Alexander Marcou was a member of Carlton’s fabled Mosquito Fleet of brilliant small men of the 1970s and ‘80s – a lightning quick, three-time Premiership rover renowned for his ball-handling skills and excellent goal sense. After being recruited from VAFA club Thomastown at the age of 18, he won Carlton Reserves Best and Fairest award in 1978, and the following year began his senior career.

Upon arrival at Princes Park in 1976, Marcou was allocated the Blues’ guernsey number 50 before switching to the number 34 previously worn by three-time Premiership star Ian Robertson. Like Robertson, Marcou would go on to win three flags, and as at 2016, his 134 games still stand as the club record for most appearances in this number. Of mixed Greek and Macedonian heritage, Alex grew up in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and inherited his love of Australian football from his father, who at that time was a rusted-on Fitzroy supporter.

Although he was eligible to play at Under-19 level, Marcou started with Carlton Reserves and served a lengthy apprenticeship of 33 games over two seasons, primarily as a winger or centreman. His coach in 1978 was Carlton Legend Sergio Silvagni, and it was Serge who convinced the Blues’ match committee to include Alex in the senior team for the opening round of the 1979 season against Essendon at VFL Park. Three other first-gamers in Wayne Johnston, Robbert Klomp and Peter Francis were also included for that Saturday afternoon match, and all were destined for Premiership glory. Playing as second rover to Ken Sheldon, Marcou collected 15 disposals, 2 marks and 2 goals in an eye-catching debut. Carlton won by 21 points, and from that day on, Alex was an automatic selection in the Blues’ senior side.

Midway through that first fairytale season, in his 13th senior game, Marcou (already nick-named “Marcel” after the famous French mime artist Marcel Marceau) was named Best on Ground when he kicked five goals in the Blues’ big win over Richmond at Princes Park. By September, Carlton was two wins clear of North Melbourne on top of the ladder, and raging hot favourites to claim another flag when they met the Roos in the Second Semi Final at VFL Park. Marcou and Rod Austin warmed the interchange bench for much of that afternoon, before Marcel was unleashed and got busy with eight effective possessions. Carlton won convincingly, and marched straight into the against Collingwood.

A fortnight later, having played every game of the season for an excellent return of 34 goals, Marcel sat next to “Curly” Austin on the bench again on Grand Final day at the MCG, surrounded by an enormous crowd of more than 113,000. A boggy surface, cold wind and intermittent rain didn’t dampen the ferocity of the contest between the game’s greatest rivals, until some individual heroics by Wayne Harmes during time-on in the last quarter won the games’ biggest prize for the Navy Blues. Marcou was on the ground at the final siren, having had a shot for goal that just missed with his 12th possession After just 24 games, Alex had joined the exalted ranks of Carlton Premiership players.

Season 1980 saw upheaval at Princes Park when President George Harris was voted out of office in tumultuous circumstances. Former champion ruckman “Percy” Jones replaced Alex Jesaulenko as senior coach, but the Blues never really gelled as team before crashing out of the finals in straight sets. Marcou had another fine year (apart from spending a month on the sidelines with an ankle strain) and kicked 17 goals in 19 matches. Late in the season he was selected in the VFL squad for a match against a combined ACT team in Canberra. Alex did well and was named among the three best for the Vics, but in a huge upset, the home side won by 13 points. Back at Carlton, Jones was sacked at season’s end and replaced by former Hawthorn Premiership player and coach David Parkin.

Parkin’s methods and discipline took Carlton into the finals again in 1981, thanks in no small way to the Blues’ array of brilliant, versatile small men – the Mosquito Fleet of Rod Ashman, Jim Buckley, David Glascott, Trevor Keogh, Ken Sheldon and Alex Marcou. In the Second Semi Final against Geelong, Buckley and Marcou shared the roving duties and the Blues had so many stars in their 40-point victory that Alex’s 26 disposals, 5 marks and one goal wasn’t good enough to earn a mention among his team’s best five players. Two weeks later, Carlton took on Collingwood for the flag for the second time in three seasons, and triumphed by 20 points after trailing by 21 half-way through the third quarter. In front of another huge crowd of 112,000 at the MCG, Marcou started from the interchange bench, but was soon in the thick of the action, racking up 31 disposals and six marks on the way to collecting his second Premiership medal.

Alex enjoyed his most consistent and rewarding season the following year, when Carlton survived four consecutive tough finals to claim their third flag in four years. The Blues’ opponent in the 1982 Grand Final was their other great traditional rival, Richmond – who began the decider as strong favourites after cleaning up the Blues in a rugged Semi Final. As part of his game plan, Parkin ran three rovers in Ashman, Sheldon and Marcou, and all three became influential as the contest unfolded. With their team behind by 11 points at half-time, Carlton ruckmen “Wow” Jones and captain Mike Fitzpatrick seized the initiative in the second half and the Blues came storming back for a gritty 18-point win. That evening, amid the euphoria of a third flag win in four years by the Blues, Alex’s remarkable career statistics stood at 9 finals, three Premierships and 112 goals in 87 games.

Highlights kept coming for Marcel in 1983, despite a couple of muscle strains that cost him the odd game or two. In May, he played his first and only State of Origin game for Victoria against South Australia in Adelaide, in a famous match that produced an aggregate 43 goals and a 56-point victory to the Crow Eaters. In July, Alex celebrated game number 100 for Carlton with a 6-goal victory over Fitzroy at Waverley, before playing his 20th final when the Blues suffered a devastating Elimination Final loss to Essendon. Perhaps that was a portent of things to come, because in an all too common story, Lady Luck seemed to turn her back on Alex from that time on.

Having already suffered a series of persistent soft tissue injuries, Marcou had his jaw broken in 1985, and again in 1986. Over those two seasons he managed only 10 senior games, and his frustration was compounded when he was on track for a return to the senior side on the eve of 1986 finals, only to tear a hamstring. Before that injury his form with Carlton Reserves had been good enough to see him finish third in the voting for the Gardiner Medal (Reserves Best and Fairest) despite only playing half a season.

Carlton’s heavy defeat by Hawthorn in the ’86 Grand Final turned a blowtorch on the Blues’ roster of players, and indirectly ended Marcou’s career at Princes Park. When club secretary Ian Collins bluntly told Alex that his place in Carlton’s senior team could no longer be guaranteed, it prompted the 28 year-old to consider a fresh start another club. Mainly because a number of ex-Blues were already playing there, he eventually chose St Kilda, and Carlton did not stand in his way.

Alex’s first season with the Saints in 1987 saw him used at both ends of the ground, and his experience was invaluable in a young team. However, hamstring and calf injuries slowed him down in 1988, and when he fell out with his coach Darrell Baldock, he made the decision to retire at season’s end. In two seasons at Moorabbin, he had played 24 games and booted 17 goals.

Although finished with League football, Marcou wasn’t quite ready to hang up his boots for good, so in 1989 he signed on with VFA club Springvale, where he was coached by his dual Premiership team-mate Phil Maylin. In 1993, Marcou, Maylin and another Premiership-winning Blue in Peter McConville formed an organization called the VFL – Virtually Forgotten Legends – as a social club and support network for former players and officials. Later, Alex returned to Princes Park as an energetic member of the Past Players Association, and in 2006 he was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame.

Milestones

100 Games : Round 16, 1983 vs Fitzroy
100 Goals : Round 18, 1982 vs Footscray

Career Highlights

1978 – Reserves Best & Fairest
1979 – Premiership Player
1980 – Victorian Representative
1980 – 7th Best & Fairest
1981 – 10th Best & Fairest
1981 – Premiership Player
1982 – 7th Best & Fairest
1982 – Premiership Player
1983 – Victorian Representative
1983 – 6th Best & Fairest
1985 – 3rd in Gardiner Medal (VFL Reserves Best and Fairest)

The Sergio Silvagni story mirrors that of thousands of European settlers in Australia following World War II. His parents had arrived years before the start of the conflict and settled in Carlton, but Sergio grew up in a time when his family’s homeland; Italy, had been a recent enemy. Team sports were a perfect a way of assimilating, so he took to the local game in primary school.

By his late teens he was a standout in senior school football with Parade College, and in 1956 he was invited to try out in a practice match with the Under-19 squad at Carlton. With fifty players involved and changes only being made at the regular intervals, he didn’t get a run until after half time – only to be sent to full-back to play on the team’s gun full-forward. In Serge’s words, he “blitzed” the bloke because he was so annoyed at having to wait to get his chance. Only later was he told that the officials at the game knew he could play, but they didn’t call on him earlier because they couldn’t pronounce his name!

The dark-haired, solidly-built kid with determination written all over him forced his way into Carlton’s senior team in 1958. Originally given guernsey number 20, such was his impact that prior to the ’59 season his coach Jim Francis insisted that he switch to number 1. By this time Serge was a rapidly-maturing 21 year-old, standing 183 cm. When not playing or training with the Blues, he continued working in his father’s concreting business – hard physical labour that paid big dividends in the powerful 92 kg physique he developed.

By 1962 Silvagni was established among the very best ruck-rovers in the game and was selected in the Victorian State team. A one-pace performer, he ran and worked as hard in the last minute of the game as he had in the first. He was a superb team player and a strong, safe mark; when Serge took front position or swooped on the ball at ground level, only a Mack truck could shift him. He wasn’t quick, but he read the play superbly and revelled in the fiercest contest.

Carlton made the 1962 Grand Final, only to lose to Essendon by 32 points, with Silvagni named among the best for the Blues. A couple of weeks later, Serge won Carlton’s Best and Fairest award with a record number of votes, polling in 19 of a possible 22 games. And in a portent of things to come, he had already developed a special on-field relationship with the Blues’ emerging champion ruckman John Nicholls.

Two years on, the third member of perhaps the greatest ruck combination of all played his first game for the Blues. Adrian Gallagher came to Carlton from Yarram, and claimed a rover’s spot in the senior team from day one. From 1964 to 1971 Nicholls, Silvagni and Gallagher were the most respected on-ball trio in the game. Nicholls’ brilliant palming, Silvagni’s tenacity and Gallagher’s fluent disposal made them a potent combination.

Serge was honoured with the captaincy in ’64, but the Blues had a poor year, finishing tenth before the sensational arrival of Ron Barassi in 1966 revitalised the club. Two years afterward, Carlton beat Essendon by 3 points in a dour struggle before a record crowd on Grand Final day to claim our first flag in 21 years. Serge was in his element in that ’68 Grand Final, and was among Carlton’s top half-dozen contributors. He then topped off a great season with another Best & Fairest award.

In 1970 we saw him on the podium with a Premiership medal around his neck again, and with that infectious grin still in place after a herculean effort helping the Blues fight back to eventual victory from a hopeless position at half-time against Collingwood. In many ways, that was Sergio Silvagni’s (and Carlton’s) finest hour, because the whole team adopted “Silva’s” never-say-die attitude, and pulled off a football miracle.

Aged 32, Serge wanted to retire after the 1970 triumph, but coach Barassi and the match committee talked him into just one more season. Somewhat understandably, the Navy Blues faded to fifth that year, despite another big-hearted effort from their socks-down champion wearing number 1. When Serge eventually called it quits, supporters from every club acclaimed him. There was open, genuine affection for a man from humble beginnings who made the Carlton Football Club – and the wider community – a better place by his presence.

Happily, the Sergio Silvagni story did not end there. After 239 games and 136 goals, two Premierships, one year as captain, two Best & Fairest awards and two Big V appearances, he went on to further serve the Blues as a committeeman, selector and even a caretaker coach for three matches in 1978. In 1989 he was elected to the Carlton Hall of Fame, and in May 2000 – when the Carlton Team of the 20th Century was announced – Nicholls, Silvagni and Gallagher were right where they richly deserved to be, as the team’s first ruck combination.

Honours kept coming for Serge in 2007 when he was named on the interchange bench in the Italian Team of The Century. At full back in that side, as well as in the corresponding AFL Team of the Century, was Stephen Silvagni – the champion son of a champion father. Then in May, 2016 – only months after his grandson Jack Silvagni was drafted by the Navy Blues – Sergio was awarded the ultimate accolade for a Carlton player when he became an official Legend of the Club.

1971 Poll on Best Ruck-Rovers of All-Time

In third place was the recently retired Sergio Silvagni. Firstly he said he had enough after the 1970 season but was persuaded to don his boots for another year. ‘Old Serge’ will never be forgotten. He was an untidy looking player with his great bulging thighs and calf muscles and the navy blue socks always hanging down over the top of his boots. Off the field Silvagni had a dry personality. In front of the TV cameras he brought many a laugh with his humour. But, despite his unruly football attire, Silvagni was a master of the ruck-rover role. No-one battled harder when the going was tough; when someone had to bore in, head down, into a milling pack, Sergio was just the man. Serge might not have been the most artistic or gifted player the game has produced, but if he made up his mind to get the ball – and that was pretty often – he usually got his way. He won Carlton’s best and fairest award in 1962 and 1968; was captain in 1964; played in the 1968 and 1970 premiership sides and for Victoria in 1962 and 1968. A career that took in 239 games and included 135 goals, which was started back in 1958. (Football Life)

1st – Ron Barassi (Melbourne / Carlton)
2nd – Kevin Murray (Fitzroy)
3rd – Sergio Silvagni (Carlton)

Milestones

50 Games: Round 8, 1961 vs Richmond
100 Games: Round 18, 1963 vs Footscray
150 Games: Round 2, 1967 vs Hawthorn
200 Games: Round 13, 1969 vs Hawthorn

100 Goals: Round 10, 1966 vs North Melbourne

Career Highlights

1957 – 2nd Under 19s Best & Fairest
1958 – 5th Best & Fairest
1958 – Terry Ogden Memorial Trophy: Best First Year Player Award
1961 – Perc Bentley Trophy: 3rd Best & Fairest
1962 – Robert Reynolds Memorial Trophy: Best & Fairest Award
1963 – Arthur Reyment Memorial Trophy: 2nd Best & Fairest
1964 – 5th Best & Fairest
1965 – Arthur Reyment Memorial Trophy: 2nd Best & Fairest
1967 – Perc Bentley Trophy: 3rd Best & Fairest
1968 – Robert Reynolds Memorial Trophy: Best & Fairest Award
1968 – Premiership Player
1970 – Premiership Player
1971 – 5th Best & Fairest
2007 – Italian Team of The Century

West Australian Simon White was recruited by the Blues as a mature-age rookie in the 2010 AFL Rookie Draft. Originally from the Carine Junior Football Club, White made his WAFL debut for Subiaco in 2009, and had a stellar year – earning the Lions’ Rising Star award before playing in their Grand Final loss to South Fremantle.

A versatile, strong-marking defender capable of pinch-hitting roles up forward, Simon was compared to former West Coast Eagle Adam Hunter during pre-draft discussions. When he was still available at number 56, Carlton snapped him up with their fourth round selection, and allocated him guernsey number 43. Only five other players in Carlton’s history have worn this number at senior level, and two of them were all-time greats in David McKay and Anthony Koutoufides.

After an impressive pre-season, White played just once at VFL level for the Northern Bullants before being called into Carlton’s senior team for the trip to Adelaide to take on the Crows in round 4, 2010. Handed the big task of controlling Adelaide captain Brett Burton, Simon did all that could have been asked of him. His 18 possessions and 11 marks, while keeping ‘The Birdman’ to the solitary goal, was influential in a big win by the Blues.

Over the following five weeks, White averaged 15 disposals and almost 8 marks per game as Carton strengthened their hold on a top eight ladder position. He kicked his first career goal with a textbook drop-punt from deep on a flank against Collingwood in round 6, before Hawthorn toppled the Blues by 50 points in round 9, and Simon suffered a knee ligament strain that kept him out of senior football for the rest of the year. Still, the club liked what they saw throughout White’s debut year, and promoted him to the senior list at the 2010 National Draft.

Unfortunately, Simon’s second season mirrored his first, and he just couldn’t shake the curse of injury. He played five of Carlton’s first six matches in 2011, before tearing a hamstring, and that injury kept him out of the senior side for ten weeks. Eventually recalled for round 15, he promptly damaged the same medial ligament that had troubled him previously, and didn’t play again that year. During the off-season, Simon underwent remedial surgery on his knee. As part of that procedure, an artificial LARS (Ligament Augmentation & Reconstruction System) ligament was implanted to help strengthen the joint, but his body tissues did not accept the synthetic fibres, and the repaired ligament ruptured again while White was beginning another comeback with the Northern Blues in round two of 2012.

More surgery and a long rehabilitation program later, he was welcomed back into the Blues’ senior line-up at last for round 19, when Carlton hosted Sydney on a Sunday afternoon at Docklands. Deep in defence for most of the game, Simon collected 15 disposals and nine marks in a solid return, although Carlton’s finals hopes took another heavy hit with a 22-point defeat. White retained his place in the side through to the end of a tumultuous season for the club, and his dedication was rewarded when his contract was renewed for another 12 months. Unfortunately, the same did not happen for senior coach Brett Ratten, who was sacked by the club’s board and replaced by former West Coast and Collingwood Premiership coach Mick Malthouse.

White was overdue for a smile from Lady Luck in 2013, and seemed like he was getting it when he played in nine of Carlton’s first 13 games, before a relatively innocuous incident during a VFL match in late July wrecked another season. Playing for the Northern Blues against Box Hill, Simon tried to duck under an opponent’s tackle, but slipped and copped an old-fashioned “coat-hanger.” Although he was stunned at the time and sat out the remaining minutes of the game, he seemed to make a quick recovery and completed a full training session three days later. Less than 24 hours after that however, a precautionary scan revealed that he had fractured vertebrae at the base of his neck. Eight weeks in a full neck-brace and another four in a collar support wasn’t the best way to see out the season, but with those precautions Simon was at least able to commence his preparation for 2014 on time, and in good shape.

White went on to enjoy his most productive season to date, playing 19 games in a variety of defensive roles that also gave him the freedom to influence the scoreboard when the opportunity arose. On a Sunday afternoon at Docklands in round 16, Simon had a day out against St Kilda, when he started the game in attack, and kicked four majors as the Blues ended a four-game losing streak and slaughtered the Saints by 85 points. Despite that big win however, Carlton still finished 2014 in a miserable 13th spot on the ladder. White’s growing maturity was one of the few positives to emerge from a wretched season, and his contract extension for another two years was well deserved.

The buzz around Princes Park in the lead-up to season 2015 seemed a good omen for the club, but soon proved to be totally misplaced. The Blues lost their first three games by big margins, and from that point on, the season descended into near-chaos. In late May, as defeat followed defeat, Malthouse was sacked and replaced by his assistant John Barker.

A big factor in Carlton’s demise was that the club was being decimated by injury, and White was among the casualties. During the Blues’ heavy loss to West Coast in round two at Subiaco, Simon had strained the medial ligament in his left knee once more. He played twelve of the next seventeen games, but was rarely at his best before he suffered another knock to the suspect joint in early August. So a fortnight later, the club decided that Simon’s season was over. He would undergo surgery yet again, with the aim of having him ready to begin pre-season training for 2016. Simon accepted that latest set-back with his usual positive attitude, one of the reasons why he was such a popular winner of Carlton’s Best Clubman Award at season’s end.

Former Hawthorn assistant coach Brendon Bolton was appointed to the senior role at Carlton in 2016, and it didn’t take him long to recognise White’s attributes. Given a variety of roles in defence – often in a key position – Simon rarely lowered his colours as he completed another consistent 17-game season.

After playing 11 games in the 2017 White was delisted at the end of the season by the Blues.

2018 – White would join Doncaster East in the second tier of the Eastern League.

Throughout the decades after World War II, the football press used to be filled with stories of the “March Champions” – country recruits at each VFL club who were making a big impression in the weeks before the football season began. Invariably, these future stars could “kick a bag of spuds over a wheat silo”, or “flick off a light switch, and jump into bed before the room was dark.” Sadly, such hype was rarely justified, and most of those who showed real potential early often succumbed to home-sickness within a few short weeks.

One such recruit for the Blues was Des Lyons, from Barellan in the Riverina in southern NSW. A powerfully-built 183 cm forward, he had strong hands, good endurance and a booming kick. In 1955, at the age of 16, he had briefly trained with Collingwood, but soon missed the open spaces and went back home. Over the next five seasons, Lyons played senior football with both Barellan and Leeton, where his talent was obvious, and attracted an offer of another crack at first grade football with Carlton.

Des agreed to terms, and bypassed the Reserves to make an immediate senior debut for the Blues against Richmond in the first round of the 1960 season at Princes Park. Wearing guernsey number 20 at centre half-forward, he took some time to adjust, while Richmond held sway and were travelling like winners at the last break with a handy lead of 28 points. The Blues found some extra energy in the last quarter however, and surged back into contention, with Lyons providing a reliable marking target. Carlton kicked 4.5 in a dominant last term – including a long bomb from Des that split the big sticks. Richmond were held to a solitary point for the quarter, and Carlton snatched a nail-biting draw.

Injury kept Lyons out of round 2, but he was back in action on a cold and wet afternoon at the Junction Oval in round 3, when the home side had six more scoring shots than the Blues, only to lose by four points. Shortly afterwards, Des told Carlton that he would not be continuing on. The lure of a family business, along with the comfort of a close-knit community was too strong, and it drew Des home to the bush once more.

Over the next nine seasons, Lyons forged a superb career in Riverina football with Leeton, winning three Premierships, two League Best and Fairests, two club Best and Fairests and the South West District League’s top goal-kicker award in 1967. He represented the SWDFL on 20 occasions, and more than 50 years later, is still regarded as one of the Riverina’s all-time greats.

Footnote:

The Age said of Lyon’s debut;
“Des Lyons played brilliantly in the first half to be the focal point of the Blues’ attack. He was quiet later but splendid marking and accurate kicking made him a constant danger.”

Photo:

Des Lyons in the South West District Football League team, July 28 1963. Courtesy of griffithswansarchive.com

Rodney Steven Waddell was a talented, pacey, aboriginal footballer who forced his way into one of the strongest Carlton teams ever assembled when he made his debut for the Blues on the eve of the 1981 finals. Although he was a reluctant recruit at first – having already played Reserves football at Collingwood – Carlton claimed him under the VFL zoning rules in force at the time, and Rod eventually played five matches while the Navy Blues won back to back flags in 1981-82.

Waddell began his senior football career with Southern Districts in NSW, but it was his slashing performance as a ruck-rover for Lalor in the 1980 Diamond Valley Football League Grand Final, against Reservoir-Lakeside, that made VFL scouts take notice. Collingwood and Carlton soon became involved in a tug of war over his services, and the Magpies seemed to have come out on top when Waddell turned out for two Reserves games with them early in 1981. Carlton however, was convinced that the 23 year-old was residentially tied to us, and a VFL investigation quickly agreed. Collingwood were fined $500 for flaunting the zoning rules, and stripped of the four competition points they had earned with Waddell in their team. Rod was then welcomed to Princes Park, and presented with our number 10 guernsey.

After spending most of the remainder of 1981 with Carlton’s Reserves, Waddell was eventually called into the seniors in August, as one of six changes for the round 18 Match of the Day against Geelong at Princes Park. Stationed on a half-forward flank, he flashed in and out of the game, kicked a nice goal, and had a grandstand view as Carlton’s mercurial forward Peter Bosustow took Mark of the Year. Carlton won by 33 points, in a fitting tribute to champion defender Bruce Doull in his 250th game.

While elbowing his way up into the senior side was a creditable achievement by Waddell, the bigger task by far after that was to stay there. After all, Carlton had assembled a fleet of midfield runners that was the envy of every other club, and Rod faced intense competition for his place in the side each week from a galaxy of stars such as Ashman, Buckley, Sheldon, Harmes, Marcou, Keogh, Armstrong and Glascott. Although Rod didn’t lack self confidence, it was a daunting prospect indeed.

Waddell’s second match came on a Sunday afternoon at the MCG against South Melbourne in round 19, when he came off the bench to replace his captain Mike Fitzpatrick during the third quarter, and helped his side to 23-point win. His third was another unforgettable occasion; the second Semi Final against Geelong on the wide expanses of Waverley Park, in front of a crowd of 66,000. Waddell had a relatively easy day and warmed the bench for most of the game, as Carlton dominated the second half, and qualified for the Grand Final with an emphatic win by 40 points.

During the fortnight leading up to the Premiership-deciding clash between traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood, the Blues’ concerns revolved around two players who were automatic inclusions if fit; full-back Geoff Southby, and rover Rod Ashman. Southby was never a real chance of playing because of a torn thigh muscle, and he was replaced on selection night by Scott Howell. Ashman, however – with ongoing concerns about a knee – only convinced the selectors he was right on the day before the match, and Waddell was the obvious choice to make way for him. On that fabled Saturday afternoon, Howell and Ashman both put in solid efforts in a spine-tingling contest that eventually fell to the resolute Blues by 20 points.

As Carlton set about defending that hard-fought flag in 1982, Waddell managed two more senior appearances by round 8, but then was informed by the match committee that his future lay down the Western Highway at Geelong. The Cats, knowing full well the depth of talented small men at Princes Park, had approached the Blues to secure the services of Waddell, and come up with an offer hard to refuse. Waddell too, realised that he would get far more opportunities at Sleepy Hollow, and was happy to make the move.

Rod added another 20 senior matches and 10 goals to his credit over the next three seasons, although the highlight of his time with the Cats was his dominant game in the 1982 Reserves Grand Final defeat of St Kilda. Playing as a ruck-rover, Waddell kicked six goals and was clearly Best on Ground.

After finishing at Geelong in 1984, he headed off to Darwin in the off-season and took part in another Grand Final when his team Nightcliff lost to St Mary’s in that season’s NTFL Grand Final. He then returned to Victoria, and rejoined the Lalor Bloods to finish off an interesting and varied career. He would later play at Ararat and Marong Football clubs.

Rod Waddell’s sister is the mother of Geelong premiership player Steven Motlop.

Scott Freeborn was a blonde-haired left footer originally rookied by the Blues in 1998. Brother of Collingwood / Kangaroo player Glen, Scott played 48 games for the Blues between 2000 and 2002. He was recruited from Port Adelaide Magpies, but also played for Woodville-West Torrens.

Freeborn’s time on the rookie list was spent on the wing and half forward, in the No. 46 guernsey (1998 – 1999). His form was sufficient to be promoted by season 2000, when he made the seniors for the Round 5 clash against the Bombers. Over the season, he played as a defensive midfielder where his strength and endurance were most useful. Tight as a player, Freeborn also was an oddity in that he would slice his preferred left foot often, kicking the occasional airball.

In 2001, Freeborn played almost the entire season of 23 games in defence, including finals performances versus Adelaide (win) and Richmond (loss)- missing just one game due to a thigh injury. Come 2002 however, he would manage just 7 games- missing the start of the season with an Achilles injury and suffering a broken collar bone mid season, which would force him to miss the remainder of that year. Osteitis pubis and a debilitating foot injury would then severely impact on his career, forcing him to miss the whole of season 2003 without playing a single game and he was then delisted.

Career Highlights

2000 – Best First Year Player Award

The only third-generation Premiership player in VFL/AFL history, Scott Howell spent nine seasons at Princes Park, beginning with the Under 19 team in 1976. Like his champion father Jack “Chooka” Howell, Scott was a loyal servant of the Blues, and he made the most of his ability with a memorable game in the 1981 Grand Final.

“Chooka” Howell played 137 matches for Carlton from 1942 to 1954, including the desperately-close ’47 Premiership victory over Essendon. Some 25 years earlier, Chooka’s father, Jack (Senior) was Best on Ground for South Melbourne when the Bloods beat Collingwood for the 1918 flag. So Scott’s triumphant victory in 1981 – also over Collingwood – completed the Howell family’s unique achievement of three Premierships in successive generations.

Scott was recruited by Carlton from East Sandringham as a 17 year-old in 1975. He developed his craft as a mobile tall defender in the thirds and seconds teams for four seasons, until he was called into the Blues’ seniors for the cut-throat first Semi Final against Collingwood in 1980. That made Scott only the second Carlton player to make his debut in a final, after Maurie Beasy in 1920. Starting on the interchange bench, Scott was sparsely used as Carlton went down to a rampaging Collingwood by 50 points. First-year Blues coach Peter ‘Percy’ Jones was then promptly sacked, and replaced by ex-Hawthorn Premiership coach David Parkin.

Under Parkin, Carlton collected the minor premiership in 1981, before brushing aside Geelong in the Second Semi Final to set up yet another Grand Final showdown against Collingwood. The Magpies had beaten the Blues in each of their three previous clashes that year, and their prospects were boosted in the lead-up to the game when Carlton’s champion full-back Geoff Southby was ruled out with a lower back injury. The player Parkin chose to replace Southby was Howell, who had enjoyed a consistent season of 14 games in the Blues defence.

In the 48 hours prior to the Grand Final, all eyes were on Victoria Park and Collingwood’s captain Peter Moore; their 198 cm star ruckman/forward and 1979 Brownlow Medallist, who was battling to recover from a hamstring strain he had suffered in the Magpies’ narrow Semi Final win over Fitzroy. After their last training session, Collingwood coach Tom Hafey gambled by selecting his match-winner as a permanent forward pocket, with the aim of stretching the Blues’ defence. David Parkin countered by assigning Howell to shadow Moore, and told him to run the Magpie skipper up the ground at every opportunity. Scott carried out his instructions to the letter, and although he had only a handful of possessions himself, Moore was hardly sighted. Carlton dominated the second half of the match to win by 20 points, and Howell completed the remarkable three flags in three generations feat for his family, whilst also becoming the first (and so far, only) Blue to wear guernsey number 40 in a Premiership team.

Although his career at Princes Park lasted another four years after that 1981 triumph, Howell was never able to claim a permanent place in a formidable Carlton team that remained a flag contender for more than a decade. He was overlooked for the 1982 flag side, and in 1983 changed his playing number from 40 to number 12. That same year, he warmed the bench when Carlton’s season ended with a 33-point defeat by Essendon in the Elimination Final.

Scott’s last senior game for the Blues came at Windy Hill in round 6 of 1985 against Essendon, when the Bombers thrashed their visitors by 109 points. It wasn’t the best way to finish up, but happily Scott’s place in Carlton’s history was already resting on more positive achievements. He played out the rest of the year with Carlton Reserves and experienced the thrill of one last Grand Final at the MCG when the Blues were beaten by Hawthorn in front of a massive crowd.

In 1986, Howell and his Premiership team-mate Mario Bortolotto were cleared to VFA club Sandringham. The Zebras took advantage of Scott’s versatility, and his first two years were outstanding. Playing primarily in the ruck, Howell kicked 36 goals in 36 games, and won consecutive Best and Fairests in 1986 and 1987. Injury curtailed his third season however, and he retired at the age of 30 in 1988.

Career Highlights

1976 – 4th Under-19s Best & Fairest
1981 – Premiership Player
1983 – Night Premiership Player
1984 – 6th Reserves Best & Fairest
1984 – Reserves Best Clubman Award
1985 – 5th Reserves Best & Fairest