Henry Coles
Encyclopedia
Henry Coles is a retired Australian rules football
er, who played for Collingwood
and Melbourne
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
, a suburb in north-eastern Melbourne
. He made his VFL debut, playing as a goalkicking midfielder, in round 1 in 1971, for the Collingwood Football Club. Coles went on to play 44 games for the Magpies, kicking 48 goals in the five seasons he was at the club.
, but wished to move to the Demons midway through the season. During June he was cleared by Collingwood to play for the Melbourne Football Club, the team Coles played with for the rest of his VFL career. He played his first game for the Demons in round 12 against Footscray.
In 1977 Coles was twice suspended for two matches, for striking John Pitura
of Richmond
and Lorenzo Serafini of Fitzroy
.
Coles played his first and only game for Victoria
in 1978, against the ACT. Just nine days later, when Coles was playing his 100th VFL game, against his former club Collingwood, he was reported and in the end suspended for verbally abusing umpire Bill Deller
. The 1978 season ended up being the high point of Coles's career, as he finished the season having played 21 matches and kicking 33 goals, thereby winning Melbourne's leading goalkicker award for the season.
Coles' career deteriorated from 1978 onwards, playing only four games in 1979 and seven games in his final season of 1980. His VFL career ended in disgrace when he was fined $600 and suspended for a week after getting into a fight with his captain-coach, Carl Ditterich
. He played his last game for Melbourne in round 18 against North Melbourne
.
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 for Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and 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 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).
Collingwood
Coles was recruited from KingsburyKingsbury, Victoria
Kingsbury is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin...
, a suburb in north-eastern Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He made his VFL debut, playing as a goalkicking midfielder, in round 1 in 1971, for the Collingwood Football Club. Coles went on to play 44 games for the Magpies, kicking 48 goals in the five seasons he was at the club.
Melbourne
Coles played five matches for Collingwood during the first half of the 1975 season1975 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1975.-Premiership season:In 1975, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...
, but wished to move to the Demons midway through the season. During June he was cleared by Collingwood to play for the Melbourne Football Club, the team Coles played with for the rest of his VFL career. He played his first game for the Demons in round 12 against Footscray.
In 1977 Coles was twice suspended for two matches, for striking John Pitura
John Pitura
John Pitura is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the South Melbourne and Richmond Football Clubs in the Victorian Football League during the 1970s....
of Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
and Lorenzo Serafini of 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...
.
Coles played his first and only game for Victoria
Victoria Australian rules football team
The Victorian Australian rules football team, also known as the Big V is the representative side of Victoria, Australia in the sport of Australian rules football....
in 1978, against the ACT. Just nine days later, when Coles was playing his 100th VFL game, against his former club Collingwood, he was reported and in the end suspended for verbally abusing umpire Bill Deller
Bill Deller
William "Bill" Deller OAM was a leading Australian rules football field umpire in the Victorian Football League in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s....
. The 1978 season ended up being the high point of Coles's career, as he finished the season having played 21 matches and kicking 33 goals, thereby winning Melbourne's leading goalkicker award for the season.
Coles' career deteriorated from 1978 onwards, playing only four games in 1979 and seven games in his final season of 1980. His VFL career ended in disgrace when he was fined $600 and suspended for a week after getting into a fight with his captain-coach, Carl Ditterich
Carl Ditterich
Carl Ditterich is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL.Ditterich, known as the "Blonde Bombshell", made a sensational best-on-ground debut against Melbourne in 1963 where he was said to have run around like a Gazelle. He became a tough ruckman and often appeared at the League Tribunal,...
. He played his last game for Melbourne in round 18 against 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...
.