Frank Aked, Sr.

Who is Frank Aked, Sr.?

Frank "Dolly" Aked was an Australian rules football player. He played with Footscray, now known as the Western Bulldogs, being a member of the inaugural team that entered the then Victorian Football League in 1925. He was recruited from Preston as a ruckman and played mostly in that position for the majority of his career. His son Frank Aked, Jr. also played four games for Footscray in the 1950s. Aked senior's playing measurements were 183 cm and 86 kg, which would definitely not have him playing ruck in the modern era.

Holmesby and Main describe him as a "good mark and wonderful trier". He played one season for Hawthorn in 1933 before returning to Footscray to coach the reserves, taking them to their first ever finals appearance. He was a trainer with the senior team for many years and was a well-known figure around the club for decades. He was the grandfather of Richmond and Collingwood player Allan Edwards, who played the final year of his career with Footscray in 1984.