Swan Songs - with Wayne Carroll
In Jim Main's series, 'Swan Songs', this week he talks to former Swans half-forward Wayne Carroll...
In Jim Main's series, 'Swan Songs', this week he talks to former Swans half-forward Wayne Carroll...
Wayne Carroll
Born: March 22, 1958
Played: 1979-85
Games: 56
Goals: 57
Strange as it might seem, former Sydney Swan Wayne Carroll wanted to be a jockey while growing up in southern New South Wales.
However, any horse on which he rode would have lumped a huge handicap as Carroll grew to stand 183cm and weigh almost 80kg.
He explained: “My father and grandfather trained horses and, because I did a lot of trackwork, I dreamed of being a jockey. I was told that if I took salt baths and ate plenty of bananas this would keep me thin. It didn’t work.”
So, instead, of pursuing an impossible dream, Carroll turned to football and made a name for himself playing with NSW country club Mangoplah-Cookardinia United in South Melbourne’s zone north of the Murray.
His form in 1979 caught the attention of South recruiters and Swan president and former coach Graeme John asked him to move to Melbourne.
Carroll explained that he was committed to his country club, but agreed to play in a reserves match.
He must have impressed the Swans in that match as, several weeks later, they asked him to return to Melbourne with the promise of an immediate start in the senior side.
Carroll again agreed and kicked a goal with his first touch at senior level, against Melbourne at the MCG. It was Carroll’s only game of the season as he again returned to the country.
However, he made the full-time move to the Swans in 1980 and was part of the club’s flight to become the Sydney Swans in 1982, along with cousin Dennis, who went on to captain the club from 1986-92.
Wayne Carroll, who had followed Carlton as a boy because his uncle “Turkey” Tom Carroll had been a star forward with the Blues, quickly made a name for himself as one of the best high marks in the VFL.
The great aerialist thrilled Swan fans with his huge leaps and, in 1984, took out the Mark of the Year competition for a spectacular leap against the Western Bulldogs at the Western Oval.
Ironically, Carroll’s best match performance also was against the Bulldogs at the same ground, kicking five goals from his favourite position - a half-forward flank.
“I had always liked a bit of a jump,” Carroll explained. “I was into high-jumping and, with all my mates as a boy, we would practise taking speccies or, as we called them ‘Jezzas’ (after high-leaping Carlton star Alex Jesaulenko).”
Carroll returned to southern NSW on retirement in 1985, returning to his first love of horses.
He trains a string of racehorses at Wagga in partnership with friends and business colleagues, including another former Swan in Bernie Evans (148 games from 1978-85).
“Bernie has an interest in a few of my horses and one of them, Lycra Lass, recently won a race in Sydney. Bernie owns a limousine and, with a few friends aboard, drives it up to the races.”
But no, Carroll’s horses do not race in red and white silks. Instead, the Carroll colours are black and blue diagonal stripes with cerise sleeves. Look out for them on the track and you could be on to a winner.
Carroll, married to Cherie with three adult sons (Truman, Jackson and Myles) also has several retail businesses and, despite a hectic working schedule, keeps a close eye on the Swans’ fortunes.
“I try to get to a couple of matches a year,” he said. “My most recent match was the clash with Richmond at the SCG earlier this year. It was great to see them playing so well.”
