Tom Roulent
North Melbourne and South Melbourne
AFL career
106 games33 goals
- Debut
- R6 1939 v ESS27 May 1939
- Most recent
- R18 1947 v HAW23 Aug 1947
Stats
Bio
Recruited from North Melbourne CYMS, Tom Roulent was a versatile defender with a deep family connection to the club; his grandfather, Steven Roulent, had captained North in the 1890s. He made his senior debut in 1939, establishing himself as a reliable key position player known for his "general-like" leadership and magnificent drop-kicking ability. Like many of his generation, his VFL career was heavily disrupted by World War II, with service in the Australian Army causing a significant gap in his playing tenure between 1940 and 1944.
Roulent crossed to South Melbourne in 1946, where his career concluded under controversial circumstances. In June 1947, he was appointed coach of Border United in the Ovens and Murray League, but South Melbourne steadfastly refused his clearance, forcing him to play out the season at Lakeside Oval against his wishes. Following his VFL retirement, he finally pursued his coaching ambitions in the bush, cementing his legacy as a formidable captain-coach who led Griffith to a premiership in the South West Football League in 1952.
Profile
- Born
- 10 Feb 1918
- Died
- 25 Mar 2005 (aged 87y 43d)
- Birthplace
- West Melbourne, VIC
- Height
- 180 cm
- Weight
- 90 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from North Melbourne CYMS, Tom Roulent was a versatile defender with a deep family connection to the club; his grandfather, Steven Roulent, had captained North in the 1890s. He made his senior debut in 1939, establishing himself as a reliable key position player known for his "general-like" leadership and magnificent drop-kicking ability. Like many of his generation, his VFL career was heavily disrupted by World War II, with service in the Australian Army causing a significant gap in his playing tenure between 1940 and 1944.
Roulent crossed to South Melbourne in 1946, where his career concluded under controversial circumstances. In June 1947, he was appointed coach of Border United in the Ovens and Murray League, but South Melbourne steadfastly refused his clearance, forcing him to play out the season at Lakeside Oval against his wishes. Following his VFL retirement, he finally pursued his coaching ambitions in the bush, cementing his legacy as a formidable captain-coach who led Griffith to a premiership in the South West Football League in 1952.