Australian Football

Dean Irving was a heftily built 200cm, 102kg ruckman who hailed originally from Kalgoorlie, before being recruited by South Fremantle in 1985. Well co-ordinated, and very adept overhead, he was drafted by West Coast in 1989 and made his AFL debut the following year. His early performances were excellent, and he played 16 games in his initial season followed by 25 in 1991, including the losing grand final against Hawthorn. After that, however, following the recruitment by the Eagles of Paul Harding, he nosedived down the pecking order and managed just a single appearance in both 1992 and 1993, giving him final totals with the club of 43 AFL games and nine goals. Traded to Melbourne ahead of the 1994 season he again struggled to nail down a regular senior place, playing just 23 matches and kicking four goals in four seasons. The 1998 season found him back in the west where he threw in his lot with Subiaco, adding 36 appearances and 14 goals to the 45 games and 24 goals registered earlier with South Fremantle. Irving also represented Western Australia at state league level four times.

Author - John Devaney