Tom Quinn was a leading Australian rules football player of the 1920s and 1930s, playing for Portuguese Adelaide Football Club and Geelong Football Club.
Background
Born in Birkenhead, South Australia, the son of former Portuguese Adelaide captain John Quinn, Senior and the older brother of dual Magarey Medallist Bob, Quinn showed aptitude for football from a young age, and standing 170 cm tall and built like a tank, Quinn made his South Australian National Football League (SANFL) debut for Portuguese as a rover in 1928.
Career
Quinn played 59 matches for Portuguese in three seasons plus six for South Australia before finding himself unemployed in the wake of the Great Depression. Quinn had attracted interest from Victorian Football League (VFL) clubs at the 1930 Adelaide Carnival with his performances for South Australia, and when Geelong offered Quinn employment with the Ford Motor Company, a club sponsor, as a machine operator, Quinn leapt at the opportunity and transferred to Geelong for the 1931 VFL season. Gaining the nickname "Maggie" for his Portuguese Adelaide heritage, Quinn immediately proved a success in the VFL, being a key player in Geelong"s 1931 premiership team and became a firm favorite with Geelong fans.
Quinn retired early in the 1940 season after having been dropped to the reserves.
He had played 168 games for Geelong, kicking 169 goals. In 1946 Quinn was appointed coach of Geelong but was sacked from the position at the end of the 1948 season after failing to raise Geelong above 7th place.
In 2001 Quinn was selected as an Emergency in Geelong"s official "Team of the Century".
Membership
Quinn immediately made his mark, becoming a key member of the 1928 Portuguese premiership team