Dennis Phillis

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Dennis "Fred" Phillis
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Personal information
Birth 9 September 1948 (1948-09-09) (age 59),
Recruited from Glenelg, (SANFL)
Height and weight 187cm / 90.5kg
Playing career¹
Debut 1966, Glenelg vs. , at
Team(s) Glenelg, (SANFL) (1966-1981)

274 games, 853 goals
¹ Statistics to end of 2005 season
Career highlights

  • Glenelg Leading goal kicker seven times
  • Kicked over 100 goals in three seasons
  • Five time SANFL leading goal kicker
  • Played 10 games for South Australia
  • Member of the premiership team for Glenelg, 1973
  • Magarey Medallist: 1969
  • Glenelg Hall of Fame: inducted 2002
  • SANFL Hall of Fame: inducted 2002

Dennis Keith "Fred" Phillis is an Australian rules footballer who was a prolific goal scorer, playing his entire senior career with SANFL club Glenelg in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Phillis was nicknamed "Fred"[1] when his schoolmates likened him to the most famous Test cricket paceman of the day, 'Fiery Fred' Truman of Yorkshire and England. The nickname stuck and to many SANFL fans he is only known as "Fred" Phillis rather than by his birth name.

[edit] History

Phillis is the brother of South Australian rules footballer Wayne "Butch" Phillis, who also played his career at Glenelg. "Fred" began his senior career with Glenelg in the SANFL in 1966 as a centre half back but was moved into the Centre half-forward, and later Full-forward, positions by incoming 1967 coach Neil Kerley. This lateral thinking paid off with Phillis kicking a then SANFL record of 137 goals in 1969.

He polled 18 votes in the 1969 Magarey Medal to be the first player to win the medal having played chiefly at full forward for the season.

In perhaps Glenelg's most memorable non-finals game, Phillis scored 18 goals at Glenelg Oval in 1975 as part of the team's record-breaking 49 goals against Central District. Quirkily enough, in the 1973 grand final win by Glenelg over North Adelaide he failed to goal.

Phillis is the highest goal scorer in the history of the Glenelg club. This is all the more remarkable when considering that former league leading goalkickers Jack Owens (1927-1928, 1932) and Colin Churchett (1948-1951) are also Glenelg champions. Overall Phillis is third on the all time SANFL goal scoring list.

After retiring as a player Phillis continued to pursue his chosen career as an architect.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Cornwall, Peter; Wood, John (2003). Pride of the Bay. Australia: Graphic Print Group, p.379. ISBN 0-9750561-0-7.