Obituary: Tributes to former champion GNFL player Dale Collard-Wallam, who died at the age of 31

Dale Collard-Wallam was a gifted footballer but there was more to him than that.

He made some bad life choices but as it says in the Good Book: “Let he without sin cast the first stone.”

Dale, who died on December 18 last year in Geraldton at the age of 31, is fondly recalled as a kind-hearted man who always thought of his family.

“He would come around, fix whatever needed repair, he would show up and help with the yard work and work on our cars,” big sister Caris Collard said.

“He’d make time to kick the footy with his nephews sharing his knowledge to get a perfect kick or hold the perfect mark.

“He believed it was his duty to look after his family and elders and very much a protector of the people he loved especially his mother, sisters and daughters.”

The father of two was born on July 12, 1993, and football was in his blood. His father Dave Wallam famously kicked 23 goals for Mullewa against Brigades in 1985 to set a Great Northern Football League record that still stands.

Dale, his brothers and every boy in the neighbourhood would play footy at any opportunity but Dale wasn’t playing, he was practising.

“He would still have the footy in his hands long after the other kids were tired out,” Caris said.

“He’d train hard three times a week — long sessions and on his own if he had to.”

When barely a teenager, Dale debuted in league football and was still five days short of 15 when on July 5, 2008, he landed his first goal.

He would go on to amass 201 goals for Mullewa, interestingly one more for the Saints than his dad. Only 12 players have 200 or more goals in Mullewa’s 63 years in the GNFL.

Dale kicked seven goals in 2009, 20 in 2010, 19 in 2011, 32 in 2012 and 13 in 2014, including three in a preliminary final win over Towns and another in a winning grand final against Brigades.

He also played a handful of reserves and colts games in the WAFL for Swan Districts. Some AFL clubs, Collingwood among them, expressed interest.

Dale was back full-time at Mullewa in 2015, landing 55 goals, including one in a first semifinal loss to Railways. He didn’t play much in 2016 but added five goals to his tally.

In 2017, he booted 45 goals, with three of them in a second semi win over Railways and two more when Mullewa won the flag against Railways, when also among the best players.

Great players are always at their best in finals and five of Dale’s 37 best player listings were in finals.

After 2017 he played sporadically, turning out for Rovers for a few games in 2024 where he took his career tally to 204 goals.

He kicked 10 goals in a game four times. Ten against Chapman Valley at Nabawa (now Mazzuchelli Oval) in 2010 and another 10 against the Valley in 2012 at Mullewa.

In 2015 he booted 10 versus Northampton at Mullewa and three weeks later 11 against Railways at the Rec.

Peter Sweeney, then Mullewa’s club president, remembered the game against Railways.

“I watched in disbelief as he kicked seven goals in the first quarter,” Sweeney said.

“It was as if he’d gone to a park, just him and goalposts to thread the ball through.”

Dale also knew how to work. I saw him many times when he was involved in projects that required strength and endurance. Even on hot days, he kept going.

To close, yes, Dale was a great footballer — good enough to play AFL, but if everyone “good enough” to play AFL did, there’d be 50 AFL teams. Some things are not meant to be.

To his family and friends, Dale was special, strikingly handsome, generous, intelligent and treasured.

Dale’s family is planning a candlelight vigil on January 29 to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

Lifeline: 13 11 14

13 YARN: 13 92 76