Past Norm Dare (1967-1977)

Norm Dare (born 10 September 1948) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, most notable for coaching five premierships in the QAFL. Dare initially played league football for Fitzroy in the VFL, where he played 70 games between 1968 and 1974. He moved to West Torrens in the SANFL in 1975, most notable for his actions in the Round 15, 1975, match against West Adelaide, when Dare managed to jump the fence and hide amongst the crowd to prevent Torrens from being penalised in a head count. He returned to Fitzroy in 1977, and played only two more senior games before retiring from playing.

Following the end of his playing career, Dare remained at Fitzroy and served two seasons as reserves coach. In 1980 he moved to Queensland, and coached the Kedron Football Club to a QAFL premiership in 1980. In 1982, he moved to Southport, and coached there from 1982–1988, winning three QAFL premierships during that time (1983, 1985 and 1987). He moved to the Brisbane Bears in the VFL/AFL in 1989 as an assistant coach, and then as senior coach in 1990, but both seasons resulted in wooden spoons, which ended Dare's coaching career with the Bears.

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Out at the Dare household in Chapman Street, McLeod, they call him the "knockout kid" - and not because he's so tough. Actually, Norm Dare, at 6 ft. tall and 11.2, would be one of the frailest young men playing League football.

Norm Dare senior, saw his son play VFL senior football for the first time on Saturday - and swears he will never watch him again. "Dad's only seen me play five other games, and I've been knocked out each time," Dare, 20, said yesterday. "Three of those games were with Fitzroy thirds, and twice with McLeod-Rosanna - but I haven't been knocked out in League football yet."

After Saturday's game, St. Kilda players must have wished he had been knocked out - and early. He won 31 kicks and put them to such good use that Fitzroy's forwards were able to kick a winning score. Dare, and insurance clerk, is a product of McLeod-Rosanna, in the Diamond Valley League. He went to Fitzroy two year ago, but did not play a reserve grade game until the ninth round last year against Carlton. When Fitzroy played the Blues in the 18th round that year, Dare was picked in the senior side for the first time.

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Norm Dare... and Fitzroy... had a scare last night. For some minutes the star winman looked like having to watch Saturday's match against Richmond - but not because of the back injury from which he has been recovering. Dare collided heavily with Barry Padley during a full scale practice match, and left the field with a suspected broken nose. But the nose was only badly bruised, and badly swollen.

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