Australian Football

Magical, mercurial, mesmeric, miraculous, marvellous - just a few of the words that might appropriately have been used to describe Scott Chisholm in full flight.

Chisholm's early senior career was split between St Mary's, with whom he gained selection in the 'Northern Territory Team of the Year' for 1992-93, and Claremont, where his pace, anticipation and sublime ball skills were ideally suited to coach Gerard Neesham's renowned 'chip and draw' tactics. An attacking player by propensity and temperament, Chisholm found himself transformed by Neesham into a vibrant, running half back, instructed to run with the ball whenever possible, drawing opposition players towards him to attempt to tackle before releasing the ball into the space created, where a team mate would inevitably be waiting.

Chisholm continued to play under Neesham at AFL level in 1995 when the Fremantle Dockers took their bows. The team's revolutionary style of play took the league by storm, and Chisholm's was one of the names most frequently referred to in order to exemplify that style. After probably reaching his peak as a player in 1996 when he finished third in Fremantle's best and fairest count, Chisholm's form and fitness began to deteriorate. He moved to Melbourne in 1998 after 63 games for the Dockers, but despite playing some good games for the Demons in his debut season his lack of consistency and erratic kicking caused concern. He played just one game for Melbourne in 2000 before being delisted.

Chisholm resumed his senior league career back in Western Australia at South Fremantle, playing 30 games for the Bulldogs between 2001-3. After that, he continued with St Mary's in the NTFL.

As with Gary Dhurrkay, the report card on Scott Chisholm - the man who went by the nickname 'Prince', because of his insistence that he was related by blood to the British royal family - would probably have to read "could have done better". Nevertheless, his importance to the Fremantle Football Club during its formative years should not be underestimated, and neither should the quality of his play when injury free, and when unleashed within a team pattern which harnessed and augmented his natural abilities.

Author - John Devaney