Summary

My grandfather, Fred Hunter was born in 1884. He was a great sportsman and footballer. Described as a crack forward and a popular player, he perfected the screw kick. "Hunter's goal, just as the bell rang, was a beauty. He's a bonzer on screw kicks." (Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian Sat 14 June 1919: pg 1). Fred played in five finals for either the Badger Creek Football Club or Healesville Football Club and three of them were winning premierships, 1906, 1912/13 and 1920. He was 36 years of age when he played the 1920 winning final. He only missed one match in 16 years in the 1921 season due to being unwell. He was 41 years of age when he achieved the highest goal kicking score of 29 goals for the season for Healesville. He was also a businessman and for many years ran the gantry (crane) at Healesville. He wasn't allowed to buy a house or own assets so he bought the football jumpers for the Badger Creek Football club around 1913. Interestingly too he caught a ten pound Murray Cod in the Yarra River in 1903, which was reported in the Healesville and Yarra Glen Guardian.

FRED HUNTER'S SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS
"Kick it to Hunter the Screwkick Punter"

Fred played in 5 premierships; 3 of which were winning premierships.
1. Badger Creek 1905-6
2. Healesville 1912 and 1920

He received three Best and Fairest awards 1910;1911;1919

His father Dick (Richard) Rowan invented the Screw Kick and Fred perfected it. Fred had 1 match off in 16 years in October of 1919. Alex Hall the coach of Melbourne in 1919 heard about the Screw Kick on June 14 1919 and he went to watch Fred play on June 28 1919. This was in the middle of the football season. He was quoted in the Healseville Guardian, "If you want to score goals kick more direct because everyone is not a Hunter."

"These achievements are here to inspire the ones who follow". Taungurong Bill Hunter 2018

Physical Description

Digital copy. Detail, enhanced and coloured. Created by owner from and original black and white photograph.

More Information