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 Tall
(193cm), slender
and rangy, Alick
Lill was a superlative
athlete whose movements
were all smoothness,
elegance and grace.
He adorned Norwood
teams in 123 games
between 1923 and
1931, almost invariably
in the centre, and
was an ever present
in South Australian
interstate teams
from 1925-30, except
for an injury-ruined
1929 season, making
a total of 20 state
appearances, and
kicking 7 goals.
One of those rare
players who genuinely
'had it all', Lill
was virtually unbeatable
in the air, faster
on the ground than
virtually every
opponent, handled
the ball with effortless
ease, and could
kick with pinpoint
accuracy over prodigious
distances. The only
major difficulty
he had was a susceptibility
to injuries, particularly
knee problems, and
it was these which
ultimately curtailed
his career.
Norwood was a powerful
combination for
most of the 1920s,
and Lill had the
satisfaction of
appearing in three
premiership sides.
In 1925 he not only
helped the Redlegs
to a grand final
victory over West
Torrens, he won
the club's best
and fairest award
(his second in succession),
and edged out Port
Adelaide's Peter
Bampton for the
Magarey Medal. He
won another club
best and fairest
award in 1927.
By popular consent,
Lill's greatest
ever individual
performance came
while representing
South Australia
against the VFL
on a quagmire-like
Adelaide Oval during
the 1930 Adelaide
carnival. Had the
South Australians
possessed another
half a dozen players
of Lill's calibre,
they would have
won at a canter,
but unfortunately
the Norwood man
was more or less
on his own.
After retiring as
a player, Lill coached
Norwood in 1933-4,
but without success.
*Courtesy
of John Devaney
at www.fullpointsfooty.net
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