Bert Franks


Albert William "Gunga" Franks was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League.

Family

The son of Nicholas Franks, and Adeline Ann Franks, Albert William Franks was born at Costerfield, Victoria on 11 March 1880.
He married Lillian Amelia Powell.

Football

Western Australia

Although born and bred in Victoria, Franks played initially in the Goldfields Football Association with Kalgoorlie Railways and then at North Fremantle in the Western Australian Football Association.
Usually playing as a ruckman, he was a vital member of South Melbourne's 1909 premiership team and kicked a goal in the low scoring Grand Final. He made another Grand Final in 1912, but on that occasion finished on the losing side and finished his career in the Victorian Football Association at North Melbourne.

VFL Tribunal (1907)

Franks had a poor disciplinary record, and missed the 1907 Grand Final due to a seven match suspension he received for striking.

VFL Tribunal (1910)

Following an extremely rough match between South Melbourne and Carlton on 28 May 1910, the field umpire, Lawrence Tulloch, reported the South Melbourne half-forward flanker Dick Casey for charging and striking the much taller Carlton player Jim Marchbank.
Because Marchbank could not attend the VFL tribunal's Wednesday, 1 June 1910 hearing, the tribunal reconvened on the evening of Saturday, 4 June 1910 in order to hear Marchbank's evidence. Controversially, the tribunal found Casey guilty, and Casey was suspended for the remainder of the 1910 season.
Franks was in the unruly crowd on several hundred that gathered outside the Block Arcade, in Collins Street, where the tribunal's hearing was conducted, to hear the outcome of Casey's hearing. As Tulloch left the building, Franks abused Tulloch, kicked him in the ankle and, as Tulloch returned to the building for safety, Franks followed him inside.
There was some uncertainty about whether the VFL could act against Franks in what appeared to be a matter for the law courts, and, if so, what form that action might take. On hearing a wide range of views, and aftr an hour's deliberation the VFL decided that it did have the power to deal with such a case.
Found guilty of the charge of "insult and assault" lodged by Tulloch, and due to the ambiguity of the VFL's decision, Franks was suspended for life – the matter was soon clarified, and the VFL specified the penalty as 33 matches — the longest suspension for such a charge in the league's history.

North Melbourne (VFA)

At the age of 34, he was cleared from South Melbourne to the VFA team North Melbourne, and played his first match, against Brighton, on 18 April 1914.
He played in 42 matches in four seasons, over six years.
He played his last match for North Melbourne, against Brighton on 28 June 1919, his only match for the season, at the age of 39.

Death

He died on 14 September 1951, in Fitzroy, Victoria. At the time of his death he was the publican at the Golden Fleece Hotel, on the corner of Russell Street and Little Bourke Street, Melbourne.

Footnotes