Background
The son of Darrell and Ruby Crosswell (née Parsons), and cousin of Craig Davis, Crosswell was educated at Scotch College in Launceston, where he excelled both as a football player and a high-jumper.
The son of Darrell and Ruby Crosswell (née Parsons), and cousin of Craig Davis, Crosswell was educated at Scotch College in Launceston, where he excelled both as a football player and a high-jumper.
Recruited from Northern Tasmanian club Campbell Town, Crosswell made his VFL debut in 1968 for Carlton. A solid debut season earned him Carlton"s "best first year player" award. Crosswell was one of Carlton"s best players in the famous 1970 Grand Final victory over Collingwood, and fittingly it was he who kicked the goal that put Carlton in front deep into the final quarter.
He missed the 1972 premiership through illness.
In 1975 he left Carlton and went to North Melbourne and play a crucial role during the club"s golden period, adding two more premierships to his resume. Crosswell"s finals form cannot be faulted and he featured in the best players list in all his Grand Finals appearances, except in 1976 when he injured himself against Geelong in muddy conditions the previous week.
Not be discounted, the selection committee at the club selected Crosswell in the 1976 Grand Final side and gave North Melbourne a needed boost, but this was only temporary as his endurance was waning and the injury prevented him to give 100% that he wanted to show. When Barassi decided to leave North Melbourne, Crosswell moved to his third club, Melbourne, in 1980 and spent his final three seasons of football there, to end a career with one of the most Grand Final appearances by a player at the time: nine VFL Grand Finals.
Croswell is said to be the inspiration for Tasmanian football player Geoff Hayward in David Williamson"s 1977 play The Club.
Since the end of his career, Crosswell has suffered from Meniere"s disease. In July 2012, he was upgraded to Icon status.