Date of birth 4 October 1930 Name Keith Batchelor Years Club | Height/Weight 183 cm, 86 kg Original team(s) Murrumbeena | |
Date of death 24 September 2009(2009-09-24) (aged 78) Debut 1952 VFL Grand Final, Collingwoodv. Geelong, at Melbourne Cricket Ground | ||
H.K. Moffatt - George Keith Batchelor (1920-2000)
Keith Batchelor (4 October 1930 – 24 September 2009) is a former Australian rules footballer, who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) for Collingwood and North Melbourne in the 1950s. He made his senior debut in the 1952 VFL Grand Final.
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VFL Career
Batchelor arrived at Collingwood in 1949 as a forward from the suburban club Murrumbeena. Unable to secure a game with the Pies he asked for a clearance to Carlton and spent time on the Blues list (1951) but was unable to get a game. In 1952 he was cleared back to Collingwood. Injuries late in the season allowed the selectors to play him as a defender in the reserves. A strong dose of form and injuries to senior players caused the Collingwood selectors to surprisingly pick him at full back in the Grand Final so he made his debut. Goninion kicked five goals against him as the Geelong strolled away with the premiership.
In the 1953 Grand Final Batchelor was playing at Full Forward and kicked 4 goals in the victorious Collingwood side.
He later was cleared to North Melbourne in 1956 and stayed for two years.