BIO

William Crowe was recruited by Norwood in 1910 from the Murrimbum Football Club in the Millicent Football Association where his team had won the 1909 premiership and he was awarded the gold medal for the association’s best player for the season. He transferred to Norwood along with William Williams from the Furner Football Club in the Millicent association.

Crowe played well enough in the pre-season trials to be named in the ruck, resting in the back pocket, for the opening game against West Adelaide on 14th May at the Adelaide Oval , won by Norwood 9.12 to 7.8. Crowe was named along with Vercoe, Williams and Stephens as “ the best of the newcomers”

While an ongoing ankle injury restricted Williams to just two games for the season, Crowe featured in nine games and earned plaudits such as “Crowe is the most unobtrusive follower in the State... and his work is more effective because it is not flash” ( Observer 10 Sept 1910, p17)

Crowe and Williams did share ruck duties for two matches in Tasmania in June, when Norwood were defeated by Southern Tasmania in Hobart and Northern Tasmania in Launceston.

Crowe’s final game appears to have been against Port Adelaide on 27 August at Norwood; won by Port 10.7 to 9.9. He missed the following week when Norwood lost to Port at the Jubilee Oval and was named as emergency the following week against West Torrens in the qualifying round game against West Torrens on the Jubilee Oval; won by Norwood 9.16 to 7.10. Norwood’s season came to an end the following week when it was defeated by Sturt in the semi-final 8.9 to 6.13.

The following year Crowe was listed in April as being available for Norwood but he returned to the Murrimbum Football Club and was a member of its third consecutive premiership.

W Heading April 2022