Arthur Roberts (Australian footballer)

Arthur Llewellyn Roberts (28 March 1911 – 8 January 1984) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was born in Warragul and recruited from Oakleigh in the Victorian Football Association. His older brother, Billy Roberts, also played for St Kilda.^[2]

Arthur Roberts
Personal information
Full name	Arthur Llewellyn Roberts
Date of birth	(1911-03-28)28 March 1911
Place of birth	Warragul, Victoria
Date of death	8 January 1984(1984-01-08) (aged 72)
Place of death	Armadale, Victoria
Original team(s)	Oakleigh (VFA)[1]
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	76 kg (168 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1930–33, 1936	St Kilda	31 (10)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1936.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Football

Roberts survived a life-threatening injury in his debut season to play 31 games for St Kilda over five years.

He started as a 19-year old in the 1930 VFL season and in round 15, against Collingwood at Junction Oval on 23 August, was involved in a collision with an opposition player. Admitted to Alfred Hospital with abdominal injuries described as "grave", he was operated on by doctors and afterwards remained in a critical condition.^[3] The injury, to his spleen, was caused by an elbow to his abdomen.^[4][5] On 26 August he was reported to be out of danger.^[6]

Still in recovery during the 1931 season, Roberts made only two appearances, in rounds 13 and 18.^[7][8]

In the 1932 season he had fully recovered from his injuries and put together nine games.^[8][9] The Sporting Globe wrote that year that the full-back, with match practice, could develop into a champion player.^[10]

Roberts was only able to play four games in 1933, then spent two years out of the side, some of it in Bendigo coaching.^[8][11][12]

He returned in the 1936 season as a forward and kicked nine goals from his eight appearances.^[8] The following year he played practice matches with Melbourne, who were considering him at their full-back.^[13] He however instead announced his retirement from VFL football.^[14][15]

He was also a prominent member of the Oakleigh cricket team.^[16]

War Service

Roberts later served in the Australian Army during World War II.^[17]

References

1. "Club Notes". The Age. Melbourne. 19 April 1929. p. 6. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
2. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
3. "Condition Grave". The Mail. Adelaide. 23 August 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
4. "Wild Football Game". The National Advocate. Bathurst, NSW. 25 August 1930. p. 2. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "Among the Clubs". The Age. Melbourne. 12 September 1930. p. 5. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
6. "Injured Footballer Improves". The Argus. Melbourne. 26 August 1930. p. 8. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
7. ""1931 will be St. Kilda's Premiership Year," Officials Forecast". The Sporting Globe (Stumps ed.). Melbourne. 7 March 1931. p. 6. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
8. "AFL Tables – Arthur Roberts – Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
9. "Talk of the Players and Clubrooms". The Sporting Globe (2 ed.). Melbourne. 27 April 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
10. "Players in Public Eye". The Sporting Globe (2 ed.). Melbourne. 10 August 1932. p. 8. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
11. "Junior Association Finals". The Argus. Melbourne. 29 March 1935. p. 12. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
12. "How Recruits Fared in League Practice". The Sporting Globe (2 ed.). Melbourne. 4 April 1936. p. 1. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
13. "Pace On At Melbourne". The Sporting Globe (1 ed.). Melbourne. 17 April 1937. p. 4. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
14. "A. Roberts to Retire". The Age. Melbourne. 5 April 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
15. "League Clubs Complete Training Lists". The Argus. Melbourne. 19 April 1937. p. 14. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
16. "Personalities in the V.J.C.U. Team at Adelaide". The Sporting Globe (2 ed.). Melbourne. 28 December 1932. p. 9. Retrieved 6 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
17. "World War II Roll: ROBERTS, Arthur Llewellyn". Department of Veterans Affairs.

External links

• Arthur Roberts's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Arthur Roberts at AustralianFootball.com