Doug Wade
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth | 16 October 1941 , Horsham, Victoria |
| Recruited from | Horsham Football Club |
| Playing career¹ | |
| Debut | 1959, Geelong vs. ?, at ? |
| Team(s) | Geelong (1959-1972)
208 games, 834 goals North Melbourne (1973-1975) 59 games, 223 goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 2006 season | |
| Career highlights | |
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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.
After trying out with the Melbourne Football Club in a number of practice games in 1960, he returned home to Horsham before being lured back by the Geelong Football Club. He made his VFL debut in 1959 with Geelong, recruited from Horsham. He was the League's leading goal scorer (winning the Coleman Medal) on four occasions from 1962 until 1974. Wade was involved in one of the most memorable umpiring decisions in VFL history.In 1962 Geelong were trailing Carlton by 5 points in the preliminary final when the ball came down to Doug Wade and Carlton full back Peter Barry. Wade had kicked six goals and when he outmaneuvered Barry to mark 25 metres out in front, he looked certain to make it seven. More than 90,000 supporters waited for Wade to take his kick- but suddenly they noticed something was wrong. Wade was standing there stunned, shaking his head in frustration and Barry was going back to take a free kick. Down went Barry's kick-and with it Geelong's Grand Final chance.After the game Carlton players said umpire Irving had penalized Wade, who was in front, for holding on to Barry's shorts! Wade said: "All I did was to keep my eyes on the ball and maneuvered for position. The only possible way he could have penalized 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."
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 quite, by Doug Gott (COLL), despite North Melbourne's high goal scoring record against Collingwood at the 3rd quarter.The interesting crowd scenes at Arden street that day, was the movement of the North supporters, who moved to the social club end of the ground for the last quarter, in anticipation of a goal onslaught by North Melbourne. This proved to be more prophetic, as Wade kick seven goals and North Melbourne's total of 25 goals broke a club record against Collingwood at the time.Wade earlier in season made another late rush, to goal on the siren against Collingwood at VFL park in 1974, and his ability to win matches late proved to be why Wade was a champion footballer; and that he could not be underestimated.
Wade was a member of the Geelong side which won the VFL Premiership in 1963, and a Grand Final player in 1967.Later in his career, he moved to North Melbourne, and was 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.
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 the 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 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 team mates. 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.
[edit] References
- Ross, John (1999). The Australian Football Hall of Fame. Australia: HarperCollinsPublishers, p. 132. ISBN 0-7322-6426-X.
- AFL: Hall of Fame
- Full Points Footy Bio
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