Doug Wade
Douglas Graeme Wade (born 16 October 1941) is a former Australian rules footballer renowned for his prolific goalkicking in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1] He played 267 senior games and booted 1,057 goals across two clubs, Geelong (208 games, 834 goals from 1961 to 1972) and North Melbourne (59 games, 223 goals from 1973 to 1975), establishing himself as one of the competition's greatest forwards.[2] Wade's career highlights include winning four Coleman Medals as the VFL's leading goalkicker in 1962, 1967, 1969, and 1974, as well as premierships with Geelong in 1963 and North Melbourne in 1975.[2] He also earned Geelong's best and fairest award, the Carji Greeves Medal, in 1969.[3] Wade burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old in 1961, kicking nine goals in his first two games for Geelong and quickly becoming a key target in their forward line.[4] His transfer to North Melbourne in 1973 under the league's inaugural 10-year rule was a landmark move that bolstered the Kangaroos' attack, culminating in their drought-breaking flag two years later.[5] Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996, Wade was awarded AFL life membership in 2004 and remains the fifth-highest goalkicker in VFL/AFL history, a tally surpassed only by Tony Lockett, Gordon Coventry, Jason Dunstall, and Lance Franklin.[2][6]Early 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 |