Duncan Anderson
Personal information
Birth nameJames Duncan Anderson
Born (1931-12-17) 17 December 1931
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Australian rules football career
Personal information
Position(s) Full-forward
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1950–1953 University 80 (390)
1954 Old Melburnians 16 (75)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1950–1954 Victoria (amateur) 8 (??)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1954.
Career highlights
  • VAFL Section A premiership player: 1952
  • 4× University leading goalkicker: 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953
  • Old Melburnians leading goalkicker: 1954
Cricket information
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm off spin
Right-arm medium pace
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1955Oxford University Cricket Club
First-class debut11 May 1955 Oxford University Cricket Club v Yorkshire
Last First-class14 May 1955 Oxford University Cricket Club v Warwickshire
Career statistics
Competition FC
Matches 2
Runs scored 4
Batting average 4
100s/50s 0/0
Top score 4*
Balls bowled 216
Wickets 4
Bowling average 29.50
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 4/68
Catches/stumpings 3/–
Source: CricketArchive, 12 August 2008

James Duncan Anderson (born 17 December 1931) is an Australian former Australian rules footballer and first-class cricketer.

Anderson played as a full-forward in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) from 1950 to 1954. He played four seasons with the University Blues, followed by a season with the Old Melburnians. He was noted for his prolific goalkicking and was the leading goalkicker in Section A in every season he played in, the only player to have done so. He was the vice-captain of the club during the 1952 season, where the Blues went on win their first Premiership title, defeating Ormond in the Grand Final, with Anderson scoring ten of the twenty goals that Blues put past Ormond. He took on a dual role in the 1953 season, acting as both captain and coach of the club, as the Blues finished as runners-up. Anderson also represented Victoria as an amateur in eight matches, including at the 1951 and 1953 AAFC Carnivals.[1]

In August 1954, Anderson left Australia to study in the United Kingdom, attending Magdalen College, Oxford. In December, he was named Blue of the Game in the annual Australian rules match between Oxford and Cambridge, where he played alongside future Prime Minister Bob Hawke.[1] In May 1955, he played cricket in first-class two matches for Oxford University. His highest score of 4* came against Warwickshire.[2] His best bowling of 4/68 came against Yorkshire.[3]

Despite having not played competitive football for two years, Anderson appeared in a demonstration match at the 1956 Summer Olympics. He was selected to play in a team representing the Victorian Amateur Football Association against a combined team of players from the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the Victorian Football Association (VFA). Although the combined VFL/VFA team were favoured to win the match, some football journalists backed the VAFA team, citing Anderson's performances at both team training and in a "special" practice match as reasons for a potential upset.[4][5] On 7 December, the VAFA team were victorious, defeating the combined team by 26 points. Anderson finished the match with three goals.[6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Duncan Anderson – Big V Champion". Victorian Amateur Football Association. Retrieved 10 April 2022.
  2. ↑ "Oxford University v Warwickshire". www.cricketarchive.com. 12 August 2008.
  3. ↑ "Oxford University v Yorkshire". www.cricketarchive.com. 12 August 2008.
  4. ↑ Andersen, Dave (19 October 1956). "He's a footy Games hope". The Argus. Melbourne. p. 12. Retrieved 13 March 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "Be ready for a shock in Olympic footy". The Argus. Melbourne. 7 December 1956. p. 14. Retrieved 13 March 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "V.F.L.-V.F.A. Team Beaten". The Age. 8 December 1956. p. 16.


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