Vin Waite

Career : 1966 - 1975
Debut : Round 5, 1966 v Melbourne
Carlton Player No. 783
Games : 153
Goals : 33
Last game: Semi Final, 1975 v Richmond
Guernsey No. 30
Height : 192 cm
Weight : 96 cm
DOB : 26-02-1949
Premiership Player: 1970 & 1972


Vincent “Vinny” Waite was a popular, tough and reliable defender for the Blues in a fine career between 1966 and 1975. Four of his 153 games were Grand Finals, and two were famous Carlton victories. Tragically, he was taken from us far too early, but his legacy lives on with his son Jarrad, who today wears the same Navy Blue number 30 as his dad.

Recruited from Latrobe Valley club Morwell in 1966 as a promising 192 cm, 96 kg key defender. Graham Donaldson played a big role in recruiting for Blues in the Gippsland region and brought to the attention of Carlton the likes of Garry Crane, Bill Bennett, Ted Hopkins, Vin Waite, Bryan Quirk and Bob Edmond.

Vin had a rocky start to his career when a serious spleen injury sidelined him for most of his debut season. However by 1969 he had claimed a regular place in a strong Carlton defensive unit, usually in a back pocket. Quick for his size, a safe mark and a raking left foot kick, he ran hard and straight at the ball regardless of who was in the way. And when he got it, he generally used it well.

Vin played in his first Grand Final in 1969, when he, Wes Lofts and Barry Gill formed a formidable last line for the Blues. But even this trio of tough nuts couldn’t prevent Richmond running out winners by 25 points. Nevertheless, just one year later the Blues were back again on Grand Final day; this time to tackle Collingwood. Kevin Hall replaced Lofts at full-back, with Gill and Waite in the pockets. When Carlton famously stormed back from an impossible 44 points down at half time to shatter the Magpies, Vin and his team-mates were instant heroes.

He continued playing good football in season 1971, and though Carlton failed to make the finals, his career blossomed further when he was named in that year’s Victorian State team.

In many respects, Carlton’s 1972 Flag win over Richmond ranks with the 1970 triumph. Again it was a victory against the odds, achieved by sheer guts against a strong opponent. Carlton went into that memorable game as a rank underdog, bruised after three successive cut-throat semi-finals. By contrast, Richmond were at full strength and coming off a week’s rest. As part of a strategy of all-out attack devised by Carlton’s captain-coach John Nicholls and the match committee, Waite went to a half-back flank, Nicholls himself went to the goal-square and Peter “Percy” Jones was asked to carry the rucks. The ploy worked brilliantly and Carlton won emphatically with a mammoth score of 177 points. Even now, that record still stands.

Vinny’s fourth Grand Final in five years came in 1973. For a third time the opponent was Richmond, and the Tigers were hell-bent on revenge. This time it would be an old style decider; a crash and bash survival of the fittest. Richmond ruckman Neil Balme led the Tiger assault, and by half time Carlton’s Nicholls, Geoff Southby and Hall were all concussed. Waite finished the game with a broken nose, and Carlton suffered a five goal defeat.

That bitter day was somewhat mirrored in the remainder of Vin’s career. Early in 1974, persistant calf and lower back strains began to plague him. He soldiered on, as cheerfully and committed as always, but never quite regained consistent good form. He announced his retirement after the ’75 season and headed south to captain-coach Tasmanian club Latrobe.

Afterward, he was a regular at Premiership team reunions, as popular as always because he never lost the affable good nature that Blues fans loved in his heyday. He thrived on reminding his team-mates of how he goaled with his first two kicks in his senior debut match against Melbourne, and it was said that he could describe the circumstances of every one of his 33 career goals.

Then, when his son Jarrad was signed by Carlton as a third round, father-son selection in the 2001 National Draft, Vin was understandably the proudest dad in the country. Especially when Jarrad played his first game for the Blues in 2003, wearing Vin’s old number.

Only a few months later, in July 2003, the Carlton Football Club and indeed, the entire football community was stunned by the news that Vin Waite had suffered a heart attack and died at the age of just 54. Tributes poured into Princes Park for many days after the news broke; testament to the respect and genuine affection felt for a good bloke who played his footy hard, yet was always keen for a beer and a laugh afterward.

On the following weekend, Jarrad Waite took his place in the Carlton side to play Melbourne. He and Vin wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Career Highlights

1968 2nd Reserves Best & Fairest
1970 Perc Bentley Trophy -3rd Best & Fairest
1971 9th Best & Fairest
1971 President's Trophy -Best Clubman Award
1971 Victorian Representative
1972 Equal 10th Best & Fairest

Photo : Carlton versus Richmond. Players are (left to right); Brent Crosswell (Carlton), Vin Waite (Carlton), Neil Balme (Richmond), Kevin Sheedy (Richmond).

Links

Blueseum: A stat summary of the playing career of Vin Waite | Waite's Blueseum Image Gallery

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