Australian Football

At his peak, Wayne Judson was arguably the finest permanent back pocket player in the game. He arrived at St Kilda in 1971 from South East Suburban Football League club Beaumaris and was quick to make his mark. Tough, dependable and resolute, he did not garner many possessions but his opponents almost always had fewer. Moreover, many of his disposals were gained under extreme duress. In the ultimately unsuccessful 1971 VFL finals series he was one of the Saints' best players, and over the next few seasons his improvement continued. 

Between 1973 and 1975 Judson was an automatic selection for the Victorian state team and developed a telling last line partnership with first, Bob Murray, and then Kevin 'Cowboy' Neale. In 1976 and 1977 he was unable to train as often as he would have wished and his form fell away so that he finally decided to bring the curtain down on his VFL career after 124 senior appearances. He went on to play in the VFA with Mordialloc.

Had his VFL career lasted longer and he been able to maintain his form one imagines that Wayne Judson would have been a strong candidate for the back pocket berth in St Kilda's official 'Team of the Century'.

Author - John Devaney