Neil Roberts (Australian footballer)

Neil Roberts
Neil Roberts
	Life-size bronze statue of Neil Roberts at Melbourne High School
Personal information
Date of birth	15 June 1933 (age 91)
Original team(s)	Melbourne High School
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	84.5 kg (186 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club
1952–1962	St Kilda
	1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1962.
Career highlights
	Australian Football Hall of Fame Inductee 2015; St Kilda Best and Fairest 1955, 1958; St Kilda Team of the Century (Centre half back); Brownlow Medallist 1958; Victorian state representative 11 times; All Australian 1958;
	Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Last updated June 16, 2024

Neil Edwin Roberts (born 15 June 1933) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and Brownlow Medalist.

Early life

Neil Roberts was born on 15 June 1933 to parents Edwin (Ted) Roberts (a former soccer player who migrated from England to East Brighton, Victoria) and Lelia Elfreda Roberts, nee Kilby. Roberts attended Melbourne High School between 1946 and 1949. He played under 19s football at full-forward with the Melbourne High School Old Boys Football Club where he was recruited by the St Kilda.^[1]

VFL career

Roberts debuted for St Kilda in 1952 and initially played on the forward line but despite his strong overhead marking was shifted to defence due to inaccurate goalkicking and later excelled as a centre half back, winning the Brownlow Medal in 1958. He captained the side from 1959 to 1962 before retiring at 29 years of age and commencing a career in sports journalism. He was inducted to the Saints inaugural Hall of Fame in 2003.

Personal life and post football career

His son, Michael Roberts, also played for the Saints and is now a sports broadcaster.

Neil Roberts was the officer in charge of Mawson base, Antarctica, 1971–1973. He has now retired to farming.

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References

↑ AFL Hall of Fame 2015: Neil Roberts proud to call himself a Saint despite narrowly missing flag glory Herald Sun June 5, 2015

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[1] AFL Hall of Fame 2015: Neil Roberts proud to call himself a Saint despite narrowly missing flag glory Herald Sun June 5, 2015

[1]

v t e St Kilda Football Club · Team of the Century 1900–1999
Full-back	Barry Lawrence Verdun Howell Kevin Neale
Half-back	Trevor Barker Neil Roberts Daryl Griffiths
Centre	Nicky Winmar Ian Stewart Lance Oswald
Half-forward	Stewart Loewe Darrel Baldock (c) Bill Mohr
Full-forward	Dave McNamara Tony Lockett Nathan Burke
Ruck	Carl Ditterich Robert Harvey Ross Smith
Interchange	Barry Breen Alan Morrow Robert Murray Jim Ross
Coach	Allan Jeans

v t e 1958 All-Australian team
South Australia John Abley (Port Adelaide)
Tasmania Don Gale (Wynyard) Jim Ross (North Launceston) Stuart Spencer (Clarence)
Victoria (VFA) Barry Metcalfe (Mordialloc)
Victoria Owen Abrahams (Fitzroy) Allen Aylett (North Melbourne) Ron Barassi (Melbourne) Reg Burgess (Essendon) Jack Clarke (Essendon) Bob Davis (Geelong) (Captain) John Dugdale (North Melbourne) Kevin Murray (Fitzroy) Neil Roberts (St Kilda) Ted Whitten (Footscray)
Western Australia Jack "Stork" Clarke (East Fremantle) Polly Farmer (East Perth) Alan Preen (East Fremantle) Norm Rogers (East Fremantle) Ray Sorrell (East Fremantle)