MADDEN, Mick

"Mad Mick" Madden was a strong, dashing, fiery redhead from Heathcote, renowned for his vigorous play and strong marking.

He was versatile player, performing well in the centre, as a centre half-forward and at centre half-back. In 1906 he was named in The Herald newspaper as one of the League's top players.

Madden was Essendon's leading goalkicker in 1903 with 15 goals and in 1904 with 25 goals. He kicked four goals in one game in 1904.

He represented the League against Ballarat in 1904 and 1906.

At one stage Essendon needed him for a vital game and sent the Secretary to Heathcote to pick him up in a car. His mother was against him travelling by car so he went by train. It was a good decision as the Secretary's car hit a tree and he wasn't able to return to Heathcote until Sunday.

He was renowned for his toughness which he demonstrated in 1910 when a pair of horses pulling a lorry bolted. As they approached his fire station in Victoria Parade, Madden ran out to intercept them. He grabbed the reins and leaped onto the lorry, but it struck a telegraph post and he was thrown off and dragged along the road, but he held on to the reins and eventually pulled the team up. When asked if he was hurt, because his uniform was torn to ribbons, he replied "Why, I've often got a worse roughing up than that at football".

Madden left Essendon in 1907 to join Essendon Association with his former teammate, Jack "Dookie" McKenzie, and he played there until 1915. He was involved in a sensational incident in July 1911 when he was banned for a year for elbowing a Prahran player over the heart. The charge was brought by the Prahran club, not an umpire. Only one goal umpire testified that he saw the incident and he was reprimanded for not reporting it. Madden was later charged by the police with assaulting John Dowding, the Prahran player, but the charge was dismissed. An attempt was made for the ban to be lifted but the VFA refused to alter their decision.

He returned to play in mid-1912 and was a member of their premiership side that year. In 1909, he was voted in a poll in The Argus as the third most popular Association player.

He was also captain of the Fire Brigade team which played in the mid-week competition. He was officer-in-charge of the Port Melbourne station.

Madden later became an Association boundary and goal umpire, including the sensational 1921 Grand Final that was abandoned after the ground was hit by a hail storm. He later required stitches to his head! He went on to a career as a goal umpire in the VFL (1923-1929) and officiated in 93 games, including the 1928 Grand Final.

Mick Madden died on 21st September, 1943.