Chris Mainwaring
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth | December 27, 1965, Geraldton, Western Australia  |
| Recruited from | East Fremantle (WAFL) |
| Death | October 1, 2007 (aged 41), Perth, Western Australia |
| Playing career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 3, 1987, West Coast Eagles vs. Sydney, at Subiaco Oval |
| Team(s) | West Coast Eagles (1987-1999)
201 games, 84 goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 1999 season | |
| Career highlights | |
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Chris "Mainy" Mainwaring (December 27, 1965 – October 1, 2007) was an Australian rules footballer. He played for the West Coast Eagles in the VFL/AFL and for East Fremantle in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). He was also a television presenter and sports journalist with Seven News Perth.
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[edit] Football career
Mainwaring started his career with the Geraldton Rovers before being recruited by East Fremantle "The Sharks" in 1985. In his first season, he was a member of the Western Australian State of Origin team and played in a Sharks premiership team.
He was a member of the West Coast Eagles' inaugural squad in 1987. He made his debut in round three that year, against Sydney at Subiaco and afterwards only missed one game for the season.[1] and was named their best first year player.[2] Mainwaring played for the Eagles on the wing and contributed greatly to their success, playing in both their 1992 and 1994 premierships. The image of him leaping with joy at the conclusion of the game, despite having a broken ankle, is one of the lasting images of the Eagles' first premiership. He played 201 games for the Eagles between 1987 and 1999, kicking 84 goals.
Mainwaring was an All-Australian in 1991 and 1996 and has been named on the wing in the West Coast Eagles' Team of the Decade in 1996, Team20 in 2006 and East Fremantle's Team of the Century in 1997. Whilst he never won the Club Champion award at the Eagles, he finished in the top 10 eight times, including placing third in both his debut and second years in the VFL and second in 1989, 1992 and 1996.[3]
In 1997, he suffered a knee injury, which required a knee reconstruction and this put him out of action for the rest of that season. In 1998, while he was attempting to regain form, Mainwaring spent most of the season playing for the Sharks, before making his return to the West Coast side late that year. After another season in which he was in and out of the Eagles' side (and playing for East Fremantle), Mainwaring retired from AFL football.
He wore the Eagles' number 3 guernsey, a number which has only been worn by him and Chris Judd during the Eagles' 21 year history. The club has retired the number for the next 3 seasons until 2011.
Mainwaring played another season for the Sharks in 2000, after which he retired.
After leaving football, Mainwaring took a job with Seven News. By 2007, he was reading the sport at the weekend, as well as reporting during the week. He also read the sport headlines during the news on Perth radio station Mix 94.5 from 5:30-9:00 AM. In 2005 he was a Reporter of the Seven news desk Since 2001 he was a member of the selection panel for the All-Australian team and the AFL Rising Star.[4] He was married to Rani and had two children.
[edit] Death
Mainwaring died from a suspected heart attack in the early hours of 1 October 2007 after being rushed to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.[5] Police and St John Ambulance had been called to his address earlier in the night after a complaint about a man yelling in the street. After Mainwaring refused assistance from an ambulance crew, he was released to the care of a neighbour. About an hour later, emergency services were called back to the property when the 41-year-old had convulsions and collapsed. The Major Crime squad is investigating the circumstances surrounding Mainwaring’s death on behalf of the coroner. Mainwaring reportedly told paramedics during the first visit that he had taken ecstasy and cannabis.[6][7] A toxicology report, obtained by Channel Nine Perth, listed the drugs in his system at the time of his death as cocaine, ecstasy, cannabis, Roaccutane, anti-depressants and alcohol.[8]
Mainwaring and recently retired Australian cricketer Justin Langer were due to compete in a celebrity kick boxing event run by the World Kick Boxing Association at Challenge Stadium on 4 October 2007.[9] Mainwaring was known to have been training heavily in preparation for the event.
He had also been invited by the AFL to hold one of the Eagles' premiership cups during the 2007 AFL Grand Final pregame entertainment, but had cancelled in the week prior to the game, instead staying in Perth.[4] Former Eagles captain Ben Cousins was also reported to have spent time with Mainwaring on Sunday, 30th September, 2007. Mainwaring had assisted Cousins during his suspension by the Eagles earlier in the year, despite having a falling out with the West Coast Eagles due to confidential information given to Mainwaring by the club appearing in a Seven News report.[10]
Mainwaring's memorial service was held on October 8, 2007 at Christ Church Grammar School, Claremont. About 1200 people attended the service including 300 who watched on a big screen outside the chapel. It was broadcast live on Channel 7 and GWN.
[edit] External links
- Chris Mainwaring profile on the Official AFL Website of the West Coast Eagles Football Club
- Chris Mainwaring's statistics from AFL Tables
[edit] References
- ^ AFL 1987 Stats
- ^ West Coast Eagles Honour Roll
- ^ West Coast Eagles Club Champtions
- ^ a b Scott Spits and Dan Harrison; "Mystery surrounds ex-Eagle Mainwaring's death"; The Age; October 1, 2007
- ^ "Family, friends and fans bid farewell", The Australian Online, 9 October 2007.
- ^ "Desperate Mainy called out for help in the night", The West Australian Online, 2 October 2007.
- ^ "Devastated Cousins was with Mainwaring: West Coast", ABC Online, 2 October 2007.
- ^ Mainwaring died of drug cocktail: report
- ^ "Telethon Celebrity Fight Night"; retrieved October 2, 2007
- ^ Sean Cowan and Ray Wilson. Cousins rushed to aid of old friend 'Mainy'; The Age; October 2, 2007
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