Peter Crimmins
Hawthorn
AFL career
176 games231 goals
- Debut
- R1 1966 v COL23 Apr 1966
- Most recent
- R7 1975 v FIT17 May 1975
Stats
1975 | HAW | 7 | 17.7 | 2.9 | 20.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.9 |
1974 | HAW | 21 | 16.0 | 3.5 | 19.5 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
1973 | HAW | 19 | 18.2 | 3.2 | 21.4 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
1972 | HAW | 22 | 18.4 | 2.5 | 20.9 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 2.1 | 1.8 | 1.4 |
1971 | HAW | 24 | 21.0 | 3.2 | 24.1 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
1970 | HAW | 13 | 19.1 | 2.5 | 21.5 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 1.6 |
1969 | HAW | 20 | 21.3 | 2.9 | 24.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.4 |
1968 | HAW | 20 | 19.3 | 2.4 | 21.6 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
1967 | HAW | 14 | 15.5 | 1.6 | 17.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
1966 | HAW | 16 | 16.7 | 1.7 | 18.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 1.8 |
Bio
Recruited from the famous football nursery of Assumption College, Peter Crimmins—affectionately known as "The Little Fella"—wasted no time establishing himself as the heart and soul of Hawthorn. A lightly built but fiercely courageous rover, Crimmins was the perfect foil for the bruising Leigh Matthews, using his pace, skill, and cheeky on-field demeanour to become a damaging goal-kicking midfielder. He was a pivotal figure in the club’s 1971 premiership triumph over St Kilda and his leadership qualities were formally recognised when he was appointed captain ahead of the 1974 season.
Crimmins' career is often remembered for its tragic and controversial conclusion as much as his on-field brilliance. Diagnosed with testicular cancer at the end of 1974, he fought his way back to fitness in time for the 1975 Grand Final, only for the match committee to make the gut-wrenching decision to omit him due to health concerns—a move that remains a significant "what if" in football history. Though he died just days after his teammates won the 1976 premiership in his honour, his legacy is permanently etched into the club, with the Best and Fairest award named the Peter Crimmins Medal and his famous number 5 guernsey reserved for players who embody his fighting spirit.
Profile
- Born
- 08 July 1948
- Died
- 28 Sept 1976 (aged 28y 82d)
- Birthplace
- Surrey Hills, VIC
- Deathplace
- Croydon, VIC
- Height
- 173 cm
- Weight
- 72 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership1971
- Hawthorn captain(2×) 1974, 1975
Family
- Father:Bryan Crimmins
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from the famous football nursery of Assumption College, Peter Crimmins—affectionately known as "The Little Fella"—wasted no time establishing himself as the heart and soul of Hawthorn. A lightly built but fiercely courageous rover, Crimmins was the perfect foil for the bruising Leigh Matthews, using his pace, skill, and cheeky on-field demeanour to become a damaging goal-kicking midfielder. He was a pivotal figure in the club’s 1971 premiership triumph over St Kilda and his leadership qualities were formally recognised when he was appointed captain ahead of the 1974 season.
Crimmins' career is often remembered for its tragic and controversial conclusion as much as his on-field brilliance. Diagnosed with testicular cancer at the end of 1974, he fought his way back to fitness in time for the 1975 Grand Final, only for the match committee to make the gut-wrenching decision to omit him due to health concerns—a move that remains a significant "what if" in football history. Though he died just days after his teammates won the 1976 premiership in his honour, his legacy is permanently etched into the club, with the Best and Fairest award named the Peter Crimmins Medal and his famous number 5 guernsey reserved for players who embody his fighting spirit.