| Richard Head | |||
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Henry Richard Head | ||
| Nickname(s) | Dick | ||
| Date of birth | (1887-04-03)3 April 1887 | ||
| Place of birth | Adelaide, South Australia | ||
| Date of death | 23 December 1940(1940-12-23) (aged 53) | ||
| Place of death | The Broadway, Glenelg, South Australia | ||
| Original team(s) | West Adelaide | ||
| Position(s) | Centre | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1906–20 | West Adelaide | 143 (18) | |
| 1921 | Sturt | 4 (8) | |
| 1922–23 | Glenelg | 7 (3) | |
| Total | 154 (22) | ||
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| South Australia | 17 | ||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1922–23 | Glenelg | 28 (0–28–0) | |
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1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1923. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
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| Source: AustralianFootball.com | |||
Henry Richard Head (3 April 1887 – 20 December 1940 in Adelaide, South Australia), was an Australian rules football player who played 143 games with West Adelaide in the South Australian Football League (SAFL).
Head made his league debut in 1906 as a teenager, and, in 1909, became just the second ever West Adelaide player to win a Magarey Medal, following on from teammate James Tierney's win in 1908.
The Register described him as a deserving winner of the award. "The one man who shone above all others was Head, West Adelaide's centre pivot", the paper reported. "In nearly every match in which the red-and-blacks took part he was the best of the 36. On the ground he was too clever for all opponents, and in the air about the only player who eclipsed him was Hutton, of Norwood. Much of the success which West Adelaide achieved was due to his wonderful skill, resourcefulness and judgment, with which he associated considerable speed, absolute unselfishness and a gentlemanly demeanor. If anybody deserves the Magarey medal, Head does."[1]
He was appointed club captain in 1913 and also captained the South Australia interstate side that year. Head was chosen to represent South Australia more often than not during his career, playing 17 games in total for his state.
In 1921, Head crossed to Sturt, but he managed just four games before announcing his retirement. He returned to the league, however, the following season as a non-playing coach at Glenelg, and with the side struggling, he took the field for seven games that year to finish with a total of 154 SAFL games. Head continued as Glenelg coach in 1923, his last season of coaching in the SANFL.[2]
Several years after quitting active involvement with football, Head returned as a member of the first Umpires Appointment Board in 1931 alongside other well known figures, such as Vic Richardson, and later became chairman. Head was still serving football in that capacity when he died on 23 December 1940 at the age of 53.
In 2002, Head was one of the 113 inaugural inductees into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame, and he is also a member of the West Adelaide Hall of Fame.[3]
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The Magarey Medal has been awarded since 1898 to the "best and most brilliant" player in the South Australian National Football League and its various incarnations. |
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Victoria 14.13 (97) def South Australia 10.10 (70), at Melbourne Cricket Ground, 6 July 1912 | |
| Both games |
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| First game only |
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| Second game only |
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Managers: | |
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Victoria 10.9 (69) def South Australia 7.13 (55), at Adelaide Oval, 12 July 1913, crowd: 15,000 | |
| Both games |
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| First game only |
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| Second game only |
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South Australia 12.16 (88) d Western Australia 12.11 (83), at Sydney Cricket Ground, 5 August 1914 | |
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Referee Medal: John Robertson |
