Lou Riley
Collingwood and Melbourne
AFL career
64 games87 goals
- Debut
- R9 1932 v STK2 July 1932
- Most recent
- R9 1938 v FSC18 June 1938
Stats
Bio
Lou Riley was a dangerous half-forward whose career was defined by a fortuitous mid-season switch that led to premiership glory. Born in Sydney but raised in Ballarat, he first attracted the attention of VFL scouts while playing for Golden Point, famously booting 11 goals for a local combined side in an exhibition match against a visiting Collingwood team in 1931. Despite the Magpies witnessing his talent first-hand, it was Melbourne who initially won the race for his signature, and he spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Demons as a consistent goal-kicker. In a pivotal move midway through the 1934 season, Riley crossed to Collingwood, where he truly found his footing at the elite level. Settling into a role on the half-forward flank, he became a vital cog in the Magpies' attack, kicking a career-high 38 goals in 1935 and playing a key role in the club’s back-to-back premiership victories in 1935 and 1936 before retiring at the end of 1938.
Profile
- Born
- 07 Sept 1909
- Died
- 20 Apr 1989 (aged 79y 225d)
- Birthplace
- Granville, NSW
- Height
- 175 cm
- Weight
- 72 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership(2×) 1935, 1936
Bio
1 revisionLou Riley was a dangerous half-forward whose career was defined by a fortuitous mid-season switch that led to premiership glory. Born in Sydney but raised in Ballarat, he first attracted the attention of VFL scouts while playing for Golden Point, famously booting 11 goals for a local combined side in an exhibition match against a visiting Collingwood team in 1931. Despite the Magpies witnessing his talent first-hand, it was Melbourne who initially won the race for his signature, and he spent two-and-a-half seasons with the Demons as a consistent goal-kicker. In a pivotal move midway through the 1934 season, Riley crossed to Collingwood, where he truly found his footing at the elite level. Settling into a role on the half-forward flank, he became a vital cog in the Magpies' attack, kicking a career-high 38 goals in 1935 and playing a key role in the club’s back-to-back premiership victories in 1935 and 1936 before retiring at the end of 1938.