Full name John Bryton Diggins Died July 14, 1971 Name Brighton Diggins | Years Club Height/Weight 183cm / 92kg Weight 92 kg | |
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Date of birth (1906-12-26)26 December 1906 Date of death 14 July 1971(1971-07-14) (aged 64) 1927–1931
1932–1937
1938–1940 WANFL
Subiaco
VFL
South Melbourne
Carlton
TOTAL Role Australian Rules Footballer Original team Subiaco Football Club (West Australian Football League) | ||
Brighton Diggins (born John Bryton Diggins, 26 December 1906 – 14 July 1971) was an Australian rules footballer in the West Australian Football League and Victorian Football League.
Diggins began his senior football career at the Subiaco Football Club in the West Australian Football League in 1927. A key position player and ruckman, Diggins was a strong mark and a fast runner, and by 1930, he was considered to be the finest key position player in Australia. He played with Subiaco from 1927 to 1931, and played 88 matches for the Lions.
In 1932, during the Great Depression, Diggins moved to Victoria to play for the South Melbourne Football Club in the VFL. Diggins was one of several Subiaco players who joined South Melbourne in the early 1930s, including Johnny Leonard (who was coaching), Bill Faul and John Bowe. The influx of players from interstate became known as South Melbourne's "Foreign Legion", and helped South's on-field performance significantly. Diggins won one premiership with South Melbourne in 1933, and played there until 1937.
In 1938, Diggins moved to the Carlton Football Club, taking on a leadership role as captain-coach, in which he flourished. In his first season at Carlton, he led the team to the premiership. He played two more seasons with Carlton, his last game coming in 1940 with the onset of World War II.
Diggins was named as the centre half-back in the Subiaco Team of the Century.