John Waddington (Australian rules footballer)
Australian rules footballer (1938–2019)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Waddington (24 May 1938 – 6 July 2019) was an Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
| John Waddington | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | John Waddington | ||
| Born | 24 May 1938 | ||
| Died | 6 July 2019 (aged 81)[1] | ||
| Original team | South Bendigo | ||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre Half Back | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1958–1966 | North Melbourne | 132 (30) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1966. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Waddington, a half forward, grew up in Bendigo, and played for South Bendigo. He topped the Bendigo Football League goal-kicking in 1957, winning the Bob Chappell Medal with 72 goals.
The following year he arrived at North Melbourne and played all possible 20 games in his debut season.[2] This included their four-point semi final win over Fitzroy, in which he contributed three goals.[2]
He remained a regular fixture in the team for the next eight years, mostly as a defender. It was as a centre half-back that he was selected for the Victorian interstate side in 1964.[3]
At the end of the 1966 season he left North Melbourne to become senior captain-coach of Benalla in the Ovens & Murray Football League.[4] He won the 1968 Ovens & Murray Football League Morris Medal.[5]
He was later playing coach of Morningside in Brisbane, Queensland. He also coached Gold Coast team, Palm Beach Currumbin.[6]