DOB: 11 March 1965
Debut: Round 1, 1987 against Fitzroy at MCG
Last MFC Game: Semi Final 1991 against West Coast at Subiaco
From: Perth
Number: 35 (1987), 5 (1988)-(1991)
Honours:
Grand Final player - 1988
West Australia state player - 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
Night Premiership player - 1987, 1989
Games: 109 (211 total)
Goals: 63 (169 total)
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 70 | 0 | 39 | 64.22 |
Nicknamed "The Duke", Spalding was a former Western Australian state fast bowler who had played first class matches against Sri Lanka. His Sheffield Shield record stood at 12 wickets in four matches when he gave the game away to concentrate on footy.
After 63 games with Perth, and finishing second in their 1986 best and fairest, Spalding was given the opportunity to join the inaugural West Coast list or Geelong but chose to cross to Melbourne instead. Initially a forward in the WAFL, he started his VFL career in defence before finding his niche as a centre half-forward in 1989. A fine mark, he kept Demon fans on the edge of their seats with his wayward kicking for goal. Despite this, he finished with a positive goalkicking record over his career (169.163). He was also capable of swinging into defence if required.
Citing a belief that his career wasn't progressing as he would have hoped, Spalding decided to leave Melbourne at the end of 1991, but his preferred club West Coast didn't show an interest, and after negotiations between Melbourne and Richmond fell through - even though Spalding had signed with the Tigers - he agreed to a deal with Carlton in the last 30 minutes before trades closed. He joined the Blues in return for pick 5 in the 1991 National Draft and played 102 games for the Blues between 1992 and 1997. He was a member of both their 1993 Grand Final and 1995 Premiership sides. He and Jeff Farmer are the only players to play 100 games for Melbourne and another club.
Spalding returned to the WAFL after his career with the Blues finished and he racked up another 32 games with East Fremantle before retiring. In 2000 he served as an assistant coach and reserves coach for the side. The next year was he was the senior coach, and remained in the role until the end of 2002 when he joined Fremantle as an assistant.
Coached Perth in 2018.
Spalding's brother Scott played one senior game for Carlton in 1993.
| Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
| 1987 | 24 | 6 | 5 |
| 1988 | 22 | 9 | 1 |
| 1989 | 19 | 19 | 8 |
| 1990 | 22 | 15 | 3 |
| 1991 | 22 | 14 | 0 |
| Match | Charge | Sanction | |
| Round 22, 1987 | Striking | Not Guilty | |
Lists
Carlton
Family at other clubs
Interstate recruits
Premiership players at other clubs
WAFL
Media
Inside Football - 24/06/1987
Age - 17/05/1989
Age - 24/10/1991
Age - 19/05/1995
Links
Blueseum profile
WAFL Footy Facts profile
Wikipedia profile