Nick Wilton (footballer)

Nick Wilton
Personal information
Full name Nicholas Wilton
Date of birth (1958-02-24) 24 February 1958
Original team(s) Old Xaverians
Height 192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 86 kg (190 lb)
Position(s) Key-position
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1978–1981 Hawthorn 13 (7)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1981.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Nicholas "Nick" Wilton (born 24 February 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Biography

Wilton, the son of a diplomat, spent much of his teenage life living in London.[1] Although he boarded at Xavier College in Kew, inside Hawthorn's zone, as his residence was in London he was not affected by zoning.[1] As a result both Melbourne and St Kilda tried to recruit him to their clubs, in addition to Hawthorn.[1] He was playing at this time for Old Xaverians in VAFA.[2] In the end he opted for Hawthorn, as they were the more dominant side of that era.[1]

A key-position player, Wilton started at Hawthorn in the 1978 VFL season, a premiership winning year.[1] He debuted in Hawthorn's round nine win over St Kilda at Moorabbin Oval, his only senior appearance for the season.[3] In 1979 he played nine games for Hawthorn in a season that was interrupted by a knee injury, which required an operation.[4][5] Following a knee reconstruction, Wilton returned late in the 1980 season to play two games.[1][4]

During his time at Hawthorn, Wilton was also a medical student, which by 1981 was proving too difficult a combination.[1] In his fifth year, he was required as part of his studies to live in a hospital and work long shifts.[1] He had to swap shifts with other students in order to attend training.[1] In the 1981 VFL season he played just one senior game for Hawthorn.[4] He was advised by the Dean of Medicine that he would have to give up football if he wanted to continue and he made the decision to retire from the VFL.[1]

In 1983 he returned to Old Xaverians and spent five seasons at the club.[1] He finished second in the Woodrow Medal in 1984.[6]

Wilton now works as a radiologist in Melbourne.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 AFL Record, Round 14, 2011. The Slattery Media Group. 24 June 2011. p. 20.
  2. ↑ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  3. ↑ "Two matches highlight round". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 27 May 1978. p. 41. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "AFL Tables - Nick Wilton - Games Played". AFL Tables. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "Victorian Football League Hawks' high hopes". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 16 March 1980. p. 24. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  6. ↑ Devaney, John (2008). The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia Of Australian Football Clubs - Volume Two. Full Points Publications. p. 97. ISBN 978-0-9556897-3-4.
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