Roy Cazaly: Australian Football
Roy Cazaly (13 January 1893 – 10 October 1963) was an Australian Rules football player. He was trained athletically by his father, James, who was a physical instructor and elder brothers in their backyard gymnasium. He became a natural at cricket, played as a medium left-hand bowler for Port Melbourne Cricket Club and football. Roy was famous for his high marks and work which gave rise to the phrase “Up there, Cazaly”, representing St Kilda from 1911-1920 for 99 games and South Melbourne from 1921-1924 and 1926-1927 for 99 games.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Roy Cazaly became St Kilda’s best and fairest in 1918 and became the club’s captain in 1920. He played for the Australian National Football Carnival Championship in 1924.
He was named South Melbourne’s Most Consistent Player in 1926 and was later inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame with a Legend status.
Why Was He So Good?
Cazaly is known to have played 378 senior matches, retiring from competitive football when he was 48 in 1941. He had the power to kick a football over 65 meters by holding his breath as he jumped an action that he believed that lifted him higher. Roy Cazaly easily combined excellent physical training and his sharp football brain as far as fitness went for him.
What You May Not Know
- When he was young he worked in a butcher’s shop and as a motor mechanic.
- He tried out for Carlton in 1910 but quit the club after injuring a shoulder during one of the reserves game and Carlton’s medical staff couldn’t treat it.
- Roy Cazaly coached South Melbourne in 1922, 1937-1938 and Hawthorn in 1942-1943.
- “Up there Cazaly!” was the time-honored catch cry because Roy Cazaly was Victorian football’s leading brilliant aerialist.
- “Up there, Cazaly” was also a battle cry by Australian forces during WWII and is also a name of a song released in 1979 by Mike Brady and the Two-Man Band.
- The Cazaly Stadium in Cairns, Queensland is named after him.
- He is part of The Australian’s 25 greatest footballers never to win a Brownlow Medal.
Related Pages
- More Australian Football legendary players
- Athlete Database home
- About the sport of Australian Football
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