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Doug Wade
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Douglas Graeme Wade (born 16 October 1941) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Key Information
He was the League's leading goal scorer (winning the Coleman Medal) on four occasions from 1962 until 1974. He was only the second player (after Collingwood's Gordon Coventry), and the first post-WW2 to kick over 1,000 goals in his career.[1] Only four other players – Gary Ablett Snr (Hawthorn/Geelong), Jason Dunstall (Hawthorn), Tony Lockett (St Kilda/Sydney) and Lance Franklin (Hawthorn/Sydney) have emulated the effort.[2]
Geelong career
[edit]After working for the CBC bank of Sydney at the age of 17 years, he tried out with the Melbourne Football Club in a number of practice games in 1960. Wade returned home to Horsham where he was playing with the Horsham football club. In 1961 Wade was lured back by the Geelong Football Club where he made his VFL/AFL debut. Wade was a member of the Geelong side which won the VFL Premiership in 1963, and a Grand Final player in 1967.
Wade was involved in one of the most memorable umpiring decisions in VFL history. In the 1962 Preliminary Final Replay, Geelong was trailing Carlton by five points with seconds remaining. The ball came down to Wade and Carlton full-back Peter Barry, and Wade out-manoeuvered Barry to mark 25 metres out in front; but umpire Irving penalised Wade, who was in front, for holding on to Barry's shorts in the contest. Wade said: "All I did was to keep my eyes on the ball and maneuvered for position. The only possible way he could have penalised me was for sticking out my posterior as I went to mark." Percy Beames wrote in The Age: "Wade was extremely unlucky. Nine times out of ten these incidents are overlooked." Former umpire Allen Nash said at the time:" It was the most courageous decision I've ever seen by an umpire."[3]
In the final minutes of a match against South Melbourne late in 1970, Wade had a shot at goal to put Geelong in front. A spectator threw an apple on the field, which collided with the football in mid-air as it dropped between Wade's hand and foot, and knocked the football clear off of his boot which then failed to even connect with the ball.[4] The umpire, faced with an unprecedented circumstance, signalled 'play on'. South Melbourne's key defender, John Rantall (later to be a teammate of Wade when they both crossed to North Melbourne in 1973/4) picked up the ball and cleared it down field. South Melbourne scored a goal on the rebound and won the game by 7 points. They went on to make it into the finals for the first time since 1945. Geelong had started the game one win and percentage behind South Melbourne, and this loss seriously damaged their chance of making the finals, which they went on to miss for the first time since 1961. The umpire's 'play on' decision was considered valid, since there was no rule at the time to account for this kind of 'spectator interference'. South Melbourne went on to lose to St Kilda in the semi-final.
North Melbourne career
[edit]At the end of the 1972 season, the VFL introduced a form of free agency known as the "10-year rule", which allowed players with ten years' service at one club to move to another club without a clearance.[5] Wade, along with Essendon's Barry Davis and South Melbourne's John Rantall, joined North Melbourne.[6]
He kicked 73 goals in his first season at North Melbourne, and was then a key member of their side which contested the Grand Final against Richmond in 1974. Wade kicked 103 goals in that season, becoming the third former Geelong player to head the VFL goal-kicking table after transferring to another club.
Wade holds a record for one of the biggest (VFL) scoring quarters by an individual, when he kicked 7 goals in the last quarter against Collingwood at Arden Street in 1974. Up until the last quarter Wade had been kept virtually quiet, by Doug Gott of Collingwood, despite North Melbourne's high goal scoring record against the Magpies at the 3rd quarter. Wade kicked seven goals and North Melbourne's total of 25 goals broke a club record against Collingwood at the time.[7]
The following year (1975) Wade struggled to find form largely due to fitness and weight. Near the end of the home and away season, Wade was becoming a liability because of his dwindling goal scores. However, on the Thursday before the Grand Final Wade pleaded with coach Ron Barassi and the selection committee to be selected into the side. Based on Wade's finals experience and Wade's offer or tactic to stay behind the pack to crumb goals, Wade convinced selectors to name him in the side instead of Robert Smith, who was a top reserves full-forward: who was fit and ready to take his place. However, in the 1975 Grand Final, Wade's experience proved to be an essential part of North's huge win over Hawthorn. The tactic of staying behind the pack worked and Wade scored a few goals doing this. He even missed an easy shot as the pack of players missed the ball and an open goal was for the taking. Wade's miss was a shock to the crowd and himself. However, his inspirational gestures to the North Melbourne forwards can be seen in the 1975 Grand final, especially the last quarter, when he hurriedly and unselfishly passes the ball to teammates. Wade finished his career on a high note (another Premiership) where many experts could not have predicted, proving that Wade was true champion player for both Geelong and North Melbourne.
In 1996 Wade was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.[8]
VFL statistics
[edit] G
|
Goals | K
|
Kicks | D
|
Disposals | T
|
Tackles |
B
|
Behinds | H
|
Handballs | M
|
Marks |
| Led the league for the season only | |
| Led the league after finals only | |
| Led the league after season and finals |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | ||||
| 1961 | Geelong | 23 | 16 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962 | Geelong | 23 | 17 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1963 | Geelong | 23 | 16 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964 | Geelong | 23 | 13 | 41 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | Geelong | 23 | 10 | 29 | 28 | 80 | 8 | 88 | 46 | — | 2.9 | 2.8 | 8.0 | 0.8 | 8.8 | 4.6 | — |
| 1966 | Geelong | 23 | 17 | 52 | 43 | 150 | 41 | 191 | 76 | — | 3.1 | 2.5 | 8.8 | 2.4 | 11.2 | 4.5 | — |
| 1967 | Geelong | 23 | 20 | 96 | 60 | 197 | 36 | 233 | 118 | — | 4.8 | 3.0 | 9.9 | 1.8 | 11.7 | 5.9 | — |
| 1968 | Geelong | 23 | 20 | 64 | 51 | 197 | 36 | 233 | 120 | — | 3.2 | 2.6 | 9.9 | 1.8 | 11.7 | 6.0 | — |
| 1969 | Geelong | 23 | 21 | 127 | 75 | 239 | 32 | 271 | 139 | — | 6.0 | 3.6 | 11.4 | 1.5 | 12.9 | 6.6 | — |
| 1970 | Geelong | 23 | 18 | 74 | 43 | 151 | 33 | 184 | 88 | — | 4.1 | 2.4 | 8.4 | 1.8 | 10.2 | 4.9 | — |
| 1971 | Geelong | 23 | 19 | 94 | 44 | 169 | 29 | 198 | 104 | — | 4.9 | 2.3 | 8.9 | 1.5 | 10.4 | 5.5 | — |
| 1972 | Geelong | 23 | 21 | 90 | 59 | 185 | 24 | 209 | 111 | — | 4.3 | 2.8 | 8.8 | 1.1 | 10.0 | 5.3 | — |
| 1973 | North Melbourne | 2 | 20 | 73 | 41 | 147 | 44 | 191 | 88 | — | 3.7 | 2.1 | 7.4 | 2.2 | 9.6 | 4.4 | — |
| 1974 | North Melbourne | 2 | 24 | 103 | 47 | 178 | 32 | 210 | 103 | — | 4.3 | 2.0 | 7.4 | 1.3 | 8.8 | 4.3 | — |
| 1975 | North Melbourne | 2 | 15 | 47 | 32 | 91 | 31 | 122 | 49 | — | 3.1 | 2.1 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 8.1 | 3.3 | — |
| Career | 267 | 1057 | 523 | 1784 | 346 | 2130 | 1042 | — | 4.0 | 2.6 | 8.7 | 1.7 | 10.4 | 5.1 | — | ||
Footnotes
[edit]- ^ "Grand Trophy for Wade". The Age. 2 September 1974.
- ^ "Most Career Goals". Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ "Last Mark Causes Stir in Hectic V.F.L. Final". The Age. 24 September 1962. p. 1.
- ^ Murphy, Noel (27 February 2015). "Geelong legend Wade suffers stroke in Asia". Geelong Indy.
- ^ The 10-year rule was introduced by the VFL in August 1972, in order to render it immune from the sorts of "restraint of trade" difficulties that were being experienced, at the time, in New South Wales in relation to Rugby League footballers. Although twenty-two VFL players were eligible under the rule, only George Bisset, Barry Davis, Carl Ditterich, John Rantall, Adrian Gallagher, and Wade, took advantage of it — transferring to Collingwood, North Melbourne, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Footscray, and North Melbourne (respectively). The rule was rescinded in May 1973.
- ^ Anderson, Jon (28 May 2009). "Aussie Rules sampled free agency for 10 months in 1972". Herald Sun.
- ^ "Magpies left for dead". The Age. 26 August 1974.
- ^ "Australian Football Hall of Fame: Players". Archived from the original on 25 March 2012.
- ^ Doug Wade's player profile at AFL Tables
References
[edit]- Ross, John (1999). The Australian Football Hall of Fame. Australia: HarperCollinsPublishers. p. 132. ISBN 0-7322-6426-X.
External links
[edit]- Doug Wade's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Doug Wade at AustralianFootball.com
- Doug Wade: Boyles Football Photos.
Doug Wade
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Birth and family background
Douglas Graeme Wade was born on 16 October 1941 in Horsham, Victoria, Australia.[7][8] The Wade family originally operated a 100-acre farm halfway between Port Fairy and Portland in the Western District, an area known for its agricultural landscapes and strong community ties to Australian rules football, before relocating to Jeparit in the rural Wimmera region of western Victoria.[9] His father was a renowned shearer in the district.[9] The demanding physical environment of farm life in these regions likely contributed to his robust development during childhood and adolescence.[9] Public information on Wade's siblings remains limited, with few details documented in official records or biographies. He later married Liz, who originates from Kuching in Malaysia—a city whose name translates to "Cat" in the Malay language, providing a serendipitous connection to his Geelong Football Club nickname, the Cats.[10] By maturity, Wade had developed into a powerfully built athlete, standing 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) tall and weighing 92 kg, attributes that would prove ideal for his eventual role as a dominant forward.[7][8]Junior football career
Doug Wade began his senior football career at the remarkably young age of 13, playing for the Tyrendarra Football Club in rural Victoria during the early 1950s.[9] Growing up on a farm near Portland before moving to the Wimmera region, he quickly showed potential in local competitions, later representing Jeparit under coach Teddy Jarrard in the late 1950s. By his mid-teens, Wade transitioned to the Horsham Football Club in the Wimmera Football League, where he competed as a teenager, playing in both the firsts and seconds teams during the 1959 season.[9] Wade's emergence as a promising forward came in 1960, his breakthrough year at Horsham, when he was selected at centre half-forward for the club's grand final victory over Stawell XVIII.[9] This performance highlighted his aerial strength and goal-scoring ability in the competitive rural league.[9] His displays drew attention from Victorian Football League (VFL) scouts, positioning him as a top prospect from the Wimmera region. At age 18, Wade was recruited by the Geelong Football Club in 1960 following a heated contest with Melbourne, who had earlier trialed him in a practice match where he kicked four goals.[11] Geelong ultimately secured his services directly from Horsham, outmaneuvering their rivals through persistent scouting in rural Victoria.[12] Wade relocated from his hometown area to join Geelong, beginning pre-debut training in early 1961, which prepared him for his rapid integration into the senior squad despite limited reserves exposure that season.[11]Playing career
Geelong Football Club
Doug Wade made his VFL debut for Geelong in 1961 at the age of 19, having been recruited from Horsham, where he had impressed in country football.[12] In his rookie season, he played 16 games and kicked 51 goals, quickly establishing himself as a powerful full-forward with exceptional marking and goal-kicking ability.[7] His rapid rise continued in 1962, when he led the VFL in home-and-away goalkicking with 62 goals to win the Coleman Medal, the first of his four career awards, while totaling 68 goals for the season across 17 games.[13][7] Wade's contributions were pivotal in Geelong's 1963 premiership victory, their first flag since 1951. Positioned as the full-forward, he kicked one goal in the Grand Final win over Hawthorn by 49 points, supporting the team's dominant forward line in a 15.19 (109) to 8.12 (60) triumph.[14][15] Despite injury setbacks, such as the limited 10-game, 29-goal 1965 season, Wade remained Geelong's leading goalkicker in 11 of his 12 years with the club, from 1961 to 1972 excluding 1965.[3][7] The 1967 season marked one of Wade's peaks, as he again claimed the Coleman Medal with 79 home-and-away goals, finishing with 96 overall in 20 games. However, Geelong fell short in the Grand Final against Richmond, where Wade booted four goals in a narrow nine-point loss (16.18 (114) to 15.15 (105)), a match remembered for its controversy including Wade being reported for striking but later cleared.[13][7][16][17] His form peaked again in 1969, securing a third Coleman Medal with 122 home-and-away goals and 127 total in 21 games, earning him the club's best and fairest Carji Greeves Medal that year.[13][7][3] Throughout his tenure, Wade delivered standout performances, including a career-high 13 goals against South Melbourne in round 17 of 1967, showcasing his dominance in wet conditions at the Lake Oval.[18] He amassed 834 goals in 208 games for Geelong from 1961 to 1972, holding the club's all-time goalkicking record until 1995.[7][19]North Melbourne Football Club
In 1973, following his tenure as captain of Geelong in 1972, Doug Wade transferred to North Melbourne under the VFL's controversial 10-year rule, which permitted players with a decade of service at one club to move as free agents to another team.[20][12] This rule enabled North Melbourne to recruit several high-profile players, including Wade, in an effort to bolster their struggling lineup and end a long premiership drought.[21] Wade quickly adapted to his new environment at Arden Street, serving as the club's leading goalkicker with 73 goals in 20 games during his debut season, contributing significantly to North Melbourne's improved performance as they reached the finals for the first time in years.[7][22] Wade's form peaked in 1974, where he topped the VFL home-and-away goal-kicking tally with 91 goals to earn his fourth and final Coleman Medal, totaling 103 goals for the season while guiding North Melbourne to their first Grand Final appearance since 1950.[23][4][7] A highlight of that season came in round 10 against Collingwood at Arden Street, when Wade set a VFL record by booting seven goals in the final quarter alone, turning a tight contest into a 27-point victory for the Kangaroos.[24] However, in the Grand Final against Richmond, Wade managed four goals but North Melbourne fell short in a narrow 41-point loss, with Richmond securing back-to-back premierships.[25][26] Wade remained a cornerstone of North Melbourne's forward line into 1975, playing a pivotal role in the club's historic first VFL premiership. As full-forward, he kicked four crucial goals in the Grand Final rout of Hawthorn by 55 points at the MCG, helping the Kangaroos overcome a halftime deficit to claim victory in front of 110,551 fans.[27][28] Over his three seasons with North Melbourne, Wade appeared in 59 games and kicked 223 goals, cementing his legacy as a transformative recruit who delivered immediate impact and a long-awaited flag.[29]Achievements and records
Individual awards
Doug Wade is recognized as one of the VFL's premier goalkickers, earning the Coleman Medal—awarded to the league's leading goalscorer in the home-and-away season—on four occasions, with the 1962 award conferred retrospectively due to initial administrative oversights related to his injury absence in the finals series.[30] He first claimed the honor in 1962 with Geelong, booting 62 goals during the regular season before an injury sidelined him for key playoff matches.[31] Wade repeated the feat in 1967, again with Geelong, where he kicked 96 goals, showcasing his dominance as a full-forward.[7] His third Coleman came in 1969, still at Geelong, with a career-high 127 goals that season, underscoring his exceptional accuracy and positioning.[3] Wade's fourth and final Coleman Medal arrived in 1974 after transferring to North Melbourne, where he tallied 91 goals in the home-and-away season, marking him as the first player to win the award with two different clubs.[22] In addition to his goalkicking accolades, Wade received the Geelong Football Club's best and fairest award, known as the Carji Greeves Medal, in 1969, reflecting his all-around contributions beyond scoring.[32] He also represented Victoria in interstate matches, playing seven games for the VFL and kicking 31 goals, which highlighted his selection among the state's elite players during an era of competitive representative football.[3] Wade achieved a significant personal milestone in 1974 by becoming the second player after World War II—and the first in the modern era—to reach 1,000 career goals, a mark he hit with 998 goals entering the finals.[33] His 1,000th goal came in North Melbourne's qualifying final against Hawthorn at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 7, 1974.[33]Team contributions and milestones
Wade emerged as a key full-forward for Geelong during their 1963 VFL premiership triumph over Hawthorn, providing vital scoring threat in a victory that ended the club's 12-year title drought since 1951.[34] His presence bolstered the forward line in a dominant final quarter surge that secured the flag at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[35] In the 1967 Grand Final, Wade featured prominently in Geelong's forward structure despite the team's narrow nine-point loss to Richmond, where the Cats' attack remained potent against a stout Tigers defense.[16] After transferring to North Melbourne in 1973, Wade applied forward pressure as a cornerstone of the Kangaroos' lineup in the 1974 Grand Final defeat to Richmond, helping drive early momentum in a hard-fought contest.[26] Wade's influence peaked with North Melbourne in 1975, where his leadership through the finals campaign and resolute Grand Final display against Hawthorn propelled the club to its maiden VFL premiership, shattering a 50-year drought since entering the league in 1925.[28] Across both clubs, Wade's reliability as a goal-scoring leader—highlighted by 11 seasons as Geelong's top goalkicker—amplified team successes and contributed to breaking long-standing premiership absences.[3] His four Coleman Medals complemented these collective achievements by ensuring consistent offensive output.[36]Career statistics
Season-by-season performance
Doug Wade's season-by-season performance in the VFL spanned 15 years from 1961 to 1975, primarily as a full-forward for Geelong before transferring to North Melbourne. His output varied due to team success, personal form, and occasional absences, with a career average of 3.96 goals per game across 267 matches.[7][3] The following table summarizes his key statistics each season, including games played, goals kicked, and behinds (where recorded; detailed metrics like disposals and marks are available only from 1965 onward). Goals and games include finals appearances. Data sourced from AFL Tables.[7]| Year | Team | Games | Goals | Behinds | Goals/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Geelong | 16 | 51 | - | 3.19 |
| 1962 | Geelong | 17 | 68 | - | 4.00 |
| 1963 | Geelong | 16 | 48 | - | 3.00 |
| 1964 | Geelong | 13 | 41 | - | 3.15 |
| 1965 | Geelong | 10 | 29 | 28 | 2.90 |
| 1966 | Geelong | 17 | 52 | 43 | 3.06 |
| 1967 | Geelong | 20 | 96 | 60 | 4.80 |
| 1968 | Geelong | 20 | 64 | 51 | 3.20 |
| 1969 | Geelong | 21 | 127 | 75 | 6.05 |
| 1970 | Geelong | 18 | 74 | 43 | 4.11 |
| 1971 | Geelong | 19 | 94 | 44 | 4.95 |
| 1972 | Geelong | 21 | 90 | 59 | 4.29 |
| 1973 | North Melbourne | 20 | 73 | 41 | 3.65 |
| 1974 | North Melbourne | 24 | 103 | 47 | 4.29 |
| 1975 | North Melbourne | 15 | 47 | 32 | 3.13 |