Bill Sewart
Australian rules footballer and cricketer (1881-1928)
William Isaac Sewart (12 November 1881 – 13 December 1928) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was also a first-class cricketer, representing both Queensland and Victoria.
Family
The son of Myles and Mary Ann Sewart, née Lock, he was born on 12 November 1881 at Allendale East, South Australia, and married Annie Roseman (1883–1931) in 1909.
Footballer
In his youth, he was considered to be one of the best all-round athletes his district had ever produced.
A centre-man, he was recruited by Essendon in 1905 from Castlemaine, who played in the Castlemaine Football Association.
He played in 161 senior home-and-away games and ten finals matches for Essendon, kicking seven goals. He played in Essendon's 1911 and 1912 premiership teams.
He represented Victoria three times: in an intrastate match against a combined Ballarat District team, at the MCG, on 23 June 1906, and, although not originally selected, in an intrastate match against a combined Ballarat District team, at the MCG, on 8 June 1907, and in an interstate match against South Australia, on 6 July 1912, at the MCG.
He was Essendon's vice-captain in 1914 and 1915.
Coach
When he returned to Australia from his overseas service with the AIF, aged 38, he became coach of the Victorian Football Association (VFA) team, Footscray.
Initially playing as captain-coach— he resigned as captain in early July 1919, and played two more matches before retiring altogether — he coached Footscray to a premiership win against North Melbourne in the 1919 VFA season.
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