Australian Football

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