View source for Haydn Bunton Sr.

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer (1911–1955)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Haydn Bunton Sr.
| image = NSWToCBunton.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = 
| fullname = Haydn William Bunton
| birth_date = {{birth date|1911|7|5|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Albury, New South Wales]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1955|9|5|1911|7|5|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Adelaide, South Australia]]
| originalteam = Albury Rovers, [[Albury Football Club|Albury]], West Albury
| height = 179&nbsp;cm
| weight = 73&nbsp;kg
| position = Rover
| statsend = 1945
| coachstatsend = 1948
| years1 = 1931–1937, 1942
| club1 = {{AFL Fit}}
| games_goals1 = 119 (207)
| years2 = 1938–1941
| club2 = {{WAFL|Sub}}
| games_goals2 = 72 (190)
| years3 = 1945
| club3 = {{SANFL Por}}
| games_goals3 = 17 (30)
| games_goalstotal = 208 (427)
| sooyears1 = 1931–1937
| sooteam1 = [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]]
| soogames_goals1 = 12
| sooyears2 = 1938–1939
| sooteam2 = [[Western Australia Australian rules football team|Western Australia]]
| soogames_goals2 = 
| coachyears1 = 1936
| coachclub1 = {{AFL Fit}}
| coachgames_wins1 = 18 (2–16–0)
| coachyears2 = 1947–1948
| coachclub2 = [[North Adelaide Football Club|North Adelaide]]
| coachgames_wins2 = 35 (13–21–0)
| careerhighlights = '''VFL'''
* 3× [[Brownlow Medal]]: [[1931 Brownlow Medal|1931]], [[1932 Brownlow Medal|1932]], [[1935 Brownlow Medal|1935]]
* [[List of Fitzroy Football Club captains|Fitzroy captain]]: 1932, 1936–1937
* 2× [[List of Fitzroy Football Club leading goalkickers|Fitzroy leading goalkicker]]: 1936, 1937
* 2× [[Mitchell Medal|Fitzroy Club Champion]]: 1934, 1935

'''WAFL'''
* 3× [[Sandover Medal]]: 1938, 1939, 1941
* {{WAFL|Sub}} captain: 1938–1939, 1941
* {{WAFL|Sub}} Leading goalkicker: 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941
* {{WAFL|Sub}} Best & Fairest: 1938, 1939, 1941

'''SANFL'''
* Played in [[1945 SANFL Grand Final]]

'''Honours'''
* [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]] <small>(legend status)</small>
* [[AFL Team of the Century]] <small>(forward pocket)</small>
* New South Wales – Team of the Century <small>(rover)</small>
* New South Wales – NSW Greatest Team of all Time<ref>{{cite web |title=2019 - NSW Greatest Team of all time |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/133577/revealed-the-greatest-nsw-team-of-all-time |website=AFL |date=9 May 2019 }}</ref>
* [[Fitzroy Lions#Team of the Century|Fitzroy team of the century]] <small>(rover)</small>
* [[Subiaco Lions#Team of the Century|Subiaco team of the century]] <small>(ruck-rover)</small>
*[[Ovens & Murray Football League]] Hall of Fame
* 2 x premiership player: Albury Rovers, 1926 & 1927
* 1 x premiership player: [[Albury Football Club|Albury]], 1928
* 1 x premiership player: West Albury, 1929
}}
'''Haydn William Bunton''' (5 July 1911 – 5 September 1955) was an [[Australian rules football]]er who represented {{AFL Fit}} in the [[Victorian Football League (1897–1989)|Victorian Football League]] (VFL), {{WAFL|Sub}} in the [[West Australian Football League]] (WAFL), and {{SANFL Por}} in the [[South Australian National Football League]] (SANFL) during the 1930s and 1940s.

Bunton is the only footballer to have won the [[Brownlow Medal]] and the [[Sandover Medal]] three times each. He is one of only four footballers to have won the Brownlow three times (the others being [[Ian Stewart (Australian rules footballer)|Ian Stewart]], [[Dick Reynolds]] and [[Bob Skilton]]), and one of only five footballers to have won the Sandover Medal at least three times (the others being [[Bill Walker (Australian footballer, born 1942)|Bill Walker]], who won it four times; and [[Barry Cable]], [[Graham Farmer]] and [[Merv McIntosh]], who each won it three times). Bunton is also the only player to have averaged one Brownlow vote per game over the course of a completed career, averaging 1.04 votes per game.<ref name="god">{{cite web|first=Martin|last=Flanagan|date=28 June 2008|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&kw=Bunton&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=entire&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=nrm&clsPage=1&docID=AGE080628115B75ADNR3|title=Bunton, a sporting god with a human touch|work=[[The Age]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Brownlow Medal Career Totals |url=https://afltables.com/afl/brownlow/totals0.html }}</ref>

Like cricketer [[Don Bradman]] and the racehorse [[Phar Lap]], Bunton was a sporting champion who made life bearable for the Australian public during the dark days of the [[Great Depression]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Robinson|first1=Mark|title=Fitzroy legend Haydn Bunton unlucky to be left out of Herald Sun's Rebooted Team of the Century|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/fitzroy-legend-haydn-bunton-unlucky-to-be-left-out-of-herald-suns-rebooted-team-of-the-century/news-story/482628c6dcd323f33d4459c52ab0c164|access-date=8 December 2017|work=Herald Sun|date=29 April 2014}}</ref> A brilliant runner and ball-winner, he was regarded by some historians and observers of Australian rules as its greatest-ever player.<ref name="push">{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/07/11/1057783353452.html|first=Paul|last=Daffey|date=12 July 2003|title=Bunton push recalls a club's soul|work=[[The Age]]|access-date=2 February 2007}}</ref>

== Early life ==
The son of Victorians Ernest Edward Bunton, a brickmaker, and Matilda Caroline, née Luhrs, Bunton was born and raised in [[Albury, New South Wales]].<ref name="bio">{{cite Australian Dictionary of Biography |id2=bunton-haydn-william-5424|title=Haydn William Bunton (1911–1955)|last=Mandle|first=W. F.|access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>

As a young teenager, Bunton excelled in [[Australian rules football]], [[cricket]], [[Swimming (sport)|swimming]], and [[Sport of athletics|athletics]], creating many records in a number of different sports.<ref>{{cite web |title=1927 - Albury Boy's Record |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/223345189 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Weekly Times |date=26 March 1927 }}</ref>

==Playing career==
===Albury Rovers/Albury/West Albury Football Clubs (1923–1930)===
Bunton began playing for the Albury Rovers Football Club as a 12-year-old in 1923 and twice won the league's best-and-fairest award. After winning premierships with Albury Rovers in 1926 & 1927, he moved across to the [[Albury Football Club]], although Bunton had earlier made his debut for the [[Albury Football Club]] in 1924 in the [[Ovens and Murray Football League]] as a 13-year-old boy.<ref>{{cite web |title=1950 - The Kid from Albury |url=https://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/article110-Haydn-Bunton-s-Football-Story |via=Trove Newspapers |publisher=Boyles Football Photos}}</ref>

He played for the [[Albury Rovers Football Club]] in 1926 and 1927 in the [[Albury and Border Football Association]] and kicked 4 goals in their 1926 grand final win as a 15-year-old<ref>{{cite web |title=1926 - Albury & Border FA - Grand Final review |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102292789 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=Albury Banner and Wodonga Express |date=17 September 1926 }}</ref> and also played in their 1927 premiership<ref>{{cite web |title=1927 - Albury & Border FA - Grand Final review |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102255595/10816319# |via=Trove Newspapers |work=Albury Banner and Wodonga Express |date=19 August 1927 }}</ref> win. He also won the club's best-and-fairest award in both 1926 and 1927.

In June 1928, the [[Victorian Football League]] played a match against the [[Ovens and Murray Football League]] in [[Wangaratta]], and 16-year-old Hayden Bunton was praised after the game by VFL captain Frank Maher as "being able to hold his own in any league team".<ref>{{cite web |title=1928 - O&MFL v VFL |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224958274 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Weekly Times |date=23 June 1928 }}</ref>

In 1928, Bunton was best on ground for the [[Albury Football Club]] in their [[Ovens and Murray Football League]] grand final win against St. Patrick's FC.<ref>{{cite web |title=1928 - O&MFA Grand Final review |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/143927751 |work=The Wagga Wagga Daily Advertiser|date=10 September 1928 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=1928 - O&MFA Premiership Team Photo - Albury FC |url=http://www.boylesfootballphotos.net.au/1928+Weekly+Times+Team+Photos |work=The Weekly Times}}</ref> Bunton won the club's best and fairest award in 1928 too.<ref>{{cite web |title=1928 - Albury FC - Best & Fairest |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224733593 |work=The Weekly Times|date=29 September 1928|page=95}}</ref>

In 1929, there were two Albury based teams in the [[Ovens and Murray Football League]] (East Albury & West Albury) and Bunton played for the [[West Albury Football Club]] in their 1929 [[Ovens and Murray Football League]] premiership side against East Albury and once again he was best on ground in the grand final.<ref>{{cite web |title=1929 - O&MFA - Grand Final review |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4039113 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Argus |date=23 September 1929 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1929 - West Albury Football Club - team photo |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/23972920 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Weekly Times }}</ref>

It was at this point after starring in four consecutive senior football premierships, that his natural Australian football ability attracted the attention of all twelve VFL clubs.

In early 1930, Bunton was treated to a farewell dinner in the Albury Town Hall, after signing with the Fitzroy Cricket Club and Fitzroy Football Club.<ref>{{cite web |title=1930 - Bunton farewells Albury |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/183720471 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Sporting Globe |date=19 February 1930 }}</ref>

Shortly after Fitzroy had won the race to secure his services, it was revealed that they had paid him £222 (A$18,750 in 2020 terms) to join, which was illegal under VFL rules. He was subsequently disqualified for 12 months by the [[Victorian Football League]]'s Permit Committee and unable to play during the [[1930 VFL season]] for the [[Fitzroy Football Club]] despite several appeals. Bunton later claimed in a 1950 newspaper article that he had received the money for a knee operation after he tore his cartilage in the 1930 [[Ovens and Murray Football League]] grand final.<ref>{{cite web |title=1950 - Haydn Bunton Football Story |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/56063304# |via=Trove Newspaper |work=The Adelaide Mail |date=29 July 1950 }}</ref> His initial legal match payments were the modest sum of £2 (A$168 in 2020 terms) per week.

He resisted offers from clubs in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) to play for them during the 1930 season, one club even offering him a brand-new car.

After finally receiving a permit to play back in the [[Ovens and Murray Football League]] for [[West Albury Football Club]] in June 1930, Bunton was appointed captain/coach and later played in his fifth consecutive grand final.<ref>{{cite web |title=1930 - New West Albury Captain / Coach |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203088837 |work=The Age|date=11 June 1930 }}</ref> The match was against the [[Hume Weir|Hume Weir Football Club]] who proved too good and defeated West Albury for the premiership. Bunton once again played a starring role up until just before half time when he injured his knee and took no further part in the match.<ref>{{cite web |title=1930 - O&MFA Grand Final match review |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/236193973 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Corowa Press |date=9 September 1930 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1930 - O&MFA - Grand Final team photos |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/23874063 |work=The Weekly Times}}</ref>

=== Fitzroy (1931–1937) ===
In April, 1931 Bunton was cleared to the [[Fitzroy Football Club]] from the [[West Albury Football Club]] and his clearance was finally approved by the [[Victorian Football League]]'s Permit Committee.<ref>{{cite web |title=1931 - Bunton cleared to Fitzroy FC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/242786186 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Herald Newspaper|date=8 April 1931 }}</ref>

Bunton finally made his much anticipated VFL debut in round one of the [[1931 VFL season]]<ref>{{cite web |title=1931 - Haydn Bunton - VFL Stats |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/H/Haydn_Bunton.html |website=afltables.com |publisher=AFL Tables}}</ref> against [[Melbourne Football Club]] at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]], kicking one goal in a losing team.

Bunton played as a [[Football (Australian rules) positions#Followers|rover/follower]] and achieved instant success, winning [[Brownlow Medal]]s in his first two seasons (1931 and [[1932 VFL season|1932]]) in the VFL. He worked in a department store during the day, and practised baulking by weaving his way through crowds of shoppers. One of his opponents, [[Dick Reynolds]], spied on him during this activity in order to learn how to defeat his technique.<ref>[[Jim Main]], ''Aussie Rules for dummies'' (2nd edition, 2008) p 96.</ref>

During his career at Fitzroy, Bunton won five [[Fitzroy FC honour roll|club best-and-fairest awards]], in addition to his Brownlows. He was appointed captain of Fitzroy in 1932. He was runner-up for the Brownlow Medal in [[1934 VFL season|1934]]<ref>{{cite web |title=1934 - Brownlow Medal - Votes |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/145241832 |work=The Australian|date=29 September 1934 }}</ref> before winning the award for a third and final time in [[1935 VFL season|1935]]. While playing, Bunton also spent the [[1936 VFL season]] as senior coach at Fitzroy, but could only manage two wins. He was also Fitzroy's leading goalkicker in 1936 and [[1937 VFL season|1937]].

=== Subiaco (1938–1941) ===
In 1938, Bunton moved to Western Australia, taking the position of captain/coach of {{WAFL|Sub}}, while very competitive, they failed to play finals during his coaching stints of 1938, 1939 and 1941.

Bunton captained the Western Australian team to a victory against [[St.Kilda Football Club]] in July, 1938.<ref>{{cite web |title=1938 - Western Australia v St. Kilda FC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/42097090 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The West Australian |date=18 July 1938 }}</ref>

He won the [[Sandover Medal]] three times, [[1938 WANFL season|in 1938]],<ref>{{cite web |title=1938 - Sandover Medal - Votes |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46474807 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Western Australian |date=14 September 1938 }}</ref> 1939<ref>{{cite web |title=1939 - Sandover Medal - Votes |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46424147 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The West Australian |date=13 September 1939 }}</ref> and 1941,<ref>{{cite web |title=1941 - Sandover Medal - Votes |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47161177 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The West Australian |date=17 September 1941 }}</ref> Bunton polled 17 votes in the 1940 Sandover Medal, finishing in 6th position.<ref>{{cite web |title=1940 - Sandover Medal votes |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/78801731 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Daily News|date=17 September 1940 |location=Perth)}}</ref>

Altogether, Bunton had won six league best and fairest awards in only eleven seasons between the two states in which he had played.

=== Return to Fitzroy (1942) ===
Corporal Haydn Bunton returned to Melbourne from Perth to enter the Army's Physical Training School at Frankston and was accompanied by four Fitzroy Football Club recruits from Western Australian in April, 1942.<ref>{{cite web |title=1942 - Bunton returns to fitzroy FC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/225568063 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Age Newspapers|date=29 April 1942 }}</ref>

Bunton returned to his Army unit in Perth in late May, 1942.<ref>{{cite web |title=1942 - Bunton returns to Perth |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/78284343 |via=Trove Newspaper |work=The Daily News|date=26 May 1942 |location=Perth}}</ref>

He managed to play only two games for [[Fitzroy Football Club]] in rounds one and three of [[1942 VFL season]], due to his Army commitments.

=== Army/Services Football (1943 & 44) ===

Bunton played in the 18-team Services Football competition in Perth, which was divided into a 10-team A-grade competition and 8-team B-Grade competition.<ref>{{cite web |title=1943 - Victorians starring in the Golden West |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/181664918 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Sporting Globe|date=14 July 1943 }}</ref>

=== Port Adelaide (1945) ===
{{multiple image
| align    = right
| image1 = Charles Hayter Haydn Bunton 1945.png
| width1 = 132
| alt1 = 
| image2 = Haydn Bunton by Lionel Coventry, News (Adelaide), May 1945.jpg
| width2 = 100
| alt2 = 
| footer = '''Left:''' {{AFL Por}} secretary [[Charles Hayter (secretary)|Charles Hayter]] (left) in discussion with Haydn Bunton (right) in 1945.<br />'''Right:''' Caricature by Lionel Coventry from May 1945 upon the news of the star joining Port Adelaide.
}}

After being discharged from army service at the end of [[World War II]] at the age of 33, he joined [[Port Adelaide Football Club|Port Adelaide]] in the [[South Australian National Football League|SANFL]] league and played 17 games during the [[1945 SANFL season]]. Bunton would form a formidable duo with [[Bob Quinn (Australian footballer)|Bob Quinn]], helping Port Adelaide attract record crowds for the season. At the end of the minor round, Port Adelaide had lost only two games, finishing up with a percentage of 133. Bunton would play in the first final of his career with Port Adelaide in their Second Semi-Final win against [[Norwood Football Club|Norwood]] in front of 36,383 spectators at [[Adelaide Oval]]. Bunton would kick two goals during the match.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article74625011 |title=PORT ADELAIDE IN FOOTBALL GRAND FINAL |newspaper=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]] |location=Adelaide |date=17 September 1945 |access-date=13 April 2017 |page=3 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> The win against Norwood qualified Port Adelaide for the [[1945 SANFL Grand Final]] against [[West Torrens Football Club|West Torrens]]. During the first quarter of the 1945 SANFL Grand Final, Port Adelaide kicked a record quarter-time score for a SANFL Grand Final of 8.1 (51), which still stands today. However, this was not enough for Bunton to win his first premiership as a player with Port Adelaide, falling short by 13 points to West Torrens. The 1945 SANFL Grand Final would be Haydn Bunton Sr's last match in senior football. Bunton would be awarded two [[Magarey Medal]] votes during his 17 games for Port Adelaide in 1945, thus achieving the rare feat of garnering votes in the VFL, WAFL, and SANFL.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48665994 |title=QUINN WINS MEDAL |newspaper=[[The Advertiser (Adelaide)|The Advertiser]]|location=Adelaide |volume=88 |issue=27119 |date=4 September 1945 |access-date=4 June 2018 |page=7 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

==North Adelaide (1947 & 1948)==

On Monday, 3 March 1947, the [[North Adelaide Football Club]] appointed Haydn Bunton as senior non-playing coach.<ref>{{cite web |title=1947 - Bunto to coach North Adelaide FC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127073164 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=News|date=3 March 1947 |location=Adelaide}}</ref> North Adelaide finished in 6th position in 1947<ref>{{cite web |title=1947 - SANFL - Final Ladder |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74642105/7315541 |work=The Adelaide Advertiser|date=8 September 1947 }}</ref> and in 5th position in 1948.<ref>{{cite web |title=1948 - SANFL - Final Ladder |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/2657963 |work=The Adelaide Advertiser}}</ref> Bunton resigned as coach after the last home-and-away game in September 1948.<ref>{{cite web |title=1948 - Bunton resigns as coach |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/129886817/11110264 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=News|date=6 September 1948 |location=Adelaide}}</ref> [[North Adelaide Football Club]] went onto win the [[1949 SANFL Grand Final|1949 SANFL premiership]], coached by [[Ken Farmer]].

==Cricket career==
Haydn Bunton was the most outstanding batsman in the Albury and Border Cricket Association, with an average of 149 in the 1927/28 season and averaged 127 in 1928/29, and his services were sought by many Melbourne District Cricket Clubs.<ref>{{cite web |title=1929 - Bunton signs with St. Kilda CC |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/182534195 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Sporting Globe|date=2 November 1929 }}</ref>

In December 1928, Bunton (144), was involved in a 280-run, second-wicket partnership with [[Cassie Andrews (cricketer)|William "Cassie" Andrews]] (146) from [[Maitland, New South Wales|Maitland]] in a Sydney Country Week Cricket Carnival match on the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] between a combined country week team and a combined Sydney first-grade team.<ref>{{cite web |title=1928 - Brilliant Batting by Countrymen! |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/246828092 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=December 1928 }}</ref>

Bunton commenced playing Melbourne district cricket for the [[Fitzroy Doncaster Cricket Club|Fitzroy Cricket Club]] during the 1930/31 season and scored 104 against Prahran on Saturday, 9 January 1932.<ref>{{cite web |title=1932 - Bunton scores 100 against Prahan |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203179171 |work=The Age|date=11 January 1932 }}</ref> Bunton played for Fitzroy CC in their losing 1931/32 Melbourne District Cricket grand final against [[St Kilda Cricket Club|St. Kilda Cricket Club]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1931/32 - Melbourne District Cricket - Grand Final review |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205092263 |work=The Age|date=11 April 1932 }}</ref>

All up, he played 25 [[First XI]] games for Fitzroy CC between 1930/31 and 1933/34.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nicholson |first1=Rod |title=100 Not Out – A centenary of Premier Cricket |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/34765690?q&versionId=43079796 |via=Trove Newspapers |publisher=Wilkinson Publishing |ref=ISBN 0977545792|isbn=9780977545797 |year=2006 }}</ref>

In 1944, while serving with the [[Second Australian Imperial Force|Australian Imperial Force]], Bunton was stationed in [[Wallgrove, New South Wales|Wallgrove]], Sydney, and played cricket with the Petersham Cricket Club.<ref>{{cite web |title=1944 - Bunton in Sydney |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/211181182 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=Call and Bailey's Weekly|date=7 December 1944 |location=Perth}}</ref>

==Life outside football==
Bunton enlisted in the [[Australian Army]] in 1943, at [[Blackboy Hill, Western Australia|Blackboy Hill]], Perth and was assigned to the [[Royal Australian Army Medical Corps]]. At the time he was discharged, in April 1945, Bunton (service no. <small>WX37750</small>) was serving with the 5th Motor Ambulance Convoy and held the substantive rank of [[corporal]].<ref>[https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=771566&c=WW2#R Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023, ''World War Two Service Veteran Details Name BUNTON, HAYDN WILLIAM'']. (Access: 2023-05-03)</ref>

He spent the [[1946 SANFL season]] as an SANFL football [[Umpire (Australian rules football)|field umpire]] and earned a very good reputation in a very short time, umpiring the 1946 SANFL Preliminary Final,<ref>{{cite web |title=1946 - Waved fists at Bunton |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/55874791 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Adelaide Mail |date=28 September 1946 }}</ref> with many believing he was very stiff not to umpire the grand final the following week.<ref>{{cite web |title=1946 - Alpin v Bunton |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/128368908# |via=Trove Newspapers |work=News |date=4 October 1946 |location=Adelaide}}</ref>

In 1949, 1950 and 1951, Bunton was the feature football writer for the Adelaide newspaper ''The Mail''.<ref>{{cite web |title=1949 - Bunton writes for The Mail |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/56058666 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Mail|date=24 September 1949 }}</ref>

==Death and tributes==
On Thursday 1 September 1955, Bunton was critically injured when his car crashed into three [[Eucalyptus|gum trees]] {{Convert|11|mi}} north of [[Gawler, South Australia]]. He was alone in the car, and he was treated at the scene for severe head injuries, a punctured lung, a fractured collarbone, fractured ribs, and [[Shock (circulatory)|shock]].<ref name="dies">{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3wAzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6JQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4347%2C763484|title=Haydn Bunton Dies from Crash Injuries|work=[[The Age]]|date=6 September 1955}}</ref> On Saturday morning, two days later, he rallied slightly to encourage his son [[Haydn Bunton Jr.|Haydn Jr]]. in an important match for {{SANFL NthA}} that day, telling him: "Go out and do your best, son." Bunton was declared dead on the night of Monday 5 September at the [[Royal Adelaide Hospital]].<ref name="dies" /> He was buried at [[North Road Cemetery]] in [[Nailsworth, South Australia]].<ref name="bio" />

In 1996, Bunton was named at left [[forward pocket]] in the [[AFL Team of the Century]], and he was made an inaugural legend in the [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]].

Bunton was inducted into the [[Ovens & Murray Football League]] [http://hof.omfnl.com.au/~omfnlhof/hof/index.php?Itemid=228&view=item&catid=42&id=71&option=com_hall_of_fame Hall of Fame in 2018].

==Reputation==
[[File:Haydn Bunton Snr leap.jpg|thumb|upright|This photograph of Bunton, with a "ball beneath his arm, earth scarcely in view", is the basis of a statue outside the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]. "He looks like [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]], the Roman messenger of the gods."<ref>{{cite news |date=20 July 2013 |title=Agar adds to the story of sport |author=[[Martin Flanagan (journalist)|Flanagan, Martin]] |url=http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/agar-adds-to-the-story-of-sport-20130719-2q9pj.html |newspaper=[[The Age]] |accessdate=28 July 2013}}</ref>]]During his playing career, Bunton was considered by fans of the sport as a player of integrity, who rarely if ever engaged in unduly rough play.<ref name="Mansell">Mansell, ''Ibid''.</ref> His fame was enhanced by him having his own radio show on [[Mix 1011|3DB]], and he had a Melbourne newspaper column when he played with Fitzroy.<ref name="Mansell"/> He later had radio programs in Perth and Adelaide. He was regarded as a [[sex symbol]] in the 1930s, and his looks were compared to those of film star [[Rudolf Valentino]].<ref name="Mansell"/>

When Essendon legend [[Dick Reynolds]] won his first Brownlow Medal in [[1934 Brownlow Medal|1934]], Bunton, whom Reynolds had narrowly beaten to win the award, was the first person to telegraph his congratulations, a sporting gesture that Reynolds deeply appreciated.<ref>{{cite news |date=6 September 1955 |title=It was a joy to watch Bunton play. |page=18 |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71693577 |access-date=1 August 2012 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>
During his period with Fitzroy, he was naturally a marked man, but almost perfect balance enabled him to keep out of trouble. He had uncanny ball sense and great speed, was a fine mark, and an accurate, if not outstanding, kick.
The Secretary of Fitzroy, J. Buckley, said of Bunton: "Haydn was the greatest player ever to wear the Fitzroy jersey. He had unlimited stamina, courage, and was the quickest thinker I have ever seen." 
Bunton once played with [[Don Bradman]] in a [[New South Wales]] country cricket team; and, in the early 1930s, Bunton was regarded as a possible [[Test cricket]]er.<ref name="god" />

According to the family of [[Douglas Nicholls|Sir Doug Nicholls]], Bunton was the only Fitzroy teammate to befriend Nicholls, the only Aboriginal VFL player at that time, during his playing career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sir Doug: The Story of Legend |url=https://www.afl.com.au/video/484358/sir-doug-the-story-of-legend?videoId=484358&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1652685660001 |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=afl.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

In 1999, historian and teacher [[Ken Mansell]] wrote "The Ballad of Haydn Bunton", a song that highlighted Bunton's great achievements.<ref name="push" />

==Family==

Bunton married Lylia Frances Austin at [[Scots' Church, Melbourne]], on 22 February 1936.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article112707305 |title=WEDDINGS |newspaper=[[The Albury Banner and Wodonga Express]] |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 February 1936 |accessdate=12 May 2021 |page=46 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Bunton had two sons: [[Haydn Bunton Jr.]], born in 1937, who would become a prominent footballer in his own right, and David.<ref name="god"/><ref name="notice" />

In July 1945, Mrs. Bunton sued for divorce on the grounds of her husband's misconduct with a certain Doreen May Scott, a member of the [[Australian Women's Army Service]] (AWAS).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76014758 |title=HAYDN BUNTON'S WIFE SEEKS DIVORCE. |newspaper=[[The Mirror (Western Australia)|The Mirror]] |location=Perth |date=14 July 1945 |access-date=31 July 2012 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Bunton remarried Lylia Bunton at the Adelaide Registry Office on Saturday, 7 September 1946, in a closed secret ceremony.<ref>{{cite web |title=1946 - Bunton has re-wed wife |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75940555 |via=Trove Newspapers |work=The Mirror|date=7 September 1946 |location=Perth}}</ref>

Lylia died suddenly at home on 25 December 1954 at the age of 42, less than a year before her husband.<ref name="notice">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23438354 |title=Family Notices. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne |date=29 December 1954 |access-date=31 July 2012 |page=13 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Bunton's brother, [[Cleaver Bunton]], was a long-serving mayor of [[Albury]] and also a [[Senate of Australia|senator]] for a short time in 1975. Cleaver was the first [[Ovens & Murray Football League]] life member. Cleaver played in West Albury's 1929 premiership team, was the O&MFL treasurer 1953 to 1993, O&MFL secretary 1930 to 1969 and again in 1976, founder and editor of ''The Critic'' from 1924 to 1990, the longest-serving administrator in Australian Rules Football history, founder of Albury Umpires Association, establisher of sporting broadcasts on radio, and was the first to broadcast Ovens & Murray football; the O&MFL club championship award is named after him.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{AFL Tables}}
* {{AFL Tables coach ID}}
* {{AustralianFootball}}
* {{WAFL FootyFacts}}
* [http://trove.nla.gov.au/people/1468427?c=people Information about Haydn Bunton at Trove]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090917040457/http://www.afl.com.au/aflhq/awards/halloffame/legends/tabid/855/default.aspx AFL Hall of Fame – Legends]
* {{SAHOF|haydn-bunton-snr}}
* [http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?ServiceId=A&VeteranId=771566 Haydn Bunton's WW2 Service Record] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231317/http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?ServiceId=A&VeteranId=771566 |date=3 March 2016 }}
* [http://boylesfootballphotos.net.au/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=15 The Ballad of Haydn Bunton (Song and Article)] – by Original Author and Artist
* {{YouTube|id=CAaiJgim_hA|title=The Ballad of Haydn Bunton}}
* {{YouTube|id=ifVm30ebBQY|title=Hall of Fame Legend: Haydn Bunton}}

{{Australian Football Hall of Fame Legends}}
{{AFL Team of the Century}}
{{Subiaco Football Club Team of the Century}}
{{AFL Brownlow Medallists}}
{{Multiple Brownlow Medal winners}}
{{Sandover Medal winners}}
{{Fitzroy Football Club captains}}
{{Fitzroy Football Club coaches}}
{{Mitchell Medal}}
{{Fitzroy leading goalkickers}}
{{Subiaco Football Club coaches}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bunton, Haydn Sr.}}
[[Category:1911 births]]
[[Category:1955 deaths]]
[[Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Brownlow Medal winners]]
[[Category:Fitzroy Football Club players]]
[[Category:Fitzroy Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Port Adelaide Football Club (SANFL) players]]
[[Category:Port Adelaide Football Club players (all competitions)]]
[[Category:Subiaco Football Club players]]
[[Category:Subiaco Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:North Adelaide Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Albury Football Club players]]
[[Category:Sandover Medal winners]]
[[Category:Mitchell Medal winners]]
[[Category:South Australian National Football League umpires]]
[[Category:West Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Albury]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in South Australia]]
[[Category:Burials at North Road Cemetery]]
[[Category:Australian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Australian Army Medical Corps soldiers]]
[[Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Australian sportswriters]]
[[Category:Military personnel from New South Wales]]