Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Ian Cooper

Known as
Ian Cooper

Born
12 June 1954 (age 69)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 18y 75d
Last game: 28y 77d

Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 81 kg

Senior clubs
Collingwood

Jumper numbers
Collingwood: 37, 10

Ian Cooper

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
CollingwoodV/AFL1972, 1974-1977, 1979, 1981-19829300.0060%8.411.923.287
Total1972, 1974-1977, 1979, 1981-19829300.0060%8.411.923.287

AFL: 8,514th player to appear, 2,625th most games played, 12,460th most goals kickedCollingwood: 728th player to appear, 205th most games played, 1,109th most goals kicked

Ian ‘Strop’ Cooper was a tough, reliable defender whose career was all but ruined by injury. As it was, he played 94 VFL games for Collingwood in four separate stints commencing in 1972 and ending in 1983. In all, he missed close to five full seasons of football because of serious ankle problems and other concerns. Arguably his most memorable game for the Magpies was the 1981 preliminary final when he was best afield in a 12.10 to 11.9 defeat of Geelong. It had actually been Cooper’s first game for fourteen weeks but needless to say he retained his place for the grand final in which Collingwood surrendered a three quarter time lead to go down by 20 points to Carlton.

Ian Cooper finished his playing career with VFA first division side Port Melbourne.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main; Wikipedia article; https://forever.collingwoodfc.com.au/collingwood-cult-figures-ian-cooper/

Footnotes

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