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Paul Sproule

Richmond and Essendon

AFL career

146 games153 goals

Debut
R1 1968 v HAW15 Apr 1968
Most recent
PF 1975 v NTH20 Sept 1975

Coaching career

22 games9 wins13 losses0 draws

First
R1 1985 v ESS30 Mar 1985
Most recent
R22 1985 v MEL31 Aug 1985

Stats

1975
RCH
19
11.8
4.7
16.5
1.6
1.4
1.5
0.4
0.9
1974
RCH
21
13.2
6.2
19.4
1.5
2.1
2.0
1.2
1.1
1973
RCH
25
11.7
4.0
15.7
1.5
1.0
1.8
1.2
1.3
1972
RCH
21
13.0
2.6
15.7
1.5
1.8
1.7
1.5
0.8
1971
ESS
13
11.6
4.4
16.0
2.4
1.7
1.8
0.8
0.9
1970
ESS
21
15.8
6.1
22.0
3.0
2.9
2.5
0.9
1.0
1969
ESS
17
13.4
4.4
17.8
3.2
2.1
2.2
1.2
1.4
1968
ESS
9
9.4
1.6
11.0
1.7
0.8
1.1
1.2
1.6
League
Season
NTH
WP
PF
6
4
10
2
1
1
0
0.0
CAR
MCG
SF
17
10
27
2
4
2
0
3.0
COL
WP
EF
12
1
13
2
1
2
0
0.1
STK
MCG
R22
12
4
16
1
1
2
0
1.1
NTH
MCG
R19
13
8
21
1
3
4
0
0.0
MEL
MCG
R18
13
9
22
1
1
1
0
0.1
COL
MCG
R17
2
1
3
0
0
0
0
1.0
HAW
PP
R15
7
1
8
0
1
0
0
0.0
GEE
KP
R13
15
9
24
1
1
1
-
0.0
FIT
MCG
R12
16
5
21
3
3
2
-
0.1
STK
WP
R11
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
0.0
ESS
MCG
R10
4
4
8
0
1
2
-
0.0
CAR
PP
R9
16
2
18
3
1
1
-
0.1
NTH
AS
R8
14
6
20
2
0
0
-
0.2
MEL
MCG
R7
10
9
19
0
1
1
-
0.2
COL
VP
R6
14
4
18
0
2
4
-
0.2
FSC
WO
R4
16
2
18
8
1
1
-
1.2
HAW
WP
R3
11
3
14
1
1
1
-
1.2
GEE
MCG
R2
15
2
17
2
2
2
-
0.2

Profile

Born
16 Dec 1944
Died
26 Aug 2025 (aged 80y 253d)
Height
179 cm
Weight
76 kg

Teams

  • Essendon
    60 games, 60 goals
    1968–1971
  • Richmond
    86 games, 93 goals
    1972–1975

Coaching

  • Richmond (Senior Coach)
    1985
    22 games (W9 L13 D0), 40.9%

Honours

  • Premiership(2×) 1973, 1974

Bio

1 revision

Originally hailing from Hobart, Paul Sproule commenced his VFL career with Essendon in 1968, quickly establishing himself as a clever rover and forward pocket with a sharp eye for goal. Despite being a consistent performer at Windy Hill, his career trajectory changed dramatically when he crossed to Richmond ahead of the 1972 season. Joining a powerhouse Tigers outfit under Tom Hafey, Sproule slotted seamlessly into a midfield rotation that required high skill and rapid decision-making, becoming a vital link man in one of the league's most dominant eras.

Renowned for his elite foot skills and football intelligence rather than raw athleticism, Sproule played an instrumental role in Richmond's back-to-back premierships in 1973 and 1974. He was the type of player who capitalised on the dominance of the Tigers' big men, roving the packs and finishing accurately to average more than a goal a game throughout his career. He retired after the 1975 season and later returned to Punt Road to serve as senior coach in 1985, cementing his status as a dual-premiership player who made a significant contribution to the club's golden era.

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