Frank Donnellan
Personal information
Full name James Francis Donnellan
Date of birth (1907-11-17)17 November 1907
Place of birth Clifton Hill, Victoria
Date of death 5 July 1994(1994-07-05) (aged 86)
Place of death Victoria, Australia
Original team(s) Xavier College
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1926 Hawthorn 03 0(2)
1927; 1931–32 North Melbourne 18 0(8)
1933–34 Fitzroy 36 0(0)
Total 57 (10)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1934.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

James Francis Donnellan (17 November 1907 – 5 July 1994) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Early life

The son of James Francis Donnellan and Margaret Ann Fitzgerald, Frank Donnellan was educated at Xavier College in Kew and was a prominent player in their 1924 premiership side.[2]

Football

Donnellan trialled with Essendon in 1925[3] but joined Hawthorn in 1926, making his debut at full-forward in their 141-point loss to Melbourne[4] and making two other appearances before being dropped to the reserves.

Having been released by Hawthorn at the commencement of the 1927 VFL season,[5] Donnellan played with Thornbury in the C.Y.M.S. Association and then moved to North Melbourne[6] and made a solitary appearance late in the season. During the next few years Donnellan did not play VFL football, again playing with Thornbury,[7] but he resumed with North Melbourne halfway through the 1931 VFL season and made 17 consecutive appearances in the team. During this run of games he changed position from being a key forward to playing at full-back.

At the start of the 1933 VFL season, Donnellan transferred to Fitzroy[8] and he played as full-back in every game for the next two seasons before his retirement.

Later life

In 1935 Frank Donnellan married Jane Elizabeth O’Connell[9] and they lived in Melbourne until his death in 1994. Donnellan is buried at the Andersons Creek Cemetery in Warrandyte.[10]

Notes

  1. ↑ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. ↑ "XAVIER COLLEGE CHAMPIONS". The Argus. Melbourne. 16 August 1924. p. 27.
  3. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The Age. Melbourne. 13 April 1925. p. 4.
  4. ↑ "A MELBOURNE WASHAWAY". The Argus. Melbourne. 28 June 1926. p. 16.
  5. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The Argus. Melbourne. 25 April 1927. p. 7.
  6. ↑ "UMPIRES AND PERMITS". The Argus. Melbourne. 9 June 1927. p. 6.
  7. ↑ "THE JUNIORS". The Herald. No. 15, 960. Melbourne. 13 July 1928. p. 15.
  8. ↑ "LEAGUE PERMITS". The Argus. Melbourne. 29 April 1933. p. 23.
  9. ↑ "Family Notices". Table Talk. Melbourne. 12 September 1935. p. 47 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ "James Francis Donnellan". Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust.
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