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Full name
Wayne Gordon
Known as
Wayne Gordon
Born
11 July 1954
Died
29 September 1983 (aged 29)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 20y 16d
Last game: 26y 344d
Height and weight
Height: 189 cm
Weight: 83 kg
Senior clubs
Preston; Collingwood; Melbourne
Jumper numbers
Collingwood: 39, 13
Melbourne: 13
Recruited from
Collingwood (1979)
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Preston | VFA | 1973 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Collingwood | V/AFL | 1974-1978 | 67 | 23 | 0.34 | 57% | 8.31 | 4.28 | 3.00 | 3 |
Melbourne | V/AFL | 1979-1981 | 34 | 5 | 0.15 | 15% | 8.24 | 6.50 | 3.00 | 0 |
VFA | 1973 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
V/AFL | 1974-1981 | 101 | 28 | 0.28 | 43% | 8.29 | 5.03 | 3.00 | 3 | |
Total | 1973-1981 | 101 | 28 | 0.28 | — | — | — | — | — |
AFL: 8,698th player to appear, 2,448th most games played, 3,127th most goals kickedCollingwood: 747th player to appear, 281st most games played, 288th most goals kickedMelbourne: 1,003rd player to appear, 442nd most games played, 589th most goals kicked
Probably best remembered today for his heroic battle with cancer that ended tragically at the age of just 29, Wayne Gordon also provided pleasant memories for the supporters of three football clubs. He commenced his senior career with Preston in 1973, having worked his way up from the club's thirds. A series of fine performances with the Bullants captured the attention of Collingwood, and at the end of the 1973 season he crossed to Victoria Park where he enjoyed a five season, 67-game, 23-goal senior stint. Most of those games, including the drawn and replayed Grand Finals of 1977, were played as a wingman, in which position he was dynamic and dashing, but subject to occasional bouts of almost manic aggression.
In 1979 Gordon crossed to Melbourne where he spent his final three seasons in the game, playing 34 games and kicking five goals, before being forced to retire on health grounds.
Author - John Devaney