George Rudolph Explained

George Rudolph
Fullname:George Ernest Rudolph
Birth Date:29 April 1901
Birth Place:Steiglitz, Victoria
Death Place:Tasmania
Originalteam:Hawthorn (VFA)
Height:185 cm
Weight:92 kg
Position:Follower
Statsend:1928
Years1:1922, 1924–28
Club1:Richmond
Games Goals1:80 (61)

George Ernest Rudolph (29 April 1901 – 1 April 1967) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1920s.

Family

The son of Frank Rudolph and Eliza Rudolph, née Barrett, George Ernest Rudolph was born in Steiglitz, Victoria on 29 April 1901.

He married Edna Mary Maud White (1904–) on 14 April 1928.[1]

Football

Said to be an idol of Richmond great Jack Dyer,[2] Rudolph was a follower, who played originally with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football Association (VFA), but was also used in key positions.

Hawthorn (VFA)

Having played with Camberwell Districts (1917), and with the East Burwood Football Club in 1918 and 1919, he was recruited by the VFA club Hawthorn. He played his first match on 10 July 1920[3] and played a total of 13 games, scoring seven goals in two seasons.[4]

Richmond (VFL)

Granted a permit in May 1922, by Hawthorn to play with Richmond,[5] Rudolph only played three matches with the Richmond First XVIII before he left to play country football.

St. James

On leaving Richmond, he played with the St. James Football Club in the Benalla-Yarrawonga Line Football Association for the remainder of the 1922 season.[6]

Lang Lang

In 1923, he played with the Lang Lang Football Club, coached by Harry Harker, in the Berwick District Football Association.

Richmond (VFL)

He returned to Richmond in 1924.[7] [8]

On 2 May 1925, he was one of the Richmond team that played against his old club, Hawthorn, in its first-ever VFL match (and were admitted to the VFL competition in 1925 season).[9]

A Victorian interstate representative, he appeared in seven finals over the course of his career, including the 1927 VFL Grand Final and 1928 Grand Final. Rudolph played both premiership deciders from centre half-forward but Richmond didn't win either.

Oakleigh (VFA)

In 1929, two new teams, Oakleigh and Sandringham, were admitted to the Victorian Football Association (VFA) competition.

Along with Geelong's Eric Fleming, St Kilda's Wal Gunnyon, Essendon's Frank Maher and Chris Gomez, and Richmond's Fred Goding, Rudolph went to the Oakleigh in 1929 without a clearance from the VFL (in doing so, all of them were automatically disqualified from the VFL for three years).[10] [11] However, another ex-Essendon player, Vince Irwin, who also went to Oakleigh in 1929, did receive a clearance from South Bendigo Football Club, with whom he had played in the Bendigo Football League (BFL) in 1927 and 1928.[12]

Rudolph was a member of Oakleigh's inaugural VFA premiership teams in 1930 and 1931, as a centre half-back in the latter.

Coburg (VFA)

In 1932, Oakleigh appointed ex-Collingwood footballer Harry Chesswas as its captain-coach;[13] and, in 1933, in promoting Eric Fleming to the position of the team's captain-coach, the club also informed Rudolph that "should he desire a clearance to any other club it would be granted on his application".[14]

Oakleigh cleared Rudolph cleared to Coburg in March 1933.[15] He played in 24 games as centre half-back that season, including the ferocious Grand Final—eight players, including Rudolph, were reported for 14 different offences[16] [17] —in which Coburg lost to Northcote, 9.16 (70) to 11.21 (87).[18]

Rudolph was appointed captain-coach of Coburg in 1934.[19] [20]

New Town (TFL)

In 1936, he moved to Tasmania,[21] and played with the New Town Football Club in the Tasmanian Football League (TFL).

In his last match (against North Hobart on 19 August 1939), he was reported, found guilty of the charge, and suspended for one week. Without Rudolph in its team, New Town lost the 16 August 1939 elimination final match to Lefroy, 8.10 (58) to 9.11 (65).[22]

Due to his enlistment in the Second AIF in June 1940, he was no longer available for selection at New Town. In 1940 he was the coach of various AIF teams in Tasmania.[23]

Reports and suspensions

According to Hogan (1996, p. 200), Rudolph was "a fiery player [who] came under the notice of umpires on several occasions receiving a total of 61 weeks in suspensions in his career".

Cricket

He played in six matches with the Fitzroy Cricket Club's First XI in the District Cricket Competition in between 1932 and 1935.[42] "George was also a fine fast bowler [for Fitzroy] … [who] scored 21 runs with a highest score of 12 and took 6 wickets".[43]

Military service

He enlisted in the Second AIF in 1940, and served in the Army Service Corps. He was discharged in 1944.[44]

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/243992557 G. Rudolph Weds, The Herald, (Saturday, 14 April 1928), p. 5.
  2. Hogan (1996), p. 200; Hardy (2013), p. 36.
  3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4596715 Hawthorn's Improved Form, The Argus (Monday, 12 July 1920), p. 4.
  4. VFA Project.
  5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246763655/26462225 Association Football, The Herald, (Friday, 19 May 1922), p. 4.
  6. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/214239826 St. James (9.13) Beat Rovers (6.9), The Benalla Standard, (Tuesday, 8 August 1922) p. 3.
  7. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203649899 Football: Final Selections: Richmond, (Wednesday, 23 April 1924), p. 14.
  8. [Wallace Sharland|"Jumbo" Sharland]
  9. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/155765352/18723314 The Teams, The Age, (Friday, 1 May 1925), p. 8.
  10. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136211398 Victorian League Exodus: Players Join Up With The Association, The Referee, (Wednesday, 24 April 1929), p. 13.
  11. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141396035 Victorian Football Teams: No.13—Oakleigh, The Australasian, (Saturday, 27 July 1929) p. 76.
  12. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204219807 Additional Permits, The Age, (Friday, 19 April 1928), p. 6.
  13. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4421348 Football, The Argus, (Friday, 29 January 1932), p. 10.
  14. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4522347 Football, The Argus, (Tuesday, 31 January 1933), p. 13.
  15. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4725250 Association: Coburg, The Argus, (Wednesday, 22 March 1933), p. 15
  16. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11699920 Rough Football: Eight Players Charged in Association Final, The Argus, (Monday, 9 October 1933), p. 9.
  17. The tribunal dismissed the charge against Rudolph (Tribunal, The Age, (Saturday, 4 November 1933), p. 18).
  18. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/181744162 Northcote Win Third Association Premiership By Defeating Coburg, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 7 October 1933), p. 2.
  19. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11741584 Rudolph Will Coach Coburg, The Argus, (Thursday, 22 February 1934), p. 11.
  20. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10942106 Association Permits: Rudolph Reregistered, The Argus, (Thursday, 31 May 1934), p. 14.
  21. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/52079277 Former Champion George Rudolph Cleared, The (Launceston) Examiner, (Friday, 8 May 1936), p. 5
  22. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/219410453 Lefroy Wins Right To Contest Semi-Final With Cananore: New Town Eliminated After Gallant Struggle, The (Hobart) Voice, (Saturday, 26 August 1939), p.2.
  23. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25814667 Football, The Mercury, (Saturday, 20 July 1940), p. 12
  24. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2145340 Rough Play Inquiry: "Belted Into Submission", The Argus, (Friday, 24 July 1925), p. 5
  25. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/232267834 Unseemly Football, The Geelong Advertiser, (Friday, 9 July 1926), p. 6
  26. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3866910 Rough Football: Richmond-Fitzroy Match: Rudolph Exonerated, The Argus, (Friday, 15 July 1927), p. 16
  27. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/204114918 League Tribunal: Rudolph (Richmond) Discharged, The Age, (Friday, 7 September 1928), p. 8
  28. http://www.thevfaproject.org/pages/Players/Donnelly,_Hugh.php Hugh Donnelly, The VFA Project.
  29. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203092040 Five Players Reported, The Age, (Monday, 23 June 1930), p. 6.
  30. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203081202 Association Tribunal, The Age, (Saturday, 28 June 1930), p. 17.
  31. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203814178 Williamstown Player Suspended, The Age, (Thursday, 11 May 1933), p. 5.
  32. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205105805 Both Captains reported: Eight Players to Answer Charges, The Age, (Monday 9 October 1933), p. 6.
  33. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10972873 Charge Against Rudolph, The Argus, (Monday, 24 September 1934), p. 14.
  34. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/10985355 Rudolph Disqualified: Out Until July, 1936, The Argus, (Thursday, 27 September 1934), p.7.
  35. "After consulting the case for nearly an hour, the tribunal informed Rudolph it had found him guilty. The chairman said it had taken the tribunal no time to find Rudolph guilty. There had been no case in the tribunal's experience where the evidence had been so clear and where the evidence of all the umpires had been so definite and in agreement. What had troubled the tribunal was the matter of penalty. Probably there was no greater offence in football than deliberate kicking. No extenuating circumstances had been put forward on Rudolph's behalf. The tribunal considered that the penalty should be severe, and that Rudolph should stand down until 31st July, 1936." (G. Rudolph Suspended, The Age, (Thursday, 27 September 1934), p.4).
  36. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25216265 Player Reported: Alleged Elbowing, The Mercury, Monday, 20 July 1936), p. 12.
  37. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25213635 Rudolph Stood Down: Appeal to be Lodged by New Town, The Mercury, (Friday, 24 July 1935), p. 14.
  38. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25224472 Rudolph Appeal: Committee Declines to Reopen Case: Decision Stands, The Mercury, (Thursday, 30 July 1935), p. 7.
  39. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25208534 Rudolph Appeal: Referred to Investigation Committee, The Mercury, (Tuesday, 28 July 1935), p. 11.
  40. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25617080 Players Reported, The Mercury, (Monday, 21 August 1939), p. 12.
  41. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/25615360 Rudolph Down for One Match, The Mercury, (Thursday, 24 August 1939), p. 13.
  42. Web site: Register of V.C.A. 1st XI Pennant, District & Premier Cricketers: 1889–90 to 2017–18 N to R, cricketvictoria.com.au. . 17 April 2019 . 13 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190313220314/http://premier.cricketvictoria.com.au/files/3/files/player-register-career-stats/player%20reg%20n-r%202017-18.pdf . dead .
  43. Hogan (1996), p. 200.
  44. http://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=779027&c=WW2#R World War Two Service Record: Corporal George Rudolph (TX2286), Department of Veterans' Affairs.

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