Ian Dunstan
Encyclopedia
Ian Dunstan is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
Originally recruited from Fish Creek in South Gippsland, he is the son Maurie Dunstan
and brother of Graeme Dunstan
, both former Collingwood
players. He was a tallish ruck-rover with great ability to win the ball and great skill at kicking straight in the direction of goal. His early years with Footscray were nonetheless patchy, and he lost his place in the senior side after a slump in 1974 and again in 1976 – though he returned to play well in the last round draw with Carlton
and in his only final against Geelong
a week later.
Paradoxically, it was whilst Footscray were declining from the middle bracket to perennial contenders for the wooden spoon with St Kilda and Melbourne
that Dunstan rose to the heights not only of Footscray's top running players, but even to representing Victoria. On 1 July 1978 Dunstan and Kelvin Templeton
kicked against St Kilda a record VFL/AFL total for two players in one team of 22 goals 12 behinds (144 points), narrowly beating the total of Doug Strang
and Jack Titus
for Richmond
against North Melbourne
on 9 May 1931. Of this Dunstan kicked seven goals, three behinds but had over thirty kicks overall, many of which led to Templeton's record total of twenty-four scoring shots, which contributed to Footscray breaking Carlton's 1969 record VFL score. During the last quarter it was said that Dunstan, who never otherwise kicked five in a match, aimed to reach double figures.
As a result of this and other performances, Dunstan represented Victoria
several times in the last three years of the late 1970s. As Footscray struggled further owing to the club's limited financial resources – going from seven wins in 1978 and 1979 to only five in 1980, two in 1981 and three in 1982 – Dunstan won three best and fairest
awards in 1979, 1981 and 1982 but Footscray's finances and a youth policy caused them to allow Dunstan to cross to North Melbourne
for the 1983 season. He did not play a senior match in 1983 owing to injury and his debut for North Melbourne proved to be embarrassing, with the Kangaroos going down by 137 points to Carlton. He played the first three games in the seniors but it was clear his best days were beyond him and afterward he played only three more senior matches.
At the end of 1984 Ian Dunstan retired from the VFL and played briefly with Werribee
in the Victorian Football Association. He later joined struggling Association club Sunshine
where he had the unfortunate fate to be coach of the senior club when it was expelled from the competition mid-season in 1989.
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...
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).
Originally recruited from Fish Creek in South Gippsland, he is the son Maurie Dunstan
Maurie Dunstan
Maurie "Mocha" Dunstan is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League ....
and brother of Graeme Dunstan
Graeme Dunstan (footballer)
Graeme Dunstan is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian Football League and Norwood in the South Australian National Football League ....
, both former Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
players. He was a tallish ruck-rover with great ability to win the ball and great skill at kicking straight in the direction of goal. His early years with Footscray were nonetheless patchy, and he lost his place in the senior side after a slump in 1974 and again in 1976 – though he returned to play well in the last round draw with 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 in his only final against Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
a week later.
Paradoxically, it was whilst Footscray were declining from the middle bracket to perennial contenders for the wooden spoon with St Kilda and Melbourne
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....
that Dunstan rose to the heights not only of Footscray's top running players, but even to representing Victoria. On 1 July 1978 Dunstan and Kelvin Templeton
Kelvin Templeton
Kelvin Templeton is a former Australian rules footballer. At sixteen years of age Templeton kicked 100 goals for Traralgon in the 1973 Latrobe Valley FL season...
kicked against St Kilda a record VFL/AFL total for two players in one team of 22 goals 12 behinds (144 points), narrowly beating the total of Doug Strang
Doug Strang
Doug Strang was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1931 and 1935 for the Richmond Football Club.Whilst several injuries restricted his VFL career to just 64 games...
and Jack Titus
Jack Titus
Jack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats...
for 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,...
against North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
on 9 May 1931. Of this Dunstan kicked seven goals, three behinds but had over thirty kicks overall, many of which led to Templeton's record total of twenty-four scoring shots, which contributed to Footscray breaking Carlton's 1969 record VFL score. During the last quarter it was said that Dunstan, who never otherwise kicked five in a match, aimed to reach double figures.
As a result of this and other performances, Dunstan represented Victoria
Victoria Australian rules football team
The Victorian Australian rules football team, also known as the Big V is the representative side of Victoria, Australia in the sport of Australian rules football....
several times in the last three years of the late 1970s. As Footscray struggled further owing to the club's limited financial resources – going from seven wins in 1978 and 1979 to only five in 1980, two in 1981 and three in 1982 – Dunstan won three best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
awards in 1979, 1981 and 1982 but Footscray's finances and a youth policy caused them to allow Dunstan to cross to North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
for the 1983 season. He did not play a senior match in 1983 owing to injury and his debut for North Melbourne proved to be embarrassing, with the Kangaroos going down by 137 points to Carlton. He played the first three games in the seniors but it was clear his best days were beyond him and afterward he played only three more senior matches.
At the end of 1984 Ian Dunstan retired from the VFL and played briefly with Werribee
Werribee Football Club
The Werribee Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club, based in Werribee, was formed in 1965 and currently plays in the Victorian Football League. Werribee was defeated by the Sandringham Football Club in the 2005 VFL Grand Final.-History:The Werribee Football Club...
in the Victorian Football Association. He later joined struggling Association club Sunshine
Sunshine Football Club
Sunshine Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, was an Australian rules football club which played in the Victorian Football Association from 1959 until 1989. The club colours were navy blue and white.-History:...
where he had the unfortunate fate to be coach of the senior club when it was expelled from the competition mid-season in 1989.