Geoffrey Martin (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Bernard "Paddy" Martin (born 16 July 1927 in Launceston
) is a former Australian rules football
er who played in Tasmania with Launceston
, Sandy Bay
, Ulverstone
and Burnie
. He is a half back flanker in Launceston's official 'Team of the Century' and in 2005 was inducted into Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
as a coaching legend. Martin also once represented Tasmania at first-class cricket
.
When he debuted for Launceston in 1946, Martin made an immediate impression as he was selected that year to play with the Northern Tasmanian Football Association
's representative team. The following season he crossed to Sandy Bay but returned to Launceston in 1948 where he stayed until 1954, despite getting an offer to go to Victorian Football League
club Melbourne
. In 1951 he appeared with the Tasmanian interstate side for the first time and also appeared for his state at the 1953 Adelaide Carnival
. After 116 games at Launceston, he joined Ulverstone and participated in three premierships. He also won Ulverstone's 'best and fairest
' in 1955. His next port of call was as playing-coach of Burnie and he steered them to successive premierships from 1958 to 1960. For the next six years he was the non playing coach of the North West Football Union
's representative team for intrastate games. He coached Devonport
in a non-playing capacity in 1970 and 1971.
Martin came from a strong cricketing family. His father, also named Geoffrey, was a decent batsman for Tasmania for over a decade while his uncle Gordon represented Queensland at cricket. Martin himself also made an appearance in a first-class cricket match for Tasmania, against Victoria at the North Tasmania Cricket Association Ground
in Launceston during the 1950/51 season. He batted at seven in both innings but could only manage four and a duck
, dismissed by Thomas Perrin on each occasion.
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
) is a former Australian rules football
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 in Tasmania with Launceston
Launceston Football Club
The Launceston Football Club is an Australian rules football club, located in the West Tamar suburb of Riverside, seven kilometres north of the Launceston CBD and currently play in the Tasmanian State League in Tasmania, Australia.-History:...
, Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay Football Club
The Sandy Bay Football Club was an Australian rules football club based in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia that participated in the Tasmanian Football League from 1945 to 1997.-Club History:...
, Ulverstone
Ulverstone Robins Football Club
The Ulverstone Football Club, nicknamed the Robins, is an Australian rules football club based in Ulverstone, Tasmania, Australia. The club fields three teams in the Northern Tasmanian Football League and also fields two junior teams in the AFL Tasmania North West Competition.-History:*Home ground...
and Burnie
Burnie Dockers Football Club
Burnie Football Club is an Australian rules football club located in Burnie, Tasmania, Australia.-Club history:The Burnie Dockers were formed as a result of a merger between former TFL Statewide League club Burnie Hawks and NTFL club the Burnie Tigers...
. He is a half back flanker in Launceston's official 'Team of the Century' and in 2005 was inducted into Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
The Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame was established to help recognise outstanding services and overall contribution made to the sport of Australian rules football in Tasmania. Any participant of the sport, including players, umpires, media personalities and coaches, may be inducted...
as a coaching legend. Martin also once represented Tasmania at 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...
.
When he debuted for Launceston in 1946, Martin made an immediate impression as he was selected that year to play with the Northern Tasmanian Football Association
Northern Tasmanian Football Association (1886 - 1986)
The Northern Tasmanian Football Association was an Australian rules football competition which ran from 1886 to 1986. In its time it was one of the three main leagues in Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Football League and North West Football Union representing the rest of the state...
's representative team. The following season he crossed to Sandy Bay but returned to Launceston in 1948 where he stayed until 1954, despite getting an offer to go to 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...
club Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
. In 1951 he appeared with the Tasmanian interstate side for the first time and also appeared for his state at the 1953 Adelaide Carnival
1953 Adelaide Carnival
The 1953 Adelaide Carnival was the 12th edition of the Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition...
. After 116 games at Launceston, he joined Ulverstone and participated in three premierships. He also won Ulverstone's 'best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
' in 1955. His next port of call was as playing-coach of Burnie and he steered them to successive premierships from 1958 to 1960. For the next six years he was the non playing coach of the North West Football Union
North West Football Union
The North West Football Union was an Australian rules football competition which ran from 1910 to 1986. In its time it was one of the three main leagues in Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Football League and Northern Tasmanian Football Association representing the rest of the state...
's representative team for intrastate games. He coached Devonport
Devonport Football Club
Devonport Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Devonport, Tasmania. The club previously competed in the Northern Tasmanian Football League but from 2009 it joined the newly reformed Tasmanian State League....
in a non-playing capacity in 1970 and 1971.
Martin came from a strong cricketing family. His father, also named Geoffrey, was a decent batsman for Tasmania for over a decade while his uncle Gordon represented Queensland at cricket. Martin himself also made an appearance in a first-class cricket match for Tasmania, against Victoria at the North Tasmania Cricket Association Ground
NTCA Ground
The Northern Tasmania Cricket Association Ground, better known as the NTCA Ground, is a multi-use sports venue in Launceston, Australia. It is currently used mostly for club cricket matches and has a capacity of under 10,000....
in Launceston during the 1950/51 season. He batted at seven in both innings but could only manage four and a duck
Duck (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a duck refers to a batsman's dismissal for a score of zero.-Origin of the term:The term is a shortening of the term "duck's egg", the latter being used long before Test cricket began...
, dismissed by Thomas Perrin on each occasion.