Len Holland
South Melbourne
AFL career
33 games5 goals
- Debut
- R1 1946 v CAR22 Apr 1946
- Most recent
- R18 1948 v FSC28 Aug 1948
Stats
Bio
A tenacious small defender who emerged from the bush to play VFL football in the immediate post-war era, Len Holland was a product of Newbridge who arrived at South Melbourne after serving his country. Having enlisted in the RAAF at just 19, Holland spent his early twenties working as a radio mechanic during World War II, a commitment that delayed his league debut until the age of 23. When he finally donned the red and white in 1946, he quickly established himself as a scrappy back-pocket and half-back flanker, winning praise in match reports for his defensive desperation and ability to quell opposition forwards. Standing only 173cm, he relied on grit rather than size to hold his spot in the Bloods' lineup, playing 33 games over three seasons before his VFL career concluded at the end of 1948.
Profile
- Born
- 28 Mar 1923
- Died
- 13 July 1989 (aged 66y 107d)
- Birthplace
- Newbridge, VIC
- Deathplace
- Heidelberg, VIC
- Height
- 173 cm
- Weight
- 76 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionA tenacious small defender who emerged from the bush to play VFL football in the immediate post-war era, Len Holland was a product of Newbridge who arrived at South Melbourne after serving his country. Having enlisted in the RAAF at just 19, Holland spent his early twenties working as a radio mechanic during World War II, a commitment that delayed his league debut until the age of 23. When he finally donned the red and white in 1946, he quickly established himself as a scrappy back-pocket and half-back flanker, winning praise in match reports for his defensive desperation and ability to quell opposition forwards. Standing only 173cm, he relied on grit rather than size to hold his spot in the Bloods' lineup, playing 33 games over three seasons before his VFL career concluded at the end of 1948.