David Dwyer

{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = David Dwyer

| image =

| fullname = David Dwyer

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|3|15|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = St Oliver's

| height = 182 cm

| weight = 80 kg

| position = Winger

| statsend = 1991

| years1 = 1984–1991

| club1 = North Melbourne

| games_goals1 = 72 (37)

| careerhighlights =

}}

David Dwyer (born 15 March 1964) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with North Melbourne in the Victorian/Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life and family

Dwyer went to school at St Joseph's College in North Melbourne and played football with St Oliver's.{{cite web|url=http://www.accmelb.com.au/index.php/previous-years/hall-of-fame-sports/football-hof|title=Football|publisher=Associated Catholic Colleges|accessdate=21 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226200700/http://accmelb.com.au/index.php/previous-years/hall-of-fame-sports/football-hof|archive-date=26 February 2015|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last=Holmesby|first=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=9781920910785}}

He comes from a family with a strong connection to the North Melbourne Football Club.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19891105&id=8LYyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lpEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3898,5106582|title=Kangaroos' Dwyer dynasty is still growing|date=5 November 1989|work=The Age|page=32|accessdate=21 February 2015}} His father Laurie Dwyer is on the wing in North Melbourne's Team of the Century and his grandfather Leo Dwyer played 71 games for North Melbourne. He also has a younger brother, Anthony Dwyer, who played with North Melbourne in the 1990s.{{cite book|last=Hillier, K.|title=Like Father Like Son| publisher=Pennon Publishing, Melbourne|year=2004|isbn=1-877029-73-4}}

Career

A wingman like his father, Dwyer came into the North Melbourne team in the 1984 VFL season and made 19 appearances.{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/D/David_Dwyer_gm.html|title=David Dwyer - Games Played|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=21 February 2015}}

Dwyer kicked the winning goal for North Melbourne in the club's round three win over Carlton at Princes Park in 1985.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122472862 |title=North nudges the Blues out with a late goal. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |location=ACT |date=14 April 1985 |accessdate=21 February 2015 |page=6 Section: SPORT |publisher=National Library of Australia}} Carlton led by 16 points in time-on, but North Melbourne' Ross Glendinning managed two quick goals, which was followed by a 35th-minute goal to Dwyer, who had marked from a Tony Furey kick.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122472965 |title=Australian Football: VFL tempers flare on and off the oval. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |location=ACT |date=15 April 1985 |accessdate=21 February 2015 |page=21 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} The siren sounded as soon as the ball was bounced in the centre, which gave North Melbourne a 22.15 (147) to 22.13 (145) win.{{cite web|url=http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=Round%203%2C%201985|title=Round 3, 1985|publisher=Blueseum - Online Carlton Football Club Museum|accessdate=20 February 2015}} The season would end up being a curtailed by injury, a stress fracture in his foot kept him out of the side for much of the year, but he played in both of North Melbourne's finals games.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19850626&id=SzRVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ApUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5973,5124444|title=Richmond gives Jess a week off|date=26 June 1985|work=The Age|page=43|accessdate=20 February 2015}}

In the 1986 season, Dwyer played 17 league games, a year North Melbourne missed out on the finals only on percentage.{{cite book|last=Lovett, Michael|title=AFL 2004 - The Official Statistical History Of The AFL| publisher=AFL Publishing|year=2004|isbn=0-9580300-5-7}} Against Collingwood at Victoria Park in round 14, Dwyer broke his nose and suffered concussion when he collided with umpire Ian Robinson.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1300&dat=19860630&id=8wAyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1pIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2608,6740332|title=Hawthorn names rookie in squad for night final|last=Smithers|first=Patrick|date=30 June 1986|work=The Age|page=30|accessdate=20 February 2015}}

He made 10 appearances in 1987, then didn't feature at all in the 1988 season, but did play in the reserves, which were coached by his father.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article102067926 |title=Norths in 'Best win of season'. |newspaper=The Canberra Times |location=ACT |date=4 September 1988 |accessdate=21 February 2015 |page=33 |publisher=National Library of Australia}} This was followed by just one appearance in 1990 and three in 1991, his final season.

References

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