Haydn Bunton Sr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haydn Bunton Sr. |
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Bunton in 1938
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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 several teams, including Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL), Subiaco in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), and Port Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He played during the 1930s and 1940s.
Haydn Bunton Sr. is famous for being the only player to win both the Brownlow Medal and the Sandover Medal three times each. These medals are given to the "best and fairest" players in their leagues. Only a few players have won the Brownlow three times, and only a few have won the Sandover three or more times. He was also the only player to average more than one Brownlow vote per game throughout his career.
Many people consider Bunton to be one of the greatest Australian rules footballers ever. He was a true sporting hero, much like famous cricketer Don Bradman. He brought joy to many Australians during a difficult time known as the Great Depression.
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Haydn Bunton's Early Life and Talents
Haydn Bunton was born and grew up in Albury, New South Wales. His father, Ernest Edward Bunton, was a brickmaker. His mother was Matilda Caroline.
From a young age, Haydn showed incredible talent in many sports. He was excellent at Australian rules football, cricket, swimming, and athletics. He even set many records in these different sports as a teenager.
Haydn Bunton's Amazing Football Career
Early Football Success in Albury
Haydn Bunton started playing 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, Bunton also played his first game for the Albury Football Club in 1924. He was a key player in their 1928 championship win. In 1929, he played for the West Albury Football Club and helped them win a championship too. He was often the best player on the field in these big games.
By 1930, after winning four championships in a row, all the big Victorian Football League (VFL) clubs noticed his amazing talent. Fitzroy Football Club managed to sign him. However, there was a problem. Fitzroy had paid him some money, which was against the VFL rules at the time.
Because of this, Haydn was suspended for 12 months and couldn't play in the 1930 VFL season. He said the money was for a knee operation. Even though other clubs offered him a new car to play for them, he waited for Fitzroy. He eventually played for West Albury again in 1930, even coaching the team. He reached another grand final but got injured during the game.
Starring for Fitzroy in the VFL
In April 1931, Haydn Bunton was finally allowed to play for the Fitzroy Football Club. Everyone was excited to see him play in the VFL. He made his debut in the first game of the 1931 season at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Bunton played as a "rover" or "follower," which are positions in Australian rules football. He was an instant sensation! He won the Brownlow Medal, given to the league's best player, in his very first two seasons (1931 and 1932). It was said that he even practiced his dodging skills by weaving through crowds in a department store where he worked.
During his time at Fitzroy, Bunton won the club's best-and-fairest award five times. He became the team captain in 1932. He won his third and final Brownlow Medal in 1935. In 1936, he also coached Fitzroy for a season, but the team only won two games. He was also the top goal scorer for Fitzroy in 1936 and 1937.
Success in Western Australia with Subiaco
In 1938, Bunton moved to Western Australia. He became the captain and coach for the Subiaco team in the WAFL. Even though the team played well, they didn't make it to the finals during his time as coach.
Bunton also led the Western Australian state team to a win against the St. Kilda Football Club in 1938. He continued his amazing individual success by winning the Sandover Medal three times (in 1938, 1939, and 1941). This medal is for the best player in the WAFL.
By this point, Haydn Bunton had won six "best and fairest" awards across two different states in just eleven seasons. This shows how incredibly talented he was!
Brief Return to Fitzroy
In 1942, Haydn Bunton briefly returned to Melbourne while serving in the Army. He managed to play only two games for Fitzroy that season. His duties with the Army meant he couldn't play more.
Playing Football During Army Service
During 1943 and 1944, while serving in the Army, Bunton continued to play football. He played in a special Services Football competition in Perth. This competition had 18 teams, showing that even during wartime, sports were important.
Playing for Port Adelaide
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Right: Caricature by Lionel Coventry from May 1945 upon the news of the star joining Port Adelaide.
After World War II ended, Haydn Bunton joined the Port Adelaide team in the SANFL league in 1945. He was 33 years old. He played 17 games that season. Bunton and his teammate Bob Quinn were a powerful duo. They helped Port Adelaide attract huge crowds to their games.
Port Adelaide had a fantastic season, losing only two games. Bunton played in his first ever final game with Port Adelaide. They won their semi-final match against Norwood in front of over 36,000 fans. This win sent them to the 1945 SANFL Grand Final against West Torrens.
In the Grand Final, Port Adelaide started incredibly well, scoring a record number of points in the first quarter. However, they couldn't hold on and lost the game by 13 points. This was Haydn Bunton Sr.'s last game in senior football. He earned votes for the Magarey Medal that year, meaning he received votes in the VFL, WAFL, and SANFL, which is a very rare achievement!
Coaching North Adelaide
In 1947, Haydn Bunton became the coach for the North Adelaide Football Club. He coached for two seasons, 1947 and 1948. The team finished in 6th place in 1947 and 5th place in 1948. Bunton left his coaching role after the 1948 season. North Adelaide went on to win the championship in 1949 with a new coach.
Haydn Bunton's Cricket Career
Haydn Bunton was also a very talented cricketer. He was a top batsman in the Albury and Border Cricket Association. He had amazing 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, he scored 144 runs in a special cricket match in Sydney. He played for the Fitzroy Cricket Club in Melbourne from 1930 to 1934. He even played in a grand final for them in 1932. Some people thought he might even become a Test cricketer!
Life Outside Football
Bunton joined the Australian Army in 1943 during World War II. He was part of the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps. He was discharged from the Army in April 1945 as a corporal.
After his playing career, Bunton became a football umpire in the SANFL in 1946. He quickly gained a good reputation. He even umpired a preliminary final that year. From 1949 to 1951, Bunton also worked as a football writer for an Adelaide newspaper called The Mail.
Haydn Bunton's Legacy
On 1 September 1955, Haydn Bunton was seriously injured in a car accident in South Australia. He passed away a few days later, on 5 September 1955, at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. He was buried at North Road Cemetery.
Haydn Bunton's impact on Australian rules football was huge. In 1996, he was named in the AFL Team of the Century as a forward pocket player. He was also one of the first players to be named an "Inaugural Legend" in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Ovens & Murray Football League Hall of Fame in 2018.
During his career, Bunton was known for being a fair player. He was very popular and even had his own radio show and newspaper column. People admired his incredible balance, speed, and skill with the ball. The secretary of Fitzroy, J. Buckley, once said Bunton was the greatest player to ever wear the Fitzroy jersey.
Haydn Bunton was also known for his kindness. He was the only Fitzroy teammate to become friends with Sir Doug Nicholls, who was the only Aboriginal VFL player at that time. In 1999, a song called "The Ballad of Haydn Bunton" was written to celebrate his amazing achievements.
Haydn Bunton's Family
Haydn Bunton married Lylia Frances Austin on 22 February 1936. They had two sons, Haydn Bunton Jr. and David. Haydn Bunton Jr. also became a famous footballer.
Lylia Bunton passed away suddenly on 25 December 1954, at the age of 42. This was less than a year before Haydn Bunton Sr. himself passed away.
Haydn's brother, Cleaver Bunton, was also a very important person. He was the mayor of Albury for many years and even served as a senator for a short time. Cleaver was a life member of the Ovens & Murray Football League and held many important roles in football administration for a very long time. The O&MFL club championship award is named after him.
