An intelligent and skilled midfielder who could also kick the occasional bag of goals, Sproule is a member of what could be described as Tasmania's Golden Generation – a period where AFL Hall of Fame Legends Darrel Baldock, Peter Hudson, Ian Stewart and Royce Hart cemented their reputations in Victoria.
He also won premierships in the TANFL, captain-coaching Sandy Bay to a hat-trick from 1976 to 1978 and then coaching Hobart to the flag in 1980 after the club had finished wooden spooners the previous season.
After winning two premierships with Hobart in 1963 and 1966, Sproule moved to Victoria to play for Essendon, but missed the entire 1967 VFL season after badly breaking his leg.
In the team line-up for the 1974 VFL Grand Final against North Melbourne, Sproule was named on the half-forward flank but was moved to the centre ten minutes in to the second quarter after the Kangaroos had worked their way to an 11-point lead.
The Tigers would kick six unanswered goals in the next 15 minutes,[5] going on to win by 41 points and becoming the first team since Melbourne in 1959 and 1960 to defend the VFL premiership.