Swan Songs - with John Sudholz
In Jim Main's series, 'Swan Songs', this week he talks to former Swans leading goalkicker, John Sudholz...
In Jim Main's series, 'Swan Songs', on great players from the past, this week he talks to former Swans leading goalkicker, John Sudholz...
John Sudholz
Born: May 1, 1946
Played: 1966-71
Games: 86
Goals: 176
Number: 20
If football had been more professional in the 1970s, John Sudholz probably would have won himself a reputation as one of the Swans’ greatest ever goalkickers.
Sudholz was nearing the peak of his career early in the 1971 season when he returned to the family’s mixed farm near the Victorian Wimmera town of Rupanyup.
The big, strong full-forward had kicked 62 goals the previous season to top the club’s goalkicking and played a key role in the Swans making the 1970 finals.
Sudholz played just two games for South Melbourne in 1971 and returned to the country at just 25 years of age. He explained: “I was married with two children at that stage and my father was in his 60s and still running the family farm.
“I was getting $40 a week playing with South, but I had been offered $50 a week to captain-coach Murtoa, which was Rupanyup’s greatest rival.
“When Rupanyup heard of the Murtoa offer it told me in no uncertain terms that playing with the rival club would be unacceptable because when these clubs clashed it was like World War III. Rupanyup therefore matched Murtoa’s offer.”
Sudholz, famous for his strong hands, accurate kicking for goal and imposing bulk (193cm and 99kg), had had a choice of VFL clubs before he signed with South and probably could have played with Essendon.
“I had offers from Hawthorn, Geelong, Essendon and South,” he recalled. “I even was a guest of Essendon during the 1965 finals series when it won the flag.
“A great mate of mine in Rupanyup, Bob Dunlop, had played with Essendon (1960-61) and had introduced me to Bomber star Ken Fraser, with whom I became quite friendly.
“But, in the end, it came down to Geelong or South and I decided against the Cats because they already had two good big men in Sam Newman and Graham Farmer. I signed with South because I did not want to move to Melbourne and play in the seconds.”
Sudholz made his debut for South in a match against Fitzroy in 1966, in unusual circumstances. Regular centre half-forward Graeme John was a late withdrawal and Sudholz, named in a forward pocket, was asked to fill John’s usual role at centre half-forward. It was an impressive debut as he kicked three goals.
Sudholz might have regarded himself as a ruckman/forward when he joined the Swans, but he played most of his career at the Lake Oval at full-forward.
Deadly accurate with his torpedoes or flat punts, he wanted to switch to drop-punts, but legendary coach Norm Smith advised him to stick with his regular style, and the burly young man from Rupanyup heeded his coach’s advice. “Sudsy” topped the Swans’ goalkicking each season from 1967-70.
“Smith was a great, great man and a wonderful coach,” Sudholz enthused. “I always say that he and my father were the two biggest influences on my life.”
Sudholz might have kicked three goals in the Swans’ 1970 first semi-final loss to St Kilda to finish the season with that goal tally of 62, but always knew his time in the VFL would be short.
After rejoining Rupanyup in 1971, he spent three seasons with the Wimmera club, playing in a premiership side in his final season, against Murtoa - and being king-hit from behind.
He told the tribunal that he did not know who hit him and, in return, was told that only his good reputation had saved him from a one-match ban for giving unsatisfactory evidence.
Sudholz therefore retired, but returned to the Rupanyup club when it moved to a lower level and played his last game there at almost 40 years of age.
He since has coached junior football teams and served on various committees, and always with one eye on Swan performances.
He describes himself as “passionate” about the Swans, as are his four sons - Rodney, Adrian, Mark and Carl.
Sudholz attended the recent Swans-Essendon clash at Etihad Stadium with former Swan teammates Ross Elwin and Doug Priest, along with all their sons, and rode the tremendous roller-coast ride of the four-point victory.
“It was nerve-wracking, but it was worth it,” joked the Swan loyalist.
