Simon Fraser (Australian rules footballer)

Simon Fraser
Personal information
Full name	Simon Fraser
Date of birth	25 August 1886
Date of death	11 May 1919 (aged 32)
Original team(s)	Melbourne Grammar School
Position(s)	Full forward
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1905–06 1909 Total	Essendon University	21 (8) 2 (0) 23 (8)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1909 season.

Simon Fraser (25 August 1886 – 11 May 1919) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon and University in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Early Life

Fraser was the eldest son of the pastoralist and politician Sir Simon Fraser (1932-1919) and his second wife Anne. He was educated at the Melbourne Grammar School, where he was a successful athlete, cricketer, footballer and rower, being stroke of the First XIII in 1905. That year he was a member of the schooi athletic team which won "The Argus" and "The Australasian" Challenge cup. He was also a lieutenant in the school cadet corps. In 1905 and 1906 he played 21 games for Essendon Football Club.^[1] He entered the University of Melbourne in 1906, where he was a student at Trinity College. He was stroke of the Trinity College rowing crew, as well as of the University eight, winning a University Blue in 1908 for rowing. Fraser graduated with a Bachelor of Mining Engineering degree in 1911.

Olympics

Fraser was chosen as a member of the Australian Rowing Eight which competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. He also rowed in the famous race in July 1912 when Australia beat the Leander crew at Henley to win the Grand Challenge Cup.^[2] On his return to Australia Fraser managed his father's station called "Nyang" near Moulamein in New South Wales. He died aged 32 from pneumonic influenza at Penshurst, Victoria, after attending the Warrnambool races. He had married a daughter of Mr Hammond Clegg, who survived him, with three young children.^[3]

References

1. Mark Fine, The Book of Footy Lists (Docklands, Vic.: Slattery Media, 2011), p. 235.
2. “The Victory at Henley—How the Australians Won—British Press on the Contest”, The Advertiser [Adelaide], 9 July 1912, p. 9.
3. "Personal", The Argus [Melbourne], 12 May 1919, p. 6.

Sources

• Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
• Essendon Football Club profile