Tom Fitzmaurice

Tom Fitzmaurice (7 July 1898 – 25 December 1977) was an Australian rules footballer in the (then) Victorian Football League (VFL).

A brilliant centre halfback, he commenced his career with Essendon Football Club 1918. Transferred to Sydney in 1921 with his employment, Fitzmaurice played the next two seasons in the local competition and captained New South Wales against Victoria. He rejoined Essendon in 1923 and formed part of their very successful 1923 and 1924 premiership teams. In the famous Essendon "mosquito fleet" (so called because of the half dozen players 168cms or under) Fitzmaurice was the tallest member of the side at 189 cm.

Fitzmaurice left Essendon after the controversy at the end of the 1924 season when it was felt by many, including Fitzmaurice, that several Essendon players had deliberately lost a match against the then Victorian Football Association (VFA) premiers, Footscray Football Club.[1]

He played in a premiership team at Geelong Football Club in his first year. Leaving Geelong after 1928, he played with Mortlake and then the VFA side, Yarraville. He returned to the VFL in 1932, playing with North Melbourne. Moving to the forward lines he became their leading goalkicker for three seasons.

In 1996 Fitzmaurice was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Coaching record:

• Geelong 1928 (24 games, 18 wins, 6 losses)
• North Melbourne 1934 (8 games, 0 wins, 8 losses).

References

• Ross, John (1999). The Australian Football Hall of Fame. Australia: HarperCollinsPublishers. pp. 67. ISBN 0-7322-6426-X. 
• AFL Hall of Fame
• Full Points Footy Biography: Tom Fitzmaurice