The Oldest Retiree

The annual cavalcade of AFL retirement press-conferences has consumed the football world’s agenda as finals are only just around the corner. However, the most extraordinary retirement in league football history is long gone as it was in 1936 that a 48-year old played his final league game.

Sampson “Shine” Hosking was one of the greatest Australian Rules Footballers of the first half of the 20th Century, and remains of one the most fascinating characters in the sport’s history. In fact, young Sam was only listed as “Sampson” to conceal his football career from his disapproving father. When “Sampson” was invited to train at Alberton, home of the all-conquering Port Adelaide Magpies – the jig was up.

Hosking would go on to win two Magarey Medals, for the fairest and best player of the then named SAFA (South Australian Football Association), in 1910 and 1915. He would play in four Magpies premiership teams (1910, 1913-14 and 1921), three of which won the title of ‘Championship of Australia’ (1910 and 1913-14) after defeating VFL premiers Collingwood, Fitzroy and Carlton respectively.

In fact, the 1914 Port Adelaide team went undefeated in the SAFA for the entire season (including all pre-season games) and as well as winning the Championship of Australia, defeated a combined ‘best of’ team made up of all SAFA teams. Hosking was the star of the side.

Hosking was also a legendary coach, winning six SANFL premierships, four of which were for Port Adelaide, one for West Torrens and the other for a combined Port-Torrens side which participated the reduced SANFL competition that took place during World War II.

But even through his esteemed coaching career, Hosking would not put the boots away entirely. He retired from playing in 1921, while also coach of Port Adelaide. However, Hosking would return to the field to don the famous ‘prison bars’ sporadically over the next 15 years. This included his final game in 1936, where he sat on the bench, aged 48. A record for the oldest league footballer that you would suspect would never be broken.

Sampson Hosking is a glaring omission from the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

PICTURE: Shane Hosking (second from the left) standing alongside Port Adelaide teammates (from left to right); Francis Ivor Hanson, Harold Oliver and Angelo Congear

Copyright free image accessed at https://www.flickr.com/photos/paelocalhistory/13396161053