Vale Josef Franz Rader (30 November 1937 - 5 May 2026)

Photo:  Joe Rader in 2008. [PlessPix]

One of the Rapid stars of the 1950s and 1960s, Jozef Franz Rader, passed away last week at the age of 89.

A cultured inside forward or wing-half, the Elvis Presley lookalike, was a favourite player of our band of teenage fans of the time.

We would be in the packed old wooden stand at South Hobart cheering on our hero, a member of the red-shirted Rapid team, one of the new continental clubs rising to the top of Tasmania football.

It was only in the 1970s that Rapid switched to the green traditional shirts of Rapid back in Austria.

Joe was the father of one of Tasmania's finest women players, Lisa Rader.

Photo:  Joe Rader (back row fourth from right) in a Rapid team of the late 1950s.

Photo:  Rapid in 1961 with Joe Rader fifth from right in the back row.