Laurie Nash was born in Fitzroy on 2nd May 1910, the son of former Collingwood captain Robert Nash. He was raised in Tasmania at Parattah where his father ran the hotel, joining the City ( Launceston) club in 1930 where he was coached by Roy Cazaly. He played his first senior game against Longford on a country oval giving an outstanding display at centre half back. That was the position held most of the time he spent with the Redlegs although on occasion he was transferred to attack where he was remarkably accurate. Club officials could not recall him ever missing a shot when within scoring distance of goal.
The honour of bringing out the champion forward in Nash goes to former North Launceston captain coach Alan Scott. In a combined game against the NWFU at Latrobe, Scott told Nash he could play full forward if he wished. Nash accepted and kicked 12 goals.
He was picked to play for the state in the 1930 Carnival in Adelaide and won the Best and Fairest Tasmanian player award.
When the coach of City was transferred midway through 1931 Nash took over captain coaching for the season.
An allround sportsman, Nash played cricket for Tasmania, scoring a century against Victoria. He took 4 wickets for 18 runs in his 1932 Test debut against South Africa.
Nash, who signed for South Melbourne in 1933 at 3 pounds a week, was a devastating footballer in either defence or attack.
He was a hero of the 1933 Grand Final, during which he took 13 marks. In 1937, as captain, Laurie Nash kicked 37 goals to win the club goalkicking tally.
He transferred the following year without a clearance to Camberwell in the VFA causing a sensation in the VFL. At Camberwell he won a Best and Fairest award in 1939. He returned to South in 1945, playing in 17 of the Swan's 22 matches, including the "Bloodbath" Grand Final, kicking a total of 56 goals. He then retired after 99 VFL games and 246 goals. In 1946 he resigned his position at Camberwell Council to take on the role as playing coach of Wangaratta. He also coached Greta and Casterton in the country competitions. He later returned to coach South in 1953.
His rivalry with team mate Bob Pratt, with whom he competed for a place in the record books, yielded 199 goals for the Swans in 1934. When Pratt was asked years later how they had played together, he recalled that Nash had passed to him once "but it was a mistake".
Gordon Coventry said of Nash "I could not name many who had so many outstanding qualities. He was a sensational mark in his best years with South Melbourne. He had the safest pair of hands imaginable, while his turn left or right as he came down with the ball was something opponents couldn't combat. And Nash was a deadly goalkicker. If he had been played permanently as full forward he would have outshone all full forwards of my time, including myself. His performance in kicking 18 goals for Victoria against South Australia was the dandiest I have ever witnessed. He could hold down centre halfback, centre halfforward and other key positions with the skill of a champion."
Laurie Nash represented City in the NTFA for 53 games, South Melbourne in the VFL for 99 games, Camberwell in the VFA for 74 games, the NTFA 12 times, and both Tasmania and Victoria 4 times.
When Laurie Nash was named in the AFL Hall of Fame, the summary commented: " One of the most gifted players ever, his career was half as long as many but it shone twice as brightly as most. Considered by many judges (himself included) the best player in the land..."
He died in Melbourne on 24th July 1986. Laurie Nash is a member of the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame along with other Tasmanian Football Legends such as James Atkinson
, Darrel Baldock
, Rex Garwood
, Horrie Gorringe
, Bruce Carter
, Terry Cashion
, Roy Cazaly
, Royce Hart
, Peter Hudson
, Arthur Hodgson
and Ian Stewart
.
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Laurie Nash - a Tasmanian Football Legend
