Laurie Kettlewell

PLAYER: 1954-65

GAMES: 220: SUBIACO 205; WA 15

HONOURS: Subiaco fairest and best 1960, 62: captain 1961; Member WA side 1956, 58 Australian championships

In 1967 a panel of past champions sat down to pick their greatest utility player.  Subiaco’s  Laurie Kettlewell got their nod.  The panel included Stan “Pops” Heal, Jim Conway, Jack Sheedy, Austin Robertson Snr and our first Sandover Medalist Tom Outridge.

Heal summed up the thoughts of most: “You couldn’t have asked much more of Laurie kettlewell.  You could play him in any position down the centre of the ground and on the flanks and Subiaco did just that.  “Laurie was brilliant in all phases of the game.  His drop kicking was a feature of his play, he was a sure mark in all conditions and he had one great attribute.  Whenever his team was lagging he could always do something brilliant to inspire them.”  That inspiration play won him two club best and fairest in 1960 and 1962.  He also finished third in two Sandover medal counts (1958 and 1960).  Outridge lablelled him a “player of great distinction at full back, centre half-back, centre, centre half forward, full forward and on the ball”.  “There were no limits to this player’s ability in any position,” he said.  “Kettlewell was ideally built and he possessed all the football arts.”