BIO

Wartime competition 1942-1944
Norwood-North games: 7
Norwood-North goals: 2

Keith Le Page was the 16-year-old captain of the Prince Alfred College First XVIII when he played in the 1943 Norwood-North premiership team.

He also played in the 1944 Norwood-North premiership team as a schoolboy before moving on to a fine career at Norwood which embraced premierships in 1946 and 1950.

The following is taken from the History of The Prince Alfred Old Collegians’ Football Club, 1925-1985, written by Mervyn Wyke Evans:

Keith LePage had the unusual distinction of playing in two winning premiership teams within the span of 2 weeks.  After playing with P.A.O.C. all year he went straight into the Norwood side for their grand final against Port Adelaide.  It is of interest to note that Peter Dalwood with 5 goals and extensive ruck work was best on ground that day and a record crowd of 53,000 was there to see it.
Whether Princes would, or would not have won the 1946 premiership without Keith’s great work in the centre will never be known, but for a while confusion reigned and therein lies a tale.
Although he had been playing for Princes right through the season, Norwood saw fit to select him in their side for a semi-final on the same day that he was due to strip for the Reds in their grand final.  Phones rang hot before a completely unexpected climax arose to satisfy all parties.  When the matter could not be resolved internally, Jack Oatey, captain-coach of Norwood was contacted and on being appraised of the facts, without hesitation said:- “I know where he will be playing tomorrow, he comes out of my side immediately – I knew absolutely nothing of his commitment to your club.  You win your flag then we’ll win ours.”
Many fine stories have been told about that same Jack throughout a long career, but this must rank with the best.



Born at Clare on 14 March 1926, Keith Le Page showed remarkable sporting aptitude at Koolunga Primary School and at Prince Alfred College, which he attended from 1941 to 1944 and where he shone at football, cricket, rowing and athletics.

He served briefly in the RAAF in World War II before embarking on a medical course..

A long-sleeved half-back who wooed fans with his flair and black hair, he played 103 league games.

 In 1950, when he was named Norwood’s most consistent player, he captained the South Australian third team which played the Upper Murray at Renmark.  He was named Norwood’s best backman in 1947, best placed in 1949 and best utility in 1951.

He also founded the mini-league with Howard (Chops) Mutton.

At the age of 70, he returned to rowing.  A member of the Adelaide Rowing Club, he trained up to five days a week and competed most weekends – a routine he maintained for 10 years, winning gold medals at world and Australian masters games.

Outside of sport, Keith practised as a psychiatrist until after his 80th birthday, using hypnosis extensively in his clinical work.  He was an active member of the Huguenot Society and the ALP candidate for Sturt in 1966. Keith passed away on 19 August 2008, aged 82


P Robins March 2013, A Heitmann Feb 2020