Maurie Collins

Maurice Ignatius Collins (21 July 1876 – 8 November 1943) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Family The son of Timothy Collins (1843-1899), and Catherine Collins (1846-1928), née Nunan, Maurice Ignatius Collins was born at Clifton Hill, Victoria on 21 July 1876.

He married Eileen Mary Marsh (1886-1968) in 1906. They had four children; one of whom, Alan Collins (1914-1914) died in his infancy. In 1927, another of their three sons, Maurice Xavier Collins (1907-1955), was captain of the Old Xaverians Football Club in the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association (MAFA).

Football Essendon (VFL) Collins played his early football with the Albert Park Football Club. He was injured during the 1897 VFL finals series but according to some sources made one appearance. Collins, a defender, was a member of Essendon's 1901 premiership team, as a back pocket. A VFL representative, he was the vice captain of Essendon for his final season.

1899 team of "champions" At the end of the 1899 season, in the process of naming his own "champion player", the football correspondent for The Argus, Reginald Wilmot ("Old Boy"), selected a team of the best players of the 1899 VFL competition: Backs: Maurie Collins (Essendon), Bill Proudfoot (Collingwood), Peter Burns (Geelong). Halfbacks: Pat Hickey (Fitzroy), George Davidson (South Melbourne), Alf Wood (Melbourne). Centres: Fred Leach (Collingwood), Firth McCallum (Geelong), Harry Wright (Essendon). Wings: Charlie Pannam (Collingwood), Eddie Drohan (Fitzroy), Herb Howson (South Melbourne). Forwards: Bill Jackson (Essendon), Eddy James (Geelong), Charlie Colgan (South Melbourne). Ruck: Mick Pleass (South Melbourne), Frank Hailwood (Collingwood), Joe McShane (Geelong). Rovers: Dick Condon (Collingwood), Bill McSpeerin (Fitzroy), Teddy Rankin (Geelong). From those he considered to be the three best players — that is, Condon, Hickey, and Pleass — Wilmot selected Pat Hickey as his "champion player" of the season.

Death He died at Kew, Victoria on 8 November 1943.