Australian Football

Wally Carter was a one club man who gave North Melbourne sterling service as both a player and coach. As a result he was inducted into the club’s official Hall of Fame in 2002. His playing career comprised 137 games between 1929 and 1940. During that career he became the first ever recipient, in 1937, of the North Melbourne best and fairest award, the Syd Barker Medal. He was regarded as a clean and brilliant footballer who marked and kicked extremely well. Towards the end of the 1940 season as he briefly took on the role of caretaker coach, albeit without achieving a single win. He later coached the club in a non-playing capacity between 1948 and 1953, steering the team into their first ever VFL grand final in 1950. He returned to the coaching hot-seat and continued until 1962, with rather less success on this occasion although the ‘Roos did finish a creditable third in his first season.

Author - John Devaney