Thanks to Crazy John’s, at each home game Collingwood pays tribute to a great Collingwood player from the past.
Des Healy
Games: 149 Interstate Games: 6 Goals: 35
Copeland Trophy: 1955
Runner-up Copeland Trophy: 1951, 1954
Third in Copeland Trophy : 1953
Seconds Best and Fairest : 1947
Interstate Representative: 1949, 1953 (carnival)
All-Australian: 1953
Coach under-19s: 1972-77
Life Member
The Collingwood Football Club is delighted to honour Des Healy, one of the finest wingman of his day.
1945 saw the fanatical Collingwood fan, Healy arrive at Victoria Park and the Magpie fans remember him fondly for his dashes, twists and turns. His pace and skills were classy however it was his persistence and patience that enabled him to reach the top.
After an apprenticeship in the seconds for three years Healy finally broke into the senior side. He played every game in 1948 and missed only one in 1949 when he won interstate selection.
With Healy, Thorold Merrett and Bill Twomey, Collingwood had a lethal centre line. Healy was a great mark for his size and dazzled the crowd with his evasive ground work and polished skills. He always had great control of the ball and was the master of the pinpoint pass.
Healy was one of the heroes of Collingwood’s famous 1953 Premiership victory and was rated by many as one of the best on the ground that day. He won All-Australian selection in the same year.
Healy worked long and hard perfecting his talent. He often spent extra nights alone on the training track twisting and turning around imaginary opponents at top pace. His unrivalled commitment was inspiration for all.
Essendon’s great full-forward John Coleman once named Healy as the best wingman he had ever seen. “He is clever, has that wonderful tenacity of all good Collingwood players, and is tireless.”
Healy had a glittered career at Collingwood however cannot remember his last moments as a League footballer. In the 1955 Grand Final Healy had a sickening collision with Melbourne’s Frank Adams. They were both stretched off with Healy’s nose broken in five places and his skull fractured, he never played League football again.
He won the best and fairest that year however his exit was not a triumphant one, no justice for one of the game’s greatest players.
Des Healy, one of Collingwood’s gamest players and a magnificent wingman.
