Introduction
Don W. Scott (born 20 December 1947) is a former Australian rules footballer who represented Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1960s and 1970s.
Over his 300-game career, Scott built a reputation as an aggressive ruckman and a team enforcer. He was also an outstanding leader, captaining the Hawks to two premierships.
Early career
If Scott had not become a footballer, he very well might have become a champion horse rider. His father Doug was a schoolteacher and his grandfather was an avid horseman. At 16 years of age he won a jumping and riding prize at the Royal Melbourne Show on a horse he had trained himself. Throughout his football career and afterwards, Scott continued to be heavily involved in the equine industry, whether it was horse-rearing, merchandising equine products, or competing in showjumping.
Scott was educated at Blackburn High School.
Because of his aggressive style of play, Scott was a frequent visitor to the tribunal, whether he was the purported instigator or the victim; he was reported 15 times, but only suspended for a total of 11 matches.
Life after football and Operation Payback
In 1985 Scott took up the position of head coach at South Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). However, the playing group could not adapt to Scott's tough style of coaching and he quit after just six games in charge, all of them defeats.
After returning to Melbourne, Scott was recruited by television station Channel 7 to be an expert commentator for their VFL telecasts, including providing special comments during a number of Grand Finals.
In 1996, Scott was the founder of the "Operation Payback" campaign, which was ultimately successful in its efforts to prevent Hawthorn from merging with another AFL club, Melbourne. Scott rallied many supporters and former Hawthorn players in opposition to the proposed Melbourne Hawks formation.
In 2001 Scott was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
In March 2012 it was announced that Scott had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, but because he went for annual check-ups the cancer was detected early, which increased the likelihood of survival.