Fred Hughson (22 May 1914 – 23 October 1987) was an
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
er who played for, captained, and later coached
Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to:
People As a given name
*Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name:
**FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855)
** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...
in the
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...
(VFL). He was the last person to lead Fitzroy to the premiership before their merger with the
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, nicknamed the Bears, was a professional Australian rules football club based in Queensland on the Gold Coast (relocated to Brisbane in 1993). The club participated in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/ ...
, doing so in 1944 as both captain and coach.
He coached Fitzroy for 96 games between 1943 until his retirement in 1947, only two players coached the side more and his 103 games as captain was bettered by only three.
Hughson played as a fullback and was named in that position in Fitzroy's
Team of the Century
In team sport, team of the century and team of the decade are hypothetical best teams over a given time period. For the century team, it can be either 100 years, or for a century (always the 20th). Similarly the team of the decade can be for 10 ...
. However, he did play up forward in his debut season in 1938, kicking 62 goals in 15 games topping the club's goalkicking charts. A long kicker of the ball, Hughson established the official and recognised world record for a drop kick at 83 yards 11 inches – at the halftime interval of a VFL game against South Melbourne at the Brunswick Street Oval.
He finished third in the 1941 Brownlow Medal and sixth in 1947; but the highlight of his career was undoubtedly winning the 1944 Grand Final by 15 points over
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
, as Captain-Coach.
After leaving Fitzroy he went on to play and coach
South Warrnambool.
Career highlights
Playing career:
* Fitzroy 1938–1947 (Games 164; Goals 95;
Brownlow votes 50)
Player honors:
* 3rd in Brownlow Medal: 1941.
[AFL Stats (2008)]
''1941 Brownlow Medal''
Retrieved on 6 May 2008.
* Fitzroy Best & Fairest: 1943.
[Brisbane Lions (2008)]
''Fitzroy Football Club Honour Board 1897 - 1996''
. Retrieved on 5 May 2008.
* Fitzroy leading goalkicker: 1938.
[
* Fitzroy captain: 1943 to 1947.][
* Fitzroy Team of the Century.][Footy Stamps (2006)]
Retrieved on 5 May 2008.
* Victorian representative:
* Last ever Fitzroy premiership captain and coach
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughson, Fred
1914 births
Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia)
Mitchell Medal winners
Fitzroy Football Club players
Fitzroy Football Club Premiership players
Fitzroy Football Club coaches
Fitzroy Football Club Premiership coaches
Preston Football Club (VFA) players
South Warrnambool Football Club players
South Warrnambool Football Club coaches
1987 deaths
One-time VFL/AFL Premiership players
One-time VFL/AFL Premiership coaches