BIO

Harry Cullen played his three league games in the 1904 premiership year and went on to become a stalwart of the Norwood second team even after he retired from the game in 1911.

After two seasons with Payneham, Harry joined East Torrens in the Adelaide and Suburban competition in 1904.  He was a wingman in the Adelaide and Suburban combined team which defeated Gawler by three points on 4 June. Three weeks later, in his league debut, Norwood demolished West Adelaide 17.16 to 5.5.  On 2 July at the Jubilee Oval, ‘Crusher’ Barnes retired at halftime and Harry took his place.  Norwood went on to defeat South Adelaide by eight points in the rain, 9.6 to 7.10.  

Harry played his last senior game on 23 July when, before nearly 10,000 spectators, a weakened Norwood team lost at home to Port Adelaide by six points, kicking 5.12 to 7.6.  Norwood turned the tables in the grand final, coming from 35 points behind in the last quarter to snatch victory by four points with a goal in the last minute.

Harry was captain of Norwood II when it entered the Adelaide and Suburban competition in 1906 but he was not in the team when it beat Semaphore Central by 11 points, 8.6 to 5.13, in the grand final that year.  He also missed playing in the 1910 premiership team.  He was, however, selected to represent  Adelaide and Suburban against Broken Hill teams in 1906, 1908 and 1909. 

‘Umpire’, in the Saturday Journal of 28 July 1923, said: “Harry Cullen, a life member of the B Grade League, played a few games for Norwood firsts, but put in most of his time with the seconds, when he was one of the best – a great all-rounder.  Harry is a staunch supporter of No. 2 grade football and asserts that on many occasions it is equal, if not superior, to the senior standard.  He still lives at Norwood, and wishes to be remembered to all the old boys.”

We know nothing of Harry’s background.  He may have been Henry James Cullen, who was born at Gilberton on 13 March 1880 and died on 27 March 1950; or Henry Edward Cullen of Gilberton, who was born in 1885 and died on 30 July 1961; or Arthur Henry Cullen, also of Gilberton, who was born on 18 August 1885 and died on 23 June 1935.

P. Robins, M. Giles, D. Cox, G. Adams July 2025