History

CHAMPIONS OF ESSENDON

Champions Main Page
What is Champions of Essendon?
Top 60 Player Profiles

GEORGE STUCKEY

PROFILE

A great Essendon captain, he led the club from when it joined the League in 1897 until 1900. He was a top half back and wingman and it was said that 'no-one but himself could be his parallel'. He was a splendid leader who lifted the team whenever he was in command.

He had been a member of the Essendon Association premiership sides between 1892 and 1894 and he brilliantly led the Dons to the 1897 Premiership win, thus having the honour of being the captain of the club's first premiership side.

He was also in the forward pocket in the 1901 premiership team. He nearly retired at the start of 1899 and he is reported to have gone to the first game as a selector. Because the Dons were hit by injury, he decided to play and did so well he continued.

He represented Victoria in State games in both 1899 and 1900. In 1900, in the divisional final, he ran into the open goal and mistakenly kicked a point which cost the Dons the game and possibly the flag. As well as being a champion footballer, he also played cricket for Victoria during this period. And then, to prove his versatility, he won the Stawell Gift in 1897 to become the first of three Essendon players to achieve this feat. After his retirement, he remained with Essendon as a member of the committee until 1913 when he retired through ill health.