# Doug Palmer

Douglas Leslie Palmer (23 June 1930 – 23 November 1992) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the early 1950s.
Palmer could play as both a centreman and half back flanker. He was a midfielder in Geelong's 1952 premiership side and also played in their losing Grand Final team the following season. Palmer was a good wet weather player.
Palmer was captain / coach of Myrtleford in 1955 and 1956. He was also captain / coach of the Ovens & Murray Football League representative side that lost the 1956 state championships grand final to the Ballarat Football League on the Queen Elizabeth Oval, Bendigo.

## Obituary - by Noel Hussey, 25/11/1992 (extract)

Source:
"THE sporting fraternity and community in general was shocked to learn of the death of Douglas (Doug) Leslie Palmer on Monday night. The Geelong Football Club premiership player and Lemnos Football Club premiership coach and player was a true champion and sportsman.
He was born at Echuca on June 23, 1930 and lived with his parents on his grandparents' farm at Burke's Bridge on Gunbower Island before moving to Cohuna. In 1945, a year after leaving Cohuna State School and working as a wood cutter, bread deliverer and butcher, he won the seconds best and fairest. The next season as a 16-year-old he lined up with Cohuna seniors and the following year moved to Eaglehawk to live with his grandmother.
For the next five years he played with Eaglehawk and in 1951 won the club's best and fairest award and played in the grand final against South Bendigo. In a game described as the greatest Bendigo League grand final to that stage, Doug Palmer was named best on the ground and the talent scouts were out in force.
He signed with Hawthorn but finished up with Geelong .... Geelong won the VFL premiership under the legendary Reg Hickey in 1951 and it is testimony to Palmer's ability that he was selected in the centre for the Cats the next year for the opening game against Melbourne at the MCG. The Cats followed up with another premiership with Palmer playing in the centre or on a half back flank.
He played for the Cats for the next two seasons before becoming playing coach of Myrtleford in the Ovens and Murray League.
In The Encyclopedia of League Footballers, he is credited with playing 57 games for the Cats from 1952-54 and kicking 11 goals.
He is described as "a clever centreman from Eaglehawk who could also play on the half forward flank. He had great speed off the mark and a good leap. A good wet weather player Palmer played in the centre in the 1952 flag side and was on the bench in the losing grand final side a year later'."
In the Geelong Football Club history book Palmer is described as being 5ft 9ins and weighing l0st 8lb. However, in a profile earlier this year, Doug Palmer told me he was 5ft 7½ ins and l0st 3lb.
In the history booked he is described as being "a tenacious, clever centre man-half forward flanker, he found wet conditions to his particular liking. Although not tall, he provided excitement when springing high for marks. He read the play well, possessed great acceleration and kicked the ball well."
In 1957, he became coach of Lemnos and that year the Swans finished sixth after being on the bottom the previous year. The next year the Swans came fourth, followed by premierships in 1959 and '60. In 1961, the Swans finished fifth and the little champion decided to call it a day at the age of 31. Many attempts were made by Lemnos and other clubs to get him to come out of retirement but the lube attendant at Orrmans Garage had decided to call it a day...."