Mark Dwyer
Encyclopedia
Mark Dwyer is a former Australian rules football
er who played with Fitzroy
and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) during the 1980s.
Dwyer was a wingman, best remembered for his strong debut season. He had started 1986 playing with Koroit
but got a permit to join Fitzroy's reserves team during the season. In his second reserves outing he had 40 possessions and was promoted to the seniors by coach David Parkin
. He made his VFL debut in round 15 and played every game for the rest of the year, including their thrilling finals wins over Essendon
and Sydney
as well as their preliminary final loss to Hawthorn
.
He polled at least one vote in each of his first five games in the 1986 Brownlow Medal
count and another three in his seventh. This gave him 10 votes and was enough to finish equal 11th, despite making just eight appearances. Everyone who had polled more votes had played 16 or more games. His success on the night likely cost teammate Paul Roos
the medal, as the Fitzroy player fell one vote short.
In 1987 he had injury problems restricted him to just two VFL games and in the subsequent pre-season he tore his achilles during a practice match. As a result he was traded to St Kilda midway through the year. A left footer, he played his only game for St Kilda in 1988 and spent the 1989 season in the VFA
with Sandringham. He returned to Koroit in 1990 where he continued playing before moving to Warrnambool
.
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 Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
and St Kilda 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) during the 1980s.
Dwyer was a wingman, best remembered for his strong debut season. He had started 1986 playing with Koroit
Koroit Football Club
The Koroit Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Hampden Football League.They are based in the Victorian town of Koroit and have played in the Hampden Football League since 1961.-Maskell Medallists:*Anthony Mahony 1996...
but got a permit to join Fitzroy's reserves team during the season. In his second reserves outing he had 40 possessions and was promoted to the seniors by coach David Parkin
David Parkin
David Parkin is a former Australian rules footballer and four-time premiership coach.- Pre-football career :He attended Melbourne High School and during his time there, was the school vice-captain and captain of football....
. He made his VFL debut in round 15 and played every game for the rest of the year, including their thrilling finals wins over Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and 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...
as well as their preliminary final loss to Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
.
He polled at least one vote in each of his first five games in the 1986 Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
count and another three in his seventh. This gave him 10 votes and was enough to finish equal 11th, despite making just eight appearances. Everyone who had polled more votes had played 16 or more games. His success on the night likely cost teammate Paul Roos
Paul Roos (Australian rules footballer)
Paul Roos is a former Australian rules football player and coach in the VFL and Australian Football League.Playing the majority of his career with Fitzroy, Roos was one of the teams greats, captaining the side for a long time and was acknowledged as its best player for several seasons, being named...
the medal, as the Fitzroy player fell one vote short.
In 1987 he had injury problems restricted him to just two VFL games and in the subsequent pre-season he tore his achilles during a practice match. As a result he was traded to St Kilda midway through the year. A left footer, he played his only game for St Kilda in 1988 and spent the 1989 season in the VFA
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...
with Sandringham. He returned to Koroit in 1990 where he continued playing before moving to Warrnambool
Warrnambool Football Club
The Warrnambool Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Hampden Football League.Warrnambool are based in the city of the same name and have played in the Hampden Football League since 1933.-Maskell Medallists:...
.