Australian Football

As a youngster, New South Wales-born Steven O’Dwyer played rugby, and in fact did not encounter the sport of Australian football until he was aged 15. He adapted quickly to the ‘foreign’ code, however, and would go on to enjoy quite an illustrious, if comparatively brief, career at the game’s top level.

As befitted his flame red hair O’Dwyer was a fiery character on the field and was a regular at the tribunal, incurring suspensions totalling 10 weeks from eight reports. He was also a highly effective ruckman who, when at his peak in 1987-8, was among the very best in the game.

From 1987 to 1991 O’Dwyer played 84 games and scored 45 goals for Melbourne. In 1988 he both won the Demons’ best and fairest award and missed the grand final through suspension. His last couple of seasons at Melbourne saw him beginning to suffer from the knee problems which would ultimately de-rail his career. The moment of derailment came in 1992 after he had transferred to Richmond. He spent the vast majority of the season on the sidelines, playing just five senior and one reserves match. Prior to the start of the 1993 season he was forced to accept the inevitable, namely the fact that his knee was only going to continue to deteriorate, and he therefore opted to call time on his career.

Author - John Devaney