Joe Littler
Encyclopedia
Harold 'Joe' Littler was an Australian rules football
er who played for South Melbourne
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL). He also had a long career in the North West Football Union
(NWFU), and before that the North West Football Association (NWFA).
Littler was a premiership player in his debut season at Launceston
, as 16 year old in 1897. He spent the following NTFA
season at Launceston but then crossed to NWFA club Mersey and captained their 1899 premiership team, despite still being a teenager, and participated in two further premierships before attempting a VFL career.
Signed up South Melbourne, Littler kicked a couple of goals on his debut, a win over Essendon, but didn't experience another victory in the rest of the nine matches that he played in the 1903 VFL season
. One of those, a loss to Melbourne at the MCG, is noted for South Melbourne's inaccurate score line of 3.17 and the fact that Littler kicked all three of those goals.
He resumed as Mersey captain in 1904 and the following year experienced another premiership in the NWFA. Launceston lured him back to their club in 1908, the same year that he returned to the mainly briefly to represent Tasmania at the Melbourne Carnival
.
Littler spent 1909 as an umpire but in 1910 he moved to Launceston club City
and played in a Northern Tasmanian Football Association
premiership. At an age where many players would retire, Littler began a 20 year stint at Wynyard
which included a further three premierships. He spent the 1924 season as captain of Yeoman.
The veteran became one of the few senior footballers to play past the age of 50, before retiring in 1932. He then served the club as both a coach, secretary and league delegate.
It is estimated that Littler played from 450, to as many as 500 games of senior football in Tasmania. He was, in 2006, inducted into the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
.
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 South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
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). He also had a long career in 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...
(NWFU), and before that the North West Football Association (NWFA).
Littler was a premiership player in his debut season at 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:...
, as 16 year old in 1897. He spent the following NTFA
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...
season at Launceston but then crossed to NWFA club Mersey and captained their 1899 premiership team, despite still being a teenager, and participated in two further premierships before attempting a VFL career.
Signed up South Melbourne, Littler kicked a couple of goals on his debut, a win over Essendon, but didn't experience another victory in the rest of the nine matches that he played in the 1903 VFL season
1903 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1903.-Premiership season:In 1903, 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...
. One of those, a loss to Melbourne at the MCG, is noted for South Melbourne's inaccurate score line of 3.17 and the fact that Littler kicked all three of those goals.
He resumed as Mersey captain in 1904 and the following year experienced another premiership in the NWFA. Launceston lured him back to their club in 1908, the same year that he returned to the mainly briefly to represent Tasmania at the Melbourne Carnival
1908 Melbourne Carnival
The 1908 Melbourne Carnival was the inaugural Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition. It was known at the time as the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival as it commemorated 50 years of Australian rules football.-Teams:The Victorian team was...
.
Littler spent 1909 as an umpire but in 1910 he moved to Launceston club City
South Launceston Football Club
The South Launceston Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently competing in the Tasmanian Football League. They were formed through a merger between City-South and East Launceston in 1986, former Northern Tasmanian Football Association clubs...
and played in a 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...
premiership. At an age where many players would retire, Littler began a 20 year stint at Wynyard
Wynyard Football Club
The Wynyard Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Wynyard, Tasmania.-Club history:The Wynyard Football Club was believed to be formed in 1885 as Table Cape and adopted the name of Wynyard in 1890....
which included a further three premierships. He spent the 1924 season as captain of Yeoman.
The veteran became one of the few senior footballers to play past the age of 50, before retiring in 1932. He then served the club as both a coach, secretary and league delegate.
It is estimated that Littler played from 450, to as many as 500 games of senior football in Tasmania. He was, in 2006, inducted into the 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...
.