Frank Seymour

Career : 1927 - 1928
Carlton Player No. 436
Debut : Round 3, 1927 vs Essendon, aged 23 years, 0 days
Games : 11 (6 at Carlton)
Goals : 17 (8 at Carlton)
Last Game : Round 9, 1928 vs Footscray, aged 24 years, 26 days
Guernsey No. 27
Height : 180 cm (5 ft. 11 in.)
Weight : 74.5 kg (11 stone, 10 lbs.)
DOB : May 14, 1904

Much like a later Carlton full-forward in Jim 'Frosty’ Miller, Frank Seymour played only a handful of games for the Navy Blues before he transferred to the VFA and became one of the all-time greats of that competition. With the Northcote Brickfielders, Seymour became the VFA’s most prolific goal-kicker - a genuine match-winner who set all sorts of scoring records during his twelve seasons from 1928 to 1939. In 1935 he was talked into making a brief comeback to the VFL with Fitzroy, but by then his best football was behind him.

Seymour was born into a farming family at Kilmore, north of Melbourne in 1904. From his late teens, he was a star in country football, and after chasing his signature for some time, the Blues eventually recruited him from Mulwala, NSW, in 1927. Wearing guernsey number 27, Seymour played his debut VFL game on his 23rd birthday, and kicked his first career goal from a half-forward flank in Carlton’s 11-point victory over Melbourne at Princes Park in round 3, 1927.

Throughout the rest of that year, Seymour found himself in and out of the senior team, playing in various positions in Carlton’s attack. He finished his debut year with five games and seven goals to his credit, with a best of four majors against Hawthorn in round five. Frank then waited until round 9, 1928 to play at senior level again, when Carlton hosted Footscray and lost by one point. Exactly what transpired after that game is unclear – except that Seymour left Princes Park and promptly joined Northcote.

It seems that Northcote had offered Seymour what Carlton could not; a permanent place at full-forward, and the confidence to leave him there whatever the consequences. The result was nothing short of spectacular. Over the next decade, Seymour’s brilliant high marking, cat-like reflexes and accurate right foot torpedo punts produced 880 goals in 201 matches, at a staggering average of 4.37 goals per game. Northcote reached the finals in ten of Seymour’s twelve seasons, winning flags in 1929, 1932-33-34, and 1936. He was the VFA leading goal-kicker in 1930 (110 goals), 1932 (122), and 1934 (130) and was widely regarded as the best player ever to have worn the Brickfielder’s green and gold guernsey.

In 1935, at the age of 31, Seymour was talked into making a comeback to League football with Fitzroy. His five matches with the Maroons produced 9 goals, but by mid-season he had returned to Northcote, and once again headed their list of goal-kickers with 45.

After retiring as a player, Seymour retained his association with Northcote for the rest of his life. He lived in neighbouring Thornbury for many years, and passed away at Portland on May 7, 1987, one week short of his 83rd birthday.

Links

Blueseum: Summary of playing statistics for Frank Seymour

Gallery

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  Frank Seymour.
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  Frank Seymour.
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  Frank Seymour In Caricature
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  Frank Seymour
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  1933 - Frank Seymour Northcote (VFA).
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  1929 - Frank Seymour at Northcote (VFA).
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  1935 Frank Seymour 1935 Frank Seymour Age May 04 p10
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  1927 Frank Seymour 1927 Frank Seymour Well's cartoon Herald June 24
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  1932 Frank Seymour 1932 Frank Seymour Sporting Globe September 07
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  1934 - Former Blue; Northcote's Frank Seymour.