Rod Carter
1980-1989
217 games
1 goal

The 1960s in Melbourne were a sprawling canvas painted with footy obsession. Supporters began forming cheer squads, the advent of television made the game more accessible, and one-on-one contests punctuated the game style. And tribalism was at its peak.

One of Rod Carter's earliest memories is catching the tram with his dad to the Brunswick Street Oval to watch their beloved Fitzroy play. Surrounded by opposition fans, young Rod received some fatherly wisdom: "Don't say anything. They're all Collingwood supporters."

From that day, Carter joined the hordes of Melburnian kids, making football a way of life. Before and after school, every recess and lunch was spent having a kick. He played on the Rosanna Primary School team, and then, in his first year of high school, Carter cycled with a mate to join the Banyule Football Club Under 12s.

Carter learned the fundamentals at Banyule for four years before trialling with the Fitzroy Under 19s at 16. "That was an experience," he recalled. "At the start, about 200 boys were trialling, then a few lost interest, and in our first practice match, I was the only kid who didn't get a run. I felt gutted. I thought my football career was finished before it had even started!"

He played the next game and eventually made the squad. In his final year of under 19s, Carter won Fitzroy's best and fairest. And, after spending the 1973 season playing reserves, he made his VFL debut against Geelong in Round 11, 1974. Before the match started, Carter offered to shake his opponent's hand. When the umpire's whistle blew, he received a punch on the nose—some introduction.

Over the ensuing seasons, Carter often featured on the Fitzroy senior team. Then, after playing 76 games in six seasons, the Lions released him. Devastated, Carter vowed to return to the big league and resolved to do so through the second-tier VFA. Port Melbourne played closest to the Footscray Institute of Technology, where he was studying, and he joined them, playing the majority of the '79 season there, displaying strong form throughout.

Richmond and South Melbourne expressed interest in returning Carter to the VFL. Swans coach Ian Stewart presented a clearly defined role, and Carter arrived at the Lake Oval ahead of the 1980 season. Through good luck and good form, he debuted in Round Four and never looked back. "I broke my finger in my first match against Carlton, but I kept playing because there was no way known that I was giving up my spot," Carter said.

Settling into new surroundings can be challenging, but Carter found the transition comfortable. "At Fitzroy, we'd trained up one end of the lake at the Junction Oval and South Melbourne trained at the other. So, we'd see each other running around the lake, but there wasn't much communication; a bit of indifference," Carter recalled.

"When I got to South, I was surprised just how friendly everyone was and how strong the camaraderie was among the players. We weren't a very successful club, but the boys' effort was fantastic. I was welcomed into the team quickly and felt like part of the club."

Carter quickly solidified his reputation as one of the most dependable fullbacks in the League, with his uncompromising defensive skills serving as the backbone of the Swans' end zone. However, as the 1981 season reached its midpoint, everyone involved with the South Melbourne Football Club experienced a life-altering situation.

The club faced debilitating financial difficulties, struggling to attract sponsors and members. South officials decided relocating to Sydney was the only viable option to ensure the Swans' future, an approach that most players supported. But the relocation plan met with strong opposition from the club's loyal fan base, who saw the proposed move as a betrayal of the club's history and traditions.

After months of turmoil, the VFL resolved that the Swans would play their 11 home matches in 1982 at the SCG. "It was really distressing," Carter recalled. "We wanted to stay together, and it got to the stage where other clubs were approaching our players, myself included, but that wasn't what I wanted to do. I wanted to stay with the boys but moving to Sydney was a big decision. I hadn't finished my teaching degree, and leaving family was hard."

History shows these players pioneered the national competition and did it tough. After flying in and out of Sydney for the 1982 season, the club relocated its operations to Sydney the following year. Carter says when he arrived, he was given a Sydney Morning Herald and a map and told to find a house and a job.

Making inroads into Australia's most congested sporting market proved incredibly difficult, and soon, the VFL's assurances of financial security were out the window. If the Swans were to make the move work, it would be through the resilience and solidarity of the playing group. But, when a group of players reverted to living in Melbourne in 1984, that task became even more complicated.

Among the group that returned, Carter completed his teaching diploma but struggled for consistency. "That was a really bad season for me. I was training back in Melbourne with a few senior players, but they were mostly Under 19s, and the training was pretty ordinary. I'd fly up early on Fridays and try and get to training with the team, but I struggled that year and ended up getting dropped, so I enjoyed getting back to Sydney the following year."

All players committed to living and playing in Sydney in 1985, and Carter enjoyed the guidance of new coach, John Northey, gaining selection in the Victorian squad. But, with the advent of private ownership came a swathe of new players and Northey, rather unluckily, found himself replaced. Triple-premiership winning coach Tom Hafey was appointed to lead the new-look Swans, and the club embraced an entirely new identity.

The team found on-field success, soaring to second place in 1986, and during an era of legendary full-forwards, Carter's defensive excellence proved invaluable. If he flew for a mark, he'd invariably pull it down. Alternatively, his spoils generally benefited a teammate. The bigger the challenge, the more he thrived. Brownlow Medallist Bernie Quinlan believed that Carter read the game better than anyone.

Such was Carter's dedication to the defensive cause; he'd never kicked a goal in League footy. But, playing the 215th game of his career against Melbourne on July 27, 1986, he achieved that elusive major. "We were dictating terms in many of those games, and I ran forward because I'd hardly had a touch. I ran past Warwick Capper calling for the ball, and he wasn't great at handballing; he looked at me twice and then gave me the ball. I jagged a goal, and my teammates were all over me like a rash. It was amazing," Carter recalled.

Despite their scintillating football, winning 16 games in '86 and 15 in '87, the Swans fell short in their four finals appearances across the two-year period. Carter believed they were good enough to progress further, but he took solace in knowing he and the team could perform on the game's biggest stage.

The club's financial woes impacted the final three seasons of Carter's incredible career. But he remains staunchly proud of what he and his teammates achieved, laying the foundations of a culture that is exalted today. "I'm grateful. Coming to a second club, having the relationships I have, and playing the football I did has just been incredible. I'm immensely proud of my connection with the club."