From the files of the late Jack Lee.
Those who saw the legendary " Bub " Jarvis play in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s were so enamoured of his unique brilliance in the centre half - back position that they said no-one in football would ever be his equal. Perhaps it is true, but when Doug Green came along in 1970 there were some doubts.
Superb ball - handling and his ability to burst out of a pack were unique features of Jarvis’s performances, but Green, because of his height and high marking achievements, was able to issue a serious challenge to his predecessor’s right to top place.
Like Jarvis, Green was a unanimous choice for a place on the half-back line in our Team of the Century but the selectors probably thought that the explosive nature of Jarvis’s dashes from defence to attack made him best suited to the central position on the line.
Green came to East Fremantle in 1970 and he grew in stature so quickly that in 1973 he won the Lynn Medal, closely followed in the voting by David Hollins, Graham Melrose and Brian Peake, all of whom became Sandover Medallists in the years ahead.
Like Jarvis, who has always been regarded as the unluckiest champion never to win the prestigious award, Green also missed out but he finished third in 1974 behind Melrose and Swan Districts player Stan Nowotny.
He was always one of the first picked in State sides and was a consistent performer at the highest level.
Between 1970 and 1981 he played 180 games for East Fremantle.
In an era of great half-backs he was confirmed among the greatest when he was chosen in the W.A. All-Stars side selected by the State’s most prominent football writer, Geoff Christian, from all players between 1954 and 1984.
"For his club, he usually played at centre half-back," Christian said, " but on a flank, where he was usually placed in State sides, his play was simply superb."
High praise, fully justified !
FACT FILE
Date of Birth 28 /10 / 1951
EFFC Player : 1970 – 1981 Played 180 games.
Played 7 games for South Melbourne 1980
Premierships: 1974, 1979.
Sandover Medal: 3rd 1974
Lynn Medal: 1973. Runner Up; 1976, 1977.
W.A. State Player: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1980
14 State games.
W.A. Captain: 1975, 1976,1977.
EFFC Club Captain: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978.
Vice Captain: 1973. 1974.
Life Membership Awarded: 1980.
Selected in the East Fremantle Football Club Team of the Century 1997
Doug’s picture will also appear on East Fremantle Match Day footballs and he has been chosen as East Fremantle’s representative for the Year of the Outback.
Sharks Team Store
Click here to see full range of products.
