BIO

Reg Vine was a nifty forward who regularly kicked goals across four seasons at Norwood but was never an automatic selection.

Born at Moonta on 22 September 1877, Reg was one of ten children of Thomas Vine and his wife Elizabeth Ann Trenerry, née Boase.

Living at Kent Town, Reg came to Norwood through the junior team Osmond in the Eastern Suburban Football Association.  He played there with the Plunkett brothers, Bill and Mick, future Norwood stalwarts who would represent South Australia.  When Mick captained Osmond in 1896, Reg was his deputy.

Reg made his senior debut against West Adelaide on May Day 1897 and kicked a place goal in the last quarter as Norwood romped home, 4.12 to nil.  Six weeks later, with Alby Green and ‘Bunny’ Daly firing, Norwood took the initiative against Collingwood at Adelaide Oval before beginning to tire in the last quarter.  A long shot by Reg for a behind was not the last score of the match but it proved decisive in the end, with Norwood ahead 7.9 to 7.8 and Bill Plunkett clearing the ball out of defence as the bell rang 

Reg played seven games for Norwood in 1897 and maintained his fitness as a member of the Post and Telegraph team in the midweek competition.  He was the Post and Telegraph captain in 1898 and played just one senior game with Norwood.  That changed in 1899 with the advent of electoral football.  Norwood lost a host of players to other clubs, including Green and the Daly brothers, ‘Bunny’ and ‘Bos’, but rebuilt well, winning 11 of its 15 games before finishing runner-up to South Adelaide.

Back in partnership with the Plunkett brothers, Reg saved the day with three goals against a surprisingly feisty North Adelaide at the Jubilee Oval on 10 June.  At the finish, one goal umpire called it a draw and the other had Norwood ahead, 7.9 to 7.8.  Coincidentally, they were the scores when Reg played against Collingwood two years before.

Reg played seven senior games in 1899 but was not selected for the finals.  He had another crack in 1900 but played only the first three matches.  North that year won its first premiership and Norwood finished third.

Reg married Maud Amelia Oakley at Evandale and they had four sons, Henry, Roy, Reginald,and John.  Reg Vine was 89 when he died at Goodwood on 28 April 1957.

P Robins, D Cox, G Adams February 2021