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Well respected for his high fitness ideals, Alan White came from a boxing background, and perhaps as a consequence was the quintessential head-down, straight through footballer who invariably seemed to come to the fore when the play got willing. He boasted all the trademark qualities of the good rover - pace, smooth ball handling ability, good, two-sided disposal skills, and considerable resilience - but somewhat perversely only seemed capable of given them full rein under the coaching of Neil Kerley, who in later years nominated him as one of his favourite players. 

White began with North Adelaide’s colts side in 1954, while still aged just 12, but his progress after that was slow, and he did not make his league debut until 1961. He managed three senior games that year, but when he could not break into the league side in 1962 he sought a clearance to South Adelaide. The Roosters refused, but after he again failed to make the grade the following year they eventually relented. White’s arrival at South coincided with that of Neil Kerley as captain-coach, and under ‘The King’ White’s career blossomed. He was a key player for the Panthers in the 1964 Grand Final defeat of Port Adelaide, and between 1964 and 1966 he was widely acknowledged as one of the foremost rovers in the state. 

In the last minor round game of the 1966 season, White sustained a horrific injury against Port Adelaide and was required to have his spleen removed, and it is perhaps no coincidence that his form thereafter declined markedly. Nevertheless, he remained with South for another two seasons, by which time he had made a total of 94 senior appearances for the club. He continued his career in Western Australia where he played 15 games for Swan Districts in 1969 and 1970, before returning to play a final 15 games with the Panthers in 1971-2 without ever managing to recapture his best form. During his first stint with South, White had represented South Australia twice, in 1965 and 1968. 

Author - John Devaney