Denis O'Callaghan is a former Australian rules football

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 played with Collingwood

Collingwood Football Club

The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

 in the Victorian 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...

 (VFL).

Recruited from Tiega, O'Callaghan played on the half back flank in the 1970 VFL Grand Final

1970 VFL Grand Final

The 1970 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1970. It was the 74th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...

, which Collingwood lost. He was primarily seen in the back pocket

Back pocket

In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....

s and appeared in 10 finals during his time at the club. Such was the strength of the team that they made the finals in all but one season O'Callaghan was there, his first.

In 1976, O'Callaghan took over from John Dugdale

John Dugdale (footballer)

John Dugdale is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Kangaroos in a 15 year career which began in 1955. He shares with Jock Spencer the club record of 6 times topping their season ending goalkicking charts...

 as coach of Coburg in the Victorian Football Association

Victorian Football League

The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...

 (VFA). After just one season as captain-coach, he left Coburg and was replaced by Col Kinnear

Col Kinnear

Colin 'Col' Kinnear is a former Australian rules football coach who coached the Sydney Swans in the VFL/AFL. He is the son of former Melbourne player Joe Kinnear....

.