Vale Lex Pritchard
1954-2026
Career 1976-77
Games 3 Goals 1

The Collingwood Football Club regrets to announce the passing of former player Lex Pritchard, at the age of 72.

Lex was a product of Ararat, and after four years there he had come to Collingwood’s attention after he won the Ararat & District Football League’s best-and-fairest in 1975 playing for a club called Caledonians.

Lex was a strongly built utility type – a pacy left-footer who stood about six-feet tall in the old language and who could play on a flank at either end, or in the midfield.

He made his way to Victoria Park as a 21-year-old for the 1976 season, and made his senior debut in Round 7 against North Melbourne at Waverley. He played in the centre and acquitted himself well, but unfortunately strained a thigh muscle late in that game and was forced to miss the next week. He couldn’t reclaim a senior berth for the rest of the year.

He had better luck with injuries in 1977, but struggled to force his way into a dominant Magpie team. He made only two senior appearances for the year, both from the bench, though he did finish third in the reserves best-and-fairest. He moved to Geelong early in 1978 but never played a senior game there.

Former teammate Shane Bond said that Lex was greatly respected and liked by his teammates. “We probably didn’t see the best of him at Collingwood, and it would have been good for him to stay around the Club and show his long-term worth,” Bond said. “He was very popular with the players and always had a smile on his face. He’ll be sadly missed.”

The Board, management, staff, coaches and players of the Collingwood Football Club would like to recognise Lex’s contribution to our club. Our thoughts are with his family, and his friends from Collingwood and beyond.

Side by Side.

To read Lex’s full story and the stats from his career, check his bio on Forever.