Michael Pickering | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Full name | Michael Francis Pickering | ||
Date of birth | 24 November 1941 | ||
Place of birth | Canberra, Australia | ||
Date of death | 5 January 1995 | (aged 53)||
Original team(s) | Stawell (SWFL) | ||
Height | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||
Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1961–1962 | North Melbourne | 6 (8) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1962. | |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Michael Francis Pickering (24 November 1941 – 5 January 1995)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Pickering was the son of Wally Pickering, who was a legendary forward for Stawell.[2][3] Wally Pickering played in the club's inaugural Wimmera Football League premiership in 1939.[4]
From 1956 to 1959, Pickering went to St Patrick's College, Ballarat.[5]
Pickering, a ruckman from Stawell, was sought by both Essendon and North Melbourne.[6] Secured by the latter, Picking made three appearances early in the 1961 VFL season, before he was sidelined with an ankle injury and then a dislocated elbow, which ended his season.[7][8] It wasn't until the 16th round of the 1962 season that he returned to senior football, a game against Melbourne at Arden Street Oval, in which he kicked three goals.[7][9] The following round, at Kardinia Park, he kicked another three goals, from a forward pocket.[10] His next appearance, in round 18, would be his last for North Melbourne.[7]
He decided to return to Stawell in 1963 and remained with the club for many years, finishing his Wimmera career with 220 games and three club best and fairest awards.[11][2] In 1969 he was the joint leading vote getter in the Toohey Medal, with Nhill's Rod Coutts, but lost on countback.[2] The league decided in 2003 to award retrospective medals to all players who finished second on countback, which included Pickering.[12] His son, Liam Pickering, a former North Melbourne and Geelong footballer, collected the award on behalf of his father, who died in 1995.[2][13]