Francis Vane Hughes (26 February 1894 – 23 January 1978), nicknamed Checker, 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 Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

er and coach in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Australia operated by the Australian Football League (AFL) as a second-tier, regional, semi-professional competition. It includes teams from clubs based in east ...

(now the Australian Football League). He coached Richmond to premiership success once and the

Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons or colloquially the Dees, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier comp ...

to premiership success four times, and he was responsible for the club changing its nickname to the Demons. He also had a war-interrupted playing career that resulted in two premierships. Hughes served in the 57th battalion of the Australian Imperial Force during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, was made a

company quartermaster sergeant : Company quartermaster sergeant is a military rank or appointment. Canada A company quartermaster sergeant (CQMS) in the Canadian Forces is the non-commissioned officer in a Company (military unit), company who is in charge of supplies. The CQM ...

, and was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of his significant contribution in France and Belgium. In 2021, the AFL honoured Hughes' combined merits as a soldier, football player, and football coach by having the Frank ‘Checker’ Hughes medal named in his honour for the player judged best afield in the Anzac Day Eve match between Melbourne and

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

Playing career

A small and quick player with brilliant skills in stab passing and handball, Hughes played in two

Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers or colloquially the Tiges, is a professional Australian rules football team competing in the Australian Football League (AFL). Founded in 1885 in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Victoria, Ric ...

premiership sides (

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen in Finland, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its ow ...

1921 Events January * January 2 ** The Association football club Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, from Belo Horizonte, is founded as the multi-sports club Palestra Italia by Italian expatriates in First Brazilian Republic, Brazil. ** The Spanish lin ...

) during his 87-game career, although his playing career was stalled for 3½ years due to his war service.

Coaching career

Hughes coached over an extended period with a great deal of success, securing 5 VFL premierships. When his friend and former Richmond secretary Percy Page went to the

, Hughes followed him. He renamed the "Fuchsias" to Demons, sacked 13 players, and instilled discipline in the club. * Ulverstone (

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

) 1924–1926 * Richmond 1927–1932 (120 games, 87 wins, 31 losses, 2 draws) * Melbourne 1933–1941, 1945–1948, 1965 (254 games, 157 wins, 95 losses, 2 draws) ** 5 Premierships:

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

(Richmond);

1939 This year also marks the start of the World War II, Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Events related to World War II have a "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Coming into effect in Nazi Ger ...

1940 A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280. Events Below, events related to World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January *Janu ...

1941 The Correlates of War project estimates this to be the deadliest year in human history in terms of conflict deaths, placing the death toll at 3.49 million. However, the Uppsala Conflict Data Program estimates that the subsequent year, 1942, wa ...

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

(Melbourne). Hughes was inducted to the

Australian Football Hall of Fame The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the 1996 AFL season, centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media pe ...

in 1996, with his citation reading: :''Took Richmond to premiership success in 1932 then went to Melbourne and landed another four flags. A tough and disciplined coach.''

References

Sources

* * Hogan P: ''The Tigers Of Old'', Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996

External links

*
Australian Football Hall of FameRichmond Football Club - Hall of Fame
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, Frank Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees Richmond Football Club players Richmond Football Club premiership players Richmond Football Club coaches Richmond Football Club premiership coaches Melbourne Football Club coaches 1894 births 1978 deaths Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state) Melbourne Football Club premiership coaches VFL/AFL premiership players Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees VFL/AFL premiership coaches