Tom Carroll

Career : 1961 - 1963
Debut : Round 1, 1961 vs St Kilda, aged 21 years, 183 days
Carlton Player No. 736
Games : 55
Goals : 143
Last Game : Round 18, 1963 vs Footscray, aged 23 years, 328 days
Guernsey No. 22
Height : 184 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 81.5 kg (12 stone, 12 lbs.)
DOB : 14 October, 1939
Coleman Medal: 1961
Club Leading Goalkicker 1961, 1962, 1963


A talented, dangerous forward from Ganmain - near Wagga Wagga, NSW - Tom Carroll was recruited twice by Carlton before he established himself in the Blues’ senior team in 1961. Because his family farmed turkeys, he was nicknamed "Turkey Tom" by the Melbourne press - something of an ambiguous label, but one that Carroll accepted it in good spirit while becoming a star goal-kicker for the Blues over three seasons in the early sixties.

The youngest of seven sons in a football-mad family, Tom played at half-forward in Ganmain’s 1956 and ’57 South West League Premiership teams prior to his 18th birthday. In 1959, he was invited to Princes Park for the first time, and was trialled in two Reserves games on match permits. Although he showed potential, he couldn’t adapt to city life, and so went home to Ganmain – where, alternating through both key forward posts, he won consecutive Best and Fairest awards in 1959-60.

Those efforts attracted serious offers to Carroll from both Essendon and Footscray - but Tom’s previous foray to Princes Park, plus the late-season visit of a delegation from Carlton to the family spread, convinced him to have another crack at VFL level with the Navy Blues. “I was pretty impressed that they’d come all the way up to see me,” he recalled many years later. “And they were their big guns too; Jack Wrout, Percy Bentley, and Ken Hands.”

Although he was relatively slimly-built, and short for a key forward at 184 cm, Carroll was a fine reader of the game, quick off the mark and a reliable shot for goal. At his best inside 50 metres, he played from the goal square, and timed his leads superbly – as he showed in his dazzling debut match for the Blues in round 1, 1961 at the Junction Oval, when he handed out a football lesson to St Kilda’s champion full-back Verdun Howell. Tom kicked five goals that afternoon, steering Carlton to a 10-point win. It was a super first-up performance in the number 22 guernsey - the same number worn many years before by Carlton’s greatest goal-kicker; Harry ‘Soapy’ Vallence.

Although his new team found wins hard to come by throughout his first season, and wound up the year in eighth place, there was plenty to like about Tom’s consistent exploits up forward. He didn’t miss a game, kicked five goals or more four times, and fittingly, led the League’s goal-kicking table with 54 majors. And when Carlton’s tenacious defender Johnny James was awarded the 1961 Brownlow Medal as the Fairest and Best player in the competition, it turned out a memorable year indeed for the Navy Blues.

Strengthened in 1962 by some additional quality recruits like Ian Collins, Graeme Anderson, Martin Cross and Gordon Collis, Carlton climbed back into flag contention. The top four teams after the home and away rounds were Essendon, Geelong, Melbourne and Carlton, but the flag race was wide open and the finals series was one of the most even in VFL history.

The Navy Blues kicked off their campaign, and Carroll experienced the electric atmosphere of his first finals match at the MCG, when Carlton edged out Melbourne by two points in the '62 first Semi Final. That pulsating match was followed by a sensational draw with Geelong in the Preliminary Final, and a controversial win by two points in a desperately hard-fought replay. After all that, Carlton fell to a fitter and fresher Essendon in a somewhat anti-climactic Grand Final. Still, Carroll’s contribution of 62 goals for the year improved on his debut season, and left him just six short of Geelong’s star spearhead Doug Wade, who topped the League table with 68 majors.

Tom’s third season in 1963 proved less fruitful, as opposition teams worked hard on strategies to counter him, and he was subjected to a lot more physical pressure. He was concussed twice, and limited to 15 matches for the year, while the Blues were narrowly beaten in a string of important games and slipped out of finals contention to finish sixth. By late in the year, Tom had had enough of life in Melbourne, and was looking forward to returning home to the wide open spaces. “I loved the footy, but I never got used to getting to work through all the traffic in the big city,” he later explained.

Tom’s last game for Carlton was one that he would fondly remember. Playing Footscray at Princes Park in round 18, 1963, the Blues trailed the Bulldogs by five points at three-quarter time, before they unleashed a withering burst of eight goals to two, and pulled off a spectacular win by 32 points. Carroll and centreman Berkley Cox both kicked four goals to lead the assault. John James also played his last match for Carlton that day; farewelled to take up a lucrative offer to captain-coach Sunraysia League club Robinvale.

Back at Ganmain, Carroll relished his return to the local league, and became a Riverina football legend over the ensuing two decades. In a highlight of his comeback season, he helped the combined Riverina team win the Victorian Country Football Championship, by defeating the powerful Ovens & Murray League in one Semi-Final, before knocking off the hot favourite Hampden League in the Grand Final.

Later that year, Carroll kicked his 102nd goal of the season with a curling snapshot in the last minute of the South West League Grand Final against Griffith, to get his team home by two points in a celebrated decider. Remarkably, four of the Carroll brothers played in that Premiership side, with another two in the seconds team. Precisely twelve months later, Carroll was awarded his fourth Premiership medal after Ganmain defeated Griffith again in the 1965 decider, only this time by a more emphatic margin.

In 1968, Tom crossed to neighbouring Grong Grong-Matong as captain, before retiring as a player at the age of 30 the following year. Then in 1982, a major restructuring of NSW country football took place. Ganmain and Grong Grong-Matong merged, and the new club became a member of the Riverina Football League. Tom was asked to take on the role of Under 19 coach, and under his stewardship, the fledgling club won three of the first four flags in the thirds competition.

A couple of years prior to Tom’s first foray at Princes Park, his brother Laurie "Dooley" Carroll played 11 games with St Kilda. Laurie’s son Dennis Carroll, and another of Tom’s nephews; the high-flying Wayne "Christmas" Carroll, both went on to fine careers with the Sydney Swans. Wayne played 56 games between 1979 and 1985, while Dennis captained the Bloods for seven seasons and played 219 games from 1981 to 1992. And like his distinguished uncle Tom, Dennis represented both Victoria and NSW during his career.

Footnote

Carroll also wore guernsey No. 43 during a brief run with Carlton Reserves in 1959.

Milestones

50 Games: Round 10, 1963 vs Melbourne
100 Goals: Round 16, 1962 vs Essendon

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Links

Articles: [tiki-read_article.php?articleId=108|The Magical 'Three Goal Average'] | [tiki-read_article.php?articleId=144|Our Greatest Flagless Greats]

Interview:1995 interview

Blueseum: Summary of playing statistics for Tom Carroll

Gallery

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  Tom Carroll.
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  Tom Carroll & Soapy VallenceTom Carroll and Harry 'Soapy' Vallence
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  Tom-Carroll-7.jpg
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  carroll 1.jpgTom Carroll at training
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  Carroll Vs FitzoyTom Carroll Vs Fitzroy 1963
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  Tom Carroll trainingTom Carroll at training with Vasil Varlamos
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  Tom Carroll and Paul DoranTom Carroll attempting to mark over Essendon's Paul Doran.
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  Tom Carroll & Joffa EllenTom Carroll pictured with Joff Ellen from the TV show 'In Melbourne Tonight' (hosted by Graham Kennedy)
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  Tom-Carroll-1.jpgTom Carroll in his first year at Carlton
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  carroll 2.jpg
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  Tom-Carroll-2.jpg
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  1963 Rd 8 - Tom Carroll marks in front of Ted Potter.
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  Tom Carroll
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  1961 - League leading goalkicker; Tom Carroll.
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  1990 - Tom Carroll article.
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  Tom Carrol 2014
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  TCarroll2Tom Carroll at training
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  Tom at trainingTom Carroll goal kicking practice
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  Tom Carroll Vs Melbourne FCMarking contest Vs Melbourne Football Club
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  1962 Prelim Final Vs GeelongFiery incident during the tied 1962 Preliminary final Vs Geelong. Peter Walker & Roy West (Geelong), Tom Carroll (Carlton), getting punched by John Devine
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  Tom Carroll Fan ClubTom Carroll Fan Club.
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  Tom @ Training 1962 (with 4 less teeth)Tom warming up for training after losing 4 teeth against Richmond in Round 2, 1962
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  Tom Vs EssendonEssendon defender David Shaw with Carlton's Paul Doran and Tom Carroll
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  Tom Carroll @ Punt Road Vs RichmondTom Carroll in the mud of Punt Road vs Richmond
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  Tom Carroll Giving Kicking Lesson@ Northcote box factory.
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  Tom Carroll & Joff Ellen news clippingOriginal news clipping of Joff Ellen from GTV-AK and Tom Carroll. Original photo is in this gallery.
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  Tom Carroll's ArrivalTom arriving at Essendon airport, aged 19, to play on permit. The quotes were made up by the reporter.
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  Tom Carroll at Work 1961Tom Carroll working at a steel factory in South Melbourne 1961, before moving to a job with the local council.
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  Tom Carroll Vs Verdun HowellNewspaper article previewing Carlton Vs St Kilda
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  Tom Carroll & My Fair Lady Actress (news clipping)Clipping of Tom Carroll and My Fair Lady actress Bunty Turner from the UK.
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  Tom Carroll and Actress Bunty TurnerMy Fair Lady actress Bunty Turner from the UK
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  Tom & Jim Carroll (news clipping)Cousins Tom and Jim Carroll with 6 year old Allan Wightley. Herald preview of the Essendon game. Photo by Bob Buchanan.
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  Tom & Jim Carroll signing autographs #1Bob Buchanan (Herald) photo of Jim and Tom Carroll with Allan Wightley (6 years old)
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  Tom & Jim Carroll signing autographs #2Bob Buchanan (Herald) photo of cousins Jim and Tom Carroll
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  Tom and Jim Carroll at Training1961 photo of cousins Jim and Tom Carroll
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  1963 Tom Carroll1963 Tom Carroll The Age April 10
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  Why no Brownlow votes for Full ForwardsEditorial asking why full forwards are overlooked when receiving Brownlow votes
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  Tom Carroll Undecided for Season 1962Tom Carroll still undecided if he'll return for season 1962 with Carlton
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  Final Round Preview vs Melbourne 1961Preview for the final round 1961 vs Melbourne (Carlton lost by 1 point!)
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  Ganmain asking for Tom to CoachGanmain asking for a clearance of Tom so he can coach them in season 1963
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  Tom Carroll Player Spotlight 1961Country football player spotlight on Tom Carroll
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  Carlton Confident of Carroll's Return for Season 1962Post season 1961, Carlton are confident of retaining Tom Carroll
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  Carroll: Im a Bush Boy. Pre-season 1962News article saying Tom Carroll won't be playing for Carlton season 1962. He later did play.
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  Harry Vallence & Tom Carroll Semi-Final Good Luck 1962News article of Harry 'Soapy' Vallence passing on no. 22 guernsey to Tom Carroll before 1962 semi-final. Accompanying photo is in this gallery also.
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  Carroll in Line for Retrospective Coleman Medal (2001)Border Mail Wodonga article on AFL potentially giving out retrospective Coleman Medals.
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  Tom Carroll Best Forward ProspectNewspaper snippet on Tom Carroll
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  Tom Carroll Slickest Since Coleman
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  Tom Carroll Leading Goal Kicking (1961)Tom Carroll one of the few full forwards to win the league goal kicking in their first year.
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  Tom Carroll Staying with Carlton 1961Tom remaining with Carlton for the remainder of Season 1961 after Carlton got him a job on a farm. He never took the job.
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  Tom Carroll Kicks a PointTom's first point since round 1
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  Tom Carroll May Retire (1961)
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  Casual Tom Kicks 5
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  Tom Carroll - 5 Goals in First Practice Match
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  Carroll Training After Losing Teeth vs Richmond (1962)
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  Tom Carroll Doubtful vs Geelong Round 12 1962
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  Tom Carroll vs Richmond's Fred Swift
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  Tom Carroll Kicking 5 in 1961 Practice Match
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  Carroll Kicking 6 vs Richmond in Night Game
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  Tom Carroll playing for Victoria 1962
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  Tom Carroll vs FitzroyTom Carroll marking against Fitzroys Rod Vernon
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  Tom Carroll vs MelbourneTom against Terry Gleeson
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  Tom Carroll vs Melbourne's Terry Gleeson
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  Tom Carroll Playing Quoits at Training 1962
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  Tom Carroll and John Heathcote at Training (1962)Tom playing quoits while John watches on
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  Tom Carroll Crashing the Pack vs Essendon
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  Tom Carroll at Work (1961)
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  John James Roving to Tom Carroll vs Geelong
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  Tom Carroll vs Collingwood's Ray Gabelich
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  Tom Carroll and Brendan Fevola (2012)"Carlton’s 2006 and 2009 Coleman Medal winner
• File:Brendan Fevola and Tom at Lavington Sports Ground, 2012."
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  Peter Barry and Tom Carroll at Training
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  Tom Carroll reminiscing in early 90's
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  Tom Carroll on the Farm
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  Tom Carroll at Ganmain; End of 1961 Season
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  Tom Carroll on the Main Street of Ganmain; End of 1961 Season
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  Tom Carroll roving the packPrincess Park ?
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  1963 - Carlton's trip to Narrandera NSW.
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  1961 - Carlton's Final Practice Match Details.
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  1962 1st Semi - Tom Carroll.
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  1962 Tom Carroll Age April 11 Capture
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  1962 Tom Carroll (10 Mar)
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  1963 Tom Carroll To Play With Country Side Instead Of The Blues (27 MAR)
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  1963 Tom Carroll Unavailable This Week (APR 3)
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  1963 Tom Carroll In Form (10 Apr).
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  1963 Tom Carrolls Form A Worry (16 Apr).
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  1964 Tom Carroll Cleared & Miller Found (Mar 24).