Club News

Vale Pat Hall

7 months ago – May 7, 2024

VALE PAT HALL

Glenelg Football Club is saddened by the loss of former Tigers coach Alexander Henry ‘Pat’ Hall, who passed away on April 16. He was 95.

Hall was Glenelg captain-coach in 1953-54 and vice-captain in 1955, playing 47 games and kicking 56 goals for the club. He coached the Tigers to a win in the first semi-final in his first year in charge.

After playing with Norwood from 1948-52, the rangy ruck-forward’s appointment at the Bay came as a shock because he was just 23.
“Glenelg appealed to me as a side that had a lot of talent and I thought I’d put in an application, not expecting to get the job but I did – and I was absolutely delighted,” Hall recalled in 1999 in Pride Of The Bay. Of his appointment at such a young age, Hall said: “At that time it didn’t worry me but on reflection I shouldn’t have been appointed. I was too young … I lacked experience.”
Despite that, Glenelg won the first four games of the 1953 season and finished fourth in the minor round before coming from behind with a six-goal last quarter to stun his old side Norwood by 24 points in the first semi-final. The Tigers lost the preliminary final to Port Adelaide before slumping to bottom in 1954 with just four wins.

Hall was replaced as coach by dual Essendon premiership player Charles ‘Chooka’ May but played on for another season as deputy to club great Allan Crabb. “They asked me if I’d stop at the Bay and I said ‘sure’. I really thoroughly enjoyed the company of the guys – they were super blokes,” Hall said.

A premiership player with Norwood in 1948, Hall returned to The Parade in 1956, retiring after the 1957 grand final loss to Port Adelaide. He had played 98 games for Norwood for a SANFL club tally of 145 games, along with five State appearances.
He continued his SANFL involvement as a respected commentator on Channel 7 and radio and footy writer with The News and Footy World.

A SANFL player life member and life member of Norwood Football Club, Hall was part of a family dynasty at The Parade – his father Alec, son John and grandson Joel Patfull, of Brisbane and GWS fame, also played for Norwood.

The GFC Board, management and staff extend their deepest condolences to the Hall family.