THROUGHOUT his almost four decades in footy, Earl Spalding has proved to have a golden touch.

When the big Western Australian arrived at Melbourne prior to the 1987 season, the once-powerful club had not played in a final since 1964. But during Spalding's five years with the Demons they made five consecutive finals series, even qualifying for the Grand Final in 1988.

The man known as "The Duke" – renowned as a jovial and friendly bloke who always enjoyed a few quiet lagers after the game – then headed to Carlton. During his time at Princes Park, he helped the Blues make two Grand Finals and played a key role in their 1995 premiership.

After leaving the AFL following the 1997 season, Spalding headed back to WA. In his first season back in the WAFL he helped East Fremantle win the flag.

Even now, he is still enjoying success. In 2012, he coached Perth-based amateur club Wesley-Curtin to its first ever senior premiership. That flag, won in B-Grade, resulted in Wesley-Curtin earning promotion to A-Grade for last season.

And last September, Spalding added another line to a great footballing resumé by leading the Tigers to a 32-point victory in the A-Grade Grand Final.

"Looking back, you always think it would've been good to win one more or two more AFL flags," the 48-year-old told AFL.com.au. "But then you think about the people who play for years and don't play in a final.

"You think about Robbie Flower, an absolute legend of the game, who didn't play in a final until his third-last game with Melbourne. So I feel lucky to have been part of all the success that I have been part of."

Spalding, who played three Sheffield Shield games for Western Australia as a fast bowler before focusing his attention on footy, looks back fondly on his elite footy career. If you combine his time in the WAFL and VFL/AFL, he played 314 games over 17 seasons.

"It's all a bit serious in the higher levels of footy these days," he said. "I think they've taken a lot of fun out of it.

"People often ask me if I'd rather have played today, when the player makes a s—-tload more money than we did.

"But we were blessed to play in the era that we did. We earned a bit of money, but we were able to fly under the radar a bit more than they can now."

Spalding still keeps in contact with a number of his former Melbourne and Carlton teammates, and the connections he made from footy have served him well. He still works for a printing firm that was previously owned by Blues champion Greg Williams.

"They got a contract with a big WA company and needed someone over here, so I took it on and have been doing it ever since," he said.

"You meet a lot of good people. You meet a few fraudsters along the way as well, but footy has been good to me. Diesel is one of those blokes always looking to help his mates."

Along with Williams, Spalding remains particularly good mates with former Carlton teammates Adrian Gleeson, Rohan Welsh and Barry Mitchell. Funnily enough, none of that trio played in the Blues' 1995 premiership.

"I try and get over to Melbourne at least once or twice a year for a catch-up," Spalding said. "I've got a young bloke, and we came over last year for a weekend with a few of his mates and a few of the dads from our local footy club.

"That was good fun, although the only weekend we could do it was when Carlton was playing Greater Western Sydney on the Saturday and Melbourne was playing Hawthorn on the Sunday.

"They weren't the greatest games. I think the margins were 96 and 95 points. But Adrian Gleeson took us through the new Carlton facilities and the Melbourne guys took us through their new facilities, so all the young boys were rapt with that. It was a great experience for them."

But Wesley-Curtain, which boasts ex-Richmond midfielder Mark Coughlan among its players, is where Spalding's loyalties lie right now. He is preparing for his fifth season as senior coach, and winning a third straight flag is his aim.

"I really enjoy it," he said. "It feels like how things were when I started out in senior footy. It's a bit more relaxed. You can go and enjoy the opposition's company and have a few beers after the game.

"I make a point of going into the opposition's rooms, regardless of the result. That's what it's all about. You've got to play footy for the enjoyment of it.

"Too many guys these days realise they're not going to make the highest level so they stop playing. I think, 'Why would you stop playing if you love the game?' It just doesn't make sense to me.

"I try and create an environment where they can enjoy their footy. I think if they're enjoying themselves, they're a much better chance to play good footy.

"Amateur footy is pretty transient. Players come and go. But we think we've got a pretty reasonable side again."

The way it brings people together for a common purpose and a common goal.

I get really concerned when people have knee-jerk reactions to the way they see the game. It has been going for a long time and it tends to work itself out. When flooding was huge in the game, it sorted itself out.

I'd get some fairness into the AFL draw. It is manufactured to get blockbuster crowds and it just isn't fair.

I really admire the way that Jonathan Brown has gone about his career. His courage has been unbelievable. People are complaining that it has become a soft game, but it certainly hasn't. I've got a lot of admiration for all AFL players.

I'm getting larger, which is a bit of an issue, but my body is pretty good. I've had a few knee issues, but if I do a fair bit of walking they stay in pretty good shape.

Everyone at Melbourne seems confident, and I think their best side looks OK, but I think that if they win four or five games it will be a great result. I'm not sure how the Blues will go. I think Mick Malthouse still needs some time to put his stamp on the team. But they can make the finals, for sure.