Chris Kiernan
Encyclopedia
Christopher Kiernan was an Australian rules football
er who played with Fitzroy
in the early years of the Victorian Football League
(VFL) and first-class cricket
er.
Kiernan was a Fitzroy local and played for the Maroons in the inaugural VFL season
, topping their goalkicking in their first two years, and again in 1900
. He played in Fitzroy's 1898 premiership side
as well as in two losing grand finals. No stranger to controversy, Kiernan was accused of tripping his opponents in games, an accusation which was first raised by his own teammates following an interstate game. He fell out with the Fitzroy committee and in 1904
attempted to cross to Collingwood
but his request was blocked by VFL delegates. Kiernan instead joined Victorian Football Association
(VFA) club Brighton
, but made a brief comeback at Fitzroy in 1911
.
With his football career over, Kiernan turned his attention to cricket
and from 1910 to 1919 played 10 first-class matches
for Victoria
, three of them in the Sheffield Shield. He scored a total of 366 runs at an average of 24.40 and took six wickets.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
in the early years of the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL) and first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
er.
Kiernan was a Fitzroy local and played for the Maroons in the inaugural VFL season
1897 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1897, the inaugural season of the VFL.-Premiership season:In 1897, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 20 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves" Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of...
, topping their goalkicking in their first two years, and again in 1900
1900 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1900.-Premiership season:In 1900, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume...
. He played in Fitzroy's 1898 premiership side
1898 VFL Grand Final
The 1898 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Fitzroy Football Club, held in Melbourne on 24 September 1898...
as well as in two losing grand finals. No stranger to controversy, Kiernan was accused of tripping his opponents in games, an accusation which was first raised by his own teammates following an interstate game. He fell out with the Fitzroy committee and in 1904
1904 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1904.-Premiership season:In 1904, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume...
attempted to cross to Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
but his request was blocked by VFL delegates. Kiernan instead joined Victorian Football Association
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFA) club Brighton
Brighton Football Club
Brighton Football Club was an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA. The club was based in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton and were nicknamed the Penguins...
, but made a brief comeback at Fitzroy in 1911
1911 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1911.-Premiership season:In 1911, the VFL competition consisted of ten teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their...
.
With his football career over, Kiernan turned his attention to cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and from 1910 to 1919 played 10 first-class matches
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Victoria
Victorian Bushrangers
The Victorian cricket team, nicknamed the Bushrangers, is an Australian cricket team based in Melbourne, that represents the state of Victoria. It is administered by Cricket Victoria and draws its players from Melbourne's Premier Cricket competition...
, three of them in the Sheffield Shield. He scored a total of 366 runs at an average of 24.40 and took six wickets.