Gavin Wanganeen

Gavin Wanganeen
Personal information
Full name Gavin Adrian Wanganeen
Date of birth 18 June 1973 (1973-06-18) (age 38)
Original team Port Adelaide (SANFL)
Draft #12, 1989 National Draft, Essendon
Height/Weight 181cm / 83kg
Position(s) Utility
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1991–1996
1997–2006
Total		 Essendon
Port Adelaide		 127 (64)
173 (138)
300 (202)
1 Playing statistics to end of 2005 season .
Career highlights

Gavin Adrian Wanganeen (born 18 June 1973) is a retired Australian rules footballer, playing in two Australian Football League premierships with Essendon and Port Adelaide. Wanganeen is a Brownlow Medallist and is considered one of the finest indigenous players ever. He is the first cousin of brothers Aaron and Alwyn Davey.[1]

Contents

Early life

An Australian Aboriginal of Kokatha Mula descent,[2] Wanganeen played junior football for Adelaide based Amateur club Salisbury North Hawks before debuting in 1990 aged 16 with Port Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) (prior to that club joining the AFL), playing 24 matches and kicking 46 goals, winning the SANFL Rookie of the Year award, starring in Port Adelaide's 1990 Premiership team[3] and gaining the attention of AFL side Essendon.

AFL career

Essendon Career (1990–1996)

Wanganeen debuted for Essendon in 1991, immediately finding a niche as an attacking defender. His quality was recognised in 1993 when he won the Brownlow Medal for the best and fairest player in the league, the first Aboriginal Australian to do so, as well as being a key player in Essendon's premiership win that year. In 2002, he was voted the 19th best Essendon player of all time in the "Champions of Essendon" list.

Port Adelaide Power Career (1997–2006)

Wanganeen returned to Port Adelaide in 1997 to captain Port Adelaide and won 11 Brownlow votes, but after his first season injuries conspired to minimise his impact. He relinquished the Port Adelaide captaincy at the end of the 2000 season which saw a return to his best form. In the 2003 season he was favourite to once again win the Brownlow (he finished equal second). In 2004 he won his second premiership medal in Port's first AFL premiership side. Wanganeen played his 300th AFL game in the 2006 season, but then injured his right knee in an SANFL game for the Port Adelaide Magpies, which led him to retire from football.[4] Wanganeen was the first Aboriginal player to play 300 games. He was honoured by the Power by the naming of the best under 21 medal after him, the Gavin Wanganeen Medal.

Career highlights

AFL

Personal life

In 2000 Wanganeen married Stephanie Richards and had two children; a daughter, Mia, and a son, Tex. They separated in 2009.

Gavin has served as a voluntary ambassador for the Australian branch of the White Ribbon Campaign which is a men's campaign that tackles violence against women.

See also

References

  1. ^ Flanagan, M., "The Davey pacesetters", Real Footy, 9 May 2007. Retrieved on 9 May 2007.
  2. ^ Ralph, J. "Indigenous superman Gavin Wanganeen blazed a trail", Herald Sun, 4 June 2010. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/indigenous-superman-gavin-wanganeen-blazed-a-trail/story-e6frf9jf-1225875209902 Accessed 4 June 2010.
  3. ^ Argent, P. "Now an immortal", Koori Mail, 16 June 2010, p. 85.
  4. ^ [1]

External links

Sporting positions
First
Establishment of AFL club
 Port Adelaide Football Club captain
1997–2000		 Matthew Primus
Awards
Preceded by
Scott Wynd		 Brownlow Medallist
1993		 Succeeded by
Greg Williams
Preceded by
Matthew Primus		 John Cahill Medal
2003		 Succeeded by
Warren Tredrea