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Bert Mills

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Bert Mills
Personal information
Full name Albert Edward Mills
Date of birth 16 February 1910
Place of birth Wahgunyah, Victoria
Date of death 6 May 1984(1984-05-06) (aged 74)
Original team(s) Bethanga, Wangaratta
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 86 kg (190 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1930–1942 Hawthorn 196 (60)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1940–1941 Hawthorn 36 (10–26–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1942.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Albert Edward Mills (16 February 1910 – 6 May 1984) was an Australian rules footballer who played for and captained Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Football career

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Mills and his older brother Arthur began their careers playing for Bethanga in the 1926 and 1927 Kiewa & District Football Association grand finals.[1][2][3][4] The Mills family then moved to Oxley, near Wangaratta, and the pair played with nearby Wangaratta Football Club in 1929.[5][6] In 1930, both brothers made their debuts for the Hawthorn Football Club. Bert Mills won Hawthorn's 'most consistent player' award in his first season of VFL football.[7]

Mills usually played as a ruckman, but was also used at centre half-back. He captained Hawthorn at various times during his career, beginning in 1932, and then in single seasons during 1934 and 1938 before his final stint from 1940 until 1941 as captain-coach.[8][9]

During his time at Hawthorn, Mills won their best and fairest award three times, in 1933, 1935 and 1939.[10][11] Mills was also presented with a life membership medallion in 1939.[12][8] He represented Victoria in interstate football, doing so on 11 occasions.[8] In 1936, Mills won Hawthorn's 'most popular player' award, which was sponsored by the Hoyts Palace Theatre, Glenferrie.[13]

He was named on the back pocket in Hawthorn's official 'Team of the Century'.

Honours and achievements

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References

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  1. ^ "1926 - Kiewa & DFA - Grand Final match review". The Yackandandah Times. 3 September 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  2. ^ "1926 - Kiewa & DFA - Drawn Grand Final". The Albury Banner & Wodonga Express. 3 September 1926. p. 32. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  3. ^ "1926 - Kiewa & DFA - Grand Final match review". The Yackandandah Times. Vic. 24 September 1926. p. 4. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  4. ^ "1927 - Kiewa & DFA - Grand Final match review". The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express. NSW. 19 August 1927. p. 41. Retrieved 2 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  5. ^ "1929 - Mills move to Oxley". Wodonga & Towong Senitel. 15 February 1929. p. 3. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  6. ^ "1929 - Approached by city representatives". The Corowa Free Press. NSW. 30 August 1929. p. 5. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  7. ^ "1930 - Hawthorn FC - AGM". The Age. 10 December 1930. p. 11. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  8. ^ a b c Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920910-78-5.
  9. ^ "1939 - Mills to coach Hawthorn". Weekly Times. 11 November 1939. p. 66. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  10. ^ "1933 - Hawthorn FC - Best & Fairest". The Age. 9 December 1933. p. 19. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  11. ^ "1935 - Hawthorn FC - Best & Fairest". The Argus. 24 October 1935. p. 14. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  12. ^ "1939 - Hawthorn FC - Best and Fairest". The Age. 5 December 1939. p. 10. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
  13. ^ "1936 - Hawthorn FC - Most Popular Player". The Herald. 26 September 1936. p. 15. Retrieved 3 November 2020 – via Trove Newspapers.
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