Christie joined Carlton after earning his chops at Ararat where he first turned out for the juniors with his lifelong friend the future Collingwood centreman Barry Price – and in 1963, on the recommendation of a Carlton spotter, he accepted an offer to participate in two practice matches early in the following year.

“I was told not to sign anything by the people in Ararat, but after those two games Ken Hands got me to sign on – which I was quite keen to do anyway because I was a keen Carlton supporter as was my dad,” Christie said.

“My first memory of Carlton came in the very first practice match at Princes Park, and I was on John Nicholls’ team. Before the ball was bounced, John came over go me, introduced himself and said: ‘As soon as the ball is bounced, you run, I’ll get the footy and handball it to you’, which he did.

“That made me feel really good.”