Player Inductee
North Hobart/St Kilda/Camberwell (VFA), Utility, 1920-36
> 137 games, 76 goals for St Kilda, 1922-31
> Around 30 games for North Hobart, 1920-21
> Around 50 games for Camberwell (VFA), 1932-33, 1935-36
> St Kilda captain, 1927-28
> Camberwell captain-coach, 1932-33, 1935-36
> North Hobart TFL and state premierships, 1920
> St Kilda equal Best and Fairest, 1926
> Six representative matches for Victoria
> Captained VFA v VFL, 1932
> Coach of Camberwell ‘Team of the Century’, 2003
One of the most versatile players Tasmania produced in the first half of the 20th Century, Angus ‘Horrie’ Mason carved out a long and successful career in Victorian football both as a player and a coach. Starting his career as a slightly built 17-year-old wingman at North Hobart in 1920, Mason played in the Redlegs’ TFL and state premiership teams in his first season. At the age of 19 he crossed to Victoria to play in the VFL, debuting for St Kilda in Round 3, 1922. Over the following ten years he would become a mainstay of the Saints teams of the 1920s, expanding his footballing repertoire by playing at different times as a ruckman, wingman, half forward flanker and rover. A player whose quality of disposal was lauded by contemporaries, he was known as one of the finest exponents of the stab pass of his era, while his prodigious drop kicks were also considered noteworthy.
The reputation he had built both internally and externally was proved many times, with multiple awards and honours coming his way. He was a joint winner of St Kilda’s Best and Fairest award in 1926, was named captain of the club for the following two seasons, and represented the Big V in six interstate matches. He would play 137 games and kick 76 goals during his time at St Kilda, although unfortunately the club’s lack of success during this period meant that he appeared in just one finals match, the 1929 semi final loss against Carlton.
After leaving St Kilda at the end of the 1931 season, Mason was appointed captain-coach of VFA strugglers Camberwell. Under Mason’s leadership the Tricolours became a force in the VFA for one of the very few times in their history, but alas they could not snag an elusive premiership; a 1935 grand final loss to Yarraville would be as close as they would get. Mason continued to display outstanding form on field as well as off, the highlight being when he captained the VFA in a charity match against the VFL at Princes Park in 1932. Mason’s performance was outstanding, and he very nearly inspired his side to a famous upset before the VFL ultimately triumphed by eight points.
Aside from a short playing stint at Kyneton in 1934, Mason coached Camberwell from 1932-36. Despite his brief tenure, Mason’s impact was enough for him to be named as coach in Camberwell’s Team of the Century in 2003.
Horrie Mason remained in Victoria after his football career was over and died in 1975 at the age of 72.
