Stewart Gull (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Stewart Gull is a former Australian rules football
er who played for South Melbourne
and Melbourne
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) during the 1970s.
The son of former South Melbourne centre half forward Jim Gull
, Stewart played in the same position as his father. His sister Robyn Maher
is an Olympic bronze medal winning basketballer.
Gull, after being recruited from North Ballarat
, kicked three goals on his league debut, against Hawthorn
at Lake Oval
. He had his most prolific season in 1976
when he booted 36 goals, which was bettered only by Robert Dean
from his club, with 37. Two years later, in a high scoring game against Geelong
, Gull kicked eight goals but finished on the losing team despite South Melbourne amassing 155 points.
A competitive boxer, Gull struggled with injuries during his career and over the years suffered from achilles, cartilage and calf injuries. When he crossed to Melbourne in 1979, he could only manage two appearances before breaking his collarbone against a goal post, which prompted his retirement. He never got to play in a finals match.
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 for South Melbourne
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...
and Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
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) during the 1970s.
The son of former South Melbourne centre half forward Jim Gull
Jim Gull
James "Jim" Gull was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League ....
, Stewart played in the same position as his father. His sister Robyn Maher
Robyn Maher
Robyn Maher is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Sydney Uni Flames. A three-time Olympian she was a member of the national women's team that won the bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.-Personal life:Maher is married to former Opals...
is an Olympic bronze medal winning basketballer.
Gull, after being recruited from North Ballarat
North Ballarat Football Club
North Ballarat Football Club, nicknamed The Roosters, is an Australian rules football club based at Northern Oval in Ballarat. The club is locally known as the Roosters and plays in the Victorian Football League are current competition premiers and one of only four clubs based outside of Melbourne...
, kicked three goals on his league debut, against Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
at 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...
. He had his most prolific season in 1976
1976 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1976.-Premiership season:In 1976, 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...
when he booted 36 goals, which was bettered only by Robert Dean
Robert Dean (footballer)
Robert Dean is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League during the 1970s....
from his club, with 37. Two years later, in a high scoring game against Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
, Gull kicked eight goals but finished on the losing team despite South Melbourne amassing 155 points.
A competitive boxer, Gull struggled with injuries during his career and over the years suffered from achilles, cartilage and calf injuries. When he crossed to Melbourne in 1979, he could only manage two appearances before breaking his collarbone against a goal post, which prompted his retirement. He never got to play in a finals match.