Lance Oswald, a champion footballer for Wangaratta and St Kilda, has died
LANCE Oswald, who was an undisputed star at VFL and Ovens and Murray levels, has died.
The player who made his senior O and M debut for Wangaratta at the age of 16 and was named on a wing in St Kilda's Team-of-the-Century after 107 matches for the VFL club died last week, aged 82, with his funeral to be held at Cobram on Friday.
Ian Rowland grew up in the same Wangaratta street as Oswald and played with him briefly for the Magpies in the late 1950s believes there has been no better footballer to come from the city.
"He was the best footballer to come out of Wangaratta," he said.
"It's only my opinion, but he was a real good player.
"When you are 13 and win a best and fairest at under-18 level it's not a bad start to your career.
Lance Oswald: Wangaratta's all-time best footballer
"If you study it pretty closely, he was very good."
Two years after making his debut for the Magpies, Oswald starred in the 1955 finals series which culminated with victory over North Albury in the grand final.
He kicked seven goals in a best afield display to finish the finals series with 17 goals.
In 1957, Oswald had his finest season for Wangaratta. He topped the O and M goal-kicking with 90 goals, shared the Morris medal with Myrtleford full-back Neil Currie and kicked the match-winning goal in the grand final as the Magpies clawed their way back from 27 points down at the last change.
After 73 matches in the O and M, Oswald joined the Saints and soon became a star at the higher level.
By 1960 he was a Big V player and won St Kilda's best and fairest in 1960-61.
"In 1960-61 he was the best centreman in Australia," Saints historian Russell Holmesby said.
"He won St Kilda's best and fairests, he was in the state side and in 1961 he should have been All-Australian.
SUPER SAINT: Lance Oswald was a VFL champion player in the early 1960s before returning to the country to coach Strathmerton. Picture: PETER RALPH
"In 1963, Ian Stewart started and he took over in the centre and Lance finished up at the end of that year.
"He hurt his ankle late in the 1962 and he was struggling.
"The boggy grounds in Melbourne were too hard for his ankles and being a bush boy he always wanted to go home.
"It wasn't anything to do with 'Stewie' and felt he would last longer as a player on harder grounds in the country."
After his time with the Saints he headed back to the country to coach Strathmerton in the Murray league for nine seasons including the 1964 premiership.
When his own VFL career ended in 1967, Rowland was appointed coach of rival club Finley.
Oswald's grandson Scott played in Yarrawonga's 2006 premiership team.