Herbie Tonkes

Australian rules footballer

Herbie Tonkes
Personal information
Full name	Herbert F. Tonkes
Date of birth	4 April 1921
Date of death	10 September 1991(1991-09-10) (aged 70)
Original team(s)	Preston Jnrs / Essendon United
Height	179 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	80 kg (176 lb)
Playing career¹
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1944, 1946–47	Essendon	37 (0)
¹ Playing statistics correct to the end of 1947.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Herbie 'Tinker' Tonkes (4 April 1921 – 10 September 1991) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1940s.

Tonkes could play a variety of positions, from defence, the wing to half back. He played his early football at Preston Juniors and was recruited to the VFL from Essendon United. War duties limited him to seven appearances in 1944 and he missed the entire 1945 season as he was serving in the Pacific. The following year he returned to the league and was a half back flanker in the victorious 1946 VFL Grand Final team. After one final season, Tonkes joined VFA club Brunswick.

References

Herbie Tonkes's playing statistics from AFL Tables
Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.

Essendon Football Club 1946 VFL premiers

Essendon 22.18 (150) defeated Melbourne 13.9 (87), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground