John Waddington (footballer)

John Waddington (24 May 1938 – 6 July 2019) was an Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

John Waddington
Personal information
Full name	John Waddington
Date of birth	(1938-05-24)24 May 1938
Date of death	6 July 2019(2019-07-06) (aged 81)[1]
Original team(s)	South Bendigo
Height	183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight	80 kg (176 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1958–1966	North Melbourne	132 (30)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1966.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Waddington, a half forward, grew up in Bendigo, and played for South Bendigo. He topped the Bendigo Football League goal-kicking in 1957, winning the Bob Chappell Medal with 72 goals.

The following year he arrived at North Melbourne and played all possible 20 games in his debut season.^[2] This included their four-point semi final win over Fitzroy, in which he contributed three goals.^[2]

He remained a regular fixture in the team for the next eight years, mostly as a defender. It was as a centre half-back that he was selected for the Victorian interstate side in 1964.^[3]

At the end of the 1966 season he left North Melbourne to become senior captain-coach of Benalla in the Ovens & Murray Football League.^[4] He won the 1968 Ovens & Murray Football League Morris Medal.^[5]

He was later playing coach of Morningside in Brisbane, Queensland. He also coached Gold Coast team, Palm Beach Currumbin.^[6]