Australian Football

Darren Wheildon was a dynamic, flamboyant forward who wore his heart on his sleeve, and was no stranger to the tribunal (seven visits). He was eminently capable of kicking a swag of goals, but equally he could go missing and fail to trouble the scorers. He joined Fitzroy from Newborough, and after struggling for a game in his first couple of seasons became a regular in 1991 when his tally of 29 goals for the year was good enough to top the Lions’ list. He did even better the following year, registering 41 goals, although this did not prove to be a club best. His form fell away after that and he was de-listed in 1994 having played 70 games and scored 180 goals.

In 1995 Wheildon fronted up with West Adelaide and impressed to the extent of being drafted by Essendon. However, injuries to his legs caused by being hit by a taxi forced him into premature retirement as a player before he had added to his senior games tally.

Author - John Devaney