Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a lout, a rough countryman.

1860		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc. (2nd edn).
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1873		Sl. Dict.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1900–10		Stephens & O’Brien Materials for a Dict. of Aus. Sl. [unpub. ms.] 35: The vernacular has idioms such as ‘The Man from the Wire Fence,’ ‘Country bloke’ or ‘Splaw’ or ‘Splodger,’ ‘Cockle,’ ‘Squatter,’ ‘Bullock-Puncher,’ etc. all of which have served to cut ‘bushman’ out.
1913		Sport (Adelaide) 8 Feb. 11/2: They Say [...] That Sploger [sic] H. is trying very had to have a few words with Myra, the actress.
1921		Star Green ’Un (Sports Special, Yorks) 5 Nov. 5/4: Two ‘Splodgers’ A Week-end Fishing Duet [...] Another splodger: Go on, gerrin if tha’rt goin’.

2. a grave-robber.

1984

Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 1129/2: ca.1840–80.