Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Donald Furness

Known as
Don Furness

Born
9 November 1930

Died
21 February 2002 (aged 71)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 18y 216d
Last game: 28y 293d

Height and weight
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 79 kg

Senior clubs
Fitzroy; Port Melbourne

Jumper numbers
Fitzroy: 30

Don Furness

Advanced stats
Club
League
Career span
Games
Goals
Avg
Win %
AKI
AHB
AMK
BV
FitzroyV/AFL1949-1959136430.3246%———28
Port MelbourneVFA1960-196121———————
Total1949-1961157430.27—————

AFL: 5,912th player to appear, 1,590th most games played, 2,322nd most goals kickedFitzroy: 656th player to appear, 54th most games played, 119th most goals kicked

After enduring something of a staccato start to his VFL career, during which he was tried in a variety of positions, Don Furness finally found his niche across centre and thereafter rapidly developed into one of the finest centremen cum wingmen in the game. Between 1949 and 1959 he played a total of 136 senior games for Fitzroy, and won best and fairest awards in 1953 and 1955. Quick, skilful and a superb exponent of the drop kick, Furness was an interstate representative for the VFL on a number of occasions, including games at the 1953 Adelaide carnival. In 1960 and '61 Don Furness served as captain-coach of VFA side Port Melbourne, for whom he played 21 games.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

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Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.