Shane Wakelin

Player Stats

Biography

Shane Wakelin (born 12 August 1974) is a former Australian rules footballer for St Kilda and Collingwood in the Australian Football League.

Recruited from Port Adelaide in the SANFL in the 1992 AFL Draft, Wakelin debuted in the AFL in 1994 with St Kilda. He was noted as a hard-working defender at the Saints and was part of a defensive combination with his twin brother Darryl during the mid to late 90s which was considered very effective. Wakelin played in 5 of 22 matches in the 1997 AFL Premiership Season home and away rounds in which St Kilda Football Club qualified in first position for the 1997 AFL Finals Series, winning the club’s 2nd Minor Premiership and 1st McClelland Trophy.

Wakelin played just 4 games in 2000 and became disgruntled, he was later picked up by the Collingwood where he reignited his career and continued his trademark consistency out of defence. He signed on for the 2007 season knowing he would probably spend much time in the reserves. Due to injuries to other Collingwood backmen, however, he was often selected and was crucial in defence for Collingwood that year. For the 2008 season, due to the sudden retirement of former backman James Clement, Wakelin agreed to another season for the Magpies. At the end of the 2008 season Wakelin retired after Collingwood bowed out of the semi final against St Kilda.

Wakelin's identical twin Darryl Wakelin played alongside him at St Kilda. Wakelin was born on 12 August 1974. Darryl was born on 11 August as he was born a number of minutes before midnight and Shane was a born a number of minutes after midnight. He was born in Whyalla, South Australia but moved to Kimba, South Australia at just six months old. His father was a wheat sheep farmer. He was 13 when he moved to Port Lincoln, South Australia. At 16 he was identified by Port Adelaide along with his twin brother and they made the move down to Adelaide. In 2003 Wakelin appeared on a shampoo commercial for Sunsilk Base Elements, which also featured fellow Collingwood players Brodie Holland and Richard Cole. This wooden performance earned him the "Tool of the Year" on AFL variety show 'Before the Game'.

Wakelin married wife, Ligita, in 2003 and they now have two children – daughter Charlie Elizabeth, son Tom Leo.