Biography
Born: 8 February 1931
Died: 20 Agustus 2006
Grave Location: Lawn F, Row 46, Grave 46
Achievement
Neil Trezise played football for the Ballarat High School and Redan Football Club before being recruited by the Geelong Cats, where his small stature earned him the nickname ‘Nipper’.
His career with the Cats from 1949 to 1959 included 192 games and 272 goals. Trezise played in the 1951 and 1952 premiership winning teams, and another of his most notable highlights was his eight-goal haul against Footscray in 1953. His partnership with Peter Pianto was regarded “one of Geelong’s greatest roving combinations”. He was made a life member of the club in 1956.
In 1958, he was Geelong’s vice-captain and leading goal kicker, and in his final year in 1959 he was captain.
Post-playing, he became coach of Geelong’s reserves side, and from 1974 to 1979 was president of the club.
Trezise also enjoyed a political career, as Victorian State MP from 1964 to 1992 and Minister for Sport and Recreation from 1982 to 1992. He is credited with a key part in renovations of the Melbourne Cricket Ground that secured its continued use as the home of the VFL Grand Final.
Did you Know?
Neil Benjamin “Nipper” Trezise AM (8 February 1931 – 20 August 2006) was an Australian rules footballer who represented Geelong in the Victorian Football League and later a politician who represented the Labor Party in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He was made a life member of Geelong Football Cub in 1956, and a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 1993 Queen’s Birthday Honours for “service to the Victorian Parliament and to sport”.
Neil died aged 78, and was cremated. His ashes were interred in a simple lawn beam grave at the Lawn F location. His parents Clarence and Melva May (McLachlan) Trezise are buried there, while the ashes of his brother Thomas Trezise’s are interred there.
Neil is commemorated with a simple bronze plaque mounted on the concrete lawn beam.
Wife’s name Joan (Newman) Trezise.
