Right: Steve ‘Mad Dog’ Whyte and son Michael ‘Pup’ Whyte. Picture: Meagan Trotter.By Glen Atwell
STANDING out from the crowd at a football match landed Bunyip resident Steve “Mad Dog” Whyte with a nickname life sentence.
The then outgoing 18yearold wore a South Melbourne guernsey to a St Kilda versus Geelong match.
“It was the only jumper I had with me at the time,” Whyte said. “I had no choice.”
Fellow Bunyip locals Tom Cleary, Norm Roy and Simon Taylor were quick to make an observation.
“The jumper I was wearing had number 32 on it.
“Robbie “Mad Dog” Muir, was wearing 32 for St Kilda, so they made an instant connection,” he said.
Whyte has been known as Mad Dog ever since.
Robbie Muir was a breathtaking player with a controversial career, which finished with a 12week suspension after he abused a goal and field umpire, headbutted Bruce Doull and struck teammate Val Perovic.
Whyte says Muir’s nickname has stuck for life. “I’m now 47 years old and I can’t shake it,” he said.
The canine connection has also started spreading through the family.
Mad Dog’s son, 17yearold Michael, has been tagged “Pup”.
“What can I say? It’s a bit better than Mad Dog, I suppose,” Whyte said.
But Mad Dog’s wife Eleanor, and daughter Hannah, are not volunteering for another fourlegged nickname.
“I don’t think they want to follow in the tradition; two is probably enough,” he said.
And after the confusion of jumpers, Whyte doesn’t even barrack for South Melbourne.
“I lived in Brisbane for 13 years, so I’m a proud Lions supporter,” he said.
