A quick check reveals that Frazer’s father Andrew represented Melbourne in two senior matches in 1986 sporting the lofty No.59, while his uncle Adam wore the baggy green, sending down his seamers to Tendulkar and Lara in the Bangalore and Antigua Tests of 1997 and ’98.
As it happened, golf was the 18 year-old Carlton recruit’s sport of choice at the time news came through of his drafting to Carlton.
“I was playing a round of golf with my little sister Milly at Myrtleford when my Mum came flying up. Mum’s got no idea about footy and she said to me ‘You’ve gone to Carlton at pick 50 in the national draft’, and I said ‘What are you talking about? It’s the rookie draft’,” Dale said.
“Then Dad came flying up and we just hugged. I’m absolutely stoked, can’t believe it.”
The past two seasons have seen Dale commit his energies to Calder, initially as a forward flanker then later as defender, meaning he now follows Eddie Betts, Luke Mitchell and Matthew Watson from Calder into the Carlton fold.
And yet at 18 he’s already something of a journeyman. Benalla-born, the early years have also seen Dale living in such locales as Hobart, Kilmore (at Assumption College) and more recently, Myrtleford and Essendon.
So the move to Carlton is a veritable cakewalk and Dale will make the trek from the foothills in the morning, as a passenger in a car driven by the old man as he’s yet to secure his licence.
