STOCKDALE, Greg

Greg Stockdale had played with Kilmore in 1917 and 1918 then spent 1919 at Rushworth. He moved to Corowa in 1920 to play with his brother Charlie and to work at Stockdale & Skehan Motors. For the next three seasons he managed to play a few games at Essendon while still playing for Corowa.

Moving to Essendon full-time in 1923, he made an immediate impression, kicking ten goals in his first game of the season. He only missed one game for the year and finished the season with 68 goals, a new League record.

Stockdale was a superbly versatile player who started as a half-back before moving to full-forward in the 1922 preliminary final where he was an instant success, kicking five of the team's six goals in a loss to Fitzroy. Stockdale's success effectively ended Jack Moriarty's career at full-forward for Essendon, and he transferred to Fitzroy where he went on to became one of the great full-forwards of the game.

He was not tall for a full-forward at 178cm, but the left-footer developed into a champion, regularly kicking bags of goals in a time of relatively low scores. He headed the League goalkicking list in 1923 with a record 68 goals, after kicking 10 goals in Round 1, nine goals from nine shots in Round 12, and eight goals in Round 8. He was kept goalless only once that year.

He was an important player in the premierships of 1923 and 1924.

Stockdale was Essendon's leading goalkicker again in 1926 with 36 goals and in 1928 with 39 goals, despite missing 8 weeks through suspension on a striking charge. He was third top in 1924.

He was Essendon's Best and Fairest winner in 1925 and was runner-up in 1927. He also scored the most Brownlow Medal votes in 1927 and equal second most votes in 1925. His standing with his team-mates was acknowledged when they voted him the Best and Most Consistent Player in 1925.

He also won Essendon's Most Consistent Player award in 1927.

Stockdale was selected in the State side in 1923, 1925, 1927 and 1928.

After leaving Essendon, he went to Northcote from 1929 to 1931 and was a member of their 1929 premiership side and he later became captain-coach of Coburg in 1932 and 1933. He then went to Fairfield in 1934.

Greg Stockdale died on 14th May, 1949.