Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Keith Burns

Known as
Keith Burns

Born
25 November 1939 (age 84)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 17y 202d
Last game: 21y 274d

Height and weight
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 81 kg

Senior clubs
Collingwood; Sandringham

Jumper numbers
Collingwood: 19

Recruited from
Collingwood (1962)

Keith Burns

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
CollingwoodV/AFL1957-196128321.1446%12.671.335
SandringhamVFA1962-1964531422.68
Total1957-1964811742.15

Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only

AFL: 6,835th player to appear, 5,699th most games played, 2,842nd most goals kickedCollingwood: 594th player to appear, 469th most games played, 227th most goals kicked

...a dynamic rover who inspires his side with his clever, tenacious football.¹

Keith Burns was one of the foremost VFA identities of his day, but he actually commenced his career in the VFL with Collingwood. A rover, he played 28 games and scored 32 goals for the Magpies from 1957 to 1961. He enjoyed outstanding form in the 1960 finals series culminating in earning the nod as his team’s best player in the grand final loss to Melbourne.

The 1962 season saw Burns at Sandringham where his form was very good, and intermittently brilliant, over the course of a three season, 49 game, 139 goals stint. Highlights of this phase of his career included winning the 1962 Liston Trophy, topping the Zebras’ goal kicking list in 1964 with 53 goals, and claiming their best and fairest award in the same year. He captain-coached the side in 1963-4. There was disappointment mixed with the triumph, however, as he missed the 1962 grand final, which Sandringham won, with injury. Burns was later included as first rover in the Zebras’ official ‘Team of the Century’.

The final phase of Burns’ career entailed a four season, 47 game, 90 goal stint with Brunswick, during which he occupied the role of captain-coach. In 1966 he captained the VFA team which competed at the Hobart carnival.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. “ANFC Championships Opening Day Programme”, 9/6/66, page 8.

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications, Crème de la Crème

Footnotes

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