The Duck. Great attacking player. Very sad news.
I remember Frank Stanton and the selectors putting back into 1st grade for his last three top grade games ever in 1979, against Cronulla, Canterbury and St George. He played very well in all three games. I remember my boss at the time, a Parramatta supporter, telling me ‘Drake, good attacking player!’ If someone has the 1979 team photo, Drake’s in there, with his famously unsmiling visage!
We won the first two (19-14, 12-3) and but for Wombat’s absence in the Saints (25-18) game, would probably have won that too.
In reserve grade, he always struck you as a first grader stuck in the reserves.
I saw him training with the team at Reub Hudson in early 1980, but clearly he either gave it away, considering who was notionally in front of him (Randall, Walker, Boyd, Brown, Vautin, Springall), or Allan Thomson told him it was time.
Interestingly, he was basically picked from reserve grade to play for NSW in 1971. The selectors told Manly to select him for 1st grade because they were going to select him for NSW, but Manly insisted on picking Allan Thomson instead. It was quite a controversy at the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if that played a part in him heading off to St George for four years. Another great example of Manly ‘looking after its juniors.’
Played in our losing GF team as lock in 1970, because I think there were some concerns re: Thomson’s (there’s that man again) fitness for a full game. Thommo did play off the bench.
Then he played for the Saints in that epic loss to Easts in 1975. In some respects, a very unlucky player.