Stan Heal

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer and coach}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Stan Heal

| image = Stan Heal 1941.jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| fullname = Stanley Heal

| nickname = Pops

| birth_date = 30 July 1920

| birth_place = West Leederville, Western Australia

| death_date = {{death date and age|2010|12|15|1920|7|30|df=y}}

| death_place = Nedlands, Western Australia

| height = 170 cm

| weight = 70 kg

| position = Wing, rover

| statsend = 1953

| years1 = 1939–1953

| club1 = West Perth

| games_goals1 = 180

| years2 = 1941

| club2 = Melbourne

| games_goals2 = {{0|00}}8 (5)

| sooyears1 = 1946–1951

| sooteam1 = Western Australia

| soogames_goals1 = 18

| coachyears1 = 1947–1952

| coachclub1 = West Perth

| coachgames_wins1 = 133 (95–38–0)

| careerhighlights = *Three premierships for West Perth

• One premiership for Melbourne
• Two premierships in one season: 1941
• Six successive finals series as coach of West Perth

}}

Stanley "Pops" Heal (30 July 1920 – 15 December 2010) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) as well as West Perth in the West Australian National Football League (WANFL) during the 1940s and early 1950s.

Heal played his best football as a wingman but was also used on occasions as a rover. The Western Australian spent just one season at Melbourne, who had acquired his services while he was temporarily stationed in Victoria. Despite playing just eight games he was a member of Melbourne's 1941 premiership team. The following week he played in another premiership, back home in Western Australia with West Perth.{{cite book|last=Atkinson|first=Graeme|title=3AW Book of Footy Records|year=1989|publisher=Magistra Publishing Company|location=South Melbourne|isbn=1863210091|page=278}}

He was also regular interstate representative for Western Australia, winning a Simpson Medal for his performance in a game against South Australia in 1949 and captaining his state at the 1950 Brisbane Carnival.[http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/wafl/8515983/wa-footy-legend-stan-heal-dies-aged-90/ WA footy legend Stan Heal dies, aged 90]

As coach of West Perth from 1947 to 1952 he steered his club to two premierships, in 1949 and 1951.

From 1953 to 1965 he was a Labor member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, representing the seat of West Perth until 1962 and Perth thereafter.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/MPHistoricalData.nsf/LookupName/FA97BEBD5B89A60A482577E50028A642?opendocument|title=Stanley Heal|publisher=Parliament of Western Australia}}

Heal was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2010.[http://www.watoday.com.au/afl/afl-news/induction-caps-off-kangaroo-careys-colourful-career-20100603-x708.html Induction caps off Kangaroo Carey's colourful career] He died on 15 December 2010.[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/demon-star-stan-pops-heal-dies-at-90/story-e6frf9jf-1225971352888 Demon star Stan 'Pops' Heal dies at 90]