Geoff Bryant
Encyclopedia
Geoff Bryant is a former Australian rules football
player who played in the VFL between 1969 and 1971 for the North Melbourne Football Club
.
Bryant commenced his junior football with VFA
club Box Hill, playing in the club's 4ths (Under 17s) team in 1960, thereafter progressing quickly through the club's junior ranks and making his VFA
senior debut in 1964 at the age of 17.
Bryant quickly established himself as one of the premier players in the VFA
second division, initially as a half-forward but later as a centreman with outstanding foot skills and stamina. In 1968 he won Box Hill's best and fairest and finished runner-up in the J Field Medal, awarded to the best player in the VFA
second division.
At the end of the 1968 season Bryant was one of the few non-VFL
players selected in the second touring party for Australian Football World Tour
organised by Harry Beitzel
, more commonly known as "The Galahs". At the end of the tour he was signed by the North Melbourne Football Club
, which paid to Box Hill the unprecedented transfer fee of $2,000 for a player transferring from the VFA
to the VFL
.
Bryant played between 1969 and 1971 for North Melbourne
mainly as a wingman for a total of 45 games and 16 goals. He transferred back to Box Hill prior to the commencement of the 1972 season, supposedly due to a disagreement with North Melbourne's
coach Brian Dixon
.
Bryant played a further 5 seasons with Box Hill from 1972 to 1976 and during that period was regarded as one of the very best players in the VFA
. He won the J Field Medal in both 1973 and 1975 and his 2nd and 3rd best and fairest awards for Box Hill in the same years. His feat in winning the J Field Medal in 1973 was regarding as an outstanding one; it was achieved for a team that failed to win a game for the entire season. At the end of the season he was described as "unquestionably the champion player in the VFA
– first and second division". He was captain of Box Hill from 1974 to 1976 and was also coach in 1975.
Bryant's final tally for Box Hill was 147 senior games and 195 goals. Shortly before his retirement in 1976 he was widely acknowledged for passing the rare milestone of 150 senior games of VFA
football. The discrepancy is due to the practice at the time of including matches played in the end-of-season VFA
"Lightning Premiership" in a player's overall games tally, which are no longer recognised as official VFA
matches.
Ironically for such a decorated player, Bryant generally was a member of teams that struggled and he never played in a finals match with either Box Hill or North Melbourne
. In 2000 he was named as centreman of Box Hill's official "Greatest Ever Team".
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...
player who played in the VFL between 1969 and 1971 for the North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
.
Bryant commenced his junior football with VFA
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...
club Box Hill, playing in the club's 4ths (Under 17s) team in 1960, thereafter progressing quickly through the club's junior ranks and making his VFA
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...
senior debut in 1964 at the age of 17.
Bryant quickly established himself as one of the premier players in the VFA
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...
second division, initially as a half-forward but later as a centreman with outstanding foot skills and stamina. In 1968 he won Box Hill's best and fairest and finished runner-up in the J Field Medal, awarded to the best player in the VFA
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...
second division.
At the end of the 1968 season Bryant was one of the few non-VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
players selected in the second touring party for Australian Football World Tour
Australian Football World Tour
The Australian Football World Tour was a series of International Rules Football matches, organised by football sports broadcaster and former VFL umpire Harry Beitzel in 1967 and 1968.-First tour:...
organised by Harry Beitzel
Harry Beitzel
Harry Beitzel is an Australian sports broadcaster and media personality best known for his contribution to Australian rules football.-Umpiring career:...
, more commonly known as "The Galahs". At the end of the tour he was signed by the North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
, which paid to Box Hill the unprecedented transfer fee of $2,000 for a player transferring from the VFA
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...
to the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
.
Bryant played between 1969 and 1971 for North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
mainly as a wingman for a total of 45 games and 16 goals. He transferred back to Box Hill prior to the commencement of the 1972 season, supposedly due to a disagreement with North Melbourne's
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
coach Brian Dixon
Brian Dixon
Brian Dixon is a former Australian rules footballer and Victorian Politician.Dixon played 252 VFL games for Melbourne between 1954 and 1968, playing mostly on the wing...
.
Bryant played a further 5 seasons with Box Hill from 1972 to 1976 and during that period was regarded as one of the very best players in the VFA
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...
. He won the J Field Medal in both 1973 and 1975 and his 2nd and 3rd best and fairest awards for Box Hill in the same years. His feat in winning the J Field Medal in 1973 was regarding as an outstanding one; it was achieved for a team that failed to win a game for the entire season. At the end of the season he was described as "unquestionably the champion player in the VFA
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...
– first and second division". He was captain of Box Hill from 1974 to 1976 and was also coach in 1975.
Bryant's final tally for Box Hill was 147 senior games and 195 goals. Shortly before his retirement in 1976 he was widely acknowledged for passing the rare milestone of 150 senior games of VFA
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...
football. The discrepancy is due to the practice at the time of including matches played in the end-of-season VFA
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...
"Lightning Premiership" in a player's overall games tally, which are no longer recognised as official VFA
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...
matches.
Ironically for such a decorated player, Bryant generally was a member of teams that struggled and he never played in a finals match with either Box Hill or North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
. In 2000 he was named as centreman of Box Hill's official "Greatest Ever Team".