Denis Collins (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Denis Collins was an Australian rules football
er who played for Footscray
, Carlton
and Richmond
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
After arriving from Braybrook, Collins became a regular fixture in the Footscray side for six seasons. A pacy wingman, he was also used as a half forward and rover during his career. He averaged a career high 19 disposals from his 20 games in 1977 but it would be his final season at Footscray. While at Footscray he was joined briefly by his brother Daryl and the two of them played together in the opening round of the 1974 season.
Collins made 21 appearances for Carlton in 1978 and took part in his second finals series, having played an elimination final with Footscray. In the last round of the home and away season he was famously felled by Robbie Muir
. With Muir reacting angrily to being reported for striking Val Perovic
, Collins came up behind him and ruffled his hair, to which the St Kilda player responded by flinging back his forearm and striking Collins on the jaw. In the Brownlow Medal
count later that year, Collins was Carlton's best performed with 12 votes.
Dissatisfied after spending much of the 1979 season in the reserves and missing out on playing in Carlton's 1979 premiership team, Collins was granted a clearance to Richmond in 1980. Although he made 17 appearances in 1980, including a qualifying final win over his former club Carlton, Collins was only an emergency for the VFL Grand Final
, which Richmond won. Collins was set to be named on the bench for the Grand Final, but missed an appointment with the club psychologist the Thursday before the game. As a result, coach Tony Jewell
dropped him from the side and played Daryl Freame
instead.
Collins retired from the VFL after the 1980 season and soon after moved to Western Australia where he played for East Perth
in the West Australian Football League
.
He was the son of Essendon premiership player Jack Collins
.
Collins of a heart attack on 31 August 2011 in the Western Australian town of Hyden. He was 58 years old.
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 for Footscray
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
, 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...
and Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
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).
After arriving from Braybrook, Collins became a regular fixture in the Footscray side for six seasons. A pacy wingman, he was also used as a half forward and rover during his career. He averaged a career high 19 disposals from his 20 games in 1977 but it would be his final season at Footscray. While at Footscray he was joined briefly by his brother Daryl and the two of them played together in the opening round of the 1974 season.
Collins made 21 appearances for Carlton in 1978 and took part in his second finals series, having played an elimination final with Footscray. In the last round of the home and away season he was famously felled by Robbie Muir
Robbie Muir (footballer)
Robbie "Mad Dog" Muir is a former part-Indigenous Australian rules football player for the St Kilda Football Club in the Victorian Football League ....
. With Muir reacting angrily to being reported for striking Val Perovic
Val Perovic
Val Perovic is a former Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda and Carlton in the VFL.Despite starting his career as a wingman, Perovic played mostly as a defender and was a centre half back when he first represented Victoria in 1978. After 77 games with St Kilda during the 1970s he...
, Collins came up behind him and ruffled his hair, to which the St Kilda player responded by flinging back his forearm and striking Collins on the jaw. In the 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 later that year, Collins was Carlton's best performed with 12 votes.
Dissatisfied after spending much of the 1979 season in the reserves and missing out on playing in Carlton's 1979 premiership team, Collins was granted a clearance to Richmond in 1980. Although he made 17 appearances in 1980, including a qualifying final win over his former club Carlton, Collins was only an emergency for the VFL Grand Final
1980 VFL Grand Final
The 1980 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1980. It was the 84th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
, which Richmond won. Collins was set to be named on the bench for the Grand Final, but missed an appointment with the club psychologist the Thursday before the game. As a result, coach Tony Jewell
Tony Jewell
Tony 'TJ' Jewell is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1964 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from Oakleigh in the VFA where he had led the club's goalkicking in 1962 and was placed 4th in the VFA's best & fairest award, the J. J. Liston...
dropped him from the side and played Daryl Freame
Daryl Freame
Daryl Freame is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1977 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club.-References:*Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996...
instead.
Collins retired from the VFL after the 1980 season and soon after moved to Western Australia where he played for East Perth
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
in the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
.
He was the son of Essendon premiership player Jack Collins
Jack Cecil Collins
Jack Cecil Collins was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy and Essendon in the VFL.Collins, who was recruited locally to Fitzroy, kicked seven goals in a game against St Kilda at Brunswick Street in his debut season....
.
Collins of a heart attack on 31 August 2011 in the Western Australian town of Hyden. He was 58 years old.