Elkin Reilly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elkin Reilly |
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| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 2 April 1939 | ||
| Place of birth | Alpurrurulam, Northern Territory | ||
| Date of death | 3 September 2020 (aged 81) | ||
| Place of death | Adelaide, South Australia | ||
| Original team | Wentworth (SFL) | ||
| Debut | 19 May 1962, South Melbourne v. Fitzroy, at Lake Oval |
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| Career highlights | |||
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Elkin Reilly (born April 2, 1939 – died September 3, 2020) was a famous Australian rules football player. He played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). The VFL is now known as the AFL. Elkin Reilly was one of the first Indigenous Australian players in the VFL.
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Early Life and Adoption
Elkin Reilly was an Alyawarra man. He was born in Alpurrurulam, a place on the border of the Northern Territory and Queensland. When he was very young, he was taken to a hospital in Alice Springs.
At the hospital, a doctor named Dr. Pat Reilly and his wife Joan decided to adopt Elkin. They were able to take him from the Northern Territory to live with them in Adelaide, South Australia.
Education and Early Football
Elkin Reilly went to Rostrevor College, a private school in Adelaide. He became a very good ruckman, which is a key position in Australian rules football. After finishing school, he played in different country football leagues.
Country Football Star
Elkin Reilly was a star player in country football. He won two Mail Medals in a row. The Mail Medal is an award for the best and fairest player in a league.
- In 1959, he won the Mail Medal in the Southern Yorke Peninsula Football League. He was playing for the Minlaton Football Club.
- In 1960, he won it again in the Upper Murray Riverland Football League. This time, he played for the Barmera-Monash Football Club.
VFL Career with South Melbourne
In 1962, the South Melbourne Football Club recruited Elkin Reilly. He joined them from the Wentworth club in the Sunraysia Football League.
Debut and Playing Style
Elkin Reilly made his first VFL game in Round Five of the 1962 season. He played against the Fitzroy Football Club at South Melbourne's home ground, the Lake Oval. He played 51 games for South Melbourne over five seasons. He often teamed up with South Melbourne's star player, Bob Skilton.
One sports reporter said that Elkin Reilly was not a "brilliant" player. However, his "spoiling tactics" were very important for South Melbourne. This means he was good at stopping opponents from getting the ball.
Career Ending Injury
Elkin Reilly's VFL career ended in 1966. He suffered a ruptured appendix, which is a serious medical issue. After his playing career, he moved to Cohuna in country Victoria to become a coach.
Legacy and Honours
Rostrevor College, where Elkin Reilly went to school, has honoured him. They named a hall after him. They also created a scholarship for Indigenous students in his name.
