Neil Trezise

Neil Tresize
Personal information
Date of birth	8 February 1931
Place of birth	Ballarat, Victoria
Date of death	20 August 2006 (aged 75)
Original team(s)	Redan
Debut	16 July 1949, Geelong v. Footscray, at Kardinia Park
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1949–1959	Geelong	185 (272)
Coaching career
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
1963	Geelong	1 (0-1-0)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1959 season.
Career highlights
Geelong premiership sides 1951, 1952

Neil Benjamin "Nipper" Trezise (8 February 1931 – 20 August 2006) was an footballer in the VFL and Australian Labor Party politician, of Cornish descent.^[1]

Football career

Originally from Redan, Victoria, Trezise played 185 games for 272 goals between 1949 and 1959 at the Geelong Football Club in the VFL, playing in the 1951 and 1952 premiership sides.^[2] Following his retirement in 1959 (a year in which he was Geelong captain), Trezise continued his service to the club, coaching the reserves side and then becoming club president in 1974.^[3]

Commonly called "Nipper", Trezise acquired the nickname as a young recruit at Geelong.^[4]

Political career

After leaving football, Trezise pursued a political career with the Australian Labor Party. He stood unsuccessfully for the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Geelong in 1961, but won the seat of Geelong West (later Geelong North) in 1964. In 1982 he became Minister for Youth, Sport and Recreation (from 1985 just Minister for Sport and Recreation), a portfolio he held until 1992—throughout the entire terms of Premiers John Cain and Joan Kirner.^[5]

His son, Ian Trezise, also entered politics, representing Geelong in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

Death

Trezise died of a heart attack on 20 August 2006, with his funeral held on 24 August.^[6]

References

1. Payton, Philip, Making Moonta: The Invention of Australia's Little Cornwall
2. Neil Trezise, AFL Tables.
3. Neil Trezise was a champ, Herald Sun, 22 August 2006.
4. Strong, Geoff (25 August 2006). "Nipper farewelled at his old 'church'". The Age. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
5. Trezise, Neil Benjamin, Re-Member ('Biographical Register of the Victorian Parliament).
6. Former Vic Govt minister Trezise dies, ABC News Online, 21 August 2006.

External links

• Neil Trezise's profile from AustralianFootball.com