David Cordner | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Date of birth | 25 May 1962 | ||
Original team(s) | Old Melburnians | ||
Height | 192 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||
Weight | 92 kg (203 lb) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1982–1987 | Melbourne | 53 (61) | |
1988 | Sydney Swans | 5 (6) | |
Total | 58 (67) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1988. | |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
David Baillieu Cordner (born 25 May 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne and the Sydney Swans in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Cordner's father, Ted, was a member of Melbourne's 1941 premiership team. [1] Three uncles also played with Melbourne in the VFL, two-time best and fairest winner Denis, Brownlow Medalist Don and John, who also represented Victoria in cricket. [1] David's grandfather, Edward, played twice for Melbourne in 1905 and appeared in a further 60 games with University. [1]
A key forward, Cordner started his career in the Victorian Amateur Football Association, with Old Melburnians. [1] [2]
Cordner had a prolific Under-19s season in 1981, when he kicked over 100 goals. [1] [2] This included a 12-goal haul in Melbourne's semi-final win over Hawthorn and five in their grand final win over Geelong. [3] [4]
In his first two seasons with the seniors, Cordner struggled with injury, but in the 1984 VFL season put together 17 games. [2] [5] His 32 goals that year were bettered by only one teammate, Kelvin Templeton (51). [5]
He kicked seven goals against Fitzroy on the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the opening round of the 1985 season. [5] For the rest of the season he kicked only 14 more goals, but he was also used as a defender. [2] [5]
In 1986 he missed the early part of the season with a broken collarbone and only managed nine appearances that year. [5] [6]
Cordner decided to change clubs in 1988, after making just one appearance for Melbourne in 1987. [5] Talks were held with Geelong and Footscray, but it was the Sydney Swans that secured his services, on a one-year contract. [7] [8] The Swans were looking for a key forward to cover the loss of Warwick Capper, who had gone to the Brisbane Bears. [8]
He played only five games for the Swans, the last in round seven. [5]