownlow Medallist Roy Wright, yet despite winning the club’s Reserves Best and Fairest award that same year, his senior opportunities were restricted to just five games. His swift exit from Punt Road is often linked to a piece of football folklore, with reports suggesting he fell out of favour with coach Jack Dyer after refusing an instruction to physically target Carlton captain Ken Hands during a match. Gardner subsequently transferred to Box Hill in the VFA for two seasons before enjoying a decorated stint in suburban football with North Kew, where he won a premiership and a club champion award.