BIO

Lloyd John “Tuggy” Tugwell played  against Norwood at age 17 as a member of a team selected from the Great Southern Football Association.

He was twenty one when he played his first game for Norwood in the 1933 season but a broken collarbone restricted him to seven games in that season. Although he subsequently built a reputa-tion as a nuggety back pocket player he demonstrated his versatility by kicking five goals against Port Adelaide in one of his earliest matches. The collarbone injury was perhaps the reason he did not play for Norwood in the 1934 season during which he captained the Victor Harbor side to a premiership and also won a Mail Medal. 

He returned to Norwood in 1935 and was recognised in the club awards for “best use of the ball”. In the 1936 season, the year in which club legend Bill McCallum won the Magarey Medal, Tugwell was Norwood’s next highest vote winner and was also awarded “best all-round player” by the club. 

He won selection in the State team as well. It was reported at that time that “Tugwell, Norwood back pocket man, clears with vigorous rush-es……an ideal back pocket player he is nevertheless a decidedly useful all-rounder”. In 1937 he was “best back pocket player” although he missed ten matches with a knee injury.  He also sustained a broken rib which was not discovered until the Sunday after he had played out the match. A serious leg injury kept him out of the side for the whole of the 1938 season .  After recovering he played his last full season in 1939 and was again recognised by the club in his position as back pocket player. 

He also represented the State on two occasions. Tugwell was clearly a talented, tough and versatile player.  He sustained several quite serious injuries which restricted his playing career but demonstrated determination by overcoming them and remaining an important member of the side in the1930’s.  


G Williams June 2013