Historic Australian Rules football memorabilia up for grabs

Australian Rules memorabilia – some more than 125years old – will be a major highlight of Mossgreen’s sporting memorabilia auction from 10am Tuesday August 5 at 926-930 High Street, Armadale.

Among the most valuable items are two Carlton premiership medals dating from 1907 and 1908.

On the back of the former are the words “Presented by A. McCracken Esq, Presidt, 1908, To N.C. Clark, Vice Capn” – and on the reverse of the latter “Presd by A. McCracken Esq, President, 1908, E. Kelly”.

A tough and reliable defender, Norman Clark played 125 games for Carlton and was a member of the 1906-1908 premiership sides.

He then went on to coach the club in 1912, from 1914-1918 and 1920-1922. As a coach and player, Clark was involved in Carlton’s first five VFL premierships (they won again in 1914 and 1915).

Ernie Kelly played eight games for Carlton in 1908, scoring 11 goals.

The auction also contains a 1901 Port Melbourne VFA premiership medal – Port’s second flag.

There is a South Melbourne VFA premiers cap from 1888 – the year of its third premiership – and a rare players cap from the same era.

Even more remarkable is the 1954 original Weg Premiers poster from the Herald newspaper and another signed Bulldog’s poster by the cartoonist about the same time.

Other memorabilia includes a Gray-Nicholls bat (and photograph of him being presented with it) used and signed by Prince Charles when he played for RAF Cranwell on July 4, 1971.

An interesting lot is the William Whysall match used cricket bat in the 1924-25 England tour of Australia.

William “Dodge” Whysall played four Tests for England and was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1925.

He died tragically five years later after slipping on a dance floor, injuring his elbow and contracting septicaemia.

The bat is signed on the front by the England team and on the reverse by the Australians.