Haydn Bunton Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haydn Bunton Sr. |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Haydn William Bunton | ||
| Date of birth | 5 July 1911 | ||
| Place of birth | Albury, New South Wales | ||
| Date of death | 5 September 1955 (aged 44) | ||
| Place of death | Adelaide, South Australia | ||
| Original team | Albury Rovers, Albury, West Albury | ||
| Position(s) | Rover | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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VFL
WAFL
SANFL
Honours
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Haydn William Bunton (born 5 July 1911 – died 5 September 1955) was an amazing Australian rules footballer. He played for three different major leagues: the Victorian Football League (VFL) with Fitzroy, the West Australian Football League (WAFL) with Subiaco, and the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) with Port Adelaide. He played during the 1930s and 1940s.
Haydn Bunton is the only player ever to win both the Brownlow Medal and the Sandover Medal three times each. The Brownlow Medal is for the best player in the VFL, and the Sandover Medal is for the best player in the WAFL. He is considered one of the greatest Australian rules footballers of all time.
During the tough times of the Great Depression, Haydn Bunton was a sporting hero. Like famous cricketer Don Bradman and the racehorse Phar Lap, he brought joy to many Australians. He was known for being a brilliant runner and great at getting the ball. Many experts believe he was the best player ever.
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Early Life
Haydn Bunton was born and grew up in Albury, New South Wales. His father, Ernest Edward Bunton, was a brickmaker, and his mother was Matilda Caroline.
Even as a young teenager, Haydn was incredibly talented in many sports. He was great at Australian rules football, cricket, swimming, and athletics. He even set many records in these different sports.
Playing Career
Early Football Days
Haydn Bunton started playing football for the Albury Rovers Football Club when he was just 12 years old in 1923. He quickly became a star, winning the league's best-and-fairest award twice. He helped Albury Rovers win championships in 1926 and 1927.
At 13, he also played his first game for the Albury Football Club in the Ovens and Murray Football League. In 1926, at 15, he kicked 4 goals in the grand final win for Albury Rovers. He won the club's best-and-fairest award in both 1926 and 1927.
In 1928, when he was 16, a VFL captain named Frank Maher praised Haydn. He said Haydn could play well in any league team. That same year, Haydn was the best player on the field for the Albury Football Club when they won their grand final. He also won the club's best and fairest award.
In 1929, Haydn played for the West Albury Football Club and helped them win another championship. He was again the best player in that grand final. After winning four championships in a row, all the big VFL clubs wanted him.
Fitzroy Football Club
In 1930, Haydn signed with the Fitzroy Football Club in Melbourne. However, it was found that he had received money to join, which was against the VFL rules at the time. He was not allowed to play for 12 months. Haydn later said the money was for a knee operation. He refused offers from other leagues and waited to play for Fitzroy.
In April 1931, Haydn finally got permission to play for the Fitzroy Football Club. He made his VFL debut in the first game of the 1931 VFL season.
Haydn played as a rover, which means he was always around the ball. He was an instant success! He won the Brownlow Medal in his first two seasons (1931 and 1932). He worked in a department store and practiced his amazing dodging skills by weaving through shoppers.
During his time at Fitzroy, Haydn won five club best-and-fairest awards. He was also the captain of Fitzroy in 1932. He won his third and final Brownlow Medal in 1935. He was also Fitzroy's top goal scorer in 1936 and 1937.
Subiaco Football Club
In 1938, Haydn moved to Western Australia to become the captain and coach of Subiaco. He was a very competitive player, but the team didn't make it to the finals during his coaching years (1938, 1939, and 1941).
He led the Western Australian team to a win against St.Kilda Football Club in 1938. Haydn won the Sandover Medal three times while playing in Western Australia: in 1938, 1939, and 1941.
In total, Haydn Bunton won six league best-and-fairest awards in just eleven seasons across two different states. This shows how incredibly talented he was!
Return to Fitzroy
In 1942, Haydn Bunton returned to Melbourne from Perth. He was serving in the Army's Physical Training School. Because of his Army duties, he could only play two games for Fitzroy Football Club in the 1942 VFL season.
Army Football
During 1943 and 1944, Haydn played in the Services Football competition in Perth. This was a special league for soldiers during World War II.
Port Adelaide Football Club
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Right: A drawing of Haydn Bunton from May 1945.
After leaving the Army at the end of World War II, Haydn joined Port Adelaide in the SANFL in 1945. He was 33 years old. He played 17 games that season.
Haydn teamed up with another great player, Bob Quinn. Together, they helped Port Adelaide attract huge crowds. Port Adelaide had a fantastic season, losing only two games. Haydn played in his first ever final game with Port Adelaide, which they won.
This win meant Port Adelaide played in the 1945 SANFL Grand Final. Sadly, Haydn didn't win his first championship as a player, as Port Adelaide lost by 13 points. This grand final was Haydn Bunton Sr.'s last game in senior football. He even received votes for the Magarey Medal (the SANFL's best player award), meaning he had earned votes in all three major Australian football leagues!
Coaching Career
On 3 March 1947, the North Adelaide Football Club hired Haydn Bunton as their senior coach. He coached them in 1947 and 1948. He resigned in September 1948. Interestingly, North Adelaide went on to win the championship in 1949 with a new coach.
Cricket Talent
Haydn Bunton was also an amazing cricketer. He was the best batsman in the Albury and Border Cricket Association. He had incredible batting averages of 149 in 1927/28 and 127 in 1928/29. Many cricket clubs in Melbourne wanted him to play for them.
In 1928, Haydn scored 144 runs in a cricket match in Sydney. He played for the Fitzroy Cricket Club in Melbourne from 1930 to 1934. He even played in their grand final in 1932.
Haydn once played cricket with the legendary Don Bradman in a New South Wales country team. In the early 1930s, some even thought Haydn might become a Test cricketer, which is the highest level of cricket.
Life Beyond the Field
Haydn Bunton joined the Australian Army in 1942 and became a corporal.
In 1946, he became an umpire in the SANFL. He was very good at it and even umpired a preliminary final.
From 1949 to 1951, Haydn wrote about football for the Adelaide newspaper The Mail. He also had his own radio shows in Melbourne, Perth, and Adelaide.
Legacy and Passing
Haydn Bunton was known for being a fair player who rarely played rough. His fame grew because he had his own radio show and newspaper column. People even said he looked like a movie star! He had amazing balance, speed, and could always find the ball. He was also a good marker and kicker.
The Secretary of Fitzroy, J. Buckley, said Haydn was the greatest player to ever wear the Fitzroy jersey. He praised Haydn's endless energy, courage, and quick thinking.
On 1 September 1955, Haydn Bunton was badly hurt in a car crash in South Australia. He passed away on 5 September 1955 at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. He was buried at North Road Cemetery.
In 1996, Haydn Bunton was chosen for the AFL Team of the Century. He was also named an original legend in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. This means he is one of the most important and respected players in the history of Australian rules football.
Family Connections
Haydn Bunton married Lylia Frances Austin on 22 February 1936. They had two sons, Haydn Jr. and David. Haydn Bunton Jr. also became a well-known footballer.
Haydn and Lylia remarried on 7 September 1946. Sadly, Lylia passed away suddenly on 25 December 1954, less than a year before Haydn.
Haydn's brother, Cleaver Bunton, was also very important in the Albury community. He was the mayor of Albury for a long time and even a senator for a short period. Cleaver was a life member of the Ovens & Murray Football League and held many important roles in football administration for decades. The Ovens & Murray Football League's club championship award is named after him.
