Australian Football

Doug Searl began his league career with Collingwood in 1966, and played at centre half forward in that year's losing Grand Final against St Kilda. However, he tended to struggle during his time with the Magpies, and early in the 1968 season, after just 12 senior games and 20 goals, he crossed to Fitzroy. At first, the Lions used him mainly as a forward, and he topped their goal kicking with 31 goals in 1968 and 68 the following year.

In 1970, however, Searl was tried at centre half back, where he proved an immediate success, and for most of the remaining six-and-a-half years of his VFL career he played mainly in defence. When he retired in 1976 he had played 131 games and booted 170 goals for the Lions. He later enjoyed a highly successful coaching career, mainly at under 19s level, but he also coached Port Melbourne in 1991 and 1992.

Author - John Devaney