Brian Sampson (footballer)

Brian Sampson Bonsai with native Australian Trees and Ceramic Castle

Brian Sampson (15 February 1941 – 16 December 2012) was a former Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the VFL.^[1]

Sampson played in many positions during his time at Essendon and was particularly strong in the air. He debuted in 1959 and finished the year in their losing Grand Final side. His career was constantly interrupted by knee injuries but he was a member of Essendon's 1962 and 1965 premierships. In the 1965 decider he played in the forward pocket and contributed two goals.

A top class ruckman, Sampson was a key part of the Bombers 1962 and 1965 premiership teams. He joined Essendon from East Sandringham Juniors in 1958 and had a fine but injury interrupted 100-game career with Essendon.

1965 was Brian Sampson's year. He played every game, won the Club's Best Team Player award and played in his second premiership team, starring in the forward pocket and ruck in the win over St Kilda. In that 1965 decider he contributed two goals.

He joined WANFL club West Perth in 1967 and played 50 games, including a premiership in 1969. During his time in Western Australia he represented their interstate team.

Brain's father was a bricklayer and Brian followed in his footsteps running his own bricklaying business and won the Apprenticeship Commission of Victoria's Best Overall Apprentice in bricklaying in 1959. Brian then trained another 13 other apprentices himself. One apprentice, Chris Reid, won Homesglen College of Tafe Employer Award for "Best Overall Apprentice" in 1991.^[2]

Brian's other passion in life was the art of bonsai and he became acclaimed throughout Australia as a bonsai expert and speaker at clubs. His brought his love of native Australian trees into his art of Bonsai. And against the normal trend of using standard miniature bonsai pots he created bonsai with ceramic pots and ceramic scenes. This was featured on ABC Television and on C31/D44 Melbourne show Eastern Newsbeat.^[3]Eastern Newsbeat C31/D44 Melbourne

Brian also had a love affair of ceramics, his aunty was a ceramics teacher and his cousin is artist Greg Irvine. And ceramics are highlighted throughout Brian's bonsai art including figurines he created.^[4]

Brian Sampson Bonsai with ceramic figurines

Brian Sampson sculpted ceramic figurines for his bonsai scenes

During his last years Brian worked to fulfill his dream of publishing a book of his Bonsai Art. Aided by Photographer and Television Producer Patricia Matsoukas Ziemer and, another Bonsai expert, Quentin Valentine, he worked while ill to publish his Bonsai book, featuring his rare native Australian bonsai and ceramic scenes, called "Miniature trees with imagination Aspects of bonsai and penjing". It was published after his death by his wife Margaret Sampson in 2013.^[5]

Brain was also a gifted painter again featuring Australian Native Forests and water scenes a few of these signed paintings are photographed in the book and in art collections around Melbourne.

Australian Native Bush painted by Brian Sampson

He had two daughters Nicole and Danielle and three grandchildren Declan, Zac, and Lucy.^[6] His younger brother Ray Sampson also played in the VFL for Melbourne.^[7]

References[]

External links[]

• Brian Sampson's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• "Player profile". Fullpointsfooty. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012.
• "Bonsai Article in Gardening Australia".
• "Essendon Football Club News Release". 17 December 2012.

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