Ern Henfry was a champion player and coach of the Perth Football Club, and is regarded as one of the most astute men to grace the WA football stage. But one thing he did not possess was a crystal ball, and through no fault of their own, Perth missed out on a player who was to become a legend at Swan Districts.
Fred Castledine played with Victoria Park in the Metropolitan Juniors, and, being in an unallocated zone, where he could please himself who he wanted to play with, duly fronted at Lathlain as a lanky nineteen year old. “I was a bit light on at that stage, and coach Ern Henfry advised me to come back the following year when I'd filled out a bit. Which was fair enough, but he wasn't to know that by the following year my street would be allocated to Swan Districts,” he told us.
“Neighbours of ours were avid Subiaco people(one played with them) and they tried their best to get me in a maroon jumper, but, discovering that suddenly I was in Swan Districts zone, I took Henfry's advice, but headed east, to Bassendean.”
“And that was not without some consternation either, because the fresh faced kid that I was turned up at training wearing a rolled up brown jumper with the sleeves chopped out of it,which caused a bit of humour on my first night,”he laughed. “Coach Eric Strauss instructed the players to go into various designated areas in front of the McDonald Stand, the location of which depended on whatever position they played. I was doing ruckwork against Wally Sidebottom. We did centre bouncedowns, and Wally floored me three times in a row. After the third grounding, I came up swinging, until he was able to hold me off, and, with a laugh, said: “This bloke's a chance.”
In 1958, Castledine played the first half of the season in the league side as a ruckman resting in a back pocket, but spent the second half in the reserves. The appointment of Percy Johnson as coach in 1959 turned the young Castledine around. “ Percy was a great coach,” Fred recalled. “ He saw things in me, and taught me about football.I credit Perce with laying the foundation for my career. I found myself playing at centre half forward, and was really enjoying it. When Percy fell foul of the committee late in the season and was replaced by Charlie Doig, it was disappointing.”
Castledine's career stuttered in 1960, when the side went to rock bottom, managing only one win for the season. “I'd just bought a milk round, and whether it was due to the work or not I don't know, but my zest seemed to have deserted me, I'd lost my leaping ability and my dash, I'd become a one pacer,”he said. “A very ordinary year.”
Fred Castledine almost gave football away before the start of the 1961 season. “Haydn Bunton had asked all the players for commitment,” he said. “I was building a house, and wanted to improve myself financially. He told me he'd had a good report about me, and he'd like me to give it another year. I did, and the result is history.” Swans went from wooden spooners to premiers, winning the club's first ever flag, and it proved to be the first of a hat trick under Bunton. Castledine's efforts in negating the influence of Graham Farmer in the grand final, paving the way for co ruckman Keith Slater to put in a Simpson medal winning performance, were instrumental in the win.
Castledine was a determined player, who hated being beaten. He was a born leader, a player teammates looked up to, who set the example by being able to fill most roles on the ground. His presence intimidated opponents, but he wasn't merely a tough man, he was a skilled player with the ability to kick either foot. In 1962, he filled the centre half back position for Swans, a role he played so well that the position became his in the State side. He continued to dominate in a variety of positions both for his club and Western Australia, being a key ingredient for the Swans three premierships in a row.
It was a torn groin midway through 1964 that stopped the Castledine Express. “Muscles came away from the pubic bone and I missed the second half of the season,” he said. It also had a big impact on his career. “I wasn't the same after that,” he said. “The injury left me with a reduction in my first yard of pace, and it impeded my play in other ways.”
In 1965, Castledine was appointed captain coach of Swan Districts, and took them to a grand final, falling to East Fremantle in a game that he missed because of a broken ankle. After three years as mentor, he retired in 1968, taking on a new challenge as a publican at Esperance. Lured back to Bassendean at the age of 32 the following season, Fred Castledine took part in the pre season work, and felt as if he was fitter than he'd been for ages as a result of the year off, only to do a cartilage in his knee in the opening game of the season, which signalled the end to a wonderful163 game career with Swan Districts.
Fred ventured into the world of radio in 1970, working at 6PR, but was offered a bigger on air role at the ABC the following year. He worked with Jim Fitzmaurice, Dennis Cometti, Wally Foreman, and George Grljusich on Saturday mornings, was part of the Saturday afternoon TV commentary team, and wound up on Saturday evenings with a half hour show with Grljusich.
It was horses that took over Fred's life after seven years with the ABC, and he went into training pacers, but soon crossed to gallopers. “I couldn't do any good with pacers, wasn't able to get the idea of them,” he said. “After switching codes, I was eventually able to understand the art of conditioning racehorses.” A horse called Miss Wanda paid the mortgage on a Henley Brook property, followed by other city winners, most notably Meliador, who won a Perth Cup and a Cox Stakes, and went amiss when being set for the Melbourne Cup, a tendon injury forcing him from the track.
“I loved the horses, it was a great part of my life,” he said.
Asked about his toughest opponent, he nominated West Perth's Brian France. “I played at centre half forward one day at Leederville on Brian, and he was too fast, too, too strong, too tough,” he joked. “I tried everything, both orthodox and unorthodox, to beat him, but to no avail.” Best he'd seen? Walker: “he'd always get himself up for a game.” Slater: “great competitor who needed a challenge.” Bagley: “if he'd gone to Victoria he'd have been a superstar.” Best of them all: “Polly. A true champion of the sport.”
Mention of the little champ Walker brought an anecdote to mind for Fred. “We were playing East Fremantle, and Bill was in a forward pocket, I was at centre half forward. My opposing number flattened Billy, then sidled up to me, mouthing: “See that? That's what....” Knowing the rest of his story( “that's what's coming to you”) I finished the argument with a few quick jabs and nothing further was said.
Fred Castledine had to cope with serious health problems, but in true fighting spirit reminiscent of his football days he came out on top, and talking with him you would have backed the bloke to front up with his beloved Swannies at centre half back next season. With wife Pat and children Steve and Karen a very supportive family, he enjoyed life on their thirty two acres in the Swan Valley.
Fred Castledine was selected at centre half back in the Swan Districts official Team of the Century, is one of the club's favourite sons, and was a member of arguably Swan Districts finest side ever. The club's emblem “the fighting Swan” is signified by the on field performances of some of their finest players. Fred Castledine was one of those.
Vale Fred Castledine.
