Main content

The complete history of the Mighty Magpies

Joe Poulter

Joe Poulter

1923-1928
21
Other Guernsey Nos.
18, 20, 22

83 CFC Games Played

31 CFC Goals

Date of Birth
27 March 1902
Date of Death
28 March 1947
Recruited From
Clifton Hill Police
Collingwood Debut
Round 1, 1923
Height:
188cm
Weight:
86kg

Biography

The Diamond Valley region was a fertile recruiting ground for Collingwood footballers during the Machine Team era.

Two of the team’s greatest players, Syd and Gordon Coventry, hailed from the family orchard in Diamond Creek. Horrie ‘Tubby’ Edmonds, one of the heroes of the 1929 Grand Final, was a neighbour and friend of the Coventrys. Even the Murphy Brothers, Frank and Len, lived for a short time out on a farm near Mernda.

Joe Poulter, Collingwood’s thickset and broad-shouldered follower, was yet another graduate of the Diamond Valley district. Poulter’s family had been pioneers in Greensborough, settling on a farm in 1852 almost on the site of what is now the Greensborough Plaza shopping centre. Joe’s father inherited the farm and orchard, and it was there that the future Magpie footballer grew up, along with his nine siblings. Poulter Reserve, a sports reserve in Greensborough, still stands as a family tribute.

Poulter was recruited to Victoria Park in the same year as another important moment in his life. Having joined the police force in the early 1920s, he was hoping this would be his vocation for many years. But Poulter was sacked, along with the rest of the force, in the famous Police Strike of 1923.

He played his first game for Collingwood that same season. Within 12 months the Football Record was hailing a rapid improvement. “He has developed into a great player, and is a wonderful high mark,” it noted.

In his five and a half seasons with the club, Poulter was an honest toiler, playing in a number of roles. The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers describes him as “a big and solid follower … with a fair turn of pace who could give and take a bump unflinchingly”. The Sporting Globe described him as a determined “do-or-die type”. “Poulter, in fine fettle, is a powerful man as a follower, forward or back,” it said.

“He is a remarkably fine footballer on this season’s form. His ruckwork is of the valuable type. His marking is also approaching the highest class. Poulter, though, has a habit of being a little impetuous.”

As that description suggests, Poulter loved a contest. His kicking, however, lacked refinement, to the point where it was described on more than one occasion as “erratic”. He played in the back pocket in the 1927 Premiership against Richmond, but soon after realised his options were becoming increasingly limited at the club and crossed to South Melbourne a few games into the 1928 season. He played 37 games there in 1928, ’29 and ’31, with a coaching stint in Echuca in 1930.

Poulter later ran a number of businesses, including a hotel. He became ill with tuberculosis just after the Second World War, and died in 1947, the day after his 45th birthday, leaving a wife and young family. Sadly, his death robbed him of the chance to see much of his son, Ray’s, league career with Richmond. Ray had made his debut in 1946 and played through until 1956, representing the club in 170 matches. Fittingly, Jack Dyer and others around the club always referred to Ray as ‘Joe’ Poulter.

Statistics

CFC Career Stats

Season played Games Goals Finals Win %
1923-1928 83 31 4 66%

CFC Season by Season Stats

Season GP GL B K H T D Guernsey No.
1923 12 6 0 22

1923 Season stats

Hide Season
RD VS Result GL B K H T D Guernsey No. Match Report
Round 1 Sydney W 0 22 View match >
Round 2 Essendon L 1 0 22 View match >
Round 3 St Kilda L 1 0 22 View match >
Round 5 Richmond W 1 0 22 View match >
Round 7 Carlton W 1 0 22 View match >
Round 8 Fitzroy L 0 22 View match >
Round 9 Melbourne W 2 0 22 View match >
Round 10 Sydney L 0 22 View match >
Round 14 Richmond L 0 22 View match >
Round 16 Carlton D 0 22 View match >
Round 17 Fitzroy W 0 22 View match >
Round 18 Melbourne W 0 22 View match >
Legend
  • #Guernsey
  • GLGoals
  • BBehinds
  • KKicks
  • HHandballs
  • DDisposals
  • MMarks
  • TTackles
*Player goal statistics included VFA (Victorian Football Association) results.
1924 15 3 0 18

1924 Season stats

Hide Season
RD VS Result GL B K H T D Guernsey No. Match Report
Round 1 Essendon W 0 18 View match >
Round 2 St Kilda W 0 18 View match >
Round 3 Melbourne W 0 18 View match >
Round 5 Carlton W 1 0 18 View match >
Round 6 Sydney L 0 18 View match >
Round 7 Geelong L 1 0 18 View match >
Round 8 Richmond L 1 0 18 View match >
Round 9 Fitzroy L 0 18 View match >
Round 10 Essendon L 0 18 View match >
Round 11 St Kilda L 0 18 View match >
Round 12 Melbourne W 0 18 View match >
Round 15 Sydney W 0 18 View match >
Round 16 Geelong L 0 18 View match >
Round 17 Richmond L 0 18 View match >
Round 18 Fitzroy W 0 18 View match >
Legend
  • #Guernsey
  • GLGoals
  • BBehinds
  • KKicks
  • HHandballs
  • DDisposals
  • MMarks
  • TTackles
*Player goal statistics included VFA (Victorian Football Association) results.
1925 17 7 0 21

1925 Season stats

Hide Season
RD VS Result GL B K H T D Guernsey No. Match Report
Round 1 Essendon L 0 21 View match >
Round 2 Melbourne W 0 21 View match >
Round 3 Hawthorn W 0 21 View match >
Round 4 Geelong L 0 21 View match >
Round 5 Fitzroy W 1 0 21 View match >
Round 6 Sydney W 0 21 View match >
Round 7 St Kilda L 1 0 21 View match >
Round 8 Carlton W 1 0 21 View match >
Round 9 Richmond W 3 0 21 View match >
Round 10 Western Bulldogs W 0 21 View match >
Round 11 North Melbourne W 0 21 View match >
Round 12 Essendon W 0 21 View match >
Round 13 Melbourne W 1 0 21 View match >
Round 14 Hawthorn W 0 21 View match >
Round 15 Geelong L 0 21 View match >
Round 16 Fitzroy L 0 21 View match >
Round 17 Sydney W 0 21 View match >
Legend
  • #Guernsey
  • GLGoals
  • BBehinds
  • KKicks
  • HHandballs
  • DDisposals
  • MMarks
  • TTackles
*Player goal statistics included VFA (Victorian Football Association) results.
1926 19 4 0 18

1926 Season stats

Hide Season
RD VS Result GL B K H T D Guernsey No. Match Report
Round 2 Essendon L 0 18 View match >
Round 3 Hawthorn W 0 18 View match >
Round 4 Melbourne W 0 18 View match >
Round 5 Geelong W 0 18 View match >
Round 6 Sydney W 1 0 18 View match >
Round 7 St Kilda W 0 18 View match >
Round 8 Western Bulldogs W 1 0 18 View match >
Round 9 Carlton L 0 18 View match >
Round 10 North Melbourne W 1 0 18 View match >
Round 11 Richmond W 0 18 View match >
Round 12 Fitzroy W 0 18 View match >
Round 13 Essendon W 0 18 View match >
Round 14 Hawthorn W 0 18 View match >
Round 15 Melbourne W 0 18 View match >
Round 16 Geelong L 0 18 View match >
Round 17 Sydney W 0 18 View match >
Round 18 Carlton W 0 18 View match >
Semi Final Melbourne L 1 0 18 View match >
Grand Final Melbourne L 0 18 View match >
Legend
  • #Guernsey
  • GLGoals
  • BBehinds
  • KKicks
  • HHandballs
  • DDisposals
  • MMarks
  • TTackles
*Player goal statistics included VFA (Victorian Football Association) results.
1927 18 11 0 21

1927 Season stats

Hide Season
RD VS Result GL B K H T D Guernsey No. Match Report
Round 1 Geelong W 0 21 View match >
Round 2 Hawthorn W 2 0 21 View match >
Round 3 Richmond L 0 21 View match >
Round 4 Sydney W 1 0 21 View match >
Round 6 Essendon W 0 21 View match >
Round 7 St Kilda W 0 21 View match >
Round 8 Western Bulldogs W 0 21 View match >
Round 9 Carlton L 0 21 View match >
Round 10 North Melbourne W 0 21 View match >
Round 11 Melbourne W 0 21 View match >
Round 12 Geelong W 1 0 21 View match >
Round 13 Hawthorn W 2 0 21 View match >
Round 14 Richmond W 0 21 View match >
Round 15 Sydney W 3 0 21 View match >
Round 16 Fitzroy L 1 0 21 View match >
Round 18 North Melbourne W 1 0 21 View match >
Semi Final Geelong W 0 21 View match >
Grand Final Richmond W 0 21 View match >
Legend
  • #Guernsey
  • GLGoals
  • BBehinds
  • KKicks
  • HHandballs
  • DDisposals
  • MMarks
  • TTackles
*Player goal statistics included VFA (Victorian Football Association) results.
1928 2 0 20

1928 Season stats

Hide Season
RD VS Result GL B K H T D Guernsey No. Match Report
Round 2 Fitzroy W 0 20 View match >
Round 3 Richmond L 0 20 View match >
Legend
  • #Guernsey
  • GLGoals
  • BBehinds
  • KKicks
  • HHandballs
  • DDisposals
  • MMarks
  • TTackles
*Player goal statistics included VFA (Victorian Football Association) results.
Totals 83 31
Avg/Game   0.37
Legend
  • GPGames Played
  • GLGoals
  • BBehinds
  • KKicks
  • HHandballs
  • TTackles
  • DDisposals

Key Facts

CFC Debut Number

272

Total AFL Games
120
Total AFL Goals
54
CFC Debut
Round 1, 1923
CFC Last Game
Round 3, 1928
Recruited From
Clifton Hill Police
Full Name
Joe Poulter

Awards

  • Premiership
    1927
Provide feedback Ask the Experts