Ted Fidge (born 7 June 1963) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
| Ted Fidge | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Ted Fidge | ||
| Date of birth | 7 June 1963 | ||
| Original team(s) | St Peter's, East Bentleigh | ||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Weight | 81 kg (179 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1982–1988 | Melbourne | 42 (61) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1988. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Fidge, recruited from St Peter's, started his VFL career in 1982, playing nine games for the season.[1] A forward, Fidge made another nine appearances in 1983 but did not feature at all in the 1984 season; however, he was a member of the Melbourne Reserves premiership team.[1][2] He kicked 27 goals for Melbourne in 1985, from 15 games, which saw him finish second in their goalkicking.[1] In 1986, he played eight games and missed an entire season again in 1987.[1] He made only one appearance in 1988, but it was memorable, as he was reported for striking Collingwood player Darren Millane, for which he got a six-week suspension.[3] It would be Fidge's last game for Melbourne, as he was delisted at the end of the season after undergoing a groin operation.[4]
He captain-coached Sale in the 1989 and 1990 Latrobe Valley Football League seasons.[5] The club finished third both times.[5]
His younger brother John Fidge also played for Melbourne.[6]
In 2023, aged 60, Fidge told A Current Affair that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) as a result of his football career, mentioning that medical costs had wiped out his superannuation and that his wife was his full-time carer despite also having a job; they criticised the AFL's lack of support, and Fidge says he will donate his brain to science.[7][8]
References edit
- ^ a b c d AFL Tables: Ted Fidge
- ^ "Ted Fidge". Demon Wiki.
- ^ Canberra Times, "Brereton out for 6 matches", 7 June 1988, p. 21
- ^ Linnell, Garry; Connolly, Rohan (27 October 1988). "Eagles keen to get Bulldog Royal". The Age. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Coaches". Sale Football Club.
- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
- ^ "'It's not fair': Former player pleads for AFL support in CTE battle". 9now.nine.com.au. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
- ^ Former footballer pleads for AFL support in CTE battle | A Current Affair, retrieved 21 December 2023