- THE PLAYERS -
Murray Wiedeman

- CREDITS -
Joel

Murray Wiedeman
by Joel

In 1958, Murray Wiedeman was to become the last premiership captain of the Collingwood Football Club for the next 32 years. However, Wiedeman was captain on that day for only one reason, the actual captain of the side, Frank Tuck, was out injured. Nevertheless, he captained the side to premiership glory, and become a Collingwood great. He was a player that was rarely out of the spotlight during his career, but was loved by his teammates.

Like some players before him, and like others after him, Murray Wiedeman was initially considered too slight, and perhaps not quite good enough to play senior football. However, with a hard work ethic, and great endeavour, Wiedeman eventually worked his way into senior Collingwood side.

Wiedeman’s junior days were played in the Preston and District Junior Football Association. In his early days he was seen as a talented player who had the potential to play in a key position. Initially, Wiedeman was noticed by the club when he was seen regularly kicking over 12 goals in a game in junior competitions. He was then asked to play Under 19s at Victoria Park, where he kicked 6 goals in just his second game. By the end of his career, he would be known as an enforcer, and a player that was loved by Pies supporters, but hated by opposition supporters.

Wiedeman aroused the ire of opposition supporters to such a level that, bullets were fired into a shop he owned, bricks were thrown through his windows, he received calls and letters threatening his safety and he often needed police escorts to games.

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