Vic Castles
Encyclopedia
Victor Tasman "Vic" Castles (born 4 January 1918) was an Australian rules football
er who played with South Melbourne
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) during the 1940s.
Castles, a Tasmanian, spent two seasons with Port Melbourne
after arriving on the mainland. In both those years, 1940 and 1941, Port Melbourne were Victorian Football Association
(VFA) premiers but Castles was only a member of the 1940 grand final winning team. Although he still turned out in the VFA, Castles was enlisted in the Australian Army
in 1941, as a sapper
. He was discharged at the end of the year and transferred to VFL club South Melbourne.
Mostly used at half forward and as a rover, Castles was a consistent source of goals for South Melbourne, finishing runner up in their goal-kicking on four occasions. His best effort in a season came in 1945 when he kicked 38 goals and was particularly strong in the finals series. He kicked four goals in South Melbourne's 11 point semi final win over Collingwood
, which qualified them for the 1945 VFL Grand Final
. In the premiership decider, where no less than six of Castles teammates were reported, he lined up on a half forward flank and kicked a club high three goals, in a losing side.
After appearing in all 17 games in 1946, Castles applied for a clearance to Burnie, but South Melbourne refused. Another season at South Melbourne meant he was able to bring up his 100th league game, in the final round of the year. He was granted a clearance at the end of the season and returned to Tasmania, taking up the position of playing coach for Burnie in the North West Football Union
.
He was in charge of Burnie from 1948 to 1950 and his on field performances were rewarded with selection in the Tasmanian team which competed at the 1950 Brisbane Carnival
. In 1951 he switched to Wynyard
, the club he had played for prior to joining Port Melbourne. His first season at Wynyard was spent as their coach and then in 1952, when he was a member of their premiership team, he contributed just as a player.
Back in Victoria, Castles was appointed coach of Wimmera Football League
club Murtoa in 1953. He left them after just one year and joined Jung for the 1954 Horsham & District Football League
season.
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 with South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
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) during the 1940s.
Castles, a Tasmanian, spent two seasons with Port Melbourne
Port Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
after arriving on the mainland. In both those years, 1940 and 1941, Port Melbourne were Victorian Football Association
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFA) premiers but Castles was only a member of the 1940 grand final winning team. Although he still turned out in the VFA, Castles was enlisted in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
in 1941, as a sapper
Sapper
A sapper, pioneer or combat engineer is a combatant soldier who performs a wide variety of combat engineering duties, typically including, but not limited to, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, general construction and building, as well as road and airfield...
. He was discharged at the end of the year and transferred to VFL club South Melbourne.
Mostly used at half forward and as a rover, Castles was a consistent source of goals for South Melbourne, finishing runner up in their goal-kicking on four occasions. His best effort in a season came in 1945 when he kicked 38 goals and was particularly strong in the finals series. He kicked four goals in South Melbourne's 11 point semi final win over Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, which qualified them for the 1945 VFL Grand Final
1945 VFL Grand Final
The 1945 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the South Melbourne Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at Princes Park in Melbourne on 29 September 1945. It was the 49th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine the premiers...
. In the premiership decider, where no less than six of Castles teammates were reported, he lined up on a half forward flank and kicked a club high three goals, in a losing side.
After appearing in all 17 games in 1946, Castles applied for a clearance to Burnie, but South Melbourne refused. Another season at South Melbourne meant he was able to bring up his 100th league game, in the final round of the year. He was granted a clearance at the end of the season and returned to Tasmania, taking up the position of playing coach for Burnie in the North West Football Union
North West Football Union
The North West Football Union was an Australian rules football competition which ran from 1910 to 1986. In its time it was one of the three main leagues in Tasmania, with the Tasmanian Football League and Northern Tasmanian Football Association representing the rest of the state...
.
He was in charge of Burnie from 1948 to 1950 and his on field performances were rewarded with selection in the Tasmanian team which competed at the 1950 Brisbane Carnival
1950 Brisbane Carnival
The 1950 Brisbane Carnival was the 11th edition of the Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition. It was the first carnival to be hosted in Queensland....
. In 1951 he switched to Wynyard
Wynyard Football Club
The Wynyard Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Wynyard, Tasmania.-Club history:The Wynyard Football Club was believed to be formed in 1885 as Table Cape and adopted the name of Wynyard in 1890....
, the club he had played for prior to joining Port Melbourne. His first season at Wynyard was spent as their coach and then in 1952, when he was a member of their premiership team, he contributed just as a player.
Back in Victoria, Castles was appointed coach of Wimmera Football League
Wimmera Football League
The Wimmera Football League is based in Western Victoria, with clubs located in towns in the Wimmera region. The regional centres along the Western Highway from Ararat to Nhill as well as Minyip-Murtoa and Warracknabeal.The league is a major country league....
club Murtoa in 1953. He left them after just one year and joined Jung for the 1954 Horsham & District Football League
Horsham & District Football League
The Horsham & District Football League is an amateur Australian rules football league based in the Wimmera area of Western Victoria.-History:...
season.