Tony Polinelli
Geelong
AFL career
138 games63 goals
- Debut
- R6 1961 v RCH20 May 1961
- Most recent
- R8 1971 v MEL22 May 1971
Stats
1971 | GEE | 2 | 13.5 | 1.5 | 15.0 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
1970 | GEE | 12 | 15.5 | 0.9 | 16.4 | 6.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
1969 | GEE | 13 | 15.8 | 0.9 | 16.8 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
1968 | GEE | 16 | 14.5 | 1.0 | 15.5 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
1967 | GEE | 21 | 18.0 | 1.0 | 19.0 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
1966 | GEE | 14 | 16.9 | 1.3 | 18.2 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 0.9 |
1965 | GEE | 19 | 14.5 | 1.3 | 15.8 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.7 |
1964 | GEE | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.2 | - |
1963 | GEE | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0.3 | - |
1961 | GEE | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.4 | - |
Bio
Recruited from Maryborough, Tony Polinelli was a pacy utility who developed from a rover into a dashing wingman during a successful era for the Geelong Football Club. His on-field speed was backed by genuine athletic pedigree; under the guidance of a specialist sprint coach, he won the 1966 Bendigo Gift and finished second in the prestigious Stawell Gift. This raw pace allowed him to break lines and transition the ball quickly, making him a valuable asset in the Cats' midfield rotation throughout the 1960s.
Polinelli's career highlight came in 1963, where he played as a reserve in Geelong's premiership victory over Hawthorn, taking the field in the final quarter to help secure the flag. A unique character who was famously said to enjoy a pipe during the half-time break, he remained a consistent contributor for over a decade, playing 138 games. His contribution to the game was later acknowledged with a nomination for the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century, recognising his standing as one of the notable players of Italian heritage in the league's history.
Profile
- Born
- 18 Feb 1943 (age 83y 245d)
- Height
- 170 cm
- Weight
- 75 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership1963
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Maryborough, Tony Polinelli was a pacy utility who developed from a rover into a dashing wingman during a successful era for the Geelong Football Club. His on-field speed was backed by genuine athletic pedigree; under the guidance of a specialist sprint coach, he won the 1966 Bendigo Gift and finished second in the prestigious Stawell Gift. This raw pace allowed him to break lines and transition the ball quickly, making him a valuable asset in the Cats' midfield rotation throughout the 1960s.
Polinelli's career highlight came in 1963, where he played as a reserve in Geelong's premiership victory over Hawthorn, taking the field in the final quarter to help secure the flag. A unique character who was famously said to enjoy a pipe during the half-time break, he remained a consistent contributor for over a decade, playing 138 games. His contribution to the game was later acknowledged with a nomination for the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century, recognising his standing as one of the notable players of Italian heritage in the league's history.