David Strooper

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}

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

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

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = David Strooper

| image =

| fullname = David Strooper

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|2|25|df=yes}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = South Colac

| height = 191 cm

| weight = 81 kg

| position =

| statsend = 1994

| years1 = 1987–1991

| club1 = Fitzroy

| games_goals1 = 43 (28)

| years2 = 1992–1993

| club2 = Sydney Swans

| games_goals2 = 32 (58)

| years3 = 1994

| club3 = St Kilda

| games_goals3 = {{0}}6 {{0}}(3)

| games_goalstotal = 81 (89)

| careerhighlights =

}}

David Strooper (born 25 February 1968) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy, Sydney Swans and St Kilda in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/AFL).

Originally from South Colac, Strooper was a utility player who was often used as a key forward. He spent much of his time at Fitzroy in the reserves and had his best return in 1990 with 14 senior games.[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/D/David_Strooper.html AFL Tables: David Strooper] After playing just six league games the following year, Strooper nominated for the 1991 AFL Draft and was picked by Sydney with the 43rd selection.

He made an immediate impression at Sydney in 1992, with four goals in his first game and a five-goal haul in his second. His final tally of 44 goals, from 22 games, was enough to finish second in the goal-kicking behind another new recruit; Simon Minton-Connell. Strooper's 131 marks was easily the most by a Swans player that season. He was unable to repeat these efforts with a struggling Sydney side in 1993 and added just 10 more games, all of which were in losses. Delisted, he was given another chance by St Kilda, who secured him with the fourth pick of the 1994 Pre-Season Draft. He appeared in the opening two rounds of the 1994 AFL season but was hampered by injuries during the year and played just four more games.{{cite book|last=Holmesby|first=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-920910-78-5}}

Strooper was later part of a successful Northcote Park side, which competed in the Diamond Valley Football League.