In the lead-up to Saturday’s State of Origin match between Victoria and Western Australia at Optus Stadium, Tony Greenberg takes a look at the awesome deeds of Richmond great Dale Weightman in the iconic Big V guernsey.
You could mount a strong case that Dale Weightman is Victoria’s greatest performer in the history of State of Origin football.
The former Richmond champion rover, 1980 premiership hero and Tigers Team of the Century member, represented Victoria 20 times and maintained a super-impressive standard of football right throughout his Big V career.
Weightman, affectionately known as 'Flea', made his debut for Victoria against Queensland in the Tigers’ 1980 premiership year. His last game with the Vics was in 1990.
The highlight of Weightman’s time wearing the famous Big V guernsey came in the 1985 Australian Football Championships.
Dale Weightman
He won the Tassie Medal for being the best player at that carnival series and received the Simpson Medal following his best-on-ground performance against West Australia in Perth.
Victoria, under the coaching guidance of Kevin Sheedy, initially defeated South Australia in Adelaide by 65 points – 19.16 (130) to 9.11 (65) – with Weightman starring, but the match was subsequently awarded to the Croweaters on protest, as a result of the Vics having four interchange players instead of the three that were permitted.
A fired-up Victoria then crushed WA by 57 points in the final game of the series – 20.13 (133) to 11.10 (70). Weightman led the way for the Big V, finishing the match with 15 kicks, 16 handballs, three marks and four goals.
Weightman also gained All-Australian selection for the first time following his dominance throughout the ’85 championships.
He would go on to win All-Australian honours a further two times – 1986 and 1988 – along with the E.J. Whitten Medal as Victoria’s best player in 1986 and 1990.
The 1986 match against WA was an absolute classic.
More than 40,000 spectators crammed into Perth’s Subiaco Oval on a Tuesday afternoon in early July to watch the home side win a spectacular, high-scoring, nail-biter by three points – 21.11 (137) to 20.14 (134).
The lead changed seven times in a frenetic final quarter that produced 14 goals.
Weightman had 25 disposals and kicked five goals (5.4) in an outstanding roving display.
A year later, Weightman avenged that loss, captaining the Victorians to a 24-point victory over WA at Subiaco – 16.20 (116) to 13.14 (92). Interestingly, the Sandgropers’ skipper in that game was Weightman’s Tiger teammate, fellow marvellous midfielder, Maurice Rioli.
Representing Victoria in State of Origin football was a major highlight of Weightman’s playing career.
After two Grand Final appearances that netted one premiership in the first five years of Weightman’s Tigerland tenure, the team languished down the bottom of the ladder for the next decade, which is why competing in State of Origin football with Victoria meant so much to him.
It gave him the opportunity to enjoy the team success that he craved, playing alongside the cream of the state’s footballers.
“You got such good service from your teammates and you realised how good players from other clubs were,” Weightman said.
Weightman also provided an interesting example of how State of Origin players managed the tight football schedule back in the day.
“I can remember playing the Brisbane Bears on a Sunday night, flying home on Monday, flying to Adelaide for a state game on Tuesday and playing that night, having a fair drink after it and then fronting up against the Eagles the next Saturday,” he said.
That tough timetable certainly didn’t affect Weightman’s capacity to produce his brilliant best on match day for his two great football loves – Richmond and Victoria.
