Vale Wes Lofts

Blue Sombrero · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 1:40 am

Well, that's a blow for us all.
Thanks to all those above who knew him personally for sharing their memories with us all.
I only 'knew' him from his footy and his time behind the scenes. I never met him.

He and Vin Waite formed a pretty formidable back line in the days when footy was a blood sport and you were'made to earn' every kick and every mark. Add Collo to that list and you had a mix of straight ahead hard men with a bit of sniping thrown in. That's the time I got interested in footy, the early sixties. The game has changed a lot but the fire in the belly of the players who love the club has never dimmed. Wes was such a player. He was bloody hard. He was probably not that skilled but in an era of forwards he was rarely beaten all day. And has been so eloquently put by those above me, Wes was brutal off the field as well. The club was in good hands when he was involved. Many used to say he had too much power but he was a hard man in a golden era for us.

Thanks for those early memories, Wes and condolences to all who were close to you.

Life is a carousel that goes around just once. Each passing of my boyhood heroes reminds me that we are only here for a short while and we need to live it to the full.

Footy isn't just a game at all, really.

JackWorrall · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 12:24 pm

Along with GWS and Moshe I had many drinks and dinners with Wes, and what amazed me was how he was always so pleased to see us.

As already said, he was a highly intelligent, thoughtful and erudite individual. He was also generous, and invited me to his box at Princes Park for the game against West Coast when Andrew Walker made his debut.

Remarkably for such a powerful personality was his ability to listen to other people, and I think this was a major reason for his successes in life.

Among so many of his stories, my favourite was always how he described Peter Hudson getting heat stroke and fainting when he debuted against Wes.

His legacy for our club is enormous, and I will miss him enormously.

moshe25 · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2005 1:23 am **Posts:** 11671

JackWorrall wrote:

Along with GWS and Moshe I had many drinks and dinners with Wes, and what amazed me was how he was always so pleased to see us.

As already said, he was a highly intelligent, thoughtful and erudite individual. He was also generous, and invited me to his box at Princes Park for the game against West Coast when Andrew Walker made his debut.

Remarkably for such a powerful personality was his ability to listen to other people, and I think this was a major reason for his successes in life.

Among so many of his stories, my favourite was always how he described Peter Hudson getting heat stroke and fainting when he debuted against Wes.

His legacy for our club is enormous, and I will miss him enormously.

(call me)

GWS · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 1:15 pm

Wes's funeral is a private family one but there's a public celebration of his life at the club on Wednesday next week at 2pm.

RickJ · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 2:38 pm

As a kid also remember Peter Hudson's first VFL game at Princes Park lining up on Wes Lofts. First quarter scoreboard end. Hudson was a phenom, had kicked 200 goals the season before for New Norfolk in Tassie. There were huge raps on him and great excitement and expectation. Hudson got absolutely battered and bashed from pillar to post, but still kicked four. Hudson would have got 15 free kicks if today's rules applied, and Wes would have got 15 weeks. Wes was a seriously hard man, seriously tough in a controlled way. Mentally and physically tough.

And smart. THE powerbroker at Carlton for many years. THE most influential man at the club. Successful business man, ladies man, snappy dresser. Seem to remember him driving an E type jaguar at one stage.

Very sad to lose such an icon and true blue at such a relatively young age. Seventy one.

While Tommy Hafey may not have approved of Geoffrey Edelstens new girl at his funeral, I have a feeling Wes might at his.

ianh · **Joined:** Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:08 pm **Posts:** 906

RickJ wrote:

While Tommy Hafey may not have approved of Geoffrey Edelstens new girl at his funeral, I have a feeling Wes might at his.

I wouldn't be too sure Tommy wouldn't have appreciated same ...

GWS · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 3:37 pm

ianh wrote:

RickJ wrote:

While Tommy Hafey may not have approved of Geoffrey Edelstens new girl at his funeral, I have a feeling Wes might at his.

I wouldn't be too sure Tommy wouldn't have appreciated same ...

I reckon they both would have appreciated Brynne not being there.

Warby · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 5:16 pm

Very sad news about Wes's passing.....a powerhouse administrator for the CFC,

where he worked as hard and as fearlessly as he played for us at Full Back.

I recall doing business with him too at his Company; W.V.Lofts and Co....he was hard but innovative

too.....a forward thinker.

I found this pic in my Scrapbook of Wes and Ragsy Goold celebrating our never to be forgotten

Premiership Win in 1968.

Our first in 21 years....and what a win it was too under Ron Barassi.

R.I.P. Wes.....Respect.

camel · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 6:18 pm

Great memories guys, thanks again.

Synbad · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 7:58 pm

im with moshe...
the thing that struck me is even in his sixties what a dapper handsome charming man wes was.. his blue eyes were just amazing...

and im as straight as they come

but its his charisma that really shone
he had a knack of telling stories..in a really blokey way with a classy edge ... but not classy... but classy cos it was his delivery

jack and him were very similar...

they were 2 peas in a pod

u can see why they got on so well
both staunch protestants
both righties
and both carlton

GWS · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 8:07 pm

Synbad wrote:

im with moshe...
the thing that struck me is even in his sixties what a dapper handsome charming man wes was.. his blue eyes were just amazing...

and im as straight as they come

but its his charisma that really shone
he had a knack of telling stories..in a really blokey way with a classy edge ... but not classy... but classy cos it was his delivery

jack and him were very similar...

they were 2 peas in a pod

u can see why they got on so well
both staunch protestants
both righties
and both carlton

Actually I suspect there may have been a little Jewish blood back there somewhere.

From memory Wes had Lithuanian or Latvian ancestors on one side (is Loftus a Baltic name?) but we had a slightly strange and intruiging conversation about Judaism one night and I walked away thinking there might be a bit more going on there.

Might be nothing.

Might not.

moshe25 · **Joined:** Wed May 11, 2005 1:23 am **Posts:** 11671

Velvl Loftenshteyn.

Warby · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 8:32 pm

I just thought of two Wes Lofts memories.

One Saturday arvo we were playing Hawthorn at the Sardine can (Glenferrie Oval); and late in the game we were in trouble against them...(Hawthorn were usually easybeats in those days)....and SOMEBODY switched Wes from Full Back to Full Forward....(he was originally a forward)...and I recall him kicking goals from a mile out on those tight Glenferrie angled pockets to win us the game.

I also recall one of his Sales Reps at W.V.Lofts and Tape Converters....Geoff Leek; who was an Essendon* champ previously, and one of the nicest guys I ever knew.....memories.

Synbad · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 8:36 pm

gws a convo i had with him and jack confirms he couldnt have been jewish at all....

DocSherrin III · **Joined:** Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:09 pm **Posts:** 17212

From the "Carlton 65" booklet which was produced to raise money for the players end of season trip to New Zealand.

"While in New Zealand, the club will meet the basic costs for the players, but several will have little spending money for a really good time...I appeal to all Blues supporters to buy this magazine" - George Harris

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No. 20 Wes Lofts

Carlton's "James Bond"

Handsome, debonaire Wes Lofts, is known around the club as James Bond. One of his teammates, John Goold, reckons that if Wes isn't 007, he is at least 006.

The tall forward is a happy-go-lucky "swinging" fellow who brightens up proceedings round the rooms the minute he arrives.

"I'm just a fun-loving bachelor," says Wes with a grin. Not only the young fans idolise him as a footballer. The girls in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and Baghdad had a pleasant eye for Wes during a month's tour two years ago.

Ask former North Melbourne stars Allen Aylett or Albert Mantello and Murray Weideman, former Collingwood captain! They went with him on the trip and lost count of the times the girls made amorous advances.

Allan and Wes arranged the tour after they had traveled together with the interstate team a few months earlier.

Although still only 22, Wes is a veteran of 76 senior games with the club. Six years ago, he played the latter half of the season with the Thirds, and in the last half of the following season was promoted to the Reserves. The third year, at 17, he made the senior side in the first round and settled in as a regular member of the team.

Wes has no brothers or sisters to urge him on, but his mother takes an interest in his play. "Dad isn't all that keen on football," he says. "He prefers to work in the garden."

At centre-half forward, centre-half back and full-forward, Wes has come up against some formidable opponents. But the toughest of them all has been Ted Whitten - "without a shadow of a doubt".

He is not fussy in which position he plays, but he prefers not to be selected at full-forward.

"James Bond" is 6ft, 21/2 in. and 14.5

GWS · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 9:05 pm

Synbad wrote:

gws a convo i had with him and jack confirms he couldnt have been jewish at all....

Because...?

DocSherrin III · **Joined:** Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:09 pm **Posts:** 17212

Urinal chat?

GWS · **Posted:** Sat May 24, 2014 9:20 pm

DocSherrin wrote:

Urinal chat?

Not suggesting he was post-bris - just that we had an odd conversation once about his heritage.

gerry atric · **Joined:** Tue Mar 01, 2005 9:35 am **Posts:** 2125

Sad to see an old Carlton man go. I can reel off the 68 premiership side in positions with numbers....I couldn't do that with the current side. You are never more fanatical than you are as a kid. Sad to think we are losing players from those late 60s/early 70s glory years. i never met Wes, apart from getting his autograph when i was about 10, but he made a great contribution over many years and was pretty much coach in the 79 grand final. Makes all of us who remember him playing, feel a bit more mortal.

camel · **Posted:** Sun May 25, 2014 5:58 pm

Thanks for that Doc. :beer:

Vale Wes Lofts

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