Colin Niven was an Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

er who played for Fitzroy

Fitzroy Football Club

The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...

 and Melbourne

Melbourne Football Club

The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....

 in the Victorian Football League

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

 (VFL).

Niven, a follower, played in the Ballarat Football League prior to joining Fitzroy. He captain-coached Fitzroy in 1930

1930 VFL season

Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1930.-Premiership season:In 1930, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th man...

 and 1931

1931 VFL season

Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1931.-Premiership season:In 1931, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th man...

 before crossing to Melbourne, which he captained in 1934

1934 VFL season

Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1934.-Premiership season:In 1934, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th man...

 and 1935

1935 VFL season

Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1935.-Premiership season:In 1935, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus one substitute player, known as the 19th man...

. His brother Ray, who played beside Colin in 1931, later reunited with him at Melbourne where they again appeared together in the same side.