Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
David Kantilla

Known as
David Kantilla

Place of birth
Tiwi, NT (0810)

Place of death
Tiwi, NT (0810)

Height and weight
Height: 196 cm

Senior clubs
South Adelaide

Recruited from
St. Mary's (NT) (1961)

State of origin
NT

David Kantilla


ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
South AdelaideSANFL1961-19661131060.94
Total1961-19661131060.94

Tiwi Islander Kantilla became the first full blood aboriginal footballer to appear in the SANFL when he joined South Adelaide in 1961. Kantilla, whose tribal name was Amparralamtua, went to South on the recommendation of a former rover with the club, Len Atkins. 

Despite never having played on a fully turfed oval before, the beanpole-like Kantilla adapted to the hurly burly of big time football straight away, cementing his place in the team by booting six goals against Glenelg on his debut at Kensington Oval. Over the next six seasons he played a total of 113 games for the Panthers, initially as a forward, but later, and to more telling effect, as an energetic, highly-skilled ruckman. 

Possibly his finest moment came in 1964 when he was arguably best afield in South’s 9.15 (69) to 5.12 (42) Grand Final victory over Port. Kantilla also represented South Australia in the interstate arena in 1964 and 1965 (a total of four games), and was a dual winner of the Knuckey Cup for South Adelaide’s best and fairest player. His career tally of 106 league goals included a club list-topping 31 in his debut season. 

On his return to the Northern Territory he captain-coached his old club St Marys to a Grand Final loss against Darwin in 1968/9. Kantilla was tragically killed in a road accident on Bathurst Island in 1978.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion

Footnotes

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