Hickinbotham news

A tough, courageous and often almost wantonly aggressive ruckman and defender, Alan Hickinbotham was a shining light in under-achieving South Adelaide sides for almost a decade after World War Two. Winner of the club's best and fairest award in 1947, he was joint runner-up to Bob Hank in the Magarey Medal the same year. In 1954, his last league season, he served as South's captain-coach. Earlier, in 1949, he had crossed to Geelong, only to break his leg in a match at the MCG before his VFL career had properly got going. Ironically, Hickinbotham had previously broken his leg while representing South Australia at the same ground. Because of the effects of the injury, he managed just half a dozen senior games in three seasons with the Cats. After his retirement as a player, Hickinbotham, who played a total of 4 interstate matches for South Australia, continued to serve South Adelaide in various off-field roles, including that of club president. He was inducted into the Panthers' official Hall of Fame in 2005, the same year that saw the club announcing that its home ground at Noarlunga would be re-named the Alan Hickinbotham Oval.