Dennis Carroll
Encyclopedia
Dennis Carroll is a former Australian rules football
er who played with the Sydney
Football Club in the Victoria Football League
(VFL).
From Ganmain
, a town outside of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
, Carroll came from a football family. Carroll's father Laurie (St Kilda Football Club) and uncle Tom
(Carlton Football Club
) also played in the VFL/AFL. Dennis played junior football for Lockhart, Wagga Wagga and Tumburumba and a season with the Albury Football Club
in the Ovens & Murray Football League
.
Carroll was recruited by the Swans in the VFL via a zoning rule, which enabled the Swans to recruit players from New South Wales. His first season was playing out of the Lake Oval
in Melbourne in 1981, before moving with the Swans permanently to Sydney.
Carroll, a back flanker became known as one of the finest kicks in the VFL, with the ability to dispose of the ball equally well on either foot. As an experienced campaigner and local product, Carroll was selected to captain the Sydney Swans
in the Australian Football League
, an honour which he held for seven seasons between 1986 and 1992, during some of the club's darkest days and the brink of extinction. He represented both Victoria and New South Wales at State of Origin level.
Carroll retired from the AFL in 1993. During his career he totalled 219 games for the Swans and was named on the Swans team of the century. The award for the most improved player at the Sydney Swans, the Dennis Carroll Award is named in his honour. The Sydney Cricket Ground
has named a room the Kippax/Carroll room in honour of Dennis Carroll and cricketer Alan Kippax
.
After retiring in 1993, Dennis spent four years as Swans reserves coach and was later the Swans match committee chairman
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 the Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
Football Club in the Victoria 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).
From Ganmain
Ganmain, New South Wales
Ganmain is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Ganmain is located around north west of Wagga Wagga, and east of Narrandera...
, a town outside of Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Carroll came from a football family. Carroll's father Laurie (St Kilda Football Club) and uncle Tom
Tom Carroll (Australian footballer)
Tom 'Turkey Tom' Carroll is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League ....
(Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
) also played in the VFL/AFL. Dennis played junior football for Lockhart, Wagga Wagga and Tumburumba and a season with the Albury Football Club
Albury Football Club
The Albury Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Ovens & Murray Football League.The club is based in Albury, New South Wales.Two Brownlow Medallists, Haydn Bunton senior and Denis Ryan, both started their career at Albury....
in the Ovens & Murray Football League
Ovens & Murray Football League
The Ovens and Murray Football League, often referred to locally as the O&M, is a semi-professional Australian rules football league based around ten clubs in north-eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, and affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League...
.
Carroll was recruited by the Swans in the VFL via a zoning rule, which enabled the Swans to recruit players from New South Wales. His first season was playing out of the Lake Oval
Lake Oval
The Lake Oval was an Australian rules football and cricket stadium located in Albert Park, Victoria. It was the home of the South Melbourne Football Club from 1878 until their relocation to Sydney in 1982 , and also of the South Melbourne Cricket Club...
in Melbourne in 1981, before moving with the Swans permanently to Sydney.
Carroll, a back flanker became known as one of the finest kicks in the VFL, with the ability to dispose of the ball equally well on either foot. As an experienced campaigner and local product, Carroll was selected to captain the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
in the Australian 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...
, an honour which he held for seven seasons between 1986 and 1992, during some of the club's darkest days and the brink of extinction. He represented both Victoria and New South Wales at State of Origin level.
Carroll retired from the AFL in 1993. During his career he totalled 219 games for the Swans and was named on the Swans team of the century. The award for the most improved player at the Sydney Swans, the Dennis Carroll Award is named in his honour. The Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
has named a room the Kippax/Carroll room in honour of Dennis Carroll and cricketer Alan Kippax
Alan Kippax
Alan Falconer Kippax was a cricketer for New South Wales and Australia. Regarded as one of the great stylists of Australian cricket during the era between the two World Wars, Kippax overcame a late start to Test cricket to become a regular in the Australian team between the 1928–29 and...
.
After retiring in 1993, Dennis spent four years as Swans reserves coach and was later the Swans match committee chairman