BIO

Born in South Australia, Lee Blake spent most of his teenage years in Perth. He played the majority of his club football as a teenager with the Coolbinia Bombers, and in 1998 he won the under 15s Best and Fairest Medal in the Central Districts Junior Football Association. The following year, Blake was selected to represent Western Australia in the under 16 national championships. Of that team, ten of Blake’s team mates went on to AFL teams, including Daniel Kerr, Graham Polak, Ashley Sampi, Quinten Lynch and Ashley McGrath. Blake was a talented player in serious football company.

In 2000, Blake was a premiership player with the East Perth Colts in the WAFL. Blake played off half back and was awarded the Mel Whinnen Medal for Best on Ground in the Grand Final. 

In 2001, Blake returned to Adelaide for family reasons and turned out for Norwood. He played three games in the under 19s, followed by three games in the reserves. The following week, he was selected to make his debut in the league team. A star was rising, and rising fast. Blake had silky skills, was a very good kick and played primarily as a half back or half forward. 

Determined to become a regular league player, Blake committed to a big pre season before the 2002 season. However, he complained that he was constantly feeling tired and lethargic, and League coach Garry McIntosh insisted that he go and get some blood tests done. Sadly, those tests found that Blake had Leukemia and he was given a 50/50 chance of survival. 

In and out of treatment for the next six years, Blake played two more league games in 2004. By 2005, the chemotherapy and the relapses were taking their toll and Blake asked to play ‘one more game’ for his beloved Norwood Football Club. It would be his 36th and final reserves game, to go with three under 19 games and four league games. Norwood played the Eagles at Woodville Oval and at the final siren, Blake (who had already kicked two goals that day), had a shot on goal after the siren. He hit the post in what was, sadly, an uncanny metaphor for his life. Norwood had already won the game but Blake’s ongoing battle against Leukemia had inspired many and he was chaired off the ground by his team mates through a red and blue guard of honour formed by club officials and supporters. 

Blake’s final two games of football were played with the Mypolonga Football Club in 2007. He didn’t tell the club he had sustained another relapse of Leukemia, and yet in those two final games of footy he played, he still managed to kick 14 goals. 

On Friday 9 May 2008, Norwood defeated Port under lights at Norwood Oval. Blake was lying unconscious in bed at the Mary Potter Hospice. As his victorious club mates sung the club song down the phone to his bedside, Blake miraculously lifted his head and smiled. It was the last conscious moment he experienced, before passing away in the early hours of the following morning at the age of just 24.  Blake’s funeral was held at Norwood Oval, and attendees formed a guard of honour around the boundary line as the hearse drove away to the sounds of the club song and “There goes my Hero”. 

Blake had a small football imprint at Norwood but he made a huge impact on the Norwood Football Club. A plaque dedicated to his memory can be found at Norwood Oval on Coopers Hill, a few steps down from the bar. It was erected by his family and his Norwood friends in memory of their inspiration. 

C Brown, August 2024