Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
John Cunningham

Known as
John Cunningham

Nickname
JC

Born
19 February 1974 (age 50)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 21y 69d
Last game: 21y 76d

Height and weight
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 76 kg

Senior clubs
Port Melbourne; Geelong; Norwood

Jumper numbers
Geelong: 39

Family links
Jack Cunningham (Father)Tom Cunningham (Grandfather)

John Cunningham

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
Port MelbourneVFA19937
GeelongAFL1995200.00100%5.502.001.500
NorwoodSANFL1996-20031081201.11
Total1993, 1995-20031171201.03

AFL: 10,599th player to appear, 11,899th most games played, 12,773rd most goals kickedGeelong: 930th player to appear, 1,017th most games played, 1,088th most goals kicked

Son of Hawthorn premiership player John ‘Jack’ Cunningham, John Cunningham played briefly with Port Melbourne (seven games) and Geelong (two games) before commencing with Norwood in 1996. A first rate rover who liked to kick a goal, he won the Redlegs’ best and fairest award on debut but then sustained a serious knee injury just prior to the 1997 season. Not expected to resume that year, he made a stunning recovery which saw him chosen to play finals after just a single reserves match. He ended up winning the Jack Oatey Medal for best afield after Norwood’s grand final annihilation of Port Adelaide.

When Cunningham retired in 2003 he had played 108 games and booted 120 goals, totals which would have been higher had he not fallen victim to persistent knee and hamstring problems. Twice chosen in the prestigious Advertiser Team of the Year he also played inter-league football for the SANFL on one occasion.

After retiring as a player Cunningham coached amateur club Pembroke Old Scholars for a time.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

http://www.redlegsmuseum.com.au/ON_FIELD/PLAYERS/CUNNINGHAMJohn.aspx

Footnotes

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