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Herbie Matthews

1913 – 1990

Australian rules footballer

Australian rules football player Australian rules football coach
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About Herbie Matthews

Lived 1913 – 1990 (aged 76). Herbie Matthews was an australian rules football player and australian rules football coach.

James Herbert Charles Matthews (12 November 1913 – 8 June 1990) was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was recruited to South Melbourne from suburban club Fairfield. His father, "Butcher" Matthews, partnered the great Roy Cazaly in South Melbourne's ruck combination of the early 1920s. Although he was smaller and slighter in build than his ruckman father, he was a strong mark and showed a ferocious drive for possession of the football. He was recruited by South Melbourne at the age of 17 in the face of determined approaches from Collingwood and his local Victorian Football Association club, Northcote.

A centreman and wingman with great pace, stamina and skills, he was awarded the Brownlow Medal in 1940 and was runner-up on another two occasions. He won his club's best and fairest award five times and captained them from 1938 until 1945.

Matthews crossed to Victorian Football Association club Oakleigh in 1946 as playing coach, and served there for two seasons.

In 1997 Matthews was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and in 2003 was named on the wing in South Melbourne's official Team of the Century.

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Important facts

Birth century
Awards
Brownlow Medal; Bob Skilton Medal; Australian Football Hall of Fame
Also known as
James Herbert Charles Matthews

People in Herbie Matthews's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Herbie Matthews's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Herbie Matthews?

Australian rules footballer (1913–1990)

When was Herbie Matthews born?

Herbie Matthews was born on 12 November 1913 in Prahran.

When did Herbie Matthews die?

Herbie Matthews died on 8 June 1990 in Apollo Bay.

What was Herbie Matthews's occupation?

Herbie Matthews was an australian rules football player and australian rules football coach.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Herbie Matthews

· Wikidata: Q5736134

· DBpedia: Herbie Matthews

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Herbie Matthews. https://biography.guide/herbie-matthews/

MLA: "Herbie Matthews." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/herbie-matthews/.

Chicago: "Herbie Matthews." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/herbie-matthews/.

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