Ron Todd (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Walford Todd was an Australian rules football
er who played with Collingwood
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) in the 1930s, and with Williamstown
in the Victorian Football Association
(VFA) in the 1940s. Todd was an acrobatic and pacy forward, possessing a strong overhead mark. He kicked 327 goals for Collingwood at an average of 4.30 goals per game, 55 of them came in finals football, and 672 goals for Williamstown at 4.76 goals per game.
Todd debuted for Collingwood in 1935 and joined Gordon Coventry
in the forward line. For his first three seasons he played at centre half forward but moved into the goalsquare when Coventry retired at the end of 1937. He had an immediate impact, kicking 102 goals in the 1938 home and away season before adding 18 more in the finals. In a game during the that season against Carlton
Todd kicked 11.5 yet ended up on the losing team. His season tally was the highest in the league and Todd again topped the league in 1939, this time finishing with 121 goals.
His 1939 finals total of 23 goals was not bettered until Gary Ablett kicked 27 in the 1989 series. In the last home-and-away round against Richmond
Todd brought up his 300th career goal, his 73 games equalled Bob Pratt's
record for least games required to reach the milestone.
Todd's VFL career ended when he signed up with Williamstown
just before the 1940 season kicked off. Todd actually signing not with the club but with bookmaker
George Dooley who offered him about ten times more than he earned with Collingwood. Williamstown had sold membership tickets on the basis of the attraction of having Todd and Harry Vallence
in the same side. Todd played at centre-half forward in his first season with Williamstown and booted 99 goals, and when the Victorian Football Association (VFA) went into recess in 1942 Todd joined the air force
. Despite an interest in returning to Collingwood (whose fortunes had declined abruptly since Todd left) when he spent some time in Melbourne on leave, a five-year VFL ban due to his crossing without a clearance made any future return to the Magpies unlikely.
When the VFA resumed competition in 1945, Todd moved to full-forward. He kicked a VFA-record 188 goals in the 1945 season, which remains a record today, and scored twenty in one match against Oakleigh. Altogether for Williamstown, Todd played 141 matches for 672 goals, in the process playing in premiership sides in 1945 and 1949, by which time he was captain-coach.
After his retirement from the game, Ron Todd moved into business and for many years operated a sports store. In the 2000s in his late eighties Todd was back into the news when Carlton centre-half back Bert Deacon
's 1947 Brownlow Medal
was found in his shop.
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 Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
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) in the 1930s, and with Williamstown
Williamstown Football Club
The Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
in the Victorian Football Association
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFA) in the 1940s. Todd was an acrobatic and pacy forward, possessing a strong overhead mark. He kicked 327 goals for Collingwood at an average of 4.30 goals per game, 55 of them came in finals football, and 672 goals for Williamstown at 4.76 goals per game.
Todd debuted for Collingwood in 1935 and joined Gordon Coventry
Gordon Coventry
Gordon "Nuts" Coventry was an Australian rules footballer who played for Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League . With 1,299 goals over 18 seasons, Coventry remains one of the greatest full forwards the game has ever seen...
in the forward line. For his first three seasons he played at centre half forward but moved into the goalsquare when Coventry retired at the end of 1937. He had an immediate impact, kicking 102 goals in the 1938 home and away season before adding 18 more in the finals. In a game during the that season against Carlton
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...
Todd kicked 11.5 yet ended up on the losing team. His season tally was the highest in the league and Todd again topped the league in 1939, this time finishing with 121 goals.
His 1939 finals total of 23 goals was not bettered until Gary Ablett kicked 27 in the 1989 series. In the last home-and-away round against Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
Todd brought up his 300th career goal, his 73 games equalled Bob Pratt's
Bob Pratt
Harold Robert "Bob" Pratt was a former Australian rules footballer from Mitcham, Victoria.Pratt played with South Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League from 1930–1939 and again in 1946, and with the Coburg Football Club in the Victorian Football Association from 1940 to 1941...
record for least games required to reach the milestone.
Todd's VFL career ended when he signed up with Williamstown
Williamstown Football Club
The Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
just before the 1940 season kicked off. Todd actually signing not with the club but with bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
George Dooley who offered him about ten times more than he earned with Collingwood. Williamstown had sold membership tickets on the basis of the attraction of having Todd and Harry Vallence
Harry Vallence
Harry "Soapy" Vallence was a champion Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League and the Victorian Football Association...
in the same side. Todd played at centre-half forward in his first season with Williamstown and booted 99 goals, and when the Victorian Football Association (VFA) went into recess in 1942 Todd joined the air force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
. Despite an interest in returning to Collingwood (whose fortunes had declined abruptly since Todd left) when he spent some time in Melbourne on leave, a five-year VFL ban due to his crossing without a clearance made any future return to the Magpies unlikely.
When the VFA resumed competition in 1945, Todd moved to full-forward. He kicked a VFA-record 188 goals in the 1945 season, which remains a record today, and scored twenty in one match against Oakleigh. Altogether for Williamstown, Todd played 141 matches for 672 goals, in the process playing in premiership sides in 1945 and 1949, by which time he was captain-coach.
After his retirement from the game, Ron Todd moved into business and for many years operated a sports store. In the 2000s in his late eighties Todd was back into the news when Carlton centre-half back Bert Deacon
Bert Deacon
Bert Deacon was an Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton in the Victorian Football League . He is remembered for being Carlton's first ever Brownlow Medal winner....
's 1947 Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
was found in his shop.