284:. At the tribunal he received a two-week suspension for attempting to trip Brady, who was exonerated of his charge of having struck McNeil. This upset McNeil, as he had not been accompanied to the tribunal by anyone from St Kilda. He subsequently argued with club secretary Sam Ramsay and opted not to train that week. Although he resumed training the following week he was omitted from the reserves. Soon after he quit the club.
377:. At the meeting the constitution was ratified and the union formed. McNeil was concerned with the poor attendance, which by the second meeting on 27 June was reduced to just 12 players. Cash was to become president, McNeil the secretary and Henrys treasurer. They planned to register the union with the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration.
318:
In April 1955 he expressed through the media that he believed VFL players received a rough deal and announced plans to form a players union similar to the
British version. Amongst his stated aims was that players were to be notified by the end of a season if they were going to be retained, as was the
396:
Both the VFL and VFA strongly opposed any players' union, as did the
Essendon Football Club. The end came in December when the union was refused registration on technical grounds in a hearing at the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. It was successfully argued by the VFL that its
302:
Later in 1954 he returned to
Scotland and in an effort to improve his own coaching visited local soccer clubs to learn their coaching methods. His visit was reported on by a Glasgow newspaper and because of this he was contacted by John Hughes, a Scottish players union representative. The two men
253:
cloakroom to recover from the anaesthetic. That night a dance was held at the ground and McNeil, who had not yet recovered, was told to leave. He was later in Punt Road, where he collapsed, still wearing his blood-stained jumper. When a St Kilda club official was informed of his condition he was
314:
Through these relationships, McNeil was inspired to establish a union back in
Australia for the VFL, which at the time had no representative body for players. He had been disappointed with his own treatment while at St Kilda and did not want others to experience what he had.
397:
players were amateurs and therefore could not be considered employees. McNeil declined the option of appealing the decision, due to the cost and the belief that there was not the support required amongst players. The union was disbanded the following year.
200:(VFL) in 1951 and 1952. Disappointed with his treatment during his playing career, McNeil was instrumental in the formation of a players union in 1955, the first attempt at a representative body for VFL players. From 1977 to 1989 he was a member of the
380:
The organisation's membership grew to 178 members through the season which accounted for approximately 20% of available players. North
Melbourne had 33 players with membership, but the majority were from the VFA. When North Melbourne's Laurie Icke and
1152:
319:
case in
England. He also stated that players should receive free legal representation for any dispute they had with their club and that a special benefit fund should be set up for veteran players.
586:
1147:
346:(VFA), which he had also contacted. Together they formed a constitution, which was based on both the Scottish Players' Union and the Victorian Fire Brigade Employers' Union.
1132:
1032:
772:
1102:
217:
249:, his fourth appearance for the year, he received an eye injury after being struck behind the play. His gash was stitched up by a doctor and he was sent to the
220:
with his sister to
Australia in 1940, to escape the World War II conflict. Until their parents came over in 1947, they stayed with host families in Melbourne.
385:
were controversially sacked by their club at the end of the season, the union protested in support of the players. In
November, after the sudden death of
1127:
358:
290:
In 1954 he coached
Alexandra and came close to getting the club into a grand final in his only season, missing out after a one-point loss to
1177:
1157:
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at Scots Church Hall, attended by a total of 26 players, 18 of them from VFL clubs and the others from the VFA. The VFL players included
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197:
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280:. During the game he was reported for an incident in the second quarter when he retaliated with North Melbourne forward
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343:
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In the 1960s, McNeil went to
Western Australia to continue his coaching career and ended up remaining there.
273:
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region. Soon after he joined the breakaway National Party, along with other disaffected members of the NCP,
322:
Seeking permission to address VFL players, McNeil wrote to the club secretaries. He was given permission by
421:
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335:
257:
He recovered well enough to play in round eight, the solitary win of his career, a 15-point victory over
676:
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He did not play in the final round but was in the team again for St Kilda's opening fixture in the
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436:. He remained in the Legislative Assembly until the end of his fourth term on 21 May 1989.
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8:
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the next weekend, he played the eighth and final game of his VFL career against
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National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Western Australia
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17:
330:
players were said to be uninterested. It was however a Hawthorn player,
339:
702:"Umpire claims kick was deliberate: Tribunal Clears Brady —McNeil Out"
587:"A Numerical listing of Members of the Legislative Council since 1890"
303:
formed a friendship and McNeil was introduced to the chairman of the
231:
McNeil made his debut for St Kilda in the penultimate round of the
223:
McNeil, a wingman, played his early football with Hampton Scouts.
1037:
777:
213:
70:
755:
Lane, Tim (15 December 2013). "How fight for rights was won".
802:
More Than a Game: The Real Story of Australian Rules Football
1061:"Rural parties' members move to heal six-year-old rift"
23:
Australian rules footballer and politician (1929–2020)
1148:
Members of the Western Australian Legislative Council
954:(Final ed.). Melbourne. 16 April 1955. p. 1
334:, that was most interested in McNeil's plans, as was
531:
All In – The origins of the AFL Players' Association
287:He was playing coach of East St Kilda in the 1953.
1133:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)
1109:
393:, the committee organised a benefit function.
166:Playing statistics correct to the end of 1952.
326:and St Kilda, but not by Hawthorn, while the
592:. Parliamentary Library of Western Australia
476:
799:
611:
609:
607:
1077:– via National Library of Australia.
1021:– via National Library of Australia.
993:– via National Library of Australia.
971:
969:
962:– via National Library of Australia.
934:– via National Library of Australia.
903:– via National Library of Australia.
875:– via National Library of Australia.
847:– via National Library of Australia.
744:– via National Library of Australia.
718:– via National Library of Australia.
696:
694:
575:– via National Library of Australia.
1013:. Melbourne. 21 February 1956. p. 16
997:
985:. Melbourne. 11 February 1956. p. 46
912:
910:
670:
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736:. Victoria. 17 September 1954. p. 3
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617:"AFL Tables – Tom McNeil – Games Played"
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1128:VFL/AFL players born outside Australia
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839:. Melbourne. 15 April 1955. p. 25
674:
410:Western Australian Legislative Council
349:On 13 May 1955, a meeting was held in
216:, Scotland on 9 June 1929, McNeil was
202:Western Australian Legislative Council
16:For the American football player, see
926:. Melbourne. 12 July 1955. p. 18
818:
677:"From little things, big things grow"
631:
528:
477:Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007).
188:(9 June 1929 – 24 March 2020) was an
895:. Melbourne. 11 June 1955. p. 4
754:
748:
495:
1178:20th-century Australian politicians
1158:Australian sportsperson-politicians
977:"Footy union will keep on fighting"
867:. Melbourne. 12 May 1955. p. 1
710:. Melbourne. 2 July 1952. p. 9
479:The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers
13:
918:"Union will help 'sacked' players"
567:. Perth. 23 April 1955. p. 16
109:178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
14:
1189:
1084:
946:"'Secret 12' Want Football Union"
297:
254:instructed to catch a taxi home.
800:Hess, Rob; Stewart, Bob (1998).
1143:Scottish emigrants to Australia
1091:Tom McNeil's playing statistics
1053:
1025:
938:
879:
851:
793:
765:
192:and politician. He played with
1138:St Kilda Football Club players
1041:. 21 February 1956. p. 12
1033:"Football Union Now Dissolved"
804:. Melbourne University Press.
722:
579:
551:
470:
445:
344:Victorian Football Association
1:
675:Daffey, Paul (30 July 2013).
439:
305:English soccer players' union
207:
7:
1069:. 30 August 1984. p. 2
781:. 15 April 1955. p. 12
400:
226:
190:Australian rules footballer
28:Australian rules footballer
10:
1194:
1163:Australian trade unionists
831:"...and now a footy union"
15:
1173:Sportspeople from Glasgow
1099:at AustralianFootball.com
533:. Albert Park, Victoria:
198:Victorian Football League
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93:Perth, Western Australia.
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51:
46:
43:
38:
33:
408:He was elected into the
117:66 kg (146 lb)
1103:WA Parliament biography
535:AFL Players Association
420:, an electorate in the
245:In round seven against
887:"They don't 'kick in'"
773:"Seeks Football Union"
416:(NCP) as a member for
414:National Country Party
261:in the only game ever
178:AustralianFootball.com
859:"Hawks bar unionist'"
1168:Sports labor leaders
529:Harms, John (2013).
453:"Vale Thomas McNeil"
342:, a player from the
268:Following a loss to
235:, at the age of 22.
39:Personal information
559:"Don Coleman Finds"
418:Upper West Province
1066:The Canberra Times
734:Alexandra Standard
481:. BAS Publishing.
265:at Yallourn Oval.
1005:"Union Dissolved"
544:978-0-9874343-6-4
278:Arden Street Oval
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98:Original team(s)
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434:Matt Stephens
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430:Ray McPharlin
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81:24 March 2020
78:Date of death
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1071:. Retrieved
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621:. Retrieved
619:. AFL Tables
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83:(2020-03-24)
25:
1123:2020 deaths
1118:1929 births
426:Hendy Cowan
387:Sandringham
363:Laurie Icke
359:Jack Clarke
355:Ron Barassi
324:Collingwood
240:1952 season
122:Position(s)
62:9 June 1929
18:Tom McNeill
1112:Categories
1097:Tom McNeil
811:0522847722
730:"Football"
564:The Mirror
440:References
340:Ted Henrys
338:full-back
282:John Brady
208:Early life
174:AFL Tables
73:, Scotland
58:1929-06-09
34:Tom McNeil
1010:The Argus
982:The Argus
951:The Argus
923:The Argus
892:The Argus
864:The Argus
836:The Argus
707:The Argus
259:Footscray
218:evacuated
172:Sources:
151:1951–1952
1073:2 August
1045:2 August
1017:2 August
989:2 August
958:2 August
930:2 August
899:2 August
871:2 August
843:2 August
785:2 August
740:1 August
714:1 August
683:1 August
623:1 August
596:1 August
571:2 August
462:26 March
422:Mid West
401:Politics
332:Pat Cash
328:Essendon
270:Hawthorn
227:Football
212:Born in
194:St Kilda
156:St Kilda
1038:The Age
778:The Age
336:Preston
292:Seymour
247:Fitzroy
214:Glasgow
196:in the
125:Wingman
71:Glasgow
808:
541:
485:
263:hosted
114:Weight
106:Height
590:(PDF)
457:AFLPA
160:8 (0)
135:Years
1075:2015
1047:2015
1019:2015
991:2015
960:2015
932:2015
901:2015
873:2015
845:2015
806:ISBN
787:2015
742:2015
716:2015
685:2015
625:2015
598:2015
573:2015
539:ISBN
483:ISBN
464:2020
432:and
373:and
139:Club
276:at
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1007:.
979:.
968:^
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889:.
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56:(
20:.
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