Stan Heal

Who was Stan Heal?

Stan "Pops" Heal was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League as well as West Perth in the West Australian National Football League during the 1940s and early 1950s.

Heal played his best football as a wingman but was also used on occasions as a rover. The Western Australian spent just one season at Melbourne, who had acquired his services while he was temporarily stationed in Victoria. Despite playing just eight games he was a member of Melbourne's 1941 premiership team. The following week he played in another premiership, back home in Western Australia with West Perth.

He was also regular interstate representative for Western Australia, winning a Simpson Medal for his performance in a game against South Australia in 1949 and captaining his state at the 1950 Brisbane Carnival.

As coach of West Perth from 1947 to 1952 he steered his club to two premierships, in 1949 and 1951.

Heal was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He died on 15 December 2010.