Barry Connolly was an Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

er who played with Footscray

Western Bulldogs

The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...

 in the Victorian Football League

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

 (VFL).

A centreman, Connolly spent the 1958 VFL season

1958 VFL season

Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1958.-Premiership season:In 1958, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man...

 at Footscray and kicked three goals against Richmond on his debut. At the end of the year he returned to the country and went on to have a long career as a player, coach and administrator.

In 1965, he was seriously injured while working at a tin mine when a barrel of sulphuric acid exploded. He was burnt extensively and spent six weeks recovering in hospital. He was coach of the Ardlethan Football Club during this time.

Connolly coached Goulburn Valley Football League

Goulburn Valley Football League

The Goulburn Valley Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, Australia...

 club Shepparton United

Shepparton United Football Club

Shepparton United Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Demons, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Goulburn Valley Football League.The club now known as Shepparton United was originally called City United...

 in 1983 and 1984. He also served as the league's president.

Family

He and his wife Monica had four children, including former Fremantle coach Chris Connolly

Chris Connolly

Chris Connolly is the current Melbourne Football Club football manager as well as assistant coach.-Playing career:...

.