Seff Parry Explained

Seff Parry
Fullname:Arnold Sefton Parry[1]
Birth Date:17 August 1907
Birth Place:Adelaide, South Australia[2]
Death Place:Perth, Western Australia
Originalteam:Henley and Grange (SAAFL)
Height:170 cm
Weight:67 kg
Position:Rover
Statsend:1949
Years1:1929–1932, 1934
Club1:West Adelaide (SANFL)
Years2:1933
Club2:Fitzroy (VFL)
Games Goals2:5 (3)
Years3:1935–1938, 1949
Club3:East Perth (WANFL)
Games Goals3:56 (98)[3]
Years4:1945
Club4:Subiaco (WANFL)
Games Goals4:1 (0)
Coachyears1:1945, 1947
Coachclub1:Subiaco
Coachyears2:1949
Coachclub2:East Perth
Coachgames Wins2:18 (9)
Careerhighlights:

Arnold Sefton "Seff" Parry (17 August 1907 – 29 July 1980)[4] was an Australian rules footballer who played with West Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and East Perth in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL).[5] He coached both Subiaco and East Perth.

Playing career

Born in Adelaide, Parry started his career in the South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL), with Henley and Grange.[6] He began playing for West Adelaide in 1929 and remained with the club until 1932.[7]

Parry, a rover, was cleared to Fitzroy just before the beginning of the 1933 VFL season and made his league debut in the opening round, against North Melbourne at Arden Street.[8] He made four further appearances that season, the last in round 11.[9]

He returned to West Adelaide in 1934 and that year became the second member of his family to be an interstate representative, when he represented South Australia in Perth.[10] His brother Cyril was also a South Australian representative, but in cricket.[11] The brothers both played district cricket for West Torrens.[12]

From 1935 to 1938, Parry played for East Perth.[10] [13] Parry was believed to have been the first player from the eastern states in over 20 years to appear for the club and also had the distinction of having played in all three major football leagues in successive seasons.[14] He was East Perth's joint leading goal-kicker in 1935 and a member of the team that defeated Claremont to win the 1936 premiership.[15] [16]

Coaching

Parry was appointed coach of Subiaco in 1945.[10] Although retired, he made one appearance as a player that season.[17] He was replaced by Frank Murphy the following year but returned as coach in 1947, when Murphy didn't reapply for the role.[18]

He coached East Perth in 1949, to fifth position, which wasn't enough to keep the job in 1950.[19] Late in the season, due to an injury crisis, Parry was again called out of retirement to take the field.[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Arnold Sefton Parry. Ancestry.com.
  2. Web site: World War Two Nominal Roll. Australian Government.
  3. Web site: League Games Played (Lalich - Quinn). East Perth Football Club.
  4. Web site: Seth Parry - Player Bio. Australian Football. 16 November 2014.
  5. Book: Holmesby. Russell. Main. Jim. The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. 2007. 9781920910785.
  6. News (Adelaide), "Port Pirie Match", 9 August 1928, p. 15
  7. Web site: 1920-1929. West Adelaide Football Club.
  8. Web site: North Melbourne v Fitzroy. AFL Tables.
  9. Web site: 1933 Stats. AFL Tables.
  10. The West Australian, "Subiaco Coach Appointed", 16 March 1945, p. 2
  11. Web site: Cyril Parry. Cricinfo.
  12. The Advertiser, "West Torrens v Colts", 25 March 1929, p. 22
  13. The West Australian, "A. S. Parry for East Perth", 28 February 1935, p. 9
  14. The Daily News (Perth), "Parry, of S.A., Arrives", 4 March 1935, p. 3
  15. Web site: Arnold Parry (East Perth). WAFL Online.
  16. Web site: Premiership Teams. East Perth Football Club.
  17. Web site: Notable Old Haleians. Old Haleians' Association.
  18. Web site: SFC Honour Roll. Subiaco Football Club.
  19. The Daily News (Perth), "Should The Coach Play?", 25 March 1950, p. 18
  20. The West Australian, "Half-Back Line Strength", 29 August 1949, p. 14