.gif)
David Schwarz (footballer)
Encyclopedia
David Schwarz is a former Australian rules football
er, who retired in 2002, after playing for the Melbourne Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL), for 12 seasons.
, Schwarz made his AFL
debut in 1991. As a player for the Melbourne Football Club
, he was known as "the Ox" for his beast-like build. He played centre half-forward
or full-forward
and was touted as one of the games next superstars, taking more marks than Wayne Carey
in 1994, kicking nine goals straight against Sydney
and with some breathtaking finals performances (including "that" blind turn against Carlton
). Strong marking, agile and athletic, he was destined for superstardom until he suffered numerous knee injuries, playing only two games in 1995 and missing the entire 1996 season.
Schwarz resumed playing in 1997 at a weight of 103 kilograms (227.1 lb), which was 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) above the weight he subsequently carried in 2000. He capped his effort by winning the club’s best and fairest in 1999 and passing the 100 game mark – something that was unthinkable a few years earlier when knee injuries left his career in tatters. In typical style he celebrated with 20 of his closest mates and his mother, who had brought him up single handed since the age of eight. His father had been murdered.
Winning the best and fairest was a triumph for Schwarz after he had been mentioned as a possible swap for Richmond’s Wayne Campbell
the previous summer. Never afraid to speak his mind and a natural team leader, he was a leading contender for the Melbourne captaincy, but was satisfied with being vice-captain to his good mate David Neitz
.
Late in his playing career, he appeared as a panelist on the AFL Footy Show in a memorable show where Sam Newman
threw a pie in his face. A visibly angry Schwarz pushed Newman down to the ground.
He retired in the middle of 2002 having played 173 matches and kicking 244 goals.
, he admitted that during his football career he had a gambling problem and whittled away most of his income.
AFL Commentary team along with Bruce McAvaney
, Dennis Cometti
, Tim Watson
, Leigh Matthews
, Tom Harley
and Matthew Richardson
.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er, who retired in 2002, after playing for the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL), for 12 seasons.
Football career
Recruited from SunburySunbury, Victoria
Sunbury is a regional city, located north-west of Melbourne's central business district, in the state of Victoria, Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hume. At the 2006 Census, Sunbury had a population of 31,000...
, Schwarz made his AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
debut in 1991. As a player for the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
, he was known as "the Ox" for his beast-like build. He played centre half-forward
Centre half-forward
In Australian rules football, the centre half-forward is a position on the half-forward line of a football field. The directly opposing player is a Centre-Half-Back....
or full-forward
Full-forward
Full-forward is a position in Australian rules football and Gaelic football with a key focus on kicking goals.Leading full-forwards of the Australian Football League are usually among those awarded with the Coleman Medal for the most goals in an AFL season....
and was touted as one of the games next superstars, taking more marks than Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey
Wayne Carey is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne and Adelaide Football Clubs in the Australian Football League ....
in 1994, kicking nine goals straight against Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
and with some breathtaking finals performances (including "that" blind turn against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
). Strong marking, agile and athletic, he was destined for superstardom until he suffered numerous knee injuries, playing only two games in 1995 and missing the entire 1996 season.
Schwarz resumed playing in 1997 at a weight of 103 kilograms (227.1 lb), which was 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) above the weight he subsequently carried in 2000. He capped his effort by winning the club’s best and fairest in 1999 and passing the 100 game mark – something that was unthinkable a few years earlier when knee injuries left his career in tatters. In typical style he celebrated with 20 of his closest mates and his mother, who had brought him up single handed since the age of eight. His father had been murdered.
Winning the best and fairest was a triumph for Schwarz after he had been mentioned as a possible swap for Richmond’s Wayne Campbell
Wayne Campbell
Wayne Campbell is a retired Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club of the AFL.-Richmond career :...
the previous summer. Never afraid to speak his mind and a natural team leader, he was a leading contender for the Melbourne captaincy, but was satisfied with being vice-captain to his good mate David Neitz
David Neitz
David Neitz , nicknamed Neita, is a retired Australian rules footballer. The strongly built centre half back who became a full forward was the longest-serving captain in the history of the Melbourne Football Club and the first Melbourne player to achieve the 300-game milestone.Neitz was born in...
.
Late in his playing career, he appeared as a panelist on the AFL Footy Show in a memorable show where Sam Newman
Sam Newman
John Noel William "Sam" Newman is a retired Australian rules football player and current television personality. He is a featured presenter on the AFL version of The Footy Show.-VFL career:...
threw a pie in his face. A visibly angry Schwarz pushed Newman down to the ground.
He retired in the middle of 2002 having played 173 matches and kicking 244 goals.
SEN
In 2005, in his job on radio station SEN 1116SEN 1116
SEN 1116 , the acronym standing for Sports Entertainment Network, is a commercial AM radio station based in Melbourne, Australia, operating on 1116 kHz...
, he admitted that during his football career he had a gambling problem and whittled away most of his income.
Channel Seven
From 2007 onwards Schwarz has been a part of the Channel SevenSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
AFL Commentary team along with Bruce McAvaney
Bruce McAvaney
Bruce William McAvaney OAM is an Australian sports broadcaster with the Seven Network, well-known for his commentary of Australian rules football matches as well as covering every Summer Olympic Games from Moscow 1980 until Beijing 2008.- Early years :The son of an Adelaide accountant, McAvaney...
, Dennis Cometti
Dennis Cometti
Dennis Cometti is a former Australian rules football player and coach for West Perth in the West Australian Football League and Footscray in the Victorian Football League but is best known as a commentator. In a career spanning almost 40 years, his dry humour and smooth voice have become his...
, Tim Watson
Tim Watson
Timothy Michael "Tim" Watson is a former Australian rules footballer and coach, sports journalist and media personality.He is notable for his long career at the Essendon Football Club as a player where he participated in several premiership teams...
, Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
, Tom Harley
Tom Harley
Thomas 'Tom' Harley is a former Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League...
and Matthew Richardson
Matthew Richardson (Australian rules footballer)
Matthew "Richo" Richardson , is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Australian Football League...
.
External links
- David Schwarz's profile on the Official AFL Website of the Melbourne Football Club
- Demon Wiki profile