Les Meek

Les Meek
Personal information
Full name Leslie John Meek
Date of birth (1918-07-21)21 July 1918
Place of birth Ballarat, Victoria
Date of death 5 May 1971(1971-05-05) (aged 52)
Place of death Ganmain, New South Wales
Original team(s) Ararat
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 81 kg (179 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1941–1947 St Kilda 49 (11)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1947.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Leslie John "Les" Meek (21 July 1918 – 5 May 1971) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Biography

Meek, who was born in Ballarat, came down from Ararat to play for St Kilda.[1][2]

He was selected for the opening round of the 1941 VFL season on the back of a nine-goal haul in a practise game, but played most of his football at St Kilda across half-back.[2][3] In round two he appeared in the first ever VFL game held at Kardinia Park.[4][5]

His VFL career was interrupted by war service, while he played 37 games from 1941 to 1943, he missed the entire 1944 and 1945 seasons.[4][6] He returned in 1946 and made 11 appearances, although he had to sit out eight weeks through suspension, for kicking Melbourne player Jack Mueller in round nine.[4][7]

In 1947 he played in only one game before leaving early in the season for New South Wales, as the new playing coach of Ganmain.[4][8] He coached Ganmain to back to back South West Football League (New South Wales) premierships in 1948 and 1949.[9][10]

References

  1. ^ "World War Two Nominal Roll". Government of Australia. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  3. ^ "More Pace at Richmond". The Argus. Melbourne. 21 April 1941. p. 9. Retrieved 18 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ a b c d "AFL Tables – Les Meek – Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Football of High Grade". The Argus. Melbourne. 5 May 1941. p. 10. Retrieved 18 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "Sportsmen All". The Sporting Globe (2 ed.). Melbourne. 8 August 1942. p. 2.
  7. ^ "League Players Suspended". The Argus. Melbourne. 21 June 1946. p. 17.
  8. ^ "Victorian to Coach Ganmain; Keen Aust. Rules Games". Daily Advertiser. Wagga Wagga, NSW. 16 May 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 18 September 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "Wagga Aust. Rules May Play 1st Grade Matches on Saturday in 1949". The Daily Advertiser. Wagga Wagga, NSW. 18 October 1948. p. 6.
  10. ^ "S.W.D.F.L. Grand Final". The Daily Advertiser. Wagga Wagga, NSW. 3 October 1949. p. 6.